Production Slipcasting - Tiki Technical Tuesday 37

[@icemann1037]

Great job sir! One can feel the caution, love and heart going in to the production process. Greetings from Germany

[@vantikistudio]

Thank you so much!

[@princervv]

The amount of work and detailing is just astonishing. I can't wait to see this one in person.

[@vantikistudio]

Thank you! I’m looking forward to getting a final glaze on one so I can take it for a test drive 😄

[@callieclarkwiren1289]

What I are those automotive tools you use to pop the molds open??? I want them! Also, what kind of specific gravity and slip are you using? I’m an MFA student and I’m learning to slip cast for this large project I’m working on, but I can’t figure out the timings before I dump the slip and before I open them. They either tear apart when I open them (still too wet and sticking to the sides?) or are they have cracked in the mold (dried too much before I opened them.) Thank you for your help and advice!!!

[@vantikistudio]

Thank you so much for watching! Here’s a link for the pliers: Snap Ring Pliers (for opening molds) amzn.to/2YY0WtD And hopefully the video I just posted on making slip answers your specific gravity questions and helps your castings. Best of luck!

[@Sveinnphotography]

"seams" like good teamwork hahahah

[@vantikistudio]

🧐

[@raleighfontaine5748]

Thank you so much for guiding us into the process. You have a knack for the presentation that makes me feel a little smarter than I really am. Looking forward to the rest of the Vapor story. Cheers.

[@vantikistudio]

You're very welcome!

[@emmanuellalinaasuakoh9886]

Please, if you can answer my question, please tell me what you used to apply the sculpture to become white after moulding and baking it

[@vantikistudio]

The grey ceramic slip (clay) turns white as it dries, and is pure white after baking in the kiln

[@emmanuellalinaasuakoh9886]

@VanTiki okay thank you very much

[@emmanuellalinaasuakoh9886]

@VanTiki please can l have your number so that we can talk backdoor about the ceramics work

[@vantikistudio]

@@emmanuellalinaasuakoh9886 you can message me on Instagram or Facebook, but all the info I can offer is here on my KZbin channel.

[@avasinistra]

How In the heck are you even supposed to drink out of that? From the back with a straw? Seems very awkward. It's cool as like a decorative statue thing but I think calling this a mug is a HUGE stretch

[@vantikistudio]

Ha! Yes, a straw is required, but don’t come after me for calling it a mug - I didn’t invent the term “tiki mug” or “cocktail mug” 😄 - besides, there is a joy in making a drinking vessel as interesting as the beverage it holds

[@dianahuerta5213]

Hello, thank you for this video!❤ I have a question, can you use the bits of clay that you clean off the mold to add on the piece? Like for details? And if so would one need to add like a special ingredient or water to use it like one would normally do when adding clay onto a piece? Thank you so much! ❤

[@vantikistudio]

You can attach parts to the clay - I use the liquid slip as a glue to adhere the parts

[@jordansmithson9602]

I just want to know what the thing is. You keep calling it a mug, but it looks like a ceramic lava lamp. Would love to see the finished item and know it's intended uses/purpose.

[@vantikistudio]

It’s a tiki mug or exotica mug used for drinking tropical cocktails. There is a long history of decorative ceramic cocktail ware that falls under the often confusing label of “mug”. I have examples of the finished piece in my Instagram feed @vantiki

[@مهدیغفاری-ح5غ]

Hello, good time. I am looking for a manufacturer of toilet molds. Can you help me?

[@vantikistudio]

Sorry, I don’t have any suggestions

[@نورالدينعبدالرحمن-خ5ب]

Very good , thanks.

[@dinker711]

this is awesome. Love your counter/number sheet. So much smarter than my write it on a chalkboard approach when I was hand binding and signing my Christmas Short Story-- worked great until my other half erased my board to write a grocery list. still not sure if I ever did a number 225.

