hitchmss

I don't think anybody has directly addressed this question.
Understanding the Deflocculation Process in Slip Casting https://tinyurl.com/2p96x33r
A simple mix of clay and water will not work well at all for casting. Not only will it quickly waterlog the molds but it will shrink too much (and therefore crack in the molds) and it will take much to long to cast. It will also gel and settle out and generally make the process miserable. Optimal casting requires that the slurry have minimal water content (e.g. 30% instead of 60%), good flow and draining properties and that it not settle out or gel too quickly. When the slurry is right the casting process works amazingly well.
... I suspect that these issues are amplified if you are trying to solid-cast.

One of my college assignments was to make a dozen nice mugs for a Valentines sale to  raise money for a NCECA  trip.  I was in a hand building class so I made mugs that look like hearts on top and butts in the from.   They needed a very stylized handle,  after I made a few,  I realized that it was taking too long.   So I made a press mold of several handles and was able to finish on time.  I still get request for butt mugs,  I am glad I kept the handle press mold.   Denice

Different methods of making handles for mugs https://tinyurl.com/yckrtf6r
Video: https://tinyurl.com/mrnwfa5b

We do a fair amount of press mold handles on baking dishes (they are shell shaped ) and they get 90 degree bend-so press mold is a yes if that helps
They are from the same porcelain mix as the slab dishes are made from 3/4 porcealin and 1/4 wso
some are 100% porcelain  as well (the smaller dishes)
On handles I handled 60 mugs yesterday in about 1 hour 45 minutes (taking my time includes extruding) these where 1# mugs -
today it  will be 50 more mugs 30 are 1.5# mugs the other 20 are 1# mugs-the larger handles take more time.
all mugs have a thumb spot so that takes a bit more time.

I tried all variations of angles, and more water/less water
 
but not this
 
Rolled handles and a template to dry them on in the required curve was the best I got to.  Then stopped making mugs.

The way I look at this QOTW is more about my competency in being able to produce objects on the wheel, and not about when I made "good" objects, whether those be for sale, or in comparison to my other works.
I also agree that it is more a measure of intensive, focused hours of practice than it is years of dabbling/making/etc.
What I tell students is that in the beginning while learning to throw they are going to be "taking" what the wheel and the process gives them; yes they have input, but once things begin to go awry, they do their best to keep it from flopping, and call it good enough. The point at which they are able to sit down, and produce any object they want, in just about any (realistic) size they want, is the point where I consider them to have mastered the throwing process. For me, this took me about my first 8-10 years, and its been another 8-10 years since that point. There are definitely objects or sizes that challenge my skills, but it has become a process like breathing in  which I dont have to think about it much, if any, and I just do. While I feel that I have "mastered" the wheel, I definitely do not believe that I have nothing left to learn from the wheel; it is a process in which I will continue to grow in my technical abilities for the rest of my life......i.e for now throwing 15#, 1/4" thick bowls takes relatively little effort, and one day I will be throwing 30# bowls with the same ease.
However, many have noted the other exhausting lists of skills that need to be honed to make "generally admirable" work, let alone work that is designed well for its utilitarian purposes; form, surface, glaze chemistry, eutectics, equipment handling, studio management....all these "broad" categories take years/lifetimes to hone.....it took me about 4 years, maybe 200 firings of my gas kiln to truly understand and with relative precision how to predict how each zone of the kiln will react....the next new kiln, will take me likely as long to learn its nuances too. It is these challenges which keep me excited about ceramics.
In my area there were a couple of potters who would at shows share a double booth, and would hang these 10' tall banners of themselves with the words "Master Potter__________", yet they both made pots which were adolescent in their maturity at best; while yes, they may have put in the 10,000 hours, a master potter it does not make. I know Ive spent well over 10,000 hours practicing the art of walking, yet I aint bringing home the bacon with my vertical posture!

