Wow. So many comments. First, thank you for pulling back the curtain on the mystery of slip casting and how the plaster mould plays such an important role. Second, once again your production level is through the roof; these videos are so well organized and presented - it’s a pleasure to watch. Lastly, if you ever get tired of making mugs, you could replace Bill Nye or Mr. Wizard and teach a new generation of children the wonders of science!
Mahalo! ❤️ My dad is an engineer, and I loved watching him make things as a kid. That being said, I was terrible at math and chemistry in school, and sadly thought (at the time) “I wanna be an artist, so I do t need this stuff” - only now do I realize how much math and science is involved!
I was 3D printing a product, but know i am jumping into slip casting. I know ppl will love the weight and feel of the glazed product - so much better than plastic. Thank you for educating me on PRODUCTION slip casting!!
This post is legend. So, I only recently joined the fold, but had SO MANY QUESTIONS! Also, I wondered why mugs were so pricy, and why people jumped on releases like piranhas. All is clear. You are certainly a Master, and I appreciate you sharing the technical details with your fans! I am addicted to ‘technical tuesday,’ and am looking forward to all the new ones!
Thank you for constantly feeding my Slip-Casting addiction. Perhaps a video on how to recognize ridges/different planes to create more complex molds? :D
I’m only halfway through this video and I just want to say thank you so much! (Like all the other comments are saying) You’re awesome! :D I am so excited about trying slip casting and your channel has been so so inspiring and motivating. I’m definitely interested in the technical stuff like humidity of the room and how it affects the casting so I will continue my research and also watch the rest of the video now :D are you on tiktok? you deserve so many more views!
@@vantikistudio no no, we need those. Some people just need to know their videos are crap and the more thumbs down the less it will ever show up. Imagine if you could do that with cable and get to vote out crappy shows since there are so many...
Maybe a plaster mold in its first casting has less residual moisture in it than it would between castings? I know from testing moisture retention in soils that, at very low moisture contents in porous materials, you can get very large changes in capillary suction with small changes in moisture content. And I remember reading somewhere that one should lightly mist the inside of a plaster mold with water before its first use -slightly higher moisture, less capillary suction; maybe less grippy-ness the first go-around.
Love your videos! So well produced and the pace is perfect. You manage to explain a lot, clearly, in a short time AND you make it entertaining! Learning something new every single time. 👌🌸
Good gods! This is a hyper-production! Animation, clones!!! Fabulous! Also, as an ex caster/molder and ex-engineer I must say your chemistry is wickedly on point! Another excellent vid!!!
Hiiii. Congrats and thank you for creating this channel, I keep learning new things with every video. I have a question for you about the slipcasting, what would you say it's an ideal wall thickness that will give the piece the necessary endurance to live a long life without making it to heavy and awkward to handle? thanks in advance :)
Great question!! Thickness is really a personal decision. I consider the strength of the clay body I’m using, the complexity/shape of the casting, and the intended audience/use. I do my AP test castings in various thicknesses and pick the thickness I think fists best for the edition after I fire and glaze them.
If I had used the mouth as the pouring gate, the face would have to point up while pouring, and that would run the risk of catching bubbles in the nose, eyes, and brows. I could have possibly done a crazy angled pour spout in the mold - but engineering it seemed overly complex compared to just using a plug and pouring through the top of the head. Hope that makes sense!
I keep a casting log, and track when I make a new batch of slip (usually 15 gallons), and how many casts I get before I need to make more slip. This lets me know roughly the amount of slip each casting uses.
question....I'm getting ready to try my first casting making Ollas for my garden. I'm not worried about replicating fine details just reproducing the general for am I going to have to be as precise mixing up the slip solution or will it be more forgiving?
So, question, I’ve made a slip mold for an olla, or a porous pot I’m gonna bury in my garden to help water it as I live in an area prone to drought. I know nothing about ceramics before taking on this project. I’d slip porous?
Clay can be porous after firing - when you shop for prepared slips (I’d buy a pre mixed and ready to use slip since you are just learning) talk to the manufacturer about your intended use. I’d call Laguna clay and see what they suggest.