[@vantikistudio]

Ha! My system isn’t foolproof. Sometimes I do sleepy math and flub the count 😂

[@olegkrishcko109]

How are you able to leave it for 55 min, easily release it only 2 hrs later.. and then do it all over again in 24 hrs?? From my research (not much experience) this would waterlog the plaster. I am trying to make a somewhat complicated mold (5 parts!) and I keep having trouble with it releasing. I thought I was waterlogging the plaster by leaving the slip in for too long... but clearly, you demonstrate that my 25 min wait time is not enough to waterlog the plaster. I am using premixed Laguna "Very White" and it is at 1.79 SG. The plaster is definitely dry as I have re-made the molds 3 times over the past few months (tweaking other things along the way...so much work) so some of the molds are months old and still having trouble releasing. I have not checked viscosity but I assume the premixed stuff should be at least ok right when I open it. it seems fluid enough to fill everything and does not really gel in during casting. It does skin over, but I think that is just a little bit of drying on the surface, not the gelling mechanism (I will start putting something over the sprue it while it sits... great idea!). Didn't mean for this to be so long when I started writing, but it just all spilled out. Your videos are the *absolute* best, as is your skill. Thank you.

[@vantikistudio]

Aloha! Are you using pottery plaster to make your molds? Another thought is are you using some sort of release agent when casting your plaster molds? I never use a release when casting the plaster production molds in the silicone master as the release will affect the plaster’s ability to slip cast. As to how often you can cast a mold before it becomes too waterlogged to work properly, it depends on the humidity of your environment. I can cast once a day for two days in a row, then I give the molds a day off under a fan. Folks in dryer climates can cast multiple times in a day with no issues. Hope this helps!

[@olegkrishcko109]

Hey! Thanks for the reply! Mold release crossed my mind but I thought "It can't be the mold release because that Van Tiki guy uses lots of mold release"... but failed to consider that you only apply it for the master mold and not the production molds that you make from the silicone molds. It blows my mind that you go all the way to the silicone molds before you test the mold! It's very impressive that it just works... that's experience ha. I did that once in the summer (in a way) by 3D modeling the 5 mold parts, SLA 3D printing them, silicone casting the 3D prints, and finally making the first plaster mold set. The process took weeks. In the end, I would say the process was a total success, but my inexperience in mold making itself resulted in them not really being useful... so a waste of $60 in resin and $120 in silicone and lots of work..ha! But I guess I learned a lot. After reading your post I washed the molds again, this time with vinegar and then water (read that somewhere online) and put them in my wife's kiln for 24 hrs at 130 °F... it was MUCH better! I was able to remove the piece with only minor issues. Good to know that you have to give them a break every other day. I am in the Portland OR area and my wife's studio is in our basement. I need to also check the humidity down there. Thanks for your help!

[@logantempleton1846]

I’m still confused about what part of the process gets it hollow

[@vantikistudio]

Check this video out - it explains the hollow part: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKW4Z6Z4eZ6llassi=MRAkumgun-6j6B4s

[@denisenoble4010]

Apparently there is no such thing as a stupid question however I think this is pretty close. Haha. When you trim off the pieces, join lines, cutting off the tops to release the part you need, can or do you reuse ar least all the bigger bits, can they be slaked down like ordinary clay is recycled back into usable clay or slip in your way of working. I've found your channel so interesting and I admire all the work you put in to making a new form. It's been great following from start, ideas, drawing etc to where we are now and onto glazing. I can't wait to see the finished article. Thanks for sharing your processes 😮😊

[@vantikistudio]

That is an excellent question! You can indeed reclaim all the trimmed bits and use them to cast new pieces. To be honest, I don't do it. Why? Well, time and space. I'd need a second slip tank to throw the trimmed bits into. If I threw them into my main slip tank it would throw off the moisture and chemical balance of the tank. Every few days I'd balance the moisture and deflocculant level of the realm tank, then pour their balanced slip back into the main slip tank. I don't have the space in my studio for a second tank, and I don't choose to allocate the time to reclamation. In the end, slip is one of my least expensive materials, so I put my time and space over reclaiming trimmed bits.

[@denisenoble4010]

@@vantikistudio thankyou, makes sense, happy slip casting xx

[@PolRaDaemon]

Just out of pure curiosity, the dried up slip that you take off the tops (03:56) - is that reusable for something else or do you just have to throw that away?

