Amy Eberhardt Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 Do you do this? What are the advantages? What are the pitfalls? Some of my biggest problems [being a newb to all of this] is either going too thin on the floor of a piece, or ending up with way too much. Would throwing off the hump help me with this? Or would I be more likely to turn a larger volume of clay into a bigger pile of goo than I presently do?!? Your thoughts are eagerly sought! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evelyne Schoenmann Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 Last time I tried, I was centering a too big lump of clay (maybe also a tiny bit dry) and got myself a tendinitis... Don't want to disentchant you though. Take care of your wrists while centering a big chunk! I always thought that throwing off the hump is more complicate than throwing things individual. Not my piece of cake.... But you should try it, that's for sure! Go to YouTube and look how potters throw off the hump, and then try it yourself. Happy potting Evelyne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracked pot Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 I like to throw off the hump when I am making very small items like ring holders and very small bowls. I have more trouble centering a lump that this less than 1/2 pound. Just make sure to compress the floor of your piece well. Also have found that the entire large mass does not have to be centered at once. You can just center the small knob you are working on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 It will take some practice to get pieces that are consistently the same size, but like cracked pot said, it's the easiest way to make small pieces. It's also the best way to make things where you're not totally sure just how much clay you'll need, like lids. It's much less wasteful that way. You can roughly center the large piece, then focus on just centering the area at the top that you're actually using. S-cracks are the biggest issue, since it's difficult to get good compression of the bottom when throwing off the hump. Porcelain will be especially troublesome in that regard. Compressing the bottom before it gets all the way to leather hard, and again after trimming, will help prevent cracking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 I usually throw off a 15# to 20# hump when doing chalice bowls and stems. I have also used it to throw mugs and bowls of late. It is a bit of a control issue where I had to make a little alteration in the way you throw. If you open up straight down and pull the walls up you will probably have 20-30% S cracking. It is difficult to compress the base working this way. However, flattening out a pancake with the thumb, then curling this upward to form the walls will cause the clay particles to round around the corner at the base, and not put as much pressure on the center when drying. Then you can throw the walls a little more, and shape the piece. I usually leave a little more in the base, and trim carefully. Removal for me is done with putty knife dampened and sliding through the clay lifting at the end to place on a ware board. I have also used a wooden rib with string attached where you let the string naturally rap itself around the base(mark base groove where the cut should go always) then pull through to separate. I once took a job to teach myself how to throw off the hump, didn't make a lot of money at it, but did learn how. Threw 2000 small cup like vessels for a religious conference-Filling your Vessel. My actual total was more like 2300, but after learning how no cracks. http://mcgyakimono.blogspot.com/2010/08/making-teaware.html You may understand more of what I mean watching this video. Best, Pres Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JBaymore Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 Pres mentioned the key to the s-crack issue....... I learned this in Japan. EVERYTHING starts as a "plate" kind of form and if it is a bowl-ish hollow shape, the walls are then brought upward. I use this a lot......... particularly for thrown yunomi and chawan. Also key is the trimming........... if the bottoms are thinner than the average walls or thicker than the average ....... it also promotes base cracking. It is a mechanical skill like all other basic throwing aspects. Guided and evaluative practice will let you develop the technique. You can't short-cut the hours. best, .................john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marko Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 I usually throw off a 15# to 20# hump when doing chalice bowls and stems. I have also used it to throw mugs and bowls of late. It is a bit of a control issue where I had to make a little alteration in the way you throw. If you open up straight down and pull the walls up you will probably have 20-30% S cracking. It is difficult to compress the base working this way. However, flattening out a pancake with the thumb, then curling this upward to form the walls will cause the clay particles to round around the corner at the base, and not put as much pressure on the center when drying. Then you can throw the walls a little more, and shape the piece. I usually leave a little more in the base, and trim carefully. Removal for me is done with putty knife dampened and sliding through the clay lifting at the end to place on a ware board. I have also used a wooden rib with string attached where you let the string naturally rap itself around the base(mark base groove where the cut should go always) then pull through to separate. I once took a job to teach myself how to throw off the hump, didn't make a lot of money at it, but did learn how. Threw 2000 small cup like vessels for a religious conference-Filling your Vessel. My actual total was more like 2300, but after learning how no cracks. http://mcgyakimono.blogspot.com/2010/08/making-teaware.html You may understand more of what I mean watching this video. Best, Pres Wow! It's just so amazing how simple he makes it look. Made me nervous how he pushed down the tea pot lip and then created the (not sure what the proper name is) lid flange? Anyway, I am waiting on a new wheel that is more stable than the one I have. Maybe then I will try throwing off the hump. Small stuff, of course. Thanks Pres, for the link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph Fireborn Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 sometimes I wonder if I should make my mugs off the hump. I spent a lot of time weighing out 1 lb balls of clay. I usually start by weighing like 20-30 balls of clay for mugs. I dont really make the same shape right now anyways, just been exploring designs and ideas. maybe i should try this hump thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted February 18, 2015 Report Share Posted February 18, 2015 sometimes I wonder if I should make my mugs off the hump. I spent a lot of time weighing out 1 lb balls of clay. I usually start by weighing like 20-30 balls of clay for mugs. I dont really make the same shape right now anyways, just been exploring designs and ideas. maybe i should try this hump thing. Save some time by just cutting the 25# pug into 24 pieces with a one handled wire. no need to weigh each one.They all be close enough. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babs Posted February 18, 2015 Report Share Posted February 18, 2015 Think Neil said it but there is no need to totally centre the large hump. I have learned relatively recently to cut the pot off with a string. I have groen to find this much cleaner and easier than using a knife. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy Eberhardt Posted February 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2015 Thanks for the insight, y'all. I know that I have a lifetime of learning ahead of me, and having you fine folks around gives me hope that I just might get the hang of it all eventually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowerdry Posted February 18, 2015 Report Share Posted February 18, 2015 Amy, well said...a lifetime of learning! That's a big part of it for me. At the moment, I'm taking a(nother) lids class from a local production potter and she passed along a tip for preventing cracks in off the hump thrown items. She said she was taught years ago to cone up several times very dry before starting the piece to prevent the cracks and it has worked for her. Don't know yet if it will work for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted February 18, 2015 Report Share Posted February 18, 2015 I throw all my honey pot lids off the hump. As far as S cracks after I have trimmed them I smash the bottom centers with a butt end of wood tool to compress bottoms. This works great on keeping s cracks away.Just tap the center a few times hard. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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