How to use the mold
When using a pottery mold, you traditionally take small pieces of clay and press them into the mold. Personally, I prefer to roll out a clay slab about 4 mm thick and use that to fill the mold instead, as it’s faster and usually gives a more consistent wall thickness.
1: Press small pieces of clay into the mold, until it’s filled completely, or roll out a slab and gently work into the mold.
2: Use a thin cutting wire to trim along the top of the mold, so you get a perfectly straight edge at the top of the bowl.
3: Use a finger or a smooth, flexible rib to smooth out the inside of the bowl, making it neat and ensuring the clay is fully pressed into the mold.
4: Remove the frame from the mold, but leave the clay in the mold itself so it can dry to leather-hard stage and release naturally from the mold.
5: When the bowl comes out of the mold, there will be a small seam line that can be removed with a sharp knife or rib.
Remember that clay shrinks when fired. The clay supplier usually indicates the total shrinkage (after glaze firing), so you can calculate the final size of the finished bowl. Stoneware typically shrinks by 15–20% in total.
The jigger mold is made of plastic, so it doesn’t absorb any water from the clay. It usually takes about 4-6 hours in open air for the clay to become leather-hard and release from the mold naturally. If you’d like faster results or find that the clay has trouble releasing, you can brush the mold with a bit of cornstarch. If you prefer slower drying, you can place a plastic bag over the mold.
