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Oval oil bottle prototype (to use with silicone and stainless pouring spouts).
 

 

Oval oil bottle prototype (to use with silicone and stainless pouring spouts).
 

 

Over the years, I have found that I often have to have a "Gestation state", a period of time where I don't do something, but think about it. Then when I return to the activity or problem, I have solved it without even really knowing it. This has happened to me often when dealing with throwing over the years. . . throwing off the hump and having "S" cracks, throwing large and not getting enough out of the base, Wonky rims, that were weak and poorly finished, trimming through too many large plates, cracks in large plates, cracks in large bowls, and the list could last for much longer. Point is, problems do not just disappear when you push more time into it, often you have to figure out why. Research helps, thinking about what you research helps, also thinking about what you know about clay and how it is structurally made up and how to use that instead of fight it. All in a lifetime of working with any material, especially one so simply complex.
 
best,
Pres 

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.

Mark C. asked a poignant question of late that figures in to a lot of discussion that has reappeared concerning quality of work, pricing, and sales. Mark's question posted in the QotW pool is:QotW: What is a realistic amount of time to spend before being able to produce quality thrown forms on the wheel.Meaning ones that others will want (not family members)  1 year   2 years  3 years   4 years   5 years   longer?
I find this to be quite appropriate, but maybe not inclusive enough. When I first learned to throw, I was in the studio for a 10 week course in the Summer. I had a night job that left my days open, as it also had flexible hours, posting liability ledgers in a bank. During the 10 week course, I had a 2 hour class 3 times a week. I spent 5 hours in the studio minimum every class day. I also mapped out the class schedule of final due dates, firing due dates and such so that once I started making pots, I kept nothing. Then the week before final bisque deadline I kept everything I made. 9 pieces to show for the class. Got an A for the course, worst yet was hooked on the wheel and clay. 
The point of this is that intensive training will definitely move one along faster, and non distracted intensity over a few years would do much more than hobby potting a few nights week. Maybe you get my point now about years vs. intensity. I believe it is a good discussion, that will lead into venues such as apprenticeships, MFA degrees with required residency, work study programs or even jumping in with both feet into a startup. Hmmm lots to think about. So please horn in on Mark C's excellent but thought provoking question.
 
best,
Pres

I was taking recreational pottery classes while working full-time as a designer. During those years I was also building up a freelance design practice on the side, so for several years I was working 1.5 full-time jobs. Pottery was my much needed stress relief on weekends. It took me eight years before I was making pots that I would consider “sellable.”  Sure I sold some pots before that, mostly at my studio’s holiday sale, and at some small local fairs, but I would call those pots “student pots” not “professional pots.” The people who bought them had the same expectation.
So for me, it was eight years of serious weekend practice. At that point I bought my own equipment and started working out of my own studio. This was a huge turning point, because it’s when I could finally make all of my own decisions, and especially to develop my own glazes. Before then, I really didn’t have control over how/when my pots got fired, and I was using the same clay/glazes that everyone else at my studio was using. Which means those pots were not MINE to the extent that professional pottery needs to be.
I would add that to the factors that make someone work professional-grade. Skill, aesthetics, sound science, and ORIGINALITY. If you can only make pots that look like somebody else’s, that’s not professional. 

Mea makes the vital point here, I think.  Many people seem to find a market, at least for awhile, with pots that are "student pots."  Different people will buy them than those who seek only professional work.
I don't think this is particular to ceramics. There is a market for clothing that is not well made as well as a different one for well made clothing.
There is a market for prepared foods that have their issues as well as for gourmet.

This requires some brutal honesty and a merciless hammer. A person once told me there was enough crap pottery in the world she didn't want to add to it. She was a forthright person and I liked her.
I sometimes garage sale or cruise thrift stores with potters who find their own work. They smile and handover a few dollars and if necessary say something like "ya' - it's ok" all the while thinking how quickly the hammer will fall. I like these people too.
I hope to find something of my own one day and it would be nice to feel as though it deserved a good home away from hammers and rocks and piles of shards.

At what point in a potter's career does he/she stop searching for and testing new glazes?
When does the potter become satisfied with his/her stable of glazes and says "This is enough"?
 

Trimming the openings in salt pigs. Think it takes me longer to try and get the holes cut more or less evenly and round than it takes to throw them.

Hi Wcrowe and welcome to the forum!
Lt-3K will be the model of the kiln sitter on the kiln, not of the kiln itself. Manuals for Duncan kilns about 1/3 the way down this from Paragon, it should have the height info in the manual. The kiln will have a faceplate on it with the kiln model number etc, you can see the model numbers in the link.

