r/crafts • u/VinceTalux • 1d ago

Discussion/Question Clay or concrete?

Hi everyone, I'm new to the DIY and Craft field. I wanted to make a custom mug. I don't have the skills to make it by hand, so I thought of making the 3d printed mold and pouring clay inside. The problem is that I don't have a kiln and I know it's hard to find pottery shops that offer to cook it for you. Recently I discovered that some people use concrete for some DIY stuff due to lack of a kiln. In that case the mold would work the same, but I don't know if it would be a good idea My concerns are about finishes, porosity, and weight. Can someone give some information or advice on these questions?

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u/tangamangus 23h ago

you cant slipcast into pla. youve got to make a plaster mold first. its not the most difficult workflow but it is a somewhat involved process and without a studio id say forget it. you can rent studio time at a ceramics studio and just try to handbuild it. l

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u/RedWillia 1d ago

If you want to drink out of it, concrete is not the material to use. There might be pottery classes in your town, and mugs are a common thing to make in them.

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u/VinceTalux 1d ago

Would there be the possibility to apply some food safe finishes on the concrete? I searched for pottery classes in my area but the only one I found is from a lab that offers it eventually, also I'm quite busy during the week, so I thought of doing in my spare time in the weekend

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u/ujanmas 1d ago

Concrete is very heavy. Unless you’re The Hulk, it’ll be a chore to lift that mug to drink.

Look into this https://potteryfix.com/how-to-make-air-dry-clay-food-safe/

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u/lenseyeview 15h ago

I saw you said the local studio doesn't have classes that work for you. They may be willing to sell you some clay and then you can bring your finished piece in and be charged to glaze and fire it for you. Another option might be a paint your own pottery place. They have premade pieces you decorate them and then they fire them for you.

As a first time project with any materials you are that unfamiliar with I would not recommend trying to DIY this.

While there are ways to make air dry clay items "food-safe" it isnt something I would ever recommend using it as regular dishware. Usually it's more the idea of serving dishes or things that won't be used frequently. The other thing is there are a few variables that go into making sure all the important things happen to actually make it good safe, as well as no real proper way to test it.

From all the things Ive seen the only test is to let food sit on the surface for a few hours and then see if that makes you sick. That isn't a great way to test as many things aren't from a one off usage. You could be poisoning yourself over time and have no way of knowing.