I finally kept my blown vase from slumping during the finish

For the longest time, my tall pieces would always droop to one side right when I thought they were set. I figured it was just bad luck or my cheap bench torch. Then, I noticed my buddy at the community studio always wet his newspaper pads before the final shaping. Tried that trick yesterday with my latest vase, and it made all the difference. The extra moisture let me smooth the base without the glass getting too hot and soft. It held its shape all the way into the kiln, and I just unloaded it. Seeing it stand up straight on my worktable is a real win after so many bent failures. It's a small thing, but it makes me feel like I'm actually getting better at this.

3 comments

3 Comments

murphy.zara5d ago

How wet are we talking, like just a quick splash? And when do you do it, right before the final shaping or earlier?

jamesm385d ago

Wow, I always thought wetting the pads was just an old studio myth. Seeing it actually work for someone makes me want to try it on my next piece.

piper3545d ago

Try wetting the pads cautiously unless you want a disaster like mine. I completely soaked my last project and had to redo everything from scratch. Now I keep a towel handy just in case.