Which molds?

[Franzeska]

Yes, I'm a newbie. I've done some flat fusing, just to get the hang of it. I am getting ready to purchase slumping molds and would appreciate advice on good molds for beginners. I plan to spend around $200 and would like a nice "beginner's" assortment to give me experience with different shapes and challenges. I read Brad Walker's book (among many others) and know that I should start with shallow molds, but I'd like some variety. The brands I've seen are BE, Slumpy's and Blue Fire. I've also seen Bonnie Doon bottomless molds. I'm worried about selecting molds more suitable for ceramics that are sold by some dealers. Would anyone please be brave enough to to make specific recommendations? To give you an idea of what sizes I can accommodate, I have an 18" square kiln (14" high). Thank you very much...

[Brock]

Bullseye's square slumpers, in various sizes are good, as are their ball bolds.
Until you have more experience beware of complicated shapes . . .

[Valerie Adams]

I find I use the same few molds over and over, so you probably don't need a lot.

Bullseye recently sent out a quick tip called Multitasking Molds. You can see it here (sorry for the long link!):
http://view.email.bullseyeglass.com/?j= ... a+Web+Page

[Lynn g]

I find I use my BE 12" square slumper the most...it's great for square, round and rectangular (sushi) pieces, in a variety of sizes I have a 6" version, which makes a nice companion dish. I also got a set of 3 Bonny Doon mini bottomless molds, which I've been using a lot lately, too. I got seduced by a lot of interesting mold shapes, most of which I bought and then never used. So start off with one or two classic, simple shapes.

[Faye Malench]

I would invest in a shallow broad stainless steel bowl form. It serves double duty as a shallow square mold or large rounds. Saves buying both shapes. Mine came from Fusion Headquarters though other company probably have them.

[Glass Fever]

I'm worried about selecting molds more suitable for ceramics that are sold by some dealers. Would anyone please be brave enough to to make specific recommendations? To give you an idea of what sizes I can accommodate, I have an 18" square kiln (14" high). Thank you very much...

You're right that some vendors sell slumping molds that are really ceramic bisque meant to be glazed & fired. You can tell by looking at them which ones those are. That's not necessarily a bad thing, some of them work fine for slumping. You have to remember you're only getting the the shape of the top surface, some of them won't sit flat very well.

All of the molds BE sells are designed for slumping glass & they're excellent quality. Slumpy's sells both types as does Blue Fire. I only had a quick look at Blue Fire, but they're selling a bisque doughnut that's meant to be painted and fired, and they're selling it as a drop ring. Just start with a couple of simple shapes to get your feet wet and you can add to your collection later. Lynn mentioned the square slumper, that's a great one. Also square blanks are easy to cut & they waste less glass.

[The Hobbyist]

There's no guarantee that the molds made for slumping will set flat either. I have several from BE that don't and when asked said they have no control over that.

Jim

[Laurie Spray]

That is why we make molds especially for slumping that are bottomless!! I hand throw them with a variety of sizes and lips.

Here is an example. They last forever!! I started making them after getting very frustrated by commercial molds that not only cracked easily but also the rocking bottoms.

many of you have our molds in your studio......thanks!!

[Morganica]

The molds I use most often, I'm noticing, are usually the ones with the shallowest, gentlest curves. Like a couple others here I really love the square slumpers in all sizes. They'll work for just about any size or shape that fits into the mold. The ones with the extra turned-up edges are nice, but probably less versatile than the gentle slopes.

My second favorite is probably what Bullseye calls the Classic bowl, 8324. It's a flat-bottomed round bowl with flaring sides, and it's exceptional for experimenting with single-fire tack-fuse constructions. It's also good for modifying--it's the one I use to construct footed bottoms and similar on a bowl. The flare in the sides allows you to pretty much dial-in the angle and size of whatever you're attaching to the base, so you can get a lot of different looks from it.

I generally make a transparent template of the original bowl, showing the breaks in any curve/s sides, which makes it easy to cut glass for that mold. Once I've got the first template, I generally use it to create modified shapes such as ovals, that will fit in that same mold. Knowing where the curves break can be essential to understanding how a smaller piece of glass will slump in the mold.

http://www.morganica.com/bloggery/2012/latest/glass-tool-tips/

[Franzeska]

Thank you all for your suggestions and sharing your knowledge. You gave me some tips that I would never have thought of myself. This community is made up of the best folks!

[Dairy Queen]

I use Bullseye Ball molds for all of my student's creations. They are forgiving of exact placement in molds, and all of the edges lift off the table, allowing light to get under and enhance the appearance of each piece. Square and rectangular shapes come out great in the Ball molds.

[spraydm]

I am new to using molds as well, and over the past year I have tried some from Slumpys, Delphi and Bullseye.

More recently I bought some of Laurie's bottomless molds and these are now my favorites. I don't have to set them on kiln furniture, just flat on the kiln shelf. The bottoms are perfectly flat and my customers LOVE that.

I have been experimenting with a square drop mold, trying to force it to have a flat bottom. I add four layers of fiberfrax cut to match the hole size and put a layer of paper on top. Not bad, but not completely flat.

Laurie, any chance you can make square ones?

[Laurie Spray]

I make all of my molds on the potters wheel so they are all round. Each one is one of a kind with different lips. You actually get the one in the photo on our site.
As far as square molds go.....i think the best bet is to make one out of fiberboard.....cutting a hole in the center and lightly sanding it. Sprinkle with alumina hydrate and you are good to go. A bottomless square mold!
I just do not have the time to hand slab square molds for my customers out of clay although that is something you can do.
Glad to hear you are loving them Donna! Lots of new ones are being photographed today!

[S.TImmerman]

I am ever so thankful for advice on this board. I recently "invested" 62.00 for 16 circles that range from 6" to 16" . They are made from bulletproof plexiglass. I don't need them that strong but that's what they offer. They cut them to the exact sizes I asked. Wonderful for tracing on glass, figuring out a design and they match any round mold I could ever get. If anyone needs the name of the people who make these..pm me;)

Shereen

[B.J.]

I am ever so thankful for advice on this board. I recently "invested" 62.00 for 16 circles that range from 6" to 16" . They are made from bulletproof plexiglass. I don't need them that strong but that's what they offer. They cut them to the exact sizes I asked. Wonderful for tracing on glass, figuring out a design and they match any round mold I could ever get. If anyone needs the name of the people who make these..pm me;)

Shereen

Cardboard templates work as well and are much less expensive........

[Valerie Adams]

A large compass is cheap and easier to store, for me. Although most times, I cut a base circle to the size I want, and then trace it to draw the pattern for my piece.