Slip is a homogenous mixture of clay particles and water which used alone can be cast into molds or with the addition of coloring elements can be used as a decorative tool.
Slip was first used by many early cultures as a means to add images, designs, colors, textures and other embellishments to the surface of their hand built or thrown ceramic forms. Slip, as used in the casting process, took more time to develop into a practical manufacturing technique. The Roman's and Greek's used a thick wet clay slop that was spread evenly on the inside surface of a bisque form (say a simple bowl) and allowed to dry until it pulled away from the mold. It was not until the slip making process itself was refined that the clay slop could be replaced by a liquid clay slip.
The discovery and understanding of deflocculants (particle suspending agents) allowed for the making of a high quality casting slip that would set up evenly in casting forms, yield a strong cast object and not crumble after being removed form the mold. Today, slip making equipment is available in industrial capacities that will produce hundreds of gallons at a time to home / studio models that will mix a single gallon at a time. Armadillo Clay strives to keep the most commonly used slip equipment in stock at all times with large scale equipment easily available. Let us know what you need to mix it up!
SLIPMASTER EQUIPMENT
Since 1950, Sugar Creek Industries has served the ceramic industry. Starting out as a mom & pop studio, the business quickly outgrew Roland and Cora Tauscher's home. Production slip mixing, packaging and of course pouring created the need for quality slip handling equipment. The design concepts and product prototypes that Roland developed initiated the beginning of Slipmaster Equipment. Sugar Creek's Slipmaster division now manufactures pumps, mixers, tables, tanks, spray booths and dust reduction systems known world wide.
BR 18: The original redhead immersion slip pump with an 18 1/2" long stainless steel immersion frame and impeller shaft. Each pump comes with a 1/3" hp thermo protected motor, 1" vinyl hose, non-rusting hardware, an aluminum impellers housing w/ three 1/4" jet ports for constant slip agitation and an 8 GPM pumping capacity. Also available in 14", 25", 27", 29" and 31" lengths. UPS ship wt. 35 lbs. 410.00
SW-1-B: The Slip Whiz, a 1 gallon mixer that fits both small and large mouth slip jugs. Stainless Steel shear blades blend slip creamy smooth with no air bubbles. Perfect for porcelain, stoneware and other slips sold in 1 gallon jugs. 175.00
B-10: The Big Brother is a self contained 10 gallon tank and pump unit. Powered by a 1/3 hp thermo protected motor that produces a 4 GPM output. Pump is a non- rusting aluminum with a stainless shaft. Slip is drawn through the S.S. intake screen then flows out the 3/4" faucet type nozzle. Pump has jet port to keep slip circulating, tank has rounded corners to help reduce build up and the half lid on tank lifts off for easy slip access. Optional 4 wheel dolly available. Ship wt. 32 lbs 420.00
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FPR: Flow Princess stationary tub pouring unit with a super heavy duty poly tank. Comes complete, 20 gallon tub, attached drain rack with 5 individually removable hardwood rungs and immersion pump with intake screen. Overall dimensions 23" wide x 25 1/2" long and 33 1/2" high. Ship wt. 52 lbs. 460.00
PT-4: 4 ft. Porta-Table portable pouring table. Fiberglass top is 48" long, 23" wide with a 7" drop end drain run. Overall height is 33". Exclusive ABS plastic rung rails hold eleven individually removable 1" hardwood rungs. Top bolted to heavy duty steel frame mounted on four heavy duty 3" phenolic casters. 30 gallon fiber glass tank rides in frame directly below table drain. (tank is removable). Includes LR 14" pump system. Freight shipment only 875.00
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ACCESSORIES
Dolly: Fits B-10 50.00
Gas type pouring nozzle: 1" hose connection 34.95
Hydrometer: test the specific gravity of your slip 18.50
