Requirements
- protection – some form of container is required to maintain the life of the mould. A container also prevents the kiln wash or other separator from being rubbed off.
- ease of access – It should be easy to get to the moulds, especially as some can be heavy.
- flat vs vertical – some like to store moulds in boxes vertically rather than horizontal with them stacked one above another.
- In either case you need shelves of the right depth and height to store and support the moulds.
- custom made vs bought in – Moulds you have purchased normally come in their own boxes which can be retained for storage for a number of years. You can also make light weight boxes either from old boxes or card cut to size and taped and glued together. More robust boxes can be made from thin plywood or thin pressed board.
Very useful post Stephen, I have done a lot of searching on the net to try and find out what materials can be used to make your own moulds - everything I have used, including silica mixed with plaster of paris just ends up crumbling after one firing and I am sure there must be a way of making them so that they last more than one time. Any pointers from yourself or anyone else would be very welcome. Thanks Angela
ReplyDeleteMost refractory moulds are intended for single use only. They rely on a (usually) flexible master mould from which the refractory mould can be made. Multiple use moulds without sufficient draft are normally too hard and crush the glass on cooling.
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