The way I look at this QOTW is more about my competency in being able to produce objects on the wheel, and not about when I made "good" objects, whether those be for sale, or in comparison to my other works.
I also agree that it is more a measure of intensive, focused hours of practice than it is years of dabbling/making/etc.
What I tell students is that in the beginning while learning to throw they are going to be "taking" what the wheel and the process gives them; yes they have input, but once things begin to go awry, they do their best to keep it from flopping, and call it good enough. The point at which they are able to sit down, and produce any object they want, in just about any (realistic) size they want, is the point where I consider them to have mastered the throwing process. For me, this took me about my first 8-10 years, and its been another 8-10 years since that point. There are definitely objects or sizes that challenge my skills, but it has become a process like breathing in  which I dont have to think about it much, if any, and I just do. While I feel that I have "mastered" the wheel, I definitely do not believe that I have nothing left to learn from the wheel; it is a process in which I will continue to grow in my technical abilities for the rest of my life......i.e for now throwing 15#, 1/4" thick bowls takes relatively little effort, and one day I will be throwing 30# bowls with the same ease.
However, many have noted the other exhausting lists of skills that need to be honed to make "generally admirable" work, let alone work that is designed well for its utilitarian purposes; form, surface, glaze chemistry, eutectics, equipment handling, studio management....all these "broad" categories take years/lifetimes to hone.....it took me about 4 years, maybe 200 firings of my gas kiln to truly understand and with relative precision how to predict how each zone of the kiln will react....the next new kiln, will take me likely as long to learn its nuances too. It is these challenges which keep me excited about ceramics.
In my area there were a couple of potters who would at shows share a double booth, and would hang these 10' tall banners of themselves with the words "Master Potter__________", yet they both made pots which were adolescent in their maturity at best; while yes, they may have put in the 10,000 hours, a master potter it does not make. I know Ive spent well over 10,000 hours practicing the art of walking, yet I aint bringing home the bacon with my vertical posture!

It's always an odd feeling when you see one of your pots at a 2nd hand store. What is really funny is I once found one that they were selling for more than I originally sold it for  Can't say that I've ever bought one back to trash.
Maybe another way of looking at Mark's question is how many pots did you make before you no longer felt like you wanted to take a hammer to them after a few years more of making pots.

liambesaw
you need a biggger shed

Got a glaze firing in, was able to fit 40 mugs.  This is a representative sample!  So happy to finally have an electric kiln working!
This week I have a bunch of candles I'm working on, gonna be great!  Right now I have a bunch of lidded containers bisquing, big stuff I have to fire alone, can't really pack it too tight.  Y'all that grew up on electric have no idea how easy youve got it!!!
 

I think good music matters most when throwing .I know that is a little out of the box but for me its true.A nice large light  gathering window in front of me keeps me chipper as well
The other smaller things are speed control  and a good throwing seat.
The speed control needs to work well.
(The pedals on the shimpos at the time weren't nearly as sensitive.) I think Callie thats an understatement as all those old Shimpo's have teriable speed control .The foot pedal on the ring drives seem really outdated-even back in the day.Sure thay are cute but thats about it.
All 5 of my wheels spin only one way-never thrown the other way. No reason to.
 

Yeah I just looked, permenant magnet DC motors.  Don't know if they're brushed or brushless, the literature doesn't say.

Heisenberg's Uncertainty pots, they are both awesome and terrible at the same time, until the plastic is removed and the wave form collapses 
 

Full body tyvek coveralls with a hood, respirator and goggles.  We don't really have dangerous spiders where I live, more likely to find a coyote or bear under there than a black widow

Running conduit under the house today, WHAT A CHORE.  24 inches of clearance and I'm a big 220lb 6'2" monster so not a whole lot of room to work.  Hopefully this pays off in the next few weeks and I'll be firing an electric kiln!!!
Wire arrives via UPS sometime next week and I can run the wire and call the inspector if everything goes swell.  Fingers crossed I did everything OK, it looks good anyway.

40 soap dishes 200 sponge holders a few hundred mugs-20 small miso bowls 4 oval platters and A partridge in a pear tree.

I was always exposed to ceramics from kindergarten on through college.  Didn't have money for a wheel, kiln, clay, etc until my mid 30s where I am now.  My recent inspiration was my neighbor who is a metal and woodworking artist, I told him I used to really enjoy ceramics and he said I should just do it.  So I did.