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SLIP THINNER: THINNING THICK SLIP & HANDLING FROZEN SLIP
Seeley’s Slip Thinner
Seeley’s has a new product to help you thin slip that you need help with! Here are some helpful tips below to know when to use Seeley’s Slip Thinner.
Seeley’s Slip Thinner Directions: Before you use the Slip Thinner, make sure that you have already mixed the porcelain well. If you find that the porcelain is not thin enough for you, this is the time to add the Slip Thinner. To thin one gallon of slip, mix 1/2 -1 tsp of Slip Thinner to 1/2 -1 cup of water. Then dribble that mixture into the gallon of slip and stir. You can mix manually or with an electric mixer to get the desired results. Be sure to mix for at least 1 minutes before you assess the thickness of the slip.
Note about thickness of porcelain: When ready to cast, porcelain slip should be a light cream consistency. If you are casting little molds, slip should be thinner than normal due to the size of the pour hole and the piece. If you are casting very large molds, slip should be a little thicker than normal. If slip is too thick in a head mold or medium sized mold, you will get hesitation lines in your casting. In an open-faced mold, you may want the slip a little thicker.
If slip has been frozen:
Thaw slip. It will look like tapioca pudding when thawed (slip with lumps). Pour the slip into another container (like a 2.5 gallon bucket) to make sure that you have all of your slip out of the jug. Scrape off all porcelain on sides and bottom of jug. Use an electric drill mixer or jiffy mixer until lumps are gone. Put you hand in the porcelain to check. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes to make sure it does not thicken up again. If it still seems stiff, then add thinner. Follow directions above. Feel free to strain your porcelain after mixing and thinning to be sure your porcelain is free of any debris.
Old and thick slip:
If slip is old and very thick, don’t be alarmed by any mold that is growing on the inside of the jug, this is a natural occurrence which actually improves your slip and should be mixed in during your preparation of casting. (Old potters in china used old clays – the sons of potters would use the clays that their fathers had mined and they would be preparing clay for their sons. They never used the clay that was made during their generation.)
Mix the slip first, paying careful attention to the sides and bottom of jug. It is much easier to mix if you empty it into another container – scrape everything out of jug, then mix. Then you can make sure that you get all of the solids on the bottom. Mix porcelain well, either manually or with electric mixer. If you still need a thinner consistency, add Seeley’s Slip Thinner. Follow directions listed above.
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