oldlady

Less inflammatory diet seems to help me significantly, also as much activity - mostly cardio, onna bike and in the pool - as I can fit in, with full range o' intensity, given enough rest to fully recover at least once every ten days or so (at my "age" it can take a few days to recover). For some bits, targeted routines (aka Physical Therapy - in caps, on account o' th' copay$$) really helps.
Base o' th' thumb, left hand, is the touchiest bit for me - lucky to still have all ten fingers, so there's options; from there, a couple o' Reynaud's toes, then elbows, shoulders, hip. So far, am able to stay away from aggravating the touchy parts in the studio.
Keeping hands and feet (especially them toes) warm, that's important. Daily citrus seems to be (almost) critical.
On flat bar bike, molded grips and sram shifters (easier on the thumbs) works for me; on the road bike, sram shifters (fit my hands better), bits of elastomeric padding under the tape, and hand position (weight bearing on the ulnar side) all help.
Top left, then clockwise: paddle-y molded grip (not exact same that I use, but close); elastomeric under tape padding (for drop bars) - I cut just the bits I need, about a square inch behind the brifters, and full length of the drop; Tyler can custom make you any kind/shape of cu$tom of bar you want (message me); a swept back bar.
There's a "bike kitchen" near us - good option for browsing "gently used" parts - perhaps there's one near you (St. Pete Bike Co-Op) Lady.

"bench" is buried.  kiln is bisque firing and i cannot use the space until it is opened and i restore the space.  i only bisque during the winter when i am a thousand miles from my glaze kitchen and big kiln.  that allows me to get the pieces home.

today i had things on my workbench i would be happy to let anyone see.  hope they all make it through the next steps to finished product.
i would be happy if i could capture in the final firing that soft color of the slip.  who knows how it will look when it is finished?

More from Labor Day glaze fire,
  Clockwise, from top left
  Covered dish, just over a quart.
  Same  Rutile Green.
  Five of fifteen small bowls in red clay (SRF).
 
Overall, am happy with this load! Still working on tossing pieces to reclaim that don't look and feel "right" - making progress there. Detailed notes are definitely helping! Looks like a longer bisque and a bit lower glaze fire target temp (plus slower cool to ~1850) has cleared up a few issues. Also looks like lower expansion clear is working on the cafe as well as the two white clays. Not decided yet on continuing to work in the red clay, perhaps just thin layer of slip over the better behavin' buff, and white (and somewhat behavin' cafe) clays. Can definitely see where calculated coe numbers could be deceptive - as a comparison/guide, where making limited adjustment to a glaze, helpful; for comparing glazes that have very different recipes, not as helpful.
 

going to try to post this in the correct sequence.  first photo shows the slab that i rolled leaves into and the birds made with craft foam sheets.  they are rolled deeply, using a better type roller than the usual pottery pony roller.  the entire slab started at a thickness close to a quarter of an inch or about half a centimeter.   after rolling, the entire slab is compressed to a thinner profile, making it strong but not bulky.  the entire slab, not just where things show.  you CANNOT do this with a kitchen rolling pin!   i do use a rolling pin after everything is finished just to allow the slab to settle.  
just below the slab is the tray i use for shaping my tray.  i got it from a thrift shop and find they work great as supports if the surface is totally covered with WD-40.   i know you might use something else but this is how i work.   
the second photo shows the slab partially placed inside the supporting tray and a cheese cutter that i use to cut the edges so i can follow the leaf design and use the side of the tray for the center section.
the third photo shows a different tray after taking the foam birds out.  the edges have been cut and the next step is to use a needle to lift the leaves out of the clay.    
continued below....
 

continued from above.     sorry, cannot find the next photo, got hundreds and though i had it yesterday, i cannot find it now.   
will edit this when i find it.
found one that will continue though it is not of the birds.  can't work it in edit, see below.

continued from above.     sorry, cannot find the next photo, got hundreds and though i had it yesterday, i cannot find it now.   
will edit this when i find it.
found one that will continue though it is not of the birds.  can't work it in edit, see below.

going to try to post this in the correct sequence.  first photo shows the slab that i rolled leaves into and the birds made with craft foam sheets.  they are rolled deeply, using a better type roller than the usual pottery pony roller.  the entire slab started at a thickness close to a quarter of an inch or about half a centimeter.   after rolling, the entire slab is compressed to a thinner profile, making it strong but not bulky.  the entire slab, not just where things show.  you CANNOT do this with a kitchen rolling pin!   i do use a rolling pin after everything is finished just to allow the slab to settle.  
just below the slab is the tray i use for shaping my tray.  i got it from a thrift shop and find they work great as supports if the surface is totally covered with WD-40.   i know you might use something else but this is how i work.   
the second photo shows the slab partially placed inside the supporting tray and a cheese cutter that i use to cut the edges so i can follow the leaf design and use the side of the tray for the center section.
the third photo shows a different tray after taking the foam birds out.  the edges have been cut and the next step is to use a needle to lift the leaves out of the clay.    
continued below....
 

Local pottery Association throwout a challenge every so often.  Latest is "Hug".
These two are drying, ready for bisque.  If they survive they will go into a wood-fired kiln at end of August.  Probably no glaze, might give them a wash with oxides, might not.
Hardest things I've made in a long time.  The standing pair are the third attempt, previous just collapsed.  They're small, as you can probably tell by the half-sized washing up sponge.

neat!    just be careful lifting that lid!  

