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Crazy fun tools for in the studio


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Okay, so we've heard a great deal about the Griffin Grip and Splash Pans. What tool or thing not used normally for ceramics do you use in the studio to play . . . What if? One of my favorites is a set of embroidery hoops!! After throwing a teapot, vase, mug, or other form with a belly and neck, I will find an embroidery hoop that will fit the neck or over the belly at an angle. Cut the pot on that angle, turn 90 or 180 degrees and rejoin for a crazy crooked form. Anyone ever tried it? What tricks do you use for creative fun?

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I love the hoop idea!

 

I use a flexible 2-foot ruler to measure circumference. I also bend it in various shapes to see what possible handles would look like on larger pieces. When I decide on a handle, I know how long it needs to be.

 

I bought a big, wooden triangle, the kind geometry teachers use with blackboards. It is very useful in handbuilding, weighs almost nothing, has a knob on the front to hold it, and does not stick to the clay. It was about five dollars on Amazon.

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I have one of those triangles too! They are great for hand building/ cutting slabs.

I. Have cheese cloth in my studio. also meat cutters'hair nets...I stretch that over a 2x4 and use it to make textures

I have a lot of texturing material like steel sheets with various size hole, rubber Matt's,a matt I removed from an old AV stand.

extured paper that I cast in plaster,etc.

Marcia

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I don't use too many off the wall things but I do use pick combs (like this http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/studio-35-beauty-lift-comb-assortment/ID=prod4118234-product) for slip combing. I break off the individual plastic parts to get a comb with the "teeth" and spacing I want. I also use things like slightly filed corner brackets or L brackets for trimming.

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I have only been throwing on the wheel for about 6 months. I still have a hard time telling how thick my bottoms are and how much to trim. Before I trim I would push an extra thin needle tool through the bottom of the pot with my finger tip against the tool. Remove the tool with finger tip still in place to measure how thick the bottom is. When I couldn't get my hand inside a narrow neck I took a small ball of clay, placed it on the end of the needle tool. As I pushed it through the bottom of the pot the ball of clay was pushed up the needle tool showing me the depth of my bottom. Does this count???

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Thanks Wayne! I haven't even started wheel throwing but was wondering how I was going to figure that bottom thickness out. I will keep your tip ready to go when I start wheel work.

 

Terry

 

 

You can take 2 measurements. One form inside an done from outside.Use a thin stick (light weight so you do not damage your piece) an rest it at the top of the vessel. Measure inside depth and now move the vertical measuring stick to the outside of the vessel and you can see the difference.

 

I attepted to draw you a picture but the "code" tags do not work here correctly.

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I may have seen this here and if I did I'm sorry for not giving the poster credit ....

 

I bought a box of disposable icing bags and fill them with slip. Then I cut the tip off ( I can control the thickness by just cutting the tip ). And 'pipe' away with the slip

 

I don,t get as many air pocket splatters using them

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I have only been throwing on the wheel for about 6 months. I still have a hard time telling how thick my bottoms are and how much to trim. Before I trim I would push an extra thin needle tool through the bottom of the pot with my finger tip against the tool. Remove the tool with finger tip still in place to measure how thick the bottom is. When I couldn't get my hand inside a narrow neck I took a small ball of clay, placed it on the end of the needle tool. As I pushed it through the bottom of the pot the ball of clay was pushed up the needle tool showing me the depth of my bottom. Does this count???

 

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I open one of those packets of cheap wooden cooking utensils, sold to go in utensil jars, and take out the spatula-like piece with the flat, slightly angled end. I use it on the insides of mugs, vases, and other such pieces while throwing, to smooth and level the floor of the pot and sometimes to widen it a bit. A little care is required to avoid gouging with it, but I find that manageable. I imagine there would be clay or glaze uses for some of the other utensils, too.

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Go one better I get the sets of bamboo kitchen tools, cut off the handles and make ribs out of the spoons, spatulas and forks. They need a little sharpening but the spoons make great bowl ribs.

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I use fondant molds to form different shaped feet for some of my hand built trays. I also use stamping stencils, metal jewelry, ribbons, lace to create textures & patterns on my thrown or handbuilt pieces. ! Just lots of fun! I usual pick up most of my "tools" from yard sales, goodwill etc!

