: Benzine - Viewing Profile

First off, sorry for the topic title, I couldn't RESIST.......

So, I've got a couple questions, regarding the use of different types of resists, for glazing. First off, I like wax resist. It goes on easy and works fairly well. However, one of the problems I've had, is that it's tough to clean any of the brushes I use with it. Nothing ever really seems to get all the wax out of the bristles. This is why, I only allow my students, to use a designated brush, for the wax resist. So what's a good way to clean brushes, and keep them clean, when using wax resist. Second, whenever I use the resist, which more often than not has me pouring a second color over the first, the resist areas have areas of beaded glaze that stick there. Try as I might, I can never get all of them wiped off, without disturbing the non-resist areas. So when I fire the pieces, I'll have some glaze that falls off onto the shelves. Any good way to avoid this?

Finally, I have used latex resist in the past, but the type I used gradually clumped in the bottle, until I just had to toss it. Is this something that can be avoided, or is there a brand, where this is less of an issue? In a pinch, I recently used a maskoid watercolor resist, which worked well. However, I did have to use a lot of it, and it's a little too pricey to use that often.

Thanks for your help folks.

In my search for a wheel, I've been checking the Public Surplus website daily. The have recently added several auctions, with a lot of items; wheels, kilns, miscellaneous equipment, and even some clay.
So good hunting. If I was in the area, I'd be all over some of that.

I am still currently in the process of, slowly, getting my studio set up, in my basement. As my wheel search is ongoing, I thought I'd focus on the piece of equipment, I actually have. The kiln was given to me, years ago, by one of my student teaching, cooperating teachers. It was, in turn, given to them, by a college.

As far as I know, it is in working order, but I have never plugged it in.

The kiln is a Skutt model # 231-18. The elements look OK, no sagging, or anything of the sort. Some of the brick is slightly damaged, and the kiln sitter is missing the "Seats" for the cones, but other than that, it looks to be in good shape.

So I have a couple questions. One, should I bother cementing the broken pieces of the bricks back in? They were saved, and given to me with the kiln. Second, should I take the cover(s) off the control panel and clean it out? The kiln just sat, in a couple garages and sheds for several years, so there is a good layer of dust in there. Third, the current plug end is huge, my Dad calls it "The Plunger", it has a four inch diameter. There is no harm in replacing that for a smaller version correct? Lastly, I noticed that some of the connector prongs, between two of the rings is visible, when they are stacked together. This concerns me a bit. Assuming I have the kiln stacked well, what would be the reason for this?

I had some other questions, but they escape me at the moment.

Thanks for you help.

So, I'm trying to make my own version, of a travel mug, and I don't care for the silicon/ rubber lids that are pretty common. I own a mass-produced ceramic mug, that has a hard plastic lid, with a rubber gasket, so that it fits snugly on the top. I've done some searching, and cannot find somewhere that sells, just the lids. Anyone know a good source?

Thanks

I have said wheel in my classroom, and it's worked well for me, the past couple years. However, the speed adjustment was always a bit "Sticky". So recently, I decided to try and fix that. So I turned the wheel on its side, and sprayed a bit of WD-40 along the rod, where the motor pivots forward. This made the movement smoother, to be sure, but now, the pedal won't hold the slower speeds at all. So the user has to keep their foot on the pedal, to control speed.

Any tips?