@@vantikistudio thanks! I just got a book you recommended in the mail and silicon is setting in a 3D printed mold of a mold of a mold I’m making so, definitely time to get the right materials
I get mine (laguna slip) from our local ceramics supply store, but you can have it shipped direct from Laguna or several online suppliers ua-cam.com/video/dmj7XiOd1K4/v-deo.html
Yes! I can never remember the name when I’m doing the voice over. I’ve got a link to them in the description. I’ve only used them on molds - never for their intended purpose 😄
Me again... Ever since I cast my old molds in silicone, I have not been able to slip cast with it. Everything sticks and the pieces are destroyed when I separate them. I'm leaving them full for an hour, letting them firm up for about five hours, and they are staying absolutely stuck to the plaster molds, and the slip is staining them brown. Is there anything I can do? Do they need to be cleaned somehow? FWIW I'm using SIAL's Canada Slip ("new formula"). The old formula (the original box I bought) was very different (gray an a lot thicker) and also failed/stuck pretty badly the only time I used it after I silicone cast the original plasters. I am very reluctant to cast with the new plasters until I know what I'm doing wrong. Any help is appreciated (including telling me to contact you some other way because I'm annoying the other students!)
After watching your Slip Casting Porcelain video, I am almost certain the first box of slip I bought (and used!) was mislabeled porcelain slip. It was a fair bit thicker and firmed up much quicker.
Hmm - are you saying that your maser plaster mold, after you made a silicone mold of it, no longer works for Slipcasting? If so, it may be a matter of absorbing silicone oil from the molding process, or the presence of any release agent you used when making the silicone mold (mold soap, for example). I’d suggest washing the mold thoroughly with vinegar if you used mold soap as a release agent. You can also try washing the mold with acetone, then rinsing and drying it thoroughly before casting. Ok I’ve re-read your question and it seems like your plaster is wicking just fine, and that sticking is the issue. How firm are the castings when you try to open the molds? I find that if I let castings dry I. The molds too long they can shrink which will lock the castings in, and sometimes cause them to tear or crack as they constrict around the mold forms. I also find misting water into the mold before casting can help prevent the slip from “gripping” the plaster - it kind of primes the wicking action.
@@vantikistudio So, some responses. When making the silicone masters, I didn't use a release agent. When I slip cast using the original plaster mold afterwards, the slip takes a solid hour to build up enough thickness, so maybe it's not wicking as well as it should. After sitting for about five hours (!!) the slip is still a little rubbery, but feels solid enough to stand up on its own. I see no little to no sign of shrinkage at the gate, though. It just sticks to the mold and refuses to release, to the point that it has stained the mold. So I will try cleaning with vinegar -- or should I try acetone? I have both handy. I also cast four fresh plaster molds, and I'm kinda reluctant to try them given what's happened with my original mold and the fact that I don't know why this is happening, but maybe I should give one of them a spritz and give it a go -- thoughts?
@@vantikistudio I took your advice, held my breath, and cast the new mold -- with a mist of water before I poured. I now have a small-but-growing forest of Christmas Tree napkin holders! After a vinegar bath, I still worry that the original plaster mold has absorbed something rendering it useless (I'll try an acetone bath next) but you were absolutely right, the new plaster molds worked just fine. Given it's acetone, what would you use to scrub the mold? A soft toothbrush is out, because the acetone is likely to turn it to goo. Anyway, I don't think I have (or could) adequately expressed my gratitude for your patience in sharing your expertise. I -- and my now very-busy-with-ceramics mother -- thank you!
Do you mean my slip tank/table? I cover it with plastic when not using it. Some water drips in when I sponge off the top rails when cleaning after casting every day - and that helps to make up for any moisture lost to evaporation. I will adjust for specific gravity and flow every few weeks if the castings are behaving oddly.
As a geologist, wheel-based potter, and tiki enthusiast, your videos are my favorite part of the internet.
this makes me so happy! It also makes me self conscious of the accuracy of my microscopic view of clay :D
Wow. So many comments. First, thank you for pulling back the curtain on the mystery of slip casting and how the plaster mould plays such an important role. Second, once again your production level is through the roof; these videos are so well organized and presented - it’s a pleasure to watch. Lastly, if you ever get tired of making mugs, you could replace Bill Nye or Mr. Wizard and teach a new generation of children the wonders of science!
Mahalo! ❤️
My dad is an engineer, and I loved watching him make things as a kid. That being said, I was terrible at math and chemistry in school, and sadly thought (at the time) “I wanna be an artist, so I do t need this stuff” - only now do I realize how much math and science is involved!
@vantikistudio how long do you wait for the plaster moulds to dry after using them? Do you use a low-temp oven to expedite the drying?