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Parts from old typewriters, and printing press materials. I use an old adding machine roller as a line maker for weeds and grasses. Look close and you will see numbers 0-9 in order repetitively. Great conversation at a show on how I got those little numbers all in a row...:unsure:src="http://ceramicartsdaily.org/community/public/style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif">

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Parts from old typewriters, and printing press materials. I use an old adding machine roller as a line maker for weeds and grasses. Look close and you will see numbers 0-9 in order repetitively. Great conversation at a show on how I got those little numbers all in a row...unsure.gif

 

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post-3602-137070105472_thumb.jpgHi Everyone,

 

I have been busy lately making molds and more tools for clay work. Today I will actually make something. I make the tools from clay, and glazed them. Recently, made two extruders one is not glazed yet. Here are the pics of my tools.

post-3602-137070104323_thumb.jpg

post-3602-137070104323_thumb.jpg

post-3602-137070105472_thumb.jpg

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I may have seen this here and if I did I'm sorry for not giving the poster credit ....

 

I bought a box of disposable icing bags and fill them with slip. Then I cut the tip off ( I can control the thickness by just cutting the tip ). And 'pipe' away with the slip

 

I don,t get as many air pocket splatters using them

 

 

I use disposable icing bags, too! Though I also use the plastic collars and the frosting tips to get different effects. I also find that just cutting the tip makes it sort of flat, where the metal tips keep it more round.

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I use fondant molds to form different shaped feet for some of my hand built trays. I also use stamping stencils, metal jewelry, ribbons, lace to create textures & patterns on my thrown or handbuilt pieces. ! Just lots of fun! I usual pick up most of my "tools" from yard sales, goodwill etc!

 

I LOVE using found objects to make stamps for impressions in clay or to press directly into the clay. It sounds like we all do! Some great ideas for that here on this thread.
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I may have seen this here and if I did I'm sorry for not giving the poster credit ....

 

I bought a box of disposable icing bags and fill them with slip. Then I cut the tip off ( I can control the thickness by just cutting the tip ). And 'pipe' away with the slip

 

I don,t get as many air pocket splatters using them

 

 

I use disposable icing bags, too! Though I also use the plastic collars and the frosting tips to get different effects. I also find that just cutting the tip makes it sort of flat, where the metal tips keep it more round.

 

I picked up one of those aluminum cookie presses at Goodwill, with multiple dies, to see if I could use it for clay. I don't know, make fridge magnets of clay "cookies", or make my own dies for it, or something. I think I gave it a brief shot but don't remember what the problems were, if any... too much clay sticking to it and hard to clean, bad results, or what. But this makes me want to get it out and try it again. Although the icing bags are sounding like maybe more fun.....
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I may have seen this here and if I did I'm sorry for not giving the poster credit ....

 

I bought a box of disposable icing bags and fill them with slip. Then I cut the tip off ( I can control the thickness by just cutting the tip ). And 'pipe' away with the slip

 

I don,t get as many air pocket splatters using them

 

 

I use disposable icing bags, too! Though I also use the plastic collars and the frosting tips to get different effects. I also find that just cutting the tip makes it sort of flat, where the metal tips keep it more round.

 

I picked up one of those aluminum cookie presses at Goodwill, with multiple dies, to see if I could use it for clay. I don't know, make fridge magnets of clay "cookies", or make my own dies for it, or something. I think I gave it a brief shot but don't remember what the problems were, if any... too much clay sticking to it and hard to clean, bad results, or what. But this makes me want to get it out and try it again. Although the icing bags are sounding like maybe more fun.....

 

 

Spray the cookie press with bakers spray, help keep it from sticking.

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Crazy? Fun? Tools? ... Hmm... I wear gloves while throwing.

Thin medical gloves. I thought since I can palpate stage I prostate cancer wearing them, why not to try it for throwing the clay.

Can feel all those air bubbles well.

 

Jim, watch that bear! Do not spill it on your keyboard!

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Crazy? Fun? Tools? ... Hmm... I wear gloves while throwing.

Thin medical gloves. I thought since I can palpate stage I prostate cancer wearing them, why not to try it for throwing the clay.

Can feel all those air bubbles well.

 

Jim, watch that bear! Do not spill it on your keyboard!

 

 

Jim quit holding "bears" while typing a while ago--he and I both just drink beers these days. Ditch the gloves, youll be happier.

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