DIY Improvised Press Moulds
Tips to select clay press mould substitutes from household objects
Can't get hold of a plaster press mould? No problem. There're objects in the house and kitchen that will do just as well. Here are suggestions for substitutes around you.
Press moulds are often made of plaster to absorb the moisture from the clay that is being shaped inside it. The drying clay eventually pulls away from the sides of the mould and can be easily removed.
If you can’t find a plaster mould, you can improvise by using any smooth container you find around the house as a basic press mould. Check that there are no undercuts in the form you have selected.
Undercuts are elements in the design that allow the formation of overhangs. Examples are threads on a jar that allows a lid to be screwed on or parts of a high relief sculpture. To mould an object with undercuts, a very cleverly designed multi-part mould needs to be used. Otherwise, the undercuts trap clay and either prevents you from removing your piece from the mould, or more likely, tears your piece when you try and remove it from the mould. Both outcomes result in frustration and unhappiness.
Since household items are generally made of non-absorbent material such as plastic, clay moulded in them will take longer to dry, and may even stick fast. A handy trick to deal with this is to tear strips of newspaper up, moisten them, and use them to line the container. This makes unmoulding easier. The newspaper strips can later be peeled off the piece. Don’t worry about the newsprint leaving inky stains on the clay. These will burn off in the kiln.
Here are some common kitchen or household items that make good substitutes for basic press moulds:
- Smooth plastic mixing bowls or salad bowls without feet - These could be rounded or conical. If you’re planning on using them to hold food again, be sure to cover your choices with plastic sheeting and masking tape to prevent them from becoming contaminated by the clay. The wrinkles from the plastic can be scraped away or filled in later on as you refine your pot.
- Styrofoam meat trays - Not only a good method to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, styrofoam meat trays allow you to shape attractive, shallow sushi dishes. Just clean and save these from your kitchen. There is no need to protect them with plastic since you’ll eventually put them in the recycling bin anyway.
- Plastic jars with lids - Cut these in half somewhere across the middle and you can use the bottom to mould cylindrical utensil jars and the overturned lidded tops to make bowls.
Look around and I’m sure you’ll find other interesting objects to use, then follow the instructions outlined in Make a Press Moulded Bowl or Dish to create your own unique piece.
Keep in mind that you will need to be a little more gentle as your improvised moulds are more fragile, and you will need to trim your excess clay very carefully with a knife or pin tool instead of using wooden roller guides.
Beyond that, enjoy!
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