JohnnyK

Looks can be deceiving...
While I was taking my Ceramics1 class at Sierra College, about 3 weeks into the course, a young student (weren't they all young?) who was looking to add the course had mistaken me for the professor, who happened to be out of the classroom at the time. It may have been my age and the Vandyke I was sporting at the time

Looks can be deceiving...
While I was taking my Ceramics1 class at Sierra College, about 3 weeks into the course, a young student (weren't they all young?) who was looking to add the course had mistaken me for the professor, who happened to be out of the classroom at the time. It may have been my age and the Vandyke I was sporting at the time

Looks can be deceiving...
While I was taking my Ceramics1 class at Sierra College, about 3 weeks into the course, a young student (weren't they all young?) who was looking to add the course had mistaken me for the professor, who happened to be out of the classroom at the time. It may have been my age and the Vandyke I was sporting at the time

We provide info to our CPA and he generates the tax return which we review and approve before submitting to the IRS and the state...

The only regret that I have is not spending more time with my hands in the mud. Something I plan on changing soon...

The only regret that I have is not spending more time with my hands in the mud. Something I plan on changing soon...

I would call it "creative outlet"...I spent years working with Photoshop to let my creative juices flow in photography and got to be very good at what I was doing and then came CLAY! I've since put my photography on the back burner as I pursue what I can do with clay, but even that is put on hold as I deal with the ramifications of the storms we are having here in California. While the rainfall is phenomenal and welcome, so much continuous rain is saturating the ground. My big fear now is that, with multiple oak trees in the 70-foot height range, the 60mph wind gusts may topple some of these giants, meaning a little more yardwork...Anyway, when things settle down a little, I'll be able to get back in the studio and let the creativity flow...

I would call it "creative outlet"...I spent years working with Photoshop to let my creative juices flow in photography and got to be very good at what I was doing and then came CLAY! I've since put my photography on the back burner as I pursue what I can do with clay, but even that is put on hold as I deal with the ramifications of the storms we are having here in California. While the rainfall is phenomenal and welcome, so much continuous rain is saturating the ground. My big fear now is that, with multiple oak trees in the 70-foot height range, the 60mph wind gusts may topple some of these giants, meaning a little more yardwork...Anyway, when things settle down a little, I'll be able to get back in the studio and let the creativity flow...

After my first failed attempt at building my own stands for firing jewelry, I've succeeded in fabricating new stands which held up to ^6 firing! The first time around, I made the stands with ^5 B-Mix and bisque fired them to ^04. They seemed solid enough, but when I fired the assembled stands, the weight of the jewelry caused the stands to sag, which, in turn, caused most of the jewelry pieces to run together and touch its neighbor. The melting glaze joined the pieces permanently. In the cases where the pieces were not co-joined, they were stuck to the stainless steel wire I used to string them because I drilled the mounting holes just big enough for the wire to fit AND I didn't clean the holes of glaze, thus fusing the pieces to the wire.
This time around, I added a strut to the B-Mix w/grog ^5 stands and fired them to ^6. I drilled the jewelry holes bigger and cleaned the holes of glaze. The stands held up to the firing and I had only 2 pieces stick to the wire but was able to break them loose without breaking the pieces. The photos show the first failed attempt, the second successful attempt, the layout of the stands, the assembled stands, and a selection of copper-toned pieces that I thought came out looking pretty darned good! (The penny is to show proportion.) In a number of the pieces, I was going for a raw, organic look with the rough edges which I think will look great as part of a necklace.

After my first failed attempt at building my own stands for firing jewelry, I've succeeded in fabricating new stands which held up to ^6 firing! The first time around, I made the stands with ^5 B-Mix and bisque fired them to ^04. They seemed solid enough, but when I fired the assembled stands, the weight of the jewelry caused the stands to sag, which, in turn, caused most of the jewelry pieces to run together and touch its neighbor. The melting glaze joined the pieces permanently. In the cases where the pieces were not co-joined, they were stuck to the stainless steel wire I used to string them because I drilled the mounting holes just big enough for the wire to fit AND I didn't clean the holes of glaze, thus fusing the pieces to the wire.
This time around, I added a strut to the B-Mix w/grog ^5 stands and fired them to ^6. I drilled the jewelry holes bigger and cleaned the holes of glaze. The stands held up to the firing and I had only 2 pieces stick to the wire but was able to break them loose without breaking the pieces. The photos show the first failed attempt, the second successful attempt, the layout of the stands, the assembled stands, and a selection of copper-toned pieces that I thought came out looking pretty darned good! (The penny is to show proportion.) In a number of the pieces, I was going for a raw, organic look with the rough edges which I think will look great as part of a necklace.

