[How to add speckles to a claybody?]

Thanks everybody! I went looking for more information about my current clay, and there it was right in the description “granular manganese.” I also found some good tips about adding it to clay on DigitalFire. Time to buy some and do some tests. 

Sometimes the speckles in my current clay are unreasonably huge. I’ve even put some pots in the seconds pile because of weirdly large speckle splotches. So it might be nice improvement to have some control over the particle size now. 

[How to add speckles to a claybody?]

I am trying to decide whether to switch claybodies, to one from a manufacturer that isn’t having supply issues right now. The new one is the right color, and otherwise performs the same as the current one. The only thing missing are the speckles. Is it possible to add speckles to a non-speckled claybody? I actually use two different clays, and pug them together in a pugmill, so adding another ingredient to the pugging would not be hard. I’m looking for guidance on materials to try, and how much. I want it to look like the following photo:

 

[Time for a Sticky Wicket. . . . QotW: What are your best sellers?]

Best sellers are the Enormous Coffee Mug (I do make a smaller mug too but the enormous ones sell better), and the Bowl with Chopsticks.

Edit to add: my whole line of work contains about 40 different items, ranging from $10 to $225. These two items are roughly 20% (dollar-wise) of what I bring to each show. I don't recommend making only mugs and eating bowls, that wouldn't add up to a good sale. I'm just saying that mugs and small bowls are an essential and substantial component to a functional potter's line of work. 

 

[Nobody uses cash anymore]

47 minutes ago, kswan said:

Sometimes I've been rounding up the change for customers so I don't have to deal with scrounging up coins.

I just cross out the cents part of their total, and charge them the whole dollar amount only. I lose a few dollars overall, which is totally worth not having to count coins!

[Nobody uses cash anymore]

Just finished the books for this past weekend's show. For all three of my shows this month:

Cash 5.9%

Check 2.1%

Credit card 92%

[Nobody uses cash anymore]

Haha I remember using a knuckle buster for imprinting credit cards with a clack-clack. How cringy that seems now, with everyone’s account number in plain view for the world to see! And I remember those years when the credit card industry tried to train us to handle customer credit card numbers more securely (PCR compliance) and how so many artists thought that was a hassle and a waste of time. We’ve definitely come a long way.  

Bookkeeping is definitely faster now. Though I still do inventory with a pen and notebook. This is still faster than entering it into an app. And most of my inventory turns over at every show, so using the app for that doesn’t make sense for me. 

[Nobody uses cash anymore]

A few people still do, but this month I’ve done three shows and barely taken any cash sales. Everyone is using credit cards instead. I can understand why, I used to pay for things with cash a lot in the before times, but now I have gotten used to charging everything because it’s touchless. 

I used to pack $100 of ones and fives to every show for making change. Maybe I can dial back on that now, because I hardly needed it. I’ll probably see what happens through the end of the year to make a decision about that. 

Also, everybody now has credit cards that can be dipped or tapped. I still carry a magnetic stripe swiper just in case, but didn’t need it once this month. I’ve also noticed that Square processes the dipped and tapped transactions really quickly, as in under a second. 

The whole world of POS payments changed during the pandemic, both in terms of technology, and everyone’s behavior. Overall I find it much easier. 

[A handy organizational tool for workflow]

7 hours ago, Callie Beller Diesel said:

Make sure you get their contact info and follow up with them, rather than leaving it up to them to contact you. If you leave it up to them, you’ll never see them again. 

I actually recommend asking the customer to initiate the order by email. This weeds out the people who were just being impulsive when they asked for a reservation (and there are plenty of people who do this). I do not wish to spend my energy chasing down someone who turns out not to be serious. There is quite a bit of back and forth emailing required to complete an order, so the customer also needs to prove that they are reliable communicators by email (there are plenty of people who aren’t). This move also signals “I’m not going to cater to you. I’m busy and you need to make this easy for me.” Again, it weeds out the problem customers. 

Another option I use sometimes is “yes [those items] can be reserved for [that show]. When it’s about a week before the show, send me an email and ask me again. If I have it in stock, I’m happy to hold them for you.” This does not obligate me to change my production plans for a customer I don’t know.  The customer is usually standing in front of my email list sign-up pad during this conversation. If they then sign-up for my email list, that’s a good indication of seriousness. I’ll say “oh cool, when you get my email about [that show], just hit reply and let me know what you want.”