I was 3D printing a product, but know i am jumping into slip casting. I know ppl will love the weight and feel of the glazed product - so much better than plastic. Thank you for educating me on PRODUCTION slip casting!!
best of luck on your ceramic adventure!
This post is legend.
So, I only recently joined the fold, but had SO MANY QUESTIONS!
Also, I wondered why mugs were so pricy, and why people jumped on releases like piranhas.
All is clear. You are certainly a Master, and I appreciate you sharing the technical details with your fans!
I am addicted to ‘technical tuesday,’ and am looking forward to all the new ones!
Thank you so much! So glad you found the videos!
Editing skills are becoming epic!
Practice makes perfect 😂
I have a discussion tomorrow about this process, and the video was exactly what I needed. Early thanks for saving me and my team!
Happy to be of help!
Slip= forbidden chocolate milk
It does not taste good. 🤪
Thank you for constantly feeding my Slip-Casting addiction. Perhaps a video on how to recognize ridges/different planes to create more complex molds? :D
Great suggestion!
I’m only halfway through this video and I just want to say thank you so much! (Like all the other comments are saying) You’re awesome! :D I am so excited about trying slip casting and your channel has been so so inspiring and motivating. I’m definitely interested in the technical stuff like humidity of the room and how it affects the casting so I will continue my research and also watch the rest of the video now :D are you on tiktok? you deserve so many more views!
Thank you so much! Please tell your clay friends about the videos! I pretty much stick to Instagram for my social media posts ( @vantiki )
This was such a great episode! Love the animations.
Thank you! It was fun to put together. I think animation may make a return in future episodes. It helps when explaining concepts that I can’t film 😄
Awesome video as always! Not sure why someone would give you a thumbs down 🤦🏼♂️
Right?!
Who is that one person on every video. Vantiki I would say you have an arch nemesis out there! 🙀
@@blakegrigorian401 I don’t even know why UA-cam has the like/dislike option 😄
@@blakegrigorian401 probably someone who's always too slow to get a mug 😂
@@vantikistudio no no, we need those. Some people just need to know their videos are crap and the more thumbs down the less it will ever show up. Imagine if you could do that with cable and get to vote out crappy shows since there are so many...
Maybe a plaster mold in its first casting has less residual moisture in it than it would between castings? I know from testing moisture retention in soils that, at very low moisture contents in porous materials, you can get very large changes in capillary suction with small changes in moisture content. And I remember reading somewhere that one should lightly mist the inside of a plaster mold with water before its first use -slightly higher moisture, less capillary suction; maybe less grippy-ness the first go-around.
Interesting! I also read about misting the molds before casting. I used to do that - but noticed no change when I forgot to do it, so I stopped 😅
Loved this !!! Thank you 💚💚💚
Thank YOU for watching!
wow the quality of your videos is just amazing.the animations, the explanations. thank you so much.
Thank YOU for watching!
This is such cool content! Just found your channel, very glad I did :)
Thank you! I’m glad you found me!
Excellent graphics and animations to explain deflocculation and the walls of the casting.
Thank you!
Fun and Informative!⭐
⭐Love the animations.
Especially the bewildered expressions on the clay particles as they sank to the bottom of the water.⭐
Thank you! I had a great time putting this one together.
@@vantikistudio You're welcome.
Thanks for this amazing video. So we’ll produced and fun to watch. Wakes me wanna make some mugs 🤙🗿🍹
Thank you!
I always look forward to your videos, and have been not so very patiently awaiting a new one! Excellent content! Lisa
Thank you! Hopefully the next episode will arrive on time 😄
Nice Tiki Technical!
thank you!
Thank you once again for sharing! You and your videos make Tuesdays great! Feel free to add that to resumes, business cards, tattoos etc...
Ha! I'll be sure to do that! :)
Love your videos! So well produced and the pace is perfect. You manage to explain a lot, clearly, in a short time AND you make it entertaining! Learning something new every single time. 👌🌸
Thank you so much! And thank you for watching!
Great vid! Love the animations
Thank you!
Good gods! This is a hyper-production! Animation, clones!!! Fabulous!
Also, as an ex caster/molder and ex-engineer I must say your chemistry is wickedly on point!
Another excellent vid!!!
Thank you! I went all in on this one - its a tricky concept to get across, and I figured animation would do it best :)
You are a very talented teacher! I've learned so much from watching. Can someone tell me what these "Mugs" are used for?
