1515art

Bison tools are wonderful, nothing I've ever used works so well. I had one for years and the tip recently broke off (very sad). I need to send it in for repair and perhaps treat myself to another, beautiful tools.

Who says it's a broken plater if the repair is successful and why would she not be proud of her work if everything works out well? Seems to me not much to loose and perhaps something to learn in trying new things, although as I said the chances of it working is a long shot... nothing ventured nothing gained.

There is one trick you can try, it's used frequently to stop a crack from running in metal and I did do this successfully one time when a crack appeared in a large thin greenware bowl rim. Drill a hole (gently) with a small diamond burr at the inside end of the crack, this will help to redistribute the stress back over a greater area. You can then gently use the same burr to open up the edges of the crack and back fill the hole and crack with several coats of magic mender sanding smooth between coats. The mender takes glaze on most clay bodies with minimum glaze imperfection. A bit of trouble and a long shot at best, but may work. Clark

I also pick a wheel speed that feels comfortable to my eye and on further thought, that speed depends of a few different things... the choice of tool, smaller tools on average get slightly higher wheel speeds unless I'm looking for some specific surface texture, how well I'm able to anchor, or how adversely centrifugal force will impact the structure. On further, further thought...medium.

Thanks, Denice... works much easier this way and I guess if you wanted to be able to change rollers with the same handle it wouldn't be to tough to place a threaded brass insert into the handle. Frank, when using the kemper yolk half I drilled a tight hole through, ran the screw in and then backed the screw out to give room for the epoxy to go in the hole opposite (away) from the roller. The screws were stolen from some hollow wall anchers I had in the studio.

I occasionally use rolling stamps as decoration tools when throwing. Kemper sells some nice big wooden stamps that utilize a two piece wooden yolk to hold interchangeable rolers. Problem is the yolk is so wide sometimes it's difficult fitting it where you want the design without the side of the yolk digging into your pot and the yolk blocks the view while applying the design a little bit. I made a fix on mine by just using one side of the yolk and switching the roller rod with a large screw (I put a dab of epoxy on the end of the machine screw), finally I filed the head of the screw flat. An old 3/8 box wrench and handle from a pizza cutter works even better (same screw + nut and lock nut). Also, I used a belt sander to take the nub off one side of the stamp. My tablet won't post pictures here for some reason so I will try to post in the gallery. Rebooted and uploaded...

A lot will depend on the clay body and glaze fit as previously stated, I have had success repairing bottom leaks with stoneware laguna soldate 60 fired to cone ten and then lined with Amaco food safe cone 05 to seal leaks. Sometimes I make the bottoms too thin and a little leak develops and this works to seal a pinhole or small crack in vitrified clay if the stoneware was fired to maturity. You may experience subtle changes in the original glaze as a result of the second fire, this is also an opportunity to add low fire glaze to the outside and a lot of art glazes and brushing glaze work well in this application and have additives that make application easier. Microwaving the pot for 1 minute will make the glaze stick better and helps remove oils from your hands so the glaze won't want to crawl when you brush it on.

One more little trick and I do this often with no problems, wait to cut the pot from the batt and do an initial trim right side up if for any design reason you want to trim the top, sides or even the inside. Then cut the piece free and finish trimming with any of the other methods. One more technique I use especially on pieces with small tops is to throw a heavy chuck with fresh clay on the wheel to fit my needs and when done trimming I finish throwing the chuck and turn the chuck into my next pot.

One of the motorcycle cops in our city was telling me this story years ago...he was stopped at the side of the road working a minor traffic accident when another motorist pulled up alongside where he was standing, the citizen in the car rolled down his drivers side window and said, officer, excuse me could you please tell me how to get to the University of Santa Clara? My friend told him without missing a beat...study, study, study. Throwing is the same way, you need to feel it over and over...keep going and I know you will get where you want to be, it takes lots of practice and pushing your limits.