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Beginning wheel throwing projects


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Hi folks, I have been thinking a lot of late of the types of things that would be good experiences for beginning throwers, withing to improve their throwing skills. so a few listings of ideas in this thread would be helpful for anyone wishing to develop greater throwing skills and control on the wheel.

Basic

  1. 9" cylinder with 3# of clay. This should have a flat bottom, evenly compressed, side walls tapering slightly in thickness to the rim that should be slightly thicker than the side walls at the top. Cut several vertically in half to gauge your progress using a cutting wire from the base to the top.
  2. 8" diameter bowl with 3# of clay. Remember that a true bowl has a rounded interior, so when opening up develop a rounded bottom instead of a flat bottom as in the cylinder. Again cut several of these in half to check progress. Always remember that a bowl will need extra thickness at the base to support the outer walls from collapsing. 
  3.  10" plate with 3# of clay. Begin using softer clay, and make careful compression across the area of the plate, as the biggest problem with plates is the lack of compression causing "s"  shaped cracks.

Basic + Hump

  1. Vessel- small cup off of tennis ball size piece of clay.  Throw several off of a 4-6# Ball of clay, center the  entire ball as much as possible into a cone, then center the top portion of the cone into a tennis ball size, well centered. Throw a cylinder shape, use a rib  to define the base, and cut from wheel with a cutting wire, and remove to a bat. Repeat until all of the ball is used up.
  2. Bowl-throw several bowls using a baseball sized ball of clay off of a 4-6# hump of clay.  Try to make the form a bowl shape, cut and remove as in the vessel, and check progress.
  3. Apple baker-Start this form with a baseball sized piece of clay. Open the form as in a bowl, slightly away from center leaving a center stem area. Open the center stem area and pull upwards into  narrow cone, close the cone with your fingers, necking inward. Then finish shaping the outer bowl area. cut and remove from the wheel. Check progress with these also to assess the two pulled shapes in the single form.

 

 

 

These are just thoughts and I wouldn't have had the apple baker in this list until lately. However, I do believe that the simplicity and complexity of the form will help to improve throwing skills of anyone wishing to advance their skill level.

Please feel free to add projects that you believe that will advance throwing skills for a beginner, intermediate, or advanced thower.

 

best,

Pres

Edited by Pres
Rae Reich caught a directional error-corrected.
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15 minutes ago, Pres said:

Have you ever thrown an apple baker?

I have no idea what that even is. The only forms I have thrown are:

  • mugs, cups, beakers, yunomi, etc.
  • bowls, of all sizes and types.
  • plates, platters
  • vases

I haven't made anything else, and the things I have made in these categories are pretty limited. But I am sure mine will need work, which will be helpful as you can draw a line on them in paint or something so others can see what they should be going for. I gather this is the goal of this post right? My bowls and plates should be near perfect though. I assume my cylinders will need some loving. 

 

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  • Pres featured and pinned this topic
On 10/24/2017 at 8:01 AM, Pres said:

Hi folks, I have been thinking a lot of late of the types of things that would be good experiences for beginning throwers, withing to improve their throwing skills. so a few listings of ideas in this thread would be helpful for anyone wishing to develop greater throwing skills and control on the wheel.

Basic

  1. 9" cylinder with 3# of clay. This should have a flat bottom, evenly compressed, side walls tapering slightly in thickness to the rim that should be slightly thicker than the side walls at the top. Cut several horizontally in half to gauge your progress using a cutting wire from the base to the top.
  2. 8" diameter bowl with 3# of clay. Remember that a true bowl has a rounded interior, so when opening up develop a rounded bottom instead of a flat bottom as in the cylinder. Again cut several of these in half to check progress. Always remember that a bowl will need extra thickness at the base to support the outer walls from collapsing. 
  3.  10" plate with 3# of clay. Begin using softer clay, and make careful compression across the area of the plate, as the biggest problem with plates is the lack of compression causing "s"  shaped cracks.

Basic + Hump

  1. Vessel- small cup off of tennis ball size piece of clay.  Throw several off of a 4-6# Ball of clay, center the  entire ball as much as possible into a cone, then center the top portion of the cone into a tennis ball size, well centered. Throw a cylinder shape, use a rib  to define the base, and cut from wheel with a cutting wire, and remove to a bat. Repeat until all of the ball is used up.
  2. Bowl-throw several bowls using a baseball sized ball of clay off of a 4-6# hump of clay.  Try to make the form a bowl shape, cut and remove as in the vessel, and check progress.
  3. Apple baker-Start this form with a baseball sized piece of clay. Open the form as in a bowl, slightly away from center leaving a center stem area. Open the center stem area and pull upwards into  narrow cone, close the cone with your fingers, necking inward. Then finish shaping the outer bowl area. cut and remove from the wheel. Check progress with these also to assess the two pulled shapes in the single form.

 

 

 

These are just thoughts and I wouldn't have had the apple baker in this list until lately. However, I do believe that the simplicity and complexity of the form will help to improve throwing skills of anyone wishing to advance their skill level.

Please feel free to add projects that you believe that will advance throwing skills for a beginner, intermediate, or advanced thower.

 

best,

Pres

Small edit, Pres. In Basic 1. Cut cylinders vertically (we know what you meant, but if you print out for hand-outs) :)

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  • 3 weeks later...