15 flat sponge holders, 11 vertical sponge holders, 19 vertical spoon rest experiments, 1 small planter and 1 large mixing bowl. 1st time making sponge holders and my spoon rest idea needs some refinement.

Trimming the openings in salt pigs. Think it takes me longer to try and get the holes cut more or less evenly and round than it takes to throw them.

Today I threw the bodies and necks for some tall bottles. I really enjoy assembling these. The bodies are 3lbs of clay, 12" tall. The necks only require 1lb since they're so narrow. I'll lose about 3" to shrinkage, so the finished pots will be just under 18".
 

Trimming the openings in salt pigs. Think it takes me longer to try and get the holes cut more or less evenly and round than it takes to throw them.

Trimming the openings in salt pigs. Think it takes me longer to try and get the holes cut more or less evenly and round than it takes to throw them.

Trimming the openings in salt pigs. Think it takes me longer to try and get the holes cut more or less evenly and round than it takes to throw them.

Trimming the openings in salt pigs. Think it takes me longer to try and get the holes cut more or less evenly and round than it takes to throw them.

Trimming the openings in salt pigs. Think it takes me longer to try and get the holes cut more or less evenly and round than it takes to throw them.

My wheel is a Bailey that I got about 20 years ago. It is my 4th studio wheel since 1971. It is slower than Brents. I like that. Most important to me is the control of the form. I have been throwing some larger orbs. I had several go catty-wompus (sp?). I took them off the wheel,  jiggled them to straighten and hung them out until they stiffened a bit. Then put them back on the wheel and and continued throwing. I do give up on some and just re-wedge them.  Very excited about my new work with soluble salts.
Marcia
 

Nice holder!
Just catching up on custom orders for mugs and underglazed stuff. Also working through fixing an existing Bristol glaze for the studio . Arrrrgh dislike these glaze recipes  but almost done, I think.
After spraying countless ornaments  and now these little mugs, cups, treasure boxes I think  I need a throwing break from this stuff! Took a picture of myself spraying and I do not appear to be excited. LOL
 

Been firing some more tests soluble salts and consecutive followups on good leads from tests. Pots on the left were fired at various temperatures in saggars and foil saggars. pots on the right were retired at 1700F. Additional coats on salts were added.
 

I agree that this is a great thread. No denying that seeing someone build their own controller is very cool. But I do have a responsibility as a moderator to point out things that could be dangerous to others who would copy what's being done here (it's actually in the rules), and for the safety of the person posting. I don't know when a member isn't aware of the safety issues, or is just working through it fully aware that the final product will be done differently. Either way, I think it's good for things to be discussed, for the education and safety and knowledge of everyone involved. I don't think any of it diminishes the value and hard work of what's being done. In fact, I feel like to adds to the project, because it fleshes it out more. As I said before, I wasn't aware of the parallel feeder method, so I have learned something, too.
So on that note,  I have seen the charts for chassis wiring, and I don't think what you have there qualifies, because those cords are power wires, not chassis wires. Chassis wires are very short single wires connecting parts within the appliance, which are not bundled and therefore can dissipate heat well. What you've got there are power transmission wires, which require a much larger gauge and can be bundled. The chart that Liam posted is a good one to go by. If you look at all the wire gauges recommended by the kiln companies, they go with the 60C column because it doesn't hurt to be on the conservative side.
The danger of using them as a parallel system is that if any of the wires in a bundle comes loose, the others will be overloaded and overheat. There are a lot of rules about how parallel systems must be installed because of that, and they're limited to use in very high amperage systems where it's impractical to use large single wires. It's a code thing, not a personal preference. The fact that they're not overheating means that they are, in fact, performing as a parallel system should, but that doesn't mean it's safe.
The prototype Skutt SSR kiln I saw had a big heat baffle mounted to the front of the control box just like yours.  And their control box was mounted on the kiln. So it seems you're definitely on the right track there.
You don't necessarily have to have a fuse in the system, since it's under 50 amps. Once you get over 50 amps you have to have branch fusing in the system. It's another reason production kilns are more expensive than hobby kilns of the same size. More parts, more engineering.  Definitely have a fuse on the controller path, but you don't have to have one on the power path. If you do decide to put one in, size it with the breaker.
I would put in a mechanical safety relay to kill the whole system in the event of an SSR fusing 'on'.

Hi Tom, sure.....
^10 - flashing slips - soda - front / back

 

On another thread Mea brought up the fact that working in clay is not inexpensive. I started thinking about how much I've spent over the years on equipment, glaze lab materials, building modifications etc. My question would be how much do you think you spent setting up your own studio?