[missholly]

i have an offer to do a bathroom sink bowl for a client.
is there anything i need to know or think about as I'm making said bowl?

I'm probably going to have to use a plaster mold because i can't seem to throw that big, and i would be using laguna em100 clay. (maybe a different clay would be better?)

if i make it the same way i make everything else, I'm afraid I'm missing something important.
this is out of my range of experience, but I'm sure i can pull it off.

i just don't want it breaking or falling apart on them someday for some weird reason!!

[neilestrick]

Standard bowl size is 16 inches in diameter. Interior depth can vary from 4-6 inches. You'll need to account for the shrinkage of your clay. Get a drain assembly and measure for the size of hole you'll need for it. Again, accomodate the shrinkage of the clay. I leave a second foot ring around the drain hole so there's a nice thick area there, to reduce the chance of cracking the bowl if the drain is over-tightened. Are you making a vessel style or self rimming? If vessel, leave a thick enough lip to provide some durability. Those rims get bumped a lot. For self rimming, leave the lip wide enough to allow for a good bead of silicone under it to seal it down, and leave the whole pot thick enough to prevent warping. If it warps, the lip won't sit evenly on the counter.

Self Rimming:
 Sink-Rim-Boji-Swirls.jpg (248.38K)
Number of downloads: 168

Vessel:
 Sink-Boji-Coreolus-Blog.jpg (364.22K)
Number of downloads: 147

[JBaymore]

Nice sinks, Neil.

best,

.............john

[neilestrick]

Thanks!

[Mark C.]

I used to make them. This one is still in use 30 years of hard use in our main bathroom. I have made them with overflows and with out. Throw them thick in all aspects. I but the drain hardware first and throw or trim the drain to fit flush in bottom. If you want an overflow that will be harder-I made a clay jig so that the foot with overflow sits flat on kiln shelve. As far as standard-these where all custom affairs and standard they were not . One last point on overflow- a hose can work into a drain ring at bottom and top with hose tube clay connections so you do not have to mold an add on piece to bowl which often cracks away from bowl.I have done a few of these. Just silicone them on the clay tubes.
I have thrown them from stoneware and white ware clays all fired to cone 10 reduction. I used to also make matching facet hardware handles. I have made maybe 8 of them.
My sister has one she raised two boys with and it still is working today.
Every drain manufacture has slightly different hardware so get that first and go from there-figure your shrinkage.
90% of my sinks where tiled flush with counter in a tile counter. My sisters is a drop onto formica counter.Make the lips real thick.
I no longer do custom work- I do not need to or want to-sinks are in that category.
good luck.
Mark

Attached File(s)

•  sink3.jpg (142.35K)
  Number of downloads: 107
•  sink4.jpg (148.31K)
  Number of downloads: 122

[Diane Puckett]

neilestrick, on 03 January 2013 - 10:47 AM, said:

Standard bowl size is 16 inches in diameter. Interior depth can vary from 4-6 inches. You'll need to account for the shrinkage of your clay. Get a drain assembly and measure for the size of hole you'll need for it. Again, accomodate the shrinkage of the clay. I leave a second foot ring around the drain hole so there's a nice thick area there, to reduce the chance of cracking the bowl if the drain is over-tightened. Are you making a vessel style or self rimming? If vessel, leave a thick enough lip to provide some durability. Those rims get bumped a lot. For self rimming, leave the lip wide enough to allow for a good bead of silicone under it to seal it down, and leave the whole pot thick enough to prevent warping. If it warps, the lip won't sit evenly on the counter.

Self Rimming:
Sink-Rim-Boji-Swirls.jpg

Vessel:
Sink-Boji-Coreolus-Blog.jpg

Love these!

[Marcia Selsor]

Linda Blossom use to give a good workshop on sinks and other things. Her sinks included the overflow drain and the drain assembly construction required. Some places require overflow drains in codes.

