Cup Assembly Guide

How to turn your printed A4 templates into a finished pottery cup — slab prep, joining, and firing.

Materials Needed

Before You Begin

Important Considerations

  1. Clay Shrinkage: Most clays shrink 10–15% when fired. This template shows final dimensions. For future projects, you may want to scale up to account for shrinkage.
  2. Clay Thickness: Roll your clay to approximately 5mm thickness for cups. Thinner for delicate pieces, thicker for larger mugs.
  3. Moisture: Keep clay at leather-hard consistency for assembly — firm enough to hold shape, soft enough to join.

Step-by-Step Assembly

Step 1

Prepare Your Clay

  1. Roll out a slab of clay to uniform thickness (≈5mm)
  2. Ensure the slab is larger than your template pieces
  3. Let it firm up slightly to leather-hard stage
Step 2

Transfer the Templates

For the Base (Circle):

  1. Place the circular template on your clay slab
  2. Trace around it with a pencil or pin tool
  3. Cut carefully along the traced line
  4. Set aside on a flat surface

For the Wall (Rectangle):

  1. Place the rectangular template on your clay slab
  2. Trace the outline
  3. Cut along the traced lines
  4. Optional: Score the center lines lightly for alignment
Step 3

Form the Wall

  1. Carefully lift the rectangular piece
  2. Gently curve it into a cylinder shape
  3. Join the two ends with slip and score technique:
    • Score both edges to be joined
    • Apply slip (watered-down clay)
    • Press together firmly
    • Smooth the seam inside and out
  4. Let it firm up while you prepare the base
Step 4

Attach the Wall to the Base

  1. Place the cylinder on a flat surface
  2. Score the bottom edge of the cylinder all around
  3. Score the edge of the circular base (about 1cm in from the edge)
  4. Apply slip to both scored areas
  5. Carefully center the cylinder on the base
  6. Press down gently but firmly
  7. Smooth the inside joint with your finger or tool
Step 5

Reinforce the Joint

  1. On the inside, add a small coil of clay along the joint
  2. Smooth it thoroughly into both the wall and base
  3. On the outside, smooth any excess clay
  4. Check that the cup sits flat
Step 6

Finishing Touches

  1. Smooth all surfaces with a damp sponge
  2. Check the rim is even (trim if needed)
  3. Add any decorative elements
  4. Sign your work!
Step 7

Drying and Firing

  1. Let dry slowly under plastic to prevent cracking
  2. Dry completely (several days)
  3. Bisque fire according to your clay's specifications
  4. Glaze as desired
  5. Glaze fire
  6. Enjoy your custom cup!

Tips for Success

For Beginners

Common Problems

Seam Won't Hold:

Cup Won't Stand Flat:

Cracks Forming:

Scaling for Shrinkage

If you want to account for clay shrinkage in advance:

  1. Find your clay's shrinkage rate (usually 10–15%)
  2. Calculate scaling factor: 1 / (1 − shrinkage_rate)
    • Example: For 12% shrinkage → 1 / (1 − 0.12) = 1.136
  3. When printing, scale to 114% of original size

Future Update: The app will include automatic shrinkage compensation!

Safety Notes

Need Help?

Happy pottery making! 🏺