A client has ordered sixty plates. A daunting thought, throwing that many forms to match after not throwing any in sixteen years. A prime opportunity to try a method of forming I’ve never tried before, but wanted to for many of those intervening years.
The process involves wheel throwing the plates upside down on specially designed plaster bats. The exterior, complete with raised foot, is thrown over a molded interior, eliminating the need for trimming, aiding one’s ability to make matching sets.
The plate models are made in two stages. I begin by making an ordinary plaster bat, into which I cut a block of locking keys. Then cast another, smaller bat on top, which is templated and trimmed into shape. Then make a mold of the modelled form. Then cast as many copies of the original model I want. For the model shown on the wheel head, that meant one copy. More shallow bowl than plate. For the three sizes of plates the dinner set, that number is twelve. I’m a little over half way there at this point, so much of the next week will be spent doing the same. Payoff comes when the plate bats are dry.