This does not apply to existing customers who have followed through successfully on reservations before. If one of them asks for a reservation at a show, I’ll write it down in my notebook on the spot. Knowing the person makes all the difference. 

[QotW: What have you noticed in the rise in prices for materials over the last 20 years?]

I’m in a bit of a pickle right now. I am down to my last box of clay, so I ordered it from my local supplier this weekend. The supplier does not have it in stock, because the manufacturer is out of stock of other clays, and behind with their deliveries. I had to order 100# from the manufacturer, just to get me through the next two weeks. The shipment via USPS will cost as much as the clay. I am desperate to keep on track production-wise because of my upcoming shows, so I have no choice. I have to wait up to 5 days to get it, and that will already set me back. Hopefully my local supplier will get their truck delivery in the next two weeks. If not, I’ll buy another 100# shipped from the manufacturer. 

So right now I am experiencing a lot of extra expenses and hassle, caused by supply chain issues, caused by the pandemic. 

[QotW: What best habit would you recommend to a beginner setting up their studio?]

Ergonomics. In other words, take care of your back. Make everything in your studio fit YOU. 

[QotW: Would you be willing to participate in a kiln space rental that would bring in a little extra cash, and supply a service to potters without a kiln in your area, and if so why?]

My answer is “no” as well, for the exact reasons that you explained so clearly. 

I’ve had a few people approach me about firing their work at my house. In every case, the person was trying to avoid the expense of using a community studio. Community studios need to charge what they charge for a reason. A person who doesn’t see those reasons is generally going to be difficult to work with. In one case, a neighbor got angry with me when I said no. Very entitled person. Imagine how she would have complained if a firing didn’t turn out the way she was expecting!

[QotW: What have you noticed in the rise in prices for materials over the last 20 years?]

I looked at my quickbooks file, going back about 10 years, and found that my clay costs and glaze costs have remained pretty stable throughout. My most expensive glaze material in Tin Oxide and that price hasn't really changed. I do use one frit, but I haven't needed to buy it for years. I'm sure the next time I need it I will be in for a rude surprise.

What has gone up in prices is the cost of replacement elements and thermocouples. It used to cost $430 for a complete set for one kiln. This year is was $490.

[QotW: How do you feed yourself when working art shows or festivals?]

58 minutes ago, neilestrick said:

Soylent Green is people!

Yeah, the name is creepy and makes a lot of people think “yuck.” The actual product is vegan. I wouldn’t call it delicious, but it doesn’t taste bad either. I’m prioritizing function and convenience, and it solves all of the issues for me. 

[QotW: How do you feed yourself when working art shows or festivals?]

My solution for show food is Soylent. https://www.amazon.com/Soylent-Replacement-Powder-Original-Pound/dp/B071F4Z16T/  I buy it in powder form which makes it light and shelf stable for packing. I’ll have breakfast of oatmeal and coffee at the beginning of each show day. Then I bring 600 calories of Soylent with me to the show. Even on a hot day, it won’t go bad in the span of one day, so I don’t need refrigeration. It’s really easy to sip 150 calories, at four intervals. I never feel hungry or full. No sugar crashes. I never get caught chewing food by a customer, or any food stains on my clothes, or sticky fingers. I don’t have to leave the booth. (I don’t like to be away from my booth either. Every minute you’re gone is a potential sale lost.) I also bring a 32 oz Hydroflask with ice water, which will stay icy the whole day. At the end of every day I’ll go find some real food for dinner. Packing the oatmeal, coffee, and soylent from home saves a lot of money, compared to buying breakfast a lunch on the road everyday. Buying dinner everyday seems justifiable. 

[QotW: Does the weather interfere with your production/exploration of Ceramics?]

In the summer (now) I have a constant battle with humidity. Sometimes I throw pots one day, and they are not ready to trim for two days. Pots that have been drying for a week still feel damp, and it's impossible to tell if they are really damp or not. I use fans to keep the air moving in the studio, and when I run bisque firings, I roll my drying cart over next to the kiln for the warmth and the airflow from the vent.

In the winter I have the opposite problem. Thrown pots can have bone dry rims by the next morning, and pots with attachments need to be slowed down so they don't pull apart. I use sheets of fabric and plastic to control the drying.