Baking apples. . . Tablespoon of water, teaspoon of butter, spices-I use cinnamon and ginger, sweetener(sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, honey), as a diabetic I use none, others(nuts, granola, etc) Liquor(?) 

 

Apple baked 7 1/2 minutes in microwave oven. 40 minutes will work in a regular oven. Great Winter desert.

BakingApple.JPG

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Might for those of you that don't worry about the extra carbs that the crust added does. However, for me with T2 diabetes that I control with a tight diet and exercise, those crusts would kick my numbers into outer space. So I do the baked apple instead. Even if you don't use it, try it for a wheel throwing exercise.

 

best,

Pres

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Looking at the design of those and couldn't help but wonder what else you could use them for. Thought it somewhat resembles a lemon reamer. If the middle bit was a titch wider at the base you could carve sharp channels into the center part and if one of the scallops on the rim was sharpened a bit it could be the pour spout. I like having more than one use for pots,  it's got me thinking....

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3 minutes ago, Min said:

Thought it somewhat resembles a lemon reamer. If the middle bit was a titch wider at the base you could carve sharp channels into the center part and if one of the scallops on the rim was sharpened a bit it could be the pour spout. I like having more than one use for pots,  it's got me thinking....

Yes Min, the same process is used to throw a juicer for oranges and lemons. You have to start with a larger amount, 2-3# of clay. Center, and then follow pretty much the same, but make the center hole larger and pull to a low domed cone, then use ribs to make rounder. You can then do one of two after forming the bowl. use wet rib to put drain lines on the dome, or leave till later and carve. Before removing from the wheel add a pour spout to remove the liquid. The technique works in all sorts of ways.

 

best,

Pres

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12 hours ago, Pres said:

Might for those of you that don't worry about the extra carbs that the crust added

It was meant as a joke Preston since we can't really eat fired clay

 

12 hours ago, Min said:

Looking at the design of those and couldn't help but wonder what else you could use them for.

Woodtuners make these and call them ring holders

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Ron, I realized that, just pointing out that for some the need to do things differently is important. I haven't had a full cookie since 2009. 

 

I had not thought about ring holders. . . ceramic would work to. Wonder how many Apple Bakers have been re serviced as ring holders. Maybe someone didn't know what it was?

 

best,

Pres

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2 minutes ago, Pres said:

Ron, I realized that, just pointing out that for some the need to do things differently is important. I haven't had a full cookie since 2009. 

We stopped eating gluten, as it was tearing our stomachs up and making me and my wife ache. We didn't realize it but over the last 30 years we have developed a sensitivity to gluten. We have cut it out completely and feel much better. It is hard to do. I agree the apples look better with the pie crust deliciousness, but there is no way I could eat that now. 

I might make an apple baker. It looks interesting to throw and we love apples. Yum. I had forgot about this post. I need to throw the bowls and cut them in half too.

 

Edited by Joseph F
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I have a friend that I bowl with, he was having severe health problems, and was finally diagnosed with a blood test for gluten intolerance. Now he has gained back up in weight, eats gluten free, and has gained back his strength. These things hit us as we get older and are weaker to fight them off, and it may be that our bodies reach a peak point where exposure becomes too much.

Joseph, if you post the bowls, that would be helpful. If anyone wants to share the print out, go ahead what its here for. Teachers also. Just don't take credit.;)

 

It would be nice to build a strand of beginning projects to help along those looking to gain/improve wheel skills.

best,

Pres

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4 hours ago, RonSa said:

Woodtuners make these and call them ring holders

Oh, that's what I couldn't think of! Knew it reminded me of something. I can totally see making these as a learning exercise for new potters but was thinking in terms of selling them. So many customers saying they are looking to downsize or at least not add to what has already filled up their cupboards that a specialized pot would be harder for me to sell.

Not a drinker so I don't really get the whiskey cup, does the spiral in the middle start going round and round after a few? ;)

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3 hours ago, Joseph F said:

We stopped eating gluten, as it was tearing our stomachs up and making me and my wife ache. We didn't realize it but over the last 30 years we have developed a sensitivity to gluten. We have cut it out completely and feel much better. It is hard to do. I agree the apples look better with the pie crust deliciousness, but there is no way I could eat that now. 

I might make an apple baker. It looks interesting to throw and we love apples. Yum. I had forgot about this post. I need to throw the bowls and cut them in half too.

 

FWIW#1

Cooking  is a passion and I bake my own bread.  I've had many people over the years say to me that they can no longer eat gluten but for some reason my bread doesn't bother them.

Since I don't really do anything special or buy any special flour except bread flour (hard flour to our friends over the pond) which creates more gluten when kneaded, I can only surmise that commercial bread has something added that bothers these people.

Of course this is not to say that people like my niece who has been allergic to gluten since birth can eat my bread. If you think you have a problem with gluten then you should get tested to make sure it isn't something else.

FWIW#2

I was gifted an apple baker years before I started throwing pots (like the one Pres displays) and they are horrible to bake in. I've found a glass Pyrex dish bakes an apple (without pastry) way better and in less time. Of course that is not to say they wouldn't be a great seller.

 

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sorta one step on from apple cooker, with Min on the one pot must be versatile in use to make it in my kitchen, same technique with bit extra, a candle stick holder, made by then opening centre core of clay , pulling up, turning down for flat rim, doing same to outer rim, attaching a little handle , wee Willie winkie style.

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