I made a thing. I was originally thinking garlic box, but...

dottie, not medical advice just comfort advice here.   i have slept with my hands covered and warm for many years.   after seeing a neurologist many years ago, i got the wrist immobilizer he recommended.  it is not a flimsy thing you can bend, it is very sturdy and has lasted 10 years so far.    check out the bell horn brand wrist immobilizer, it was intended to prevent carpal tunnel problems.    i can use my hands as well as anyone many years younger without pain.   EXCEPT for pushing a slab into the middle of the left hand with the thumb on the right.   stroking the clay into shape cramps up the hands but i do not have visible arthritis.  maybe it is hereditary, thanks, mom and dad.
now, if i could just get the handlebars on my bike changed to the old kind that bend instead of the straight horizontal rod that is on it now.

These are just inventory reference pics-not meant to see the light of day! The current key fobs are held on a spring clip (like for lanyards) and then attached to the ring, to give them some 'swing' and not be too fixed to the ring...I figure that might help prevent breakage-tho so far after a year or so none have broken that I know of.  I don't care for the pendants (the cording-can't afford gold or sterling YET, which is how I would prefer to offer them...but people like them & it keeps them inexpensive (i.e. they sell) , so whatta ya gonna do! 

Well, not exactly on the workbench but I thought I'd share a peek at how my test herb markers did and a new shallow dish treatment that I like (PC Ancient Copper).

I have been making chalices of late, and thought maybe folks would like to see the process. I start by throwing the bowls, as they are easier to keep damp while I throw the stems. The series above shows throwing the bowls off the hump with the standard centering.  Remember when throwing off the hump you don't have to completely center the entire piece of clay, only the top completely.
Opening up is a little different for me, as I open out into a pancake with thicker edges.   Using the fingers of both hands I then turn that pancake into a form by bringing it up to the shape in the third image. This process allows the clay particles to align in the bottom and come up around the form still aligned. . . muc different than making a floor and then rising the walls with a pull.
The fourth image shows texturing the image. This particular one was done using a fondant texturing sheet from a clearance sale. I try not to distort the pot too much, but don't really worry about it. The last image shows the form bulged out using a long necked throwing rib often attributed to Asian cultures. I have not shown the finishing of the form, but it is pretty standard to pull up the neck and add a slight curve to the form at the lip. A word about chalices for Communion: often chalices are thought of as being drinking devices, but often with Communion they are more about dipping the bread into the wine and serving the celebrant. So many of my chalices have a wider cup form. If the chalice is to be used more as ceremony for the minister's personal use, a narrower cup is appropriate.e Here are the stems being thrown, off the hump again. I don't do the pancake opening here, as these always get trimmed and have a hole in the bottom so that there is not any trapped air in the stem after being joined to the bowl. Standard centering of the hump, donut shaped opening up. Pull a narrow cylinder, necking in on each pull.I use a series of curved wooden ribs for final shaping and finish the rim slightly rounded.
I trim the stems using a chuck I have made for the job using standard plumbing parts and a Griffin Grip.  You can see that I use a hack saw blade to even up the base, whether it has a base or not. The other trimming tool is one of my favorites for its great number of curves and flats in a single trim tool. Last image shows the set up for joining the stem and bowl together. The bowl has a trimmed area to allow the stem to fit into the bowl area. I use  magic water and scoring to join the two sections  while the wheel is turning.  This assures that the two pieces are aligned . level and centered.
I hope this helps some of you maybe thinking of trying a chalice or if you already have maybe some room for thought.
 
best,
Pres

One of the QotW topics brought up by Hulk included throwing thick or thin. I mentioned at the time that I am throwing floor vases, and throwing thicker to make certain the weight is enough to limit them being tipped over easily. I usually throw with a narrow bottom, and could have gone to a different form, but my wife likes the ones I am doing. Here is one going through the process of a textured thrown vase.

best,
Pres

lee, cutting the pointed end would be easier with a cookie cutter that you modify for your own use.    i used to make fish, barrels full, and cut the mouth with the top end of a christmas tree cookie cutter that i squeezed into a curve.   the metal ones are easy to cut with a tin snips.

cstovin,    i had a similar problem with the replacement GIFF   I   N    GRIP years ago.  i found that i had not set it up properly, one of the rows of tiny, teeny, tiny grooves was off by one groove.
there is another problem i have seen with it, if you put it down on top of a bat pin, it will ride around like a tilt-a-whirl at an amusement park.    the cure for that is marking the wheel head with a sharpie once you have it set perfectly.   run a line down both sides of the bottom grips and use that line next time and forever after.
another tip is to put concentric circles on the grip to make the initial placement easier.   
i rarely used the taller posts, but noticed when i did that they must be seated FIRMLY in the slot before use.

lee, how do you eat such a huge mushroom with chopsticks?    i can't even hold them right.

try dried cranberries and pecans.  yummy

if you make a bowl with an inward sloping rim, boiling over should fall right back in, i think.  

min, would love to have lunch at your house!   but............  i know i am not a cook, how do you smoke paprika?????   in a pipe???

not today but you reminded me of a breakfast in september in harpers ferry back in 2017.    my pieces plus a cream and sugar by del martin, a mug by seth cardew, and a thin waisted cup by john glick.   i made the square at a workshop with ellen currans in oregon.  marvelous time there.
the bacon looks excessive but it is paper thin and i microwave it on paper towels to take out the fat.   

lee, nice job.   may i suggest one tiny step further at the exact place in the making cycle that these are?  if you move them to touch the long sides and place an old piece of cloth over them all, you can run a tool down the grooves between the pieces to soften the sharp rectangular edges  (a rounded pencil eraser comes to mind as the tool)  doing two at the same time.