Thank you! Traditionally the mugs are used for cocktails, but most folks use them for decoration
This is awesome! I love what videos I've seen. I can see some of these being "video day" videos for my students.
Thank you so much! Happy to be part of any video days!
I love all the details that go into making some of my favorite mugs. Keep up the great work
Thank you so much! And thanks for watching!
Wow! Awesome and informative. Thank you! 🌞
Thank you for watching! Please share with any folks you think may enjoy it!
Hiiii. Congrats and thank you for creating this channel, I keep learning new things with every video. I have a question for you about the slipcasting, what would you say it's an ideal wall thickness that will give the piece the necessary endurance to live a long life without making it to heavy and awkward to handle? thanks in advance :)
Great question!! Thickness is really a personal decision. I consider the strength of the clay body I’m using, the complexity/shape of the casting, and the intended audience/use. I do my AP test castings in various thicknesses and pick the thickness I think fists best for the edition after I fire and glaze them.
Your videos are very helpful!
Thank you! And thanks for watching!
Thanks!
Thank You! I really appreciate it!
Thank you so much!!! We really enjoy every each one of the technical tiki tuesdays along with my son!!! Cheers from Argentine ⚡️🗿⚡️ @uatatiki 🤗
thank you for watching!
I was unaware of the possibility to refire luster. Have you tried to buff the gold afterwards with metal polish?
I have! The artist Brett Kern told me about using silver polish paste on the luster. Makes it extremely shiny!
Animation, Special Effects, Math, Science, art...it had it all. When is the Snyder cut coming?
Ha! Thanks! I kinda went full tilt on this one 🤪
Great Tiki Technical Tuesday. Just curious, how much slip did you need for the cap?
I ended up using about 25-30cc of slip for the plug
Hi, how do you make the slip? what is the recipe? The video was and animations were awesome, thanks for the content!
Thanks for watching! Here is how I make slip in the studio:
ua-cam.com/video/dmj7XiOd1K4/v-deo.html
@@vantikistudio awesome, cheers!
Great video! What the reason was to go the plug route instead of making the mold so the mouth was where the slip is poured?
If I had used the mouth as the pouring gate, the face would have to point up while pouring, and that would run the risk of catching bubbles in the nose, eyes, and brows. I could have possibly done a crazy angled pour spout in the mold - but engineering it seemed overly complex compared to just using a plug and pouring through the top of the head. Hope that makes sense!
9:41 - Seems like all casting, regardless of materials used, has a 'learn the mold' phase.
Yep! De-molding a casting is an art that must be learned anew with every new mold.
Hi, how do you count an amount of slip that you need per one form? I would appreciate any answers )
I keep a casting log, and track when I make a new batch of slip (usually 15 gallons), and how many casts I get before I need to make more slip. This lets me know roughly the amount of slip each casting uses.
question....I'm getting ready to try my first casting making Ollas for my garden. I'm not worried about replicating fine details just reproducing the general for am I going to have to be as precise mixing up the slip solution or will it be more forgiving?
If you’re doing a small project I’d recommend buying prepared slip - it makes it a lot easier to get the hang of casting
@@vantikistudio well I had already considered that but I normally like to try the hard way first its just how I'm built lol
So, question, I’ve made a slip mold for an olla, or a porous pot I’m gonna bury in my garden to help water it as I live in an area prone to drought.
I know nothing about ceramics before taking on this project. I’d slip porous?
Clay can be porous after firing - when you shop for prepared slips (I’d buy a pre mixed and ready to use slip since you are just learning) talk to the manufacturer about your intended use. I’d call Laguna clay and see what they suggest.
@@vantikistudio thanks! I just got a book you recommended in the mail and silicon is setting in a 3D printed mold of a mold of a mold I’m making so, definitely time to get the right materials
Did you cut out the mouths to make them hollow? would that leave little crevasses in the feet?
I did cut the mouth out to make them hollow - the feet are part of the hollow inner form.
Cool, thanks!@@vantikistudio
cool,
where do you buy slip?
I get mine (laguna slip) from our local ceramics supply store, but you can have it shipped direct from Laguna or several online suppliers
ua-cam.com/video/dmj7XiOd1K4/v-deo.html
You're like a potter Alton Brown lol
😅
How do you do the signature and edition section of the work?
That part I like to keep a mystery 😎
@@vantikistudio HA...understood..Love the channel...