[@vantikistudio]

It is technically reusable - but I don’t add it back to my slip tank as that would require constant balancing to make sure the slip was properly hydrated. Time is money 😄

[@PolRaDaemon]

@@vantikistudio Ah that makes sense! Yes, I feel ya, we don't need more on the schedule mate, I know the feeling! And it's all natura; anyway - not like it will pollute (I had that problem with my waste when I worked with plastic resins :( )

[@willemh3319]

does vibrating from a sandingmachine help air getting out

[@vantikistudio]

It could! I know folks who hold power tools like that against their work tables to help get rid of bubbles

[@thinhpham9869]

Hi 1. What is the material that makes the product? 2. What is the mold meterial? Thanks you very much. I'm vietnamese

[@vantikistudio]

Aloha! The material I pour in is ceramic slip - you can learn more about it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKW4Z6Z4eZ6llas And the molds are made of pottery plaster, you can see me make them here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZDWpWapaqx-sLs

[@thinhpham9869]

Thanks you very much!

[@Richard-wy1ei]

How much can I pay you to do a mold that I could make silicone products with?

[@vantikistudio]

I’m afraid we don’t take outside commissions - I can barely keep up with our own studio work 😄

[@R3troZone]

I was trying to figure out how someone can sustain a business model where so much of your time is dedicated to research and development vs actual production. At $175 each for 250 units now I know how.

[@vantikistudio]

The videos may skew the perception of how much time I spend on R&D and how much time I spend on production. Production almost never stops, and I squeeze in R&D when I can.

[@jesusalvarez5793]

Hello awesome video Can you share your pump setup?

[@vantikistudio]

Thanks for watching! I talk more about my slip table here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mp7NaIufhMlkgZY

[@adireich256]

31, my favorite number because of Halloween. Thank you for sharing your process of making these mugs. They already feel like part of my tiki mug family because we are watching them from start to finish. I had originally wanted one because I love lava lamps but I wanted one even more because of the skull. They are so fantastic! Oh yeah, and the glitter glaze!!!

[@vantikistudio]

Thanks!

[@lindaleary9913]

How do you handle molds that don't easily open?

[@vantikistudio]

good question! Sometimes a puff of compressed air can help with a stubborn piece - I also use mold opening pliers to aid with molds that have stuck - these pliers are meant for automotive use, but I first learned about them making (and opening) molds in the special FX industry: Snap Ring Pliers (for opening molds): amzn.to/2YY0WtD

[@blakegrigorian401]

My favorite part of tuesdays - TTT! As always thanks for sharing your knowledge and techniques 🤙🏼

[@vantikistudio]

Thank you for watching!

[@DIY4Profit]

Hi hello thanks for the video! I am a cemet potter, do you think its possible to make also with cement? will it stick to the plaster?

[@vantikistudio]

Hello! You can cast cement into silicone molds - but it will stick to plaster molds. I know that Smooth On makes specific silicone and urethane for casting cement (as cement is very abrasive and can wear out molds quickly). I’d give them a call and talk to them about what you plan on casting. Good luck!

[@DIY4Profit]

@@vantikistudio Thanks brother, Their product is very good i bought it once and the mold had like 50 casts and still going but its very expensive here in Israel

[@eross21]

what is the casting material your using here?

[@vantikistudio]

It’s ceramic casting slip - I explain the process here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKW4Z6Z4eZ6llas

[@fathomgathergood7690]

Was the moaning face in the design intentional?

[@vantikistudio]

Definitely! It is the spirit in the magma!

[@jessicamartinez634]

I've been thinking about this on and off for about a week. Is the reason why you do a silicone mold along with the plaster mold because you are accounting for shrinkage from just making the plaster mold from the original? Or is there another reason why this extra step is taken? 🤔

[@vantikistudio]

Good question! I talk about the reasons here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZDWpWapaqx-sLs And I will also be talking about it in next week's Tiki Technical Tuesday

[@phoenixcortez7346]

What is slip and how do you make it

[@vantikistudio]

Good question! I just so happen to have the perfect playlist answer: kzbin.info/aero/PLVz2HhcJdyqhu-FK2MizsomT6AWiT-Dvm&si=PXJ_HVzV82-B0d0f

[@mielvasulka7759]

But, I mean, the mug is sort of interesting - which is, I guess what you are going for. Not everything has to be beautiful. Beauty is my thing - but not the only thing, I realize.

[@vantikistudio]

Happy to be “sort of interesting” 😂

[@mielvasulka7759]

People are preventing from me giving you tips - the monster rock hanging - it's a nick nack. Make it into a planter or something....functional art

[@vantikistudio]

Again - no idea what piece you are talking about. If it’s the Dead Bastard mug - it IS functional art (it’s a mug, silly!) - but honestly art doesn’t need to have a function; it’s ability to move a viewer IS its function.

