Chilly

No.

You will probably need a "release agent." For plastic press moulds I use either talcum powder or WD40. Both will prevent the clay from sticking to the mould. You might need to remove the clay before it's leather hard, as by then it will start to shrink and can get caught. I made a whole batch in one two hour class, dusting mould with talc, pressing the clay in, dropping it out, dusting mould with talc................. repeat

Agree with @Jeff Longtin. Clay masters should either be wet or bisque. Only issue with bisqueing is the shrinkage, so if that will be a problem, you can add a skim coat of clay after bisque, to make up for lost volume.

Between myself and my partner who is a mechanical engineer, we do OK. I did pay to have a proper power cable socket installed, but everything else we do. For my kiln. A different story for the kiln at the community centre. All I do is batt wash/scrape/vacuum. They pay for an annual "service/electrical check".

If you are mixing your plaster by hand..... Line a bucket with a plastic bag and mix the plaster in that. When you have poured the plaster out you can just throw the bag and any leftover bits of plaster. And not have to mess about cleaning off the dried out plaster. This was an absolute game-changer for me.

The answer is "it depends". On what you might ask? The weather. This time of year, things dry slowly - often too slowly, so they get covered with dry cloth to help absorb some moisture. When it's hot or even just sunny, the greenhouse can warm up quickly, even in winter. Either way, they come indoors and sit on a shelf over the bath - bathroom is not used and is north-facing. It's a balancing/juggling act. Don't let things dry too quickly, or so slowly I can't refine them, and miss the next kiln firing at the community centre.

Cambridge, UK? Have you tried Anglian Potters? They have a website and a Facebook chat page. https://www.anglianpotters.org.uk/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/anglianpotters

Creative activities? Oh, there's a list. Gardening is my outdoor creation, placing leaves and colours together to combine and contrast. The challenge of getting seeds to germinate, cuttings to strike, flowers to flower, veg to eat. Sewing, mainly household stuff like curtains, but lots of dressmaking too. Fibre stuff - spinning, dyeing, weaving, knitting and crochet, mainly with sheep wool, but also silk, flax and alpaca. Glass - fusing and copper foiling and leading.

Not sure if the rest of the world can see this, but now it's not on the BBC, maybe you can. https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-great-pottery-throw-down/on-demand/74088-001 First of the series was on a week ago, haven't watched yesterday's programme yet - so no spoilers please - but they were one of the best groups of potters so far - and this is series 7. They could at least, all throw reasonably well.

@Fire it upplease let us know how you get on with sourcing the bisque or mould. @PeterHhas gone to a fair bit of effort to help, and I'm sure he would love to know too.

Hi @IvanLane Can't help much with your question, except to ask more questions, but you might get more responses if you re-word the title. As for hollow, probably yes. What diameter are you thinking? I'm imagining something like a kiln post or smaller. Clay shouldn't really be much thicker than your thumb. And , I believe, tubes are stronger than rods of the same diameter.

Put a drinking straw into the opening as you pour the slip out. It prevents all the liquid trying to get out at once, and allows air in.

It is lovely, I'm sure you will find an alternate customer.

Further to the technical explanation in the link, I put it like this to my group. Underglazes (usually) don't move or mix during firing. They sit/stand still. When clear overglaze is applied to fired underglaze it (usually) doesn't cause the underglazes to move or mix. And (usually) the colour is WYSIWYG. So, underglazes are good for painterly pictures, drawing, writing. Glazes can/will move or mix during firing, particularly on vertical surfaces. And (usually) they are not WYSIWYG. So, if you want defined colour areas, use underglaze, if you don't mind if they mingle use glazes. Apart from all the other options, like matt, textured, crystals.........

I use this As for mould release agent..... Nothing required for slip casting. Nothing should be required for press moulding, but talc can be used in porous, non-plaster moulds, or WD40 in non-porous non-plaster moulds. The only other time you would need to use mould release is when creating the mould. Different master materials require different mould release (and some need none), and you need a soapy release between different sections of plaster, so they don't stick together. Try your local library or the online auction site for a copy of the Clay Lovers Guide to Making Molds. It has a list of release agents for diffferent materials.

My partner re-wired and replaced elements. I've applied curust on the worst of the casing. We did employ a sparky to put an outside/caravan type socket direct from the fuseboard, so I could run one long cable, instead of the short one to an extension lead to the garage sockets.

Glaze the foot ring, and then sit the centre, unlgazed part of the pot on a kiln post to raise it off the shelf.

Can't give much advice, other than - buy a real wheel from a pottery supply company - do not buy a "toy" wheel - try Scarva who are (I believe) based on your island. If looking at second hand, try before your buy, make sure the wheel runs and accelerates smoothly, starts and stops when asked. .

I fire a top-loader at home and a front-loader at the community centre. Taking any other factors our of the conversation, for me there are positives and negatives for each. And all are to do with the shelves. The top-loader means lowering each shelf down with not much finger space, good posture is needed, straight spread out legs, back bent at the hips. And it's harder to see that the shelf posts are tall enough. With the front-loader you have to hold your arms out in front of you with the weight of the shelf trying to do what gravity intends, and you feel like the whole weight is on your fingertips. Particularly tricky with a full shelf below when you'r trying to maximise the load, and everything is the same height. I like that with the front-loader I can see into each shelf - even if can't see all the way to the back, so it's easier to move something to gain a little space on a lower shelf at the last minute, You cannot do that with a top-loader. I feel the round shelves are more stable on three posts, than the rectangular shelves. Having one post at the front makes me feel it is less stable. (I don't think it is, it just plays with my head.) In summary, for me, when loading lots of pots the same height, the front-loader is harder to place the shelf. If you have a weak back the top-loader is harder. If you asked me, while loading shelves, which do I prefer - I'd probably say the other one!

Brusher, followed by pouring in/out. Never use enough of amy glaze to justify quantity needed for dipping.

There is a Facebook group....... https://www.facebook.com/groups/potterschoiceex

Personally, I think he's talking out of his .....sit-upon. I do think not glazing both inside and out can cause glaze fit issues, but implode...... Test (in your own kiln) by making a small vessel, glaze as you want, put into a saggar and fire it.

I don't throw, but stand when hand-building. I use the highest table at the community centre, and often work on top of boxes to raise my work, and my benches in my greenhouse (studio) are high too. I fidget, and am short in the body, and find sitting for most tasks is not comfortable. I did evening classes working with glass - fusing, copper foiling, leading and was the only one in the class who stood for 3-4 hours. The only stuff I do sitting is textile based - spinning, sewing, knitting, although for spindle spinning it's easier to stand, same for weaving. I think it's important to be at the right height, and comfortablewhatever you're doing.,

Went to evening classes Store bought Working in a greenhouse - dust and cleanup, winter cold and damp , summer heat and dazzling light Can't imagine what an app could possible do for me