sddonlon Posted December 30, 2013 Report Share Posted December 30, 2013 I've just started working with clay, both handbuilding and starting with throwing. My question is this. My instructor is left handed, I'm right. What is the correct way for the wheel to turn for a right-hander?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davidpotter Posted December 30, 2013 Report Share Posted December 30, 2013 i'm right and i throw with my wheel spinning counter clock-wise. with my hands working from 3:00-6:00 depending and what i'm doing with the clay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benzine Posted December 30, 2013 Report Share Posted December 30, 2013 I'm a lefty, and in college, I practiced with the wheel going either direction. I settled on focusing on counter-clockwise, as most wheels sold in the US are that by default. I've taught at three different districts, and a majority of the wheels could only go counter-clockwise, so I feel it was a good decision. In fact, it really messes me up, when the students have the wheel going the wrong way. For whatever reason, I don't even look to see which way the wheel is spinning. So I'll try to help them, and wonder why everything feels "off". You'd think I'd learn..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted December 30, 2013 Report Share Posted December 30, 2013 (In the Western world, the wheel typically turns counter clockwise) It just easier if we all learn this way as most wheels made on this side of the ponds turn this way. My 5 wheels (I have one extra right now) all turn this way-none have reversing switches Glad I learned this way-I'm a righty learning to use my left hand much more past few years after wrist surgery. mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted December 30, 2013 Report Share Posted December 30, 2013 Norm they all auto center that all I know-put clay on bat its centered in seconds-with my hands All the wheels are Brents before reversing was a trend for wrong way drivers. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilly Posted December 30, 2013 Report Share Posted December 30, 2013 I'm predominately right-handed, but can easily be a lefty when needed and some things I'm a definate lefty. I use a kick wheel, and am just as bad at throwing in either direction. I think if you learn on a wheel that is going in "a direction" that's the way you'll always want to throw. I don't know about auto-centering, they all seem to auto-wobble tho'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benzine Posted December 30, 2013 Report Share Posted December 30, 2013 Norm they all auto center that all I know-put clay on bat its centered in seconds-with my hands All the wheels are Brents before reversing was a trend for wrong way drivers. Mark Many of my students would pay good money for that "Auto-centered" clay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babs Posted December 30, 2013 Report Share Posted December 30, 2013 auto centering?? Is this a feature that you have to pay for? Or is it easier the further you are from the Poles, not the ethnic sort. Benzine do yo mean that you do not centre for your students/, isn't that the Art teacher's equivalent of an English teacher's editing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benzine Posted December 30, 2013 Report Share Posted December 30, 2013 auto centering?? Is this a feature that you have to pay for? Or is it easier the further you are from the Poles, not the ethnic sort. Benzine do yo mean that you do not centre for your students/, isn't that the Art teacher's equivalent of an English teacher's editing? Funny you should ask that. I will give them bits of help throughout the process. As they get better, and make more projects, the training wheels come off, and they are on their own. Funny thing is, they do start to get it..... Practice does make perfect it seems....madness! My only editing comes, when something gets really uneven, or threatens to collapse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babs Posted December 30, 2013 Report Share Posted December 30, 2013 auto centering?? Is this a feature that you have to pay for? Or is it easier the further you are from the Poles, not the ethnic sort. Benzine do yo mean that you do not centre for your students/, isn't that the Art teacher's equivalent of an English teacher's editing? Funny you should ask that. I will give them bits of help throughout the process. As they get better, and make more projects, the training wheels come off, and they are on their own. Funny thing is, they do start to get it..... Practice does make perfect it seems....madness! My only editing comes, when something gets really uneven, or threatens to collapse. Practice now that is godam boring! Will give them help, now you are coming across as a softie, What standards are you setting? What outcomes have you in mind for these students? Sorry Benzine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebekah Krieger Posted December 30, 2013 Report Share Posted December 30, 2013 I am a lefty, but i do everything with my right hand other than writing. (forced to adapt to this right handed world lol) The other day I caught my 13 yr old using the kick wheel clockwise (she is right handed) and I wasn't sure if I should correct her. My art teacher did not help center unless something was so off center that it seemed beyond help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcia Selsor Posted December 30, 2013 Report Share Posted December 30, 2013 I'm a Lefty and throw counter clockwise. I taught that way as well. once in a while someone would insist on throwing clockwise. There were two Shimpos in the studio to use plus 8 kick wheels and eight Brent's. The Brent's didn't reverse direction. As a teacher, I did help center their clay at fiirst, but they caught on. practical and throwing 10" cylinders with 2 pound lumps and cut them in half to check the wall thickness. That was the warm up exercise in the first weeks. marcia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celia UK Posted December 30, 2013 Report Share Posted December 30, 2013 I've always suspected I should do that warm up Marcia, to hone my centring and other throwing skills. I KNOW that in the log run it would be time well spent, but I've never been able to bring myself to throw, then cut open and discard the work. Apart from 'losing' the pieces themselves, it then adds to the recycling job! Watch this space - there may well be some future regrets because I haven't followed this sound piece of advice. Keep it coming! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthB Posted December 30, 2013 Report Share Posted December 30, 2013 I tell my lefty and righty students that learning to throw is akin to learning to play a musical instrument and you must learn to co-ordinate each hand. It doesn't really matter which way the wheel goes. There are no left handed pianos..... Ruth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephsteph Posted December 30, 2013 Report Share Posted December 30, 2013 In the U.S. , most lefthanded instructors will likely teach you how to throw 'righthanded' with the wheel going counterclockwise. Most Lefites learn to adapt in ways that would amaze our fellow righthanded humanoids! We learn to throw 'righthanded' or learn how to throw both ways, knowing that most students will be righthanded and that most wheels will turn counterclockwise by default here. It is true that it will work either way. the only thing that might make a difference is that it may be confusing to try to relearn to throw one way once you have started learning the other way, especially for a beginnner who is trying to establish hand patterning/ sequences of throwing. unless of course, this is something you want to explore! Other wise, throwing is a skill that uses both hands so for most lefties , it will not feel weird to throw with a counterclockwise wheel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted December 30, 2013 Report Share Posted December 30, 2013 I always recommend that my left handed students learn to throw counter-clockwise, since many studios have older wheels that do not reverse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJR Posted December 30, 2013 Report Share Posted December 30, 2013 I've just started working with clay, both handbuilding and starting with throwing. My question is this. My instructor is left handed, I'm right. What is the correct way for the wheel to turn for a right-hander?? You should learn to throw the same direction as your instructor and the rest of us in the Western Hemishere. Wheels turn counter-clock-wise. Do not start reversing direction as no one can help you. I am also a leftie. This is one of the few areas in the world, other than baseball where left-handedness is an advantage. My wheel turns counter-clockwise like everyone elses. I taught pottery for years, and still teach highschool art. You just have to get used to having a left-handed teacher. The other art teacher at my school is also a leftie. We have had no complaints. TJR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benzine Posted December 30, 2013 Report Share Posted December 30, 2013 auto centering?? Is this a feature that you have to pay for? Or is it easier the further you are from the Poles, not the ethnic sort. Benzine do yo mean that you do not centre for your students/, isn't that the Art teacher's equivalent of an English teacher's editing? Funny you should ask that. I will give them bits of help throughout the process. As they get better, and make more projects, the training wheels come off, and they are on their own. Funny thing is, they do start to get it..... Practice does make perfect it seems....madness!My only editing comes, when something gets really uneven, or threatens to collapse. Practice now that is godam boring!Will give them help, now you are coming across as a softie, What standards are you setting? What outcomes have you in mind for these students? Sorry Benzine! I'm getting more hardened as I go. I far less concerned that a student will get upset, when I tell them to scrap a failed attempt. In regards to standards and outcomes, the students have to make three objects, each with a trimmed foot and one with a handle. I expect them to know the basics of the process, centering, opening, pulling and forming. I also expect that they have a basic idea of appropriate thickness for the object's size and function. I am a lefty, but i do everything with my right hand other than writing. (forced to adapt to this right handed world lol) The other day I caught my 13 yr old using the kick wheel clockwise (she is right handed) and I wasn't sure if I should correct her. . My art teacher did not help center unless something was so off center that it seemed beyond help. The world is against us. I dribble a basketball with my right, kick with my right foot, etc, because I was taught by righties. And don't get me started on writing. In college, the lecture pace was so fast, I had to learn to write over the top, of the line of text, so I wouldn't smear what I just wrote. This was made more difficult by the severe lack of left handed desks, in the lecture halls I've just started working with clay, both handbuilding and starting with throwing. My question is this. My instructor is left handed, I'm right. What is the correct way for the wheel to turn for a right-hander?? You should learn to throw the same direction as your instructor and the rest of us in the Western Hemishere. Wheels turn counter-clock-wise. Do not start reversing direction as no one can help you. I am also a leftie. This is one of the few areas in the world, other than baseball where left-handedness is an advantage. My wheel turns counter-clockwise like everyone elses. I taught pottery for years, and still teach highschool art. You just have to get used to having a left-handed teacher. The other art teacher at my school is also a leftie. We have had no complaints.TJRI think left-handedness would benefit guitar players to, if they played "righty". I'm not a guitar player, but from what I've seen, it would make more sense to have your dominant hand on the frets, as opposed to strumming. I may be wrong..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Stewart Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 My wife just purchased a dual media electric kiln. We did our first (correct me if I use wrong terms) firing last night with 03, 04 & 05 test cones. Do these cones need to be used for every firing? Thanks, Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm Stuart Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 We used witness cones in various locations, in a number of firings at different cones and firing speeds. Once we figured out the little quirks in how our computer controlled kiln worked, we only use witness cones to diagnose a problem. People using manual-kilns use them as their primary indicator of when the firing is complete. Others use them in every firing hoping to spot any problems early. My wife just purchased a dual media electric kiln. We did our first (correct me if I use wrong terms) firing last night with 03, 04 & 05 test cones. Do these cones need to be used for every firing? Thanks, Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Stewart Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 Thanks so much, Norm. We are fresh at learning the use of this system. It is a Barlette controller on an Olympic electric kiln. I guess we need to be patient with the learning curve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcia Selsor Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 Just a note, the correct order for those cones is 05,04,03 with 05 being the lowest temperature. You need to put them in that order because as witness cones, the 05 will melt first. It is good to use them when you first start using your kiln to see how accurate the controller is with the cones. Marcia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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