You may want to look into that. It wasn't that difficult. There is a good photo description of the whole overflow construction needs in Peter King's book on Architectural Ceramics. Linda was the editor of the book. She made some modifications in the process, like not using a solid plaster form but a hollow plaster form. She works alone and needed to lighten up the mold aspect.

Marcia

[TJR]

Neil, Mark;
Beautiful sinks. So how much clay are we talking about for a 16 inch diameter sink? I might just make one myself!
TJR.

[Mark C.]

To many years ago to recall-my guess is 20-25#
Neil will know on his 16 inch ones-those in his photos are beautiful.

I made those spit bowls for a dentist supply business in the 80's out of porcelain-If you recall the water flowed around the bowl and one would spit into the small sink next to chair-I must have throw 50-80 of these in a 6-8 year period-I used mason stains for matching the formica colors . I offered them about 4 colors if I recall all very bland-fired them to cone 10 reduction as that was what I was doing then as now.Cone 10 oxidation would have been easier on the colors but oxidation firing has never held my intrest.
I still have a few blems I think kicking around to remind me of days gone by.
Mark

[OffCenter]

neilestrick, on 03 January 2013 - 10:47 AM, said:

Standard bowl size is 16 inches in diameter. Interior depth can vary from 4-6 inches. You'll need to account for the shrinkage of your clay. Get a drain assembly and measure for the size of hole you'll need for it. Again, accomodate the shrinkage of the clay. I leave a second foot ring around the drain hole so there's a nice thick area there, to reduce the chance of cracking the bowl if the drain is over-tightened. Are you making a vessel style or self rimming? If vessel, leave a thick enough lip to provide some durability. Those rims get bumped a lot. For self rimming, leave the lip wide enough to allow for a good bead of silicone under it to seal it down, and leave the whole pot thick enough to prevent warping. If it warps, the lip won't sit evenly on the counter.

Self Rimming:
Sink-Rim-Boji-Swirls.jpg

Vessel:
Sink-Boji-Coreolus-Blog.jpg

Wow! Those look great.

Jim

[neilestrick]

Thanks, all. I use Standard 365 porcelain, cone 6, 19 pounds per sink. I throw them to 18.5 inches to allow for shrinkage.

[Marcia Selsor]

neilestrick, on 04 January 2013 - 11:03 AM, said:

Thanks, all. I use Standard 365 porcelain, cone 6, 19 pounds per sink. I throw them to 18.5 inches to allow for shrinkage.

Beautiful sinks!
Marcia

[missholly]

holy smokes! yes, those are beautiful!
i havent gotten the specifics from the client yet, but i really appreciate the info!

thanks again guys!

[neilestrick]

And make sure you charge enough. Vessel sinks from Home Depot go for $400 and up. I charge $450, which is a steal to my customers. But there's really only a few minutes more work in them than a regular bowl that size, which would not sell for anywhere near that much, so we're all happy. If I had them in showrooms they would be priced at $700.

[SShirley]

Neil,

Those are beautiful! That glaze is wonderful. Is it cone 6 ox?

Sylvia

neilestrick, on 03 January 2013 - 09:47 AM, said:

Standard bowl size is 16 inches in diameter. Interior depth can vary from 4-6 inches. You'll need to account for the shrinkage of your clay. Get a drain assembly and measure for the size of hole you'll need for it. Again, accomodate the shrinkage of the clay. I leave a second foot ring around the drain hole so there's a nice thick area there, to reduce the chance of cracking the bowl if the drain is over-tightened. Are you making a vessel style or self rimming? If vessel, leave a thick enough lip to provide some durability. Those rims get bumped a lot. For self rimming, leave the lip wide enough to allow for a good bead of silicone under it to seal it down, and leave the whole pot thick enough to prevent warping. If it warps, the lip won't sit evenly on the counter.

Self Rimming:
Sink-Rim-Boji-Swirls.jpg

Vessel:
Sink-Boji-Coreolus-Blog.jpg

[neilestrick]

Yes, cone 6 oxidation.