[@highvolt9679]

What's the ingredients to made this sculpture?

[@vantikistudio]

Do you mean the master sculpture that I molded to do the slipcasting? That was done in a wax based clay called Monster Clay

[@highvolt9679]

Ok thank you so u made it by yourself or you buy it from shop?

[@cendrier]

I'm curious why you cast these in two pieces rather than pouring through the opening in the back or from the top and then flip like the Puka Pounder?

[@vantikistudio]

I could have done a plug like I did on the puka pounder - but I wanted the top cap to be very smooth and machined - and it would be difficult to keep it crisp with a mold edge in the area that needed to be seamed. As to pouring through the opening on the back, I worry that I'd catch air bubbles in the piece - I try to keep the pour hole at the highest point of the mug. I probably could have pulled it off pouring through the back with some well placed vent holes - but I'm committed to the top cap now :)

[@konseimboflorian5337]

How did you make the first bottle for the mold??

[@vantikistudio]

You can see how I sculpted the original master here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fGqqYYp3isqGbsU

[@konseimboflorian5337]

@@vantikistudio thank you very much, i just saw them all❤️‍🔥 your content is incredibly useful. I’m seeking to have a mold of my futur bootle. And that is really useful. Can you make a video for all the prices of your materials?

[@iLoveTurtlesHaha]

Can’t you use a silicone brush to clean the moulds? I think it might be faster. I saw some cleaning brushes made of soft silicone at the dollar store so I’m sure they are easy to experiment with.

[@vantikistudio]

I’ll take a look - the rubber kidney I use to clean the clay flashing out of the molds is gentle and quick - it would be a tough tool to beat!

[@herbertpokorny2270]

So if you take the total amount of production time, divided by the number of mugs you make, what is the average production time per mug? The number of steps involved, and the care you take with each step, is unbelievable.

[@vantikistudio]

Well, let’s just say it takes a lot of time 😄 - there is no such thing as rushing in ceramics 😂

[@moonchild6952]

Was wondering what the product is tho?

[@vantikistudio]

Do you mean the mug I’m slipcasting? It’s a cocktail mug in the shape of a lava lamp

[@moonchild6952]

@@vantikistudio oh ok.. Very cool 👍

[@katarzynastolarska9055]

Thank you for the video, I can see that your sleep is thinner than what I use, is this make the drying process quicker?

[@vantikistudio]

It all depends on the slip. Mine is a Laguna Clay slip, and I mix it following their directions. I’ve used slips made by other companies and some of them have been thicker. I like the slip to flow well, so it captures details and won’t trap bubbles.

[@emmahunter7734]

Hey! Did you build your slipcasting table/ can you please explain to me how you built it? I don't understand the gun system/ where to buy that gun. So confused! I always pour my molds with a pitcher and it' very messy- lots of waste. Thank you so much if you see this and reply!!!!

[@vantikistudio]

Thank you for watching! I go into detail about the slip table in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mp7NaIufhMlkgZY

[@vantikistudio]

My slip table is no longer being made, I do know folks who have built them from scratch - but there are still manufacturers who make smaller slip tables. I used a pitcher and buckets for many years, and know how messy it can be!

[@chetanbhavsar9106]

Thanks you sir for this video

[@makingcookingfixing]

Very informative! Thanks for sharing.

[@vantikistudio]

Thank YOU for watching!

[@matthatip5272]

What is that gray solution ( ceramic ) formula?

[@vantikistudio]

Good question!! I describe slip in detail here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mp7NaIufhMlkgZY

[@woody3786]

fantastic work! very helpful to see your process. very well done with the video as well!

[@vantikistudio]

Thank you very much!

[@seasidevfx3109]

Where is the finished product video - can't find it

[@vantikistudio]

You can see me dial in the final glaze for the mugs here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oH6cdYWifrmcnpI

[@1501418]

love this!!! What pouring table do you have??

[@vantikistudio]

It’s a Big Puddle slip table

[@eddieflores2852]

Outstanding work!! It inspirational for me!! Stay blessed!!!!

[@vantikistudio]

Thank you so much 😀

[@Arhmt9Playlist]

What kind/size of Kiln do you have? Do you have a vent going from the kiln to outside? Is it necessary to vent the kiln in your opinion?

