Bam2015

I'm glad this hasn't devolved into too much of a tear down of Joe customer. It's easy to make fun of people and I do it too often for my liking.
a person recently spent a few minutes asking some questions about some new work. They were new to ceramics but enthusiastic. They left without buying anything but did request a card.
this one person made my day. They were one of the clueless I'd love to find at every sale. The rest I try to be easy with. I don't always succeed as much as I would like.

I think "making a living"  is perhaps not the best way to look at it. Making it "your life" might be more congruent with what it ultimately takes to bring home the bacon in such a tough field and especially in such tough times.  Another important aspect is whether or not one is going for production that sells fairly readily, or is the focus more on higher priced, less quantity, fine art pieces? The markets & marketing are so different. There  are so many ways to generate income from ceramics, but in any circumstance a solid business plan, and an overdose of perseverence, are essential. 
 

Finally got round to doing what has been suggested many times before.  Filled a pillow case with dried out clay, thin pieces mainly, and put pillowcase into bucket of water.
Left it for a week (community centre - only go there weekly).  Pulled it out, stood it in a bowl to drain.  Left it for another week.  Poured off excess water.  Left it for another week.
Took it out of pillow case this week, cut lumps off, handed out to class to use.  Perfect and little to no effort on my part - hurrah.
Can't believe how easy this was.  I usually reclaim in a bucket, and removing anything drier than slip has always been a nightmare. 
Started another pillowcase this week from the previous 4 weeks dried out clay.  This has changed my life.
Humidity is low indoors, and heating is on, which has helped with evaporation.  Might work a bit quicker in the summer.

Pir, when it comes to kiln selection, heed Neil's advice. Neil knows kilns.  
Betty

Pir, when it comes to kiln selection, heed Neil's advice. Neil knows kilns.  
Betty

Thanks Pres, for the new QOTW. Last week I picked up 500# of clay which is a lot for me. I'm a hobby potter, so it will take quite some time for me to use all of this, but back orders and supply chain issues are still a problem. I had to wait several weeks for this order and did not want to run out again. I also purchased 500# amount so that I could get a price break.
Most of the clay will be stored in my unheated New England basement which gets just slightly chilly during winter and a few boxes in the garage, which is much colder. 
Betty

I get a lot of satisfaction from making my own tools. I have a lot of things that started as something else. The steel strip in wiper blades has a special place in my heart.
One thing I couldn’t improve on right out of the box was the brush that fits in a drill+sieve combo. I saw this in one of John Britt’s videos and it’s brilliant. The brush was easy to find online and very inexpensive. 
 I use this when I’m processing raw clay and have to sieve around  25 gallons of slip multiple times to get the sand and sticks out of it.

Min, thank you for your thoughtful response, great info to have. I am going to start mixing & testing my own clears and have Britt's book, so I will start there. I am just starting to understand the chemistry behind this. Over the past year I have spent my time focusing on throwing skills. I see that I need to expand my knowledge and learn about glaze fits. 
Betty

Min, thank you for your thoughtful response, great info to have. I am going to start mixing & testing my own clears and have Britt's book, so I will start there. I am just starting to understand the chemistry behind this. Over the past year I have spent my time focusing on throwing skills. I see that I need to expand my knowledge and learn about glaze fits. 
Betty

Callie, I pulled out some pieces that I made a few months ago, same clay bodies & same clear glaze. I now see crazing on those as well. I guess it just didn't happen initially.
I guess it's time for me to take another glazing workshop and start making my own glazes with testing, testing and more testing. 
Thank you for the input. 

Callie, I pulled out some pieces that I made a few months ago, same clay bodies & same clear glaze. I now see crazing on those as well. I guess it just didn't happen initially.
I guess it's time for me to take another glazing workshop and start making my own glazes with testing, testing and more testing. 
Thank you for the input. 

Geeze louise, I get exhausted just looking at all that work! And stacking the huge kiln! And everything that went before and will come after! Tells me I made the right choice going into a totally different work-a-day world rather than profesional ceramics, which was my intention until I got to the fork in the road. 
 

In the past I tolerated poor customer service from a local supplier because they are nearby. Thankfully they have gotten better over the past couple of years. 

Lee, that's a beautiful piece! I hope you will share the final results with us. 
I listen to audiobooks, I'm addicted! I renewed my library card during the pandemic and stopped buy ebooks and audiobooks. Extra $$ to spend on clay.  
Betty

Lee, that's a beautiful piece! I hope you will share the final results with us. 
I listen to audiobooks, I'm addicted! I renewed my library card during the pandemic and stopped buy ebooks and audiobooks. Extra $$ to spend on clay.  
Betty

Hi All,
I said that I would report back after I single fired pots with CMC in the mason stain mix. The glaze seemed to resist some areas where I used the CMC/Mason stain mix. If I am using underglazes or mason stains with CMC added, then I won't be single firing. Sorry, no pics to share, busy working at my paying job. 
Betty

Bill,
I used the 'slow glaze' program and fired to cone 6 in my L & L kiln. I like to keep things simple. 
Betty

In the hope that someone else may benefit from this:
Not sure where I saw this idea but it has helped me a lot in putting handles on cups.  (I dont "pull handles", I make them out of a small coil).  It lets me concentrate on the attachment without having to worry about holding the cup and it gives me a firm foundation on to which I press the handle connections.  I threw and bisqued the bullet shape with a hole at the bottom into which a rod goes.  The other end of the rod is stuck into a hole drilled into the table edge.  Put a sock over it for softness.  The cup to be "handled" goes over the bullet and is held conveniently in place while I attach the handle.

Interesting, haven't considered using a toilet brush, but it  sounds like a good tool. I like being able to use tools from around the house instead of buying specific items for pottery.
I use a spatula to scrape the bottom and then a paint stirring stick. 
Betty
 

Perhaps it has nothing to do with marketing, and the pottery is just a kind person trying to share some joy? 
Betty

But perhaps Pres is correct and it is a marketing idea?  I appreciate that you started this thread Pres, it is interesting to ponder this.
Betty

Perhaps it has nothing to do with marketing, and the pottery is just a kind person trying to share some joy? 
Betty

Interesting, haven't considered using a toilet brush, but it  sounds like a good tool. I like being able to use tools from around the house instead of buying specific items for pottery.
I use a spatula to scrape the bottom and then a paint stirring stick. 
Betty
 

Perhaps it has nothing to do with marketing, and the pottery is just a kind person trying to share some joy? 
Betty

Perhaps it has nothing to do with marketing, and the pottery is just a kind person trying to share some joy? 
Betty