Ceramic Tile Molds From CNC

Intro: Ceramic Tile Molds From CNC

Making a mold for pressing clay tiles gives you the ability to make lots of the same tile.

This is useful if you are making tiles for an installation, like stove backsplash, bathroom decorations or fireplace.

STEP 1: Explore Ideas; Create Designs

Explore, sketch and refine your design then save as an SVG file to make CNC cutting files.

Keep in mind - if your design has type in it, the letters need to be inverted to make a "right reading" impression on your clay.

STEP 2: Make Cutting Files for CNC

A file is needed to tell the CNC machine how to cut the design. I use Vetric Software VCarve Desktop.

It can create files (gCode) for many different CNC machines including Shopbot and Bantam Tools.

STEP 3: Cut Your Files

With the CNC's software interface, send your gCode files to the machine for cutting.

I have good luck with Medium-density fibreboard (MDF) - but be sure to wear breathing and eye protection.

Other options include hardwood. Test what works best for your CNC configuration.

STEP 4: Press Tiles Into Clay

Roll out clay to desired thickness then press mold into clay.

Note that clay will shrink in size at depending on the type of clay. I've made a test tile to see how the clay I'm using will shrink. The test tile photos show the difference between original in wet clay and shrinkage from bisque firing.

STEP 5: Bisque Fire Then Glaze Tiles

Experiment with different types of glazes. It's helpful to note which glazes are used. I'm still learning the benefits of documenting everything.

STEP 6: Enjoy and Review

Note how much shrinkage occurred from the original mold (the clay tiles were made to the same size as the molds)

STEP 7: Other Ideas

The SVG design files were used to output versions on a 3D printer. The clay seems to stick more to the plastic surface making it difficult to get good impressions in the clay.

Comments

[capecodcombatrobotleague]

This should work for Christmas cookie dough too, especially if the MDF mould got a coat of lacquer first.

[GG44]

Great tutorial. I make both plaster and clay moulds for impressing clay slabs. Now I need to add a CNC to my studio wish list! - this will give another level of precision. To comment on Jerry's query - I myself, would seal the mdf but the clay won't stay in the mould for long so should not be an issue.

[tesselation]

Love your CNC ceramic work!
I am currently trying to document something I have been doing in a similar vein.
I make slip cast greenware 6 by 6 raw material tiles then cut them directly with a CNC. they cut like butter when bone dry. Then I bisque, glaze fire them and then assemble them into mosaic like tilings.

[GordonB18]

I teach shop at a middle school. We have two small Nomad 3 CNC routers. I think this would be a fun and engaging project to do in conjunction with our our art/ceramics students. They design and we use our CAD program to create the blocks.
My question is when you used mdf, how deep were your cuts?

[davidhalfpenny]

I love these moulds and tiles! Thank you.

For anyone without access to a CNC who wants to experiment with the technique, I've seen similar moulds made with a crafter's Cutting Machine - Cricut, Silhouette, Roland, Silver Bullet etc etc.
Draw a pattern (either in ink on paper, or in Inkscape etc) and cut it out of stencil card or thin MDF on the machine.
Here's a cut mould with both a bisque relief pressing from it, and a glazed 'Art' tile in a frame.
I'd very happily use such tiles in room decor.

[flipflop]

These look great! Are you going to use them to re-do your kitchen?

[askjerry]

I was under the impression that the MDF would absorb water from the clay and become puffy or delaminated. Are you having any of that type of issue?

[evahghg]

Cool :)