Joy pots

Hi, I also live in Canada , my kiln is in an unheated garage. I normally don’t fire when the temp is below -20s but I fire when the temp comes up I warm the kiln for about an hour until I feel that the pots will not get a chill as I load a board at a time. The garage is attached so not to bad running out to turn it up & check. When the timer trips the kiln off I turn the dials from high to medium and timer to 30 mins. & switch it back on to soak. I check again to be sure all worked as planned then leave it to cool overnight. Joy

Hi, I use corn starch on both the clay or a stamp or a press mold. I apply it using a very soft fluffy brush. I’ve also found the left over pieces of clay wedge back to reuse. Joy

Got a huge order of honey pots & mugs, just hope my back holds out as this may be the last large order I’m capable to make. Joy

Plastic from flower shops works the same as dry cleaner bags. joy

The wallpaper becomes an easily removable bat & no it doesn’t have to be rough I use smooth wallpaper some times it has a slight raised pattern like the marks on cloth. I slide it off the bat or wheel head after wiring off under the wallpaper. Once the pot is firm enough to flip you peel the wallpaper off the bottom. joy

I’ve used wallpaper on my bats for years. You cut out circles the size you wish attach them to bats with water or slip. To remove you run your wire between bat & wallpaper to remove once the piece is firm enough you peel off the wallpaper. I pick up wallpaper ends from garage sales or wherever you can get it cheap. It can also be reused. Joy

I had a good look after they came out of the kiln, I previously said they were a D but on inspection they’re really ears joy

A load of honey pots & mugs ready to glaze. joy

My handles are wide D. I don’t backfill I use enough slip that it pools around the attached points. I wipe off excess. I occasionally put a thumb hold. Joy

I clean after throwing to keep the dust down. If I sweep or rather drag the broom, I have a spray bottle in my hand to also keep the dust down I empty the trimming & clean up the floor after trimming, so I keep the studio as free from dust as I can. The studio is a small room in the basement. My sink & glaze area is in the furnace/laundry/hallway to the studio so any drips get wiped up immediately to keep my pup from licking them. I keep the studio washed up better than the rest of the house. I do clean the rest once in a while. Joy

I cut out stencils from thick tablecloth vinyl & use iron oxide to stamp. I use a tub with folded jersey cloth for a pad to keep the amounts of oxide just right for a stamping foam brush the pad allows the oxide to fill the stamping tool but not too much. I stamp on top of a glazes as control of the oxide is essential, too little & the stamp fires faded too much & it is dark & messy. I periodically add water with a small squirt bottle for moisture. joy

I started with classes &books with weekend workshops &more of the same. Then experimenting . joy

My skut kiln is almost 40 yrs. old & I just had new elements replace top to bottom for the 1st time. Have had sections replaced before. I glaze fire in a day & wonder if it will be just as before or fire higher. Reset the sitter by eye, just touching. It works better that way for me usually. Maybe I'd better wash the bottoms of the runnier glazes back further.

I have both the VL whisper & just bought the Thomas Stuart. I've thrown on kick wheels for years & am unhappy with the Whisper, no torque, no sound (for rythum) & crappy leaky splash pan, plus the Giffin grip doesn't fit well. I love the Skutt/Thomas Stuart, I have the Prestige model. I believe the price was comparable. Check out all the suppliers on line & find the best price. Shipping in the US is fee from most suppliers.