After my first failed attempt at building my own stands for firing jewelry, I've succeeded in fabricating new stands which held up to ^6 firing! The first time around, I made the stands with ^5 B-Mix and bisque fired them to ^04. They seemed solid enough, but when I fired the assembled stands, the weight of the jewelry caused the stands to sag, which, in turn, caused most of the jewelry pieces to run together and touch its neighbor. The melting glaze joined the pieces permanently. In the cases where the pieces were not co-joined, they were stuck to the stainless steel wire I used to string them because I drilled the mounting holes just big enough for the wire to fit AND I didn't clean the holes of glaze, thus fusing the pieces to the wire.
This time around, I added a strut to the B-Mix w/grog ^5 stands and fired them to ^6. I drilled the jewelry holes bigger and cleaned the holes of glaze. The stands held up to the firing and I had only 2 pieces stick to the wire but was able to break them loose without breaking the pieces. The photos show the first failed attempt, the second successful attempt, the layout of the stands, the assembled stands, and a selection of copper-toned pieces that I thought came out looking pretty darned good! (The penny is to show proportion.) In a number of the pieces, I was going for a raw, organic look with the rough edges which I think will look great as part of a necklace.

How about you take 100g of the wet glaze and dry it out? You could spread the glaze on a cookie sheet and air dry it first and then maybe put it in an oven at about 150 degrees for a while to dry it out further. Then measure the weight of the dry materials. Then you can easily calculate the weight of the additive...   As I see it, you could have done this in less time than you're spending trying to make the above calculations and the results would be definitive...I think...

I've tried making paper clay in very small amount to try using for patching but was not impressed...I did have a customer who wanted me to incorporate his parent's ashes into the surface of an urn he wanted me to make for him. This was the result:

I've tried making paper clay in very small amount to try using for patching but was not impressed...I did have a customer who wanted me to incorporate his parent's ashes into the surface of an urn he wanted me to make for him. This was the result:

I've tried making paper clay in very small amount to try using for patching but was not impressed...I did have a customer who wanted me to incorporate his parent's ashes into the surface of an urn he wanted me to make for him. This was the result:

In my case, the kiln came first. It was given to me by an 87 year old ceramist who turned me on to pottery by suggesting I take a pottery class. When I let her know I was taking the class, she gave me the old Cress kiln since it was a second kiln that she didn't need anymore. Then, when I was talking with another friend about the pottery class, he said he found a CI MP wheel in the barn on a property he just bought. He said I could "borrow" it for as long as I wanted it. After cleaning all the black widows and webs out of it, ai was off to the races. I've replaced the kiln with something used, but newer, and am still using the CI wheel...I have another friend who hasn't thrown on her Brent C for more than 2 years now. She says she may get back into throwing, but I doubt it. Who knows...I may be able to get that wheel for a reasonable price. If that happens, I may be able to give some private lessons to some individuals who have expressed interest...

Instead of a foot ring, attach 3 separate leaf-like shapes for feet?

In my case, the kiln came first. It was given to me by an 87 year old ceramist who turned me on to pottery by suggesting I take a pottery class. When I let her know I was taking the class, she gave me the old Cress kiln since it was a second kiln that she didn't need anymore. Then, when I was talking with another friend about the pottery class, he said he found a CI MP wheel in the barn on a property he just bought. He said I could "borrow" it for as long as I wanted it. After cleaning all the black widows and webs out of it, ai was off to the races. I've replaced the kiln with something used, but newer, and am still using the CI wheel...I have another friend who hasn't thrown on her Brent C for more than 2 years now. She says she may get back into throwing, but I doubt it. Who knows...I may be able to get that wheel for a reasonable price. If that happens, I may be able to give some private lessons to some individuals who have expressed interest...

Welcome to the Forum, Rinny. YES, you can get a resale certificate and buy your materials tax-free, charging your customers sales tax on the product unless they also have a resale cert. You will then have to pay the gov't the sales tax on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis depending on your level of taxable sales...

I would say an electric drill. I use it on clay for drilling holes and mixing...for drilling holes in plastic, wood and various metals, for rotating coarse wire wheels to create texture in clay and wood...for driving screws, too!

Welcome to the Forum, Rinny. YES, you can get a resale certificate and buy your materials tax-free, charging your customers sales tax on the product unless they also have a resale cert. You will then have to pay the gov't the sales tax on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis depending on your level of taxable sales...

Welcome to the Forum, Rinny. YES, you can get a resale certificate and buy your materials tax-free, charging your customers sales tax on the product unless they also have a resale cert. You will then have to pay the gov't the sales tax on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis depending on your level of taxable sales...

You might take a look in the CAN store for Additions to Clay Bodies for info along the lines you are searching...

If you look in my gallery, you will see pix of a splash pan I made for my CI Wheel from the bottom of a plastic trash barrel, The blue insert is for using a Giffen Grip...Maybe this idea will work for you because I seriously doubt that you will be able to find a stock pan...

With fall upon us and shorter days, I'm putting my farm to bed for the season and will be able to spend more time in the studio. Part of my agenda will be to spend some time working with the LQ.  I'll also check into the Mod Podge sealer to see how it works, too!