Weekend Workshop -- Cast That Handle

Today, a few other students and I spent a good part of an afternoon in a workshop with Joe Kraft about casting handles in plaster.  These handles can be used for mugs or any other vessels that has a handle.  If you have a handle shape that you really like and would like to make it repeatedly and easily, this is the workshop for you.

Joe spent the first half an hour explaining handle making and what types of handle forms are suitable for casting and then the participants spent about 30 minutes making the handles they want cast into a mold.  

Joe then explained the process of mixing plaster for the casting as he mix the plaster for the handle molds.  It was a very informative workshop and the time flew by.  The video below is of Joe and his able assistants separating each individual mold from the giant block.

Andrew Martin @ Lillstreet -- Day 2

Andrew Martin is teaching a workshop at Lillstreet on Mold making and slip casting.  Day two of the class has the students making a plaster of their pieces.

Andrew Martin instructing a student on the finer points of prepping a clay piece for making the plaster mold. Pieces are in leather hard stage.

Joan inspecting her preparation.  Looks like she is going to cast a two piece mold for the bottom half (stem) of her goblet form.  Below that is her shot "glass" form. 

Final clean-up and prep. 

 Dan preparing the drill and auger to mix up some plaster.

Dan looking perplexed because the chuck of the auger does not fit the drill.

 What treasures will these mold reveal?  Plaster are hardening and will be cut to review form inside.  Stainless steel sheet used to form the "mold box" and wet clay is used to form a leak-proof seal where the form meets the table.

 

Another "mold box" or form being prepped.  This one is made from wood and the planks are "L" shaped.  The two "L" shaped form can slide along to make a bigger or smaller form depending on the object to be cast.  "G" clamps used to secure the two "L" shaped planks together and wet clay may be used to seal the joints and any edges. 

Here are more information on Andrew Martin:

Andrew Martin's Website
Aquatic Aesthetic