Apparatus and materials

Chess piece
Plaster of Paris (POP)
Water
Raw materials:
i) Kaolin (120g)
ii) Ball clay (45g)
iii) Feldspar (75g)
iv) Silica (65g)
Clays
Mold soap
Paintbrush
Newspaper
Mixing bucket
Sculpture knife
Sponge
Rubber band

Procedure for chess piece mold making

1. The chess piece is cleaned and dried as any dirt present or unsmooth surface will affect the
surface finishing of the casted object.
2. A clay bed and clay walls were made from clays. The clay bed is taller than the lie down chess
piece. The chess piece was pressed roughly halfway in the clay bed. The interior crevices (hole at
bottom chees piece) were covered using remaining clay.

3. The mold parameter, clay walls are made taller than the height of the clay bed and the chess
piece. The remaining clays were used to secure the edges of the wall to avoid leakage when POP
is poured.
4. A few layers of mold soap were spread all over the upper surface of the clay bed using
paintbrush. This will serve as non-stick layers and allow for easy removal of the chess piece.
5. While waiting for the layers of the mold soap dried, a mixture of plaster of Paris and water is
made. Mixing bowl is filled about 1/3 full with water. The plaster is added gradually to the water.
The plaster is added to the water until it no longer sinks below the water but mounds up on top.
The mixture is gently stirred with a spoon until it smooth and creamy.
6. The mixture then is poured into the clay walls until it almost full. If there any air bubbles, spray
water on the surface.
7. The plaster is left to sit for a good amount of time until it fully dry.

8.

After few hours, when the plaster is ready, a sculpture knife is used to cut one corner of the taped
edge and the clay walls are removed. Carefully the clay bed is pulled to separate the chess piece

from the plaster mold.

9. The plaster is sintered in the furnace until it fully dry.
10. The steps are repeated for another half of the plaster mold.
11. After both side of plaster mold were done, the plaster mold halves are trimmed with a sculpture
knife and the surface are smoothen using sand papers. The edges are angled to keep them from
chipping and to make the mold easier to separate when pouring.
12. The molds are band tightly using rubber bands and left for drying process.

Procedures for chess piece slip casting

1. The raw material; kaolin, ball clay, feldspar, silica were measured according the measurement
given.

2. All the raw materials were mixed and measured its total weight. The amount of water is equal to
the total weight of the raw materials obeyed the ratio 1:1 and separated in different bowls.
3. By using a mixer, little by little the raw materials were mixed with the water. After all the raw
material was put into the water, the slip was being mixed within 10 minutes.
4. Before casting, the molds are inspected for clay or dust on the inside as it will affect the surface
finishing of the casted object. The dirt is cleaned from the molds with an air hose or a soft dry
brush. Never used water to clean, it will damage the molds.
5. The molds are tightly joined together with rubber bands.
6. The slip is stirred before casting and checked that it shall not contain air bubbles.
7. The slip was poured into the mold slowly and evenly without stopping and splashing. The slip
should hit the bottom of the molds and top up the mold every few minutes as the plaster starts to
suck water from the slip and a denser layer of clay body is built up next to the plaster.

8. The mold is set until the casting has reached correct thickness.

9. After correct thickness is reached, the excess slip was drained out into the mixing bowl.

10. Make sure not to completely flipping the entire mold over but rather tilting it so that the slip
poured out from one side of the mold. This allows for cleanliness and ease of pouring.
11. After all the excess slip was poured out the mold, the mold was tilted for a couple of minutes to
ensure that every last drop of slip have leaked out.

12. The mold was tilted to its side and allowed for drying of the slip inside the mold. Wait for
approximately 2 hours before releasing the mold.
13. Once the 2 hours were done, removed the casted piece from the mold by pulling slightly on it. A
good cast should allow the piece to just fall out. Do not pull too hard as this may tear the piece. If
the piece was hard to remove, wait for a few more minutes before trying again.
14. The upper part of the chess piece cast was trimmed using the sculpture knife while the cast wasnt
really hard to trim.
15. The seam line was being wiped and the edges, bottom and any other inconsistencies in the clay
cast were cleaned using wet sponge.
16. The chess piece cast was allowed to completely dry under the sun before placing it in a kiln to be
bisque fired.
17. The slip casting steps are repeated for labu sayung casting.

Final product: chees piece and labu sayung