There are a few glorious weeks in the spring and fall when I don't need to think about these things. 

[QotW: What is your first and second most expensive equipment expense?]

Does a vehicle count? Because I bought a minivan specifically to make my pottery business easier, although it is also my personal vehicle.

If not, then:

1. kiln

2. second hand pug mill

[QotW: Does your stacking determine the items in the load, or does your load determine the stacking?]

For me it's a combination of both. Most of my decisions about what to make are driven by sales. But the final decisions about quantities will also include "how many will be most efficient in terms of kiln stacking?" 

[QotW: To wedge or not to wedge?]

I pug and don’t wedge. I try to pug the amount of clay I will throw that day, so it is always freshly pugged. This saves me loads of time and wear and tear on my body. If I have to throw clay that was pugged a few days ago, and therefore it feels drier on one side than the other, I will cone it a few times before continuing to throw it. That seems to even it out. 

I agree that pottery instruction can come with a lot of dogma. 

[New L & L kiln]

It wouldn’t be expensive, and not difficult at all.If they had to hire an outside editor/proofreader (which they probably don’t), it would cost them way less than the cost of one kiln. The entire manual is printed on a laser printer, not through a printing press. They wouldn’t have to edit the sections supplied by third parties, just the part that they wrote, which is what i was talking about. 

[New L & L kiln]

1 hour ago, Smokey2 said:

But honestly, if you think about it, the cost of proofreading and rewriting that whole binder is impossible and never going to happen.

From somebody who worked in publishing for 20 years, this is a normal thing to do and isn’t very hard. Not even for a 1 inch thick manual.

[New L & L kiln]

@Pres, I have two L&L kilns, one is ten years younger than the other. Sometimes when I look things up in the newer kiln’s manual, I find paragraphs that hadn’t been updated. Meant for the older kiln, not the new kiln. Can’t think of a specific example off the top of my head, but they are there! 

@neilestrick, if you are going to mention this convo to L&L, maybe you could let them know the ENTIRE manual needs a thorough proofreading? 

[New L & L kiln]

When I replace elements in my L&Ls, the instructions that come with the elements say to fire the kiln empty to cone 5, and no particular firing speed is required. Maybe the Slow Bisque to cone 5 is just for the first EVER firing in a brand new kiln, for benefit of not just the elements but also the bricks?

[New L & L kiln]

This is my understanding of the Easy-Fire programs (if @neilestrick has a better understanding, listen to him instead!). The Easy-Fire programs are using a “variable cone” meaning if the firing is extra fast or extra slow, the controller will automatically add or subtract some degrees of temperature from the cutoff, in order to compensate. It is calculating temperature + time, not just temperature. 

For example, if you used “Slow Glaze” which would take 8 or 9 hours, it wouldn’t have added the extra temperature to the end. Or, let’s say you’re firing with old struggling elements, and the firing takes 12 hours, the controller will automatically shutoff at a lower temperature. 

The user has no control of this. If you want to fire to a precise temperature each time, then use your own programs instead. (I use Fast Bisque for bisque firings, and my own programs for glaze firings). 

For a single potter studio where you have a lot of control and consistency about how the kilns are loaded, you don’t need the controller to make these decisions for you. I think it’s preferable to be in control of exactly when the kiln shuts off. I can see how it would make sense in a classroom situation where the kiln loads can vary a lot. 

So for now, I wouldn’t tinker with cone offsets. I would make your own firing program that copies the Slow Glaze to cone 6, but set the end point to 6 1/4 or wherever you want it. 

[QotW: How do you motivate yourself to be a doer rather than a dreamer?]

My motivation source is similar to @Pres's answer: Give yourself a deadline. Shows are terrific for this. Once it's confirmed on your schedule, you have no choice but to get ready for it. 

With all of last year's shows cancelled, I had to create my own substitute events, but they worked the same way in terms of giving myself a deadline. 

[QotW: What investment will you be doing this year to advance/enhance your ceramics journey?]

Right now I am 90% sure I’m going to do this, though I still need to convince myself of the last 10%, but I think I’m going to get Lasik surgery. I recently turned 50, so this will be my 50th birthday present to myself.  I was originally planning to splurge on a nice vacation, but those plans went out the window with covid. Lasik is probably more useful anyways.