clay components for Sikorsky S42s
The templates for the components are based on accurate plans of each aircraft, but some components need to be 'interpreted' to respect the properties of the clay. Ceramic struggles with very fine detail and so these boats are not highly accurate scale models - they're faithful ceramic interpretations of the original aircraft.
example of plans for Mayo composite aircraft from rcgroups.com
Once assembled, the boats air-dried for several days, shrinking 10% as the clay dries out. Once dry, the boats are fired in a kiln to a temperature of over 900° C in order to bisque (harden) the clay. The smallest air bubble in the clay will explode to boat during bisque firing!
boats during glazing and finishing
Once they survive the bisque firing, the boats are then glazed using a selection of Vision, Botz and Scarva glazes. Glazes are coloured glasses in water-based suspensions. The glazes are painted onto the boats using fine nylon brushes. Each glaze colour needs to be painted onto the boat three times, and some glazes chemically react (badly) with other glazes! Once glazing is finished, the boats are re-fired, this time to a temperature exceeding 1,000° C. If they survive the second firing, the boats are detail-finished in enamel paint, and then packed for sale.
It takes hours to design, construct, glaze and finish each of these ceramic flying boats. These boats are not toys and will break if dropped or if handled roughly! Fine ceramic details like props and tail pieces are especially vulnerable.
If you take care of your ceramic flying boat, it should last for thousands of years!
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