Making things from molds has dated back thousands of years, Historians have found evidence of the use of molds dating prior to 3000 BC. Among the earliest forms of mold use was evidenced by the finest pottery of the time crafted in Babylonia.

So what is a mold? Quite simply it is a form or shape with a cavity or pattern that is filled or pressed with a substance which once the substance is dried or mature, it can be removed and used.

The development and use of molds is as varied as one’s imagination. Stop and think for a moment of all the things you use daily that come from molds. Soaps, cookies, candies, butter, cheese, car parts, candles, machinery, dishes, even shoes and hats and of course ceramics. You will find molds made of rubber, plastic, wood, stone, glass, metals, cement, and plaster – all with the purpose of making repeated castings of a desired item.

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Porcelain produces a very fine dust which can be bothersome to people with breathing problems or allergies. Though normally, one does not use water to clean porcelain greenware, there is a technique which does allow the use of water.

This method eliminates the fine dust that pervades the work area, thereby making the environment safer and easier for the individual.

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When handling porcelain, one must follow an entirely different set of rules compared to cast earthenware. It is much softer and much more fragile. It requires a lighter, more delicate touch. Once you get the hang of it though, working with porcelain is a real delight.

Cleaning Porcelain greenware doesn’t require any tools if you have fingernails and dry skin. Not to worry though, there are a lot of tools available on the market and some are designed for specific purposes such as a wooden ball to size and shape eyes in dolls, or a finger tool to help clean between doll fingers, etc. But generally, all you need is a clean-up tool (knife) and a piece of ladies nylons. It is useful to have a soft bristled brush available also. Kemper and other companies as well, have a double ended tool that has a spoon shaped knife on one end and a triangle shaped knife on the other. This is a versatile and necessary tool to have in your arsenal.

The first thing you need to know about porcelain is: DO NOT use water. With rare exception, it will ruin the piece. Please note: There is a method of cleaning porcelain IN water; but that requires a pre-fire at a low cone setting. This will not be discussed in this article.

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About 25 years ago, I always mixed up my own earthenware slip. It is not difficult, just takes patience and some time and a strong back; however when I moved to the South, there were no sources (that I could find - this was before the internet) to buy the raw materials. The only slip available was in pre-mixed, 2 gallon boxes. The cost was considerably higher, but the convenience was nice.

Now, though it is getting more and more difficult to find local supplies for hobbyists in the area of casting ceramic molds. I recently spent two weeks trying to find a local source for a gallon of ready made porcelain slip to fill an order for one of my customers.

I was about to tear out my hair before I finally found a source in another state and I had to pay high shipping costs to just get one gallon sent to me.

During my quest, I did find a local source who would have provided me with all of the fixin’s to mix my own slip; however they did not have a recipe for porcelain casting slip, just porcelain clay.

While waiting for my gallon of slip to arrive, I began a quest to find recipes to mix my own slip. I’m thinking it won’t be too long before I’m going to have to mix my earthenware slip also. To that end, I decided to share with my readers what I find out. I did find one recipe for porcelain casting slip - fire range cone 6-10. I have not attempted to make it yet, so I can not vouch for its result. If anyone tries this before I do, I would love to hear back as to what they think of the final result.

I will also be adding recipes for other slips besides porcelain soon.

To see this porcelain slip recipe, click here