Time for a slip particle tiki mug?
yes! :D
How did yiu make this mold
I want to make mold like this
Check out my other videos - some are specifically about mold making 🤙
@@vantikistudio okay I need to make perfect clay for slip cast
Aslo I need to know the temperature of your firing glaze and time
Those are ring spreaders....I used them when I used to lube the bearings on my old Ford Ranger back in the late 1980's
Yes! I can never remember the name when I’m doing the voice over. I’ve got a link to them in the description. I’ve only used them on molds - never for their intended purpose 😄
Me again...
Ever since I cast my old molds in silicone, I have not been able to slip cast with it. Everything sticks and the pieces are destroyed when I separate them. I'm leaving them full for an hour, letting them firm up for about five hours, and they are staying absolutely stuck to the plaster molds, and the slip is staining them brown. Is there anything I can do? Do they need to be cleaned somehow?
FWIW I'm using SIAL's Canada Slip ("new formula"). The old formula (the original box I bought) was very different (gray an a lot thicker) and also failed/stuck pretty badly the only time I used it after I silicone cast the original plasters. I am very reluctant to cast with the new plasters until I know what I'm doing wrong.
Any help is appreciated (including telling me to contact you some other way because I'm annoying the other students!)
After watching your Slip Casting Porcelain video, I am almost certain the first box of slip I bought (and used!) was mislabeled porcelain slip. It was a fair bit thicker and firmed up much quicker.
Hmm - are you saying that your maser plaster mold, after you made a silicone mold of it, no longer works for Slipcasting? If so, it may be a matter of absorbing silicone oil from the molding process, or the presence of any release agent you used when making the silicone mold (mold soap, for example). I’d suggest washing the mold thoroughly with vinegar if you used mold soap as a release agent. You can also try washing the mold with acetone, then rinsing and drying it thoroughly before casting.
Ok I’ve re-read your question and it seems like your plaster is wicking just fine, and that sticking is the issue. How firm are the castings when you try to open the molds? I find that if I let castings dry I. The molds too long they can shrink which will lock the castings in, and sometimes cause them to tear or crack as they constrict around the mold forms. I also find misting water into the mold before casting can help prevent the slip from “gripping” the plaster - it kind of primes the wicking action.
@@vantikistudio So, some responses. When making the silicone masters, I didn't use a release agent. When I slip cast using the original plaster mold afterwards, the slip takes a solid hour to build up enough thickness, so maybe it's not wicking as well as it should. After sitting for about five hours (!!) the slip is still a little rubbery, but feels solid enough to stand up on its own. I see no little to no sign of shrinkage at the gate, though. It just sticks to the mold and refuses to release, to the point that it has stained the mold.
So I will try cleaning with vinegar -- or should I try acetone? I have both handy.
I also cast four fresh plaster molds, and I'm kinda reluctant to try them given what's happened with my original mold and the fact that I don't know why this is happening, but maybe I should give one of them a spritz and give it a go -- thoughts?
@@joevalente8451 definitely try casting from fresh molds, and I’d also definitely scrub out your problematic mold with acetone and vinegar.
@@vantikistudio I took your advice, held my breath, and cast the new mold -- with a mist of water before I poured. I now have a small-but-growing forest of Christmas Tree napkin holders! After a vinegar bath, I still worry that the original plaster mold has absorbed something rendering it useless (I'll try an acetone bath next) but you were absolutely right, the new plaster molds worked just fine.
Given it's acetone, what would you use to scrub the mold? A soft toothbrush is out, because the acetone is likely to turn it to goo.
Anyway, I don't think I have (or could) adequately expressed my gratitude for your patience in sharing your expertise. I -- and my now very-busy-with-ceramics mother -- thank you!
poor little clay dudes :( hhahhah
I didn't even get to the part where they travel through the kiln!
I was thinking the same thing. They don't seem to be enjoying their role in all this.
i hate dutch tilts with a burning passion.
Well, as you can tell, I love the way they let me fill a frame.
How do you keep track of slip gravity if you're leaving the whole thing uncovered? Do you weigh it before casting or just wing it based on experience?
Do you mean my slip tank/table? I cover it with plastic when not using it. Some water drips in when I sponge off the top rails when cleaning after casting every day - and that helps to make up for any moisture lost to evaporation. I will adjust for specific gravity and flow every few weeks if the castings are behaving oddly.
@@vantikistudio Thanks so it's mostly experience.