[@vantikistudio]

I have three L&L kilns. 2 EZ fire 23T kilns and a small doll kiln. I HIGHLY recommend L&L kilns, and venting is A MUST. It vastly improves your firing results, and the gasses put out during firing are bad for you, and are best vented away

[@Arhmt9Playlist]

@@vantikistudio Thank you so much for your quick reply!!! You are awesome!

[@ladymay4451]

If I remember correctly from high school art class/ teacher assistant if there is a air bubble in the clay and you don’t know it’s there when you put that item in to be fired it could destroy everything around it.

[@vantikistudio]

this is true! Same thing will happen if you fire clay that isn't completely dry - the water will turn to steam, expand, and the piece will blow up!

[@ladymay4451]

@@vantikistudio I forgot about that part. Thank you for reminding me. Once this pandemic is over my pottery classes start.

[@mikepenhall315]

Can you recycle the slip you scrape off the molds?

[@vantikistudio]

Its possible to do it - but I don't. I'd need to rebalance the water levels in my slip tank and it would be too time consuming. If I ever get a second slip mixing tank I'll use it for scrap recycling.

[@mobscene13]

This is why I look forward to Tuesdays every week! 😄😄 Sorry if this was addressed in a previous video but I'm curious about the excess flashing that you trim off of your tops and mugs, is that just waste or can you reconstitute it like WED clay and water clays? Can you add it back to your mix to use again? Thanks!👍

[@mobscene13]

Haha, nevermind, I just scrolled down through the comments and saw that someone else already asked! 🤣👍

[@vantikistudio]

Ha! Yeah - as you saw, it is possible to recycle. I’d need a separate slip mixing tank to pull it off, to avoid throwing my casting batch of slip out of balance

[@porkpiepress3987]

I just found your channel and its fascinating. Love the content.

[@vantikistudio]

So glad you found me! Thanks for watching!

[@idreamoftiki]

Terrific presentation, Henrik! I’m really enjoying this series!

[@vantikistudio]

Thank you!!

[@tesfayebirhanu4591]

i love it

[@petefarrell2115]

These videos make me miss working with at KNB.

[@vantikistudio]

Pete you are always welcome to work in the studio - you just need to bring your own poly foam and Fastflex™️ 😂

[@____Ann____]

4:45 what do you do with the dried out slip? Can you hydrate it and add to your casting slip?

[@vantikistudio]

Technically I could add it back to the casting slip, but I’d have to re-adjust the slip to get the specific gravity just right. For me, time is more costly than slip, so I just toss the scraps.

[@____Ann____]

@@vantikistudio i understand. Or you could collect them for next time you fill the slip tank with fresh clay powder.

[@waxywaifu697]

wow genuinely fascinating, have watched videos of slip casting simpler forms and wondered how fancy you could get. its great how organised each step is too good on ya

[@vantikistudio]

Thank you for watching! I’m just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how complex of a shape you can make with Slipcasting 😄

[@waxywaifu697]

@@vantikistudio Then i shall continue researching! thanks for being the tip of the iceberg :-D

[@frankdigits9749]

Thanks for showing us how you run your process! So helpful.

[@vantikistudio]

Thank you for watching!

[@markinpdx7345]

Great video, thank you!

[@vantikistudio]

Thank YOU for watching!

[@saraangel8056]

I am absolutely addicted to these videos.

[@vantikistudio]

Thank you for watching!

[@willemh3319]

love the way you work👍👍👍

[@vantikistudio]

Thank you!

[@PeterConnor]

Great Video. Good pace and detail.

[@vantikistudio]

Thanks! thank you for watching!

[@jimjohnson2987]

great demo!

[@vantikistudio]

Thank you!

[@oneDonly]

How I get stuff off the mold?

[@vantikistudio]

What stuff do you mean?

[@oneDonly]

@@vantikistudio The silt.i sticks to my molds. I used a stiff brush to get it off but it kinda scratches the molds. The overflow and some sticks to the inside. Is there a better way to get it off? I heard you shouldn't rinse them with water.

[@diananesbitt1260]

Please either talk louder or put your mike closer. I can hardly hear you. I do have a hearing problem but not this bad I hope. Love your tutorials.

[@vantikistudio]

Not sure if I recorded this his before or after I purchased a better microphone. It’s tough getting good audio in a working studio 😄