Min

Prototype dinner plate for a disabled family member, she has partial use of one hand, paralyzed on the other side. Theory is she will be able to push her fork to the curved in back edge of the plate to keep the food on the fork. Front edge of plate is smooth and rounded over so she can rest her wrist either on that or the table.

Prototype dinner plate for a disabled family member, she has partial use of one hand, paralyzed on the other side. Theory is she will be able to push her fork to the curved in back edge of the plate to keep the food on the fork. Front edge of plate is smooth and rounded over so she can rest her wrist either on that or the table.

What makes the most sense of everything I read is it was a marketing move. Playing off words that use names in a generic way, like “peeping Tom” or “Jim-dandy” “Jolly Roger” etc. The “z” sound in lazy with the first “s” in susan just was pleasing to the ear of a marketing person. 
Seems the term was first published in a Vanity Fair advertisement for a “Revolving Server or Lazy Susan” in 1917. It was described as “An impossibly low wage for a good servant and the cleverest waitress in the world.”
From what I read they have been around since the 1700’s, when they were called whirling domestics or dumbwaiters.They were silent waiters hence the word “dumb”. Landowners who couldn’t afford enough servants used them to help with the serving. (this term went on to become the small freight elevator by that name) I spent way too much time reading about them today, got to the point where I felt I was going around in circles. 
 

A few months ago I posted some WIP photos of clock designs that I was experimenting with. Here’s how they are turning out:

 

Been doing noodle bowls this week but took a break to make this jar.  Had to mix it up.  Over the weekend I did a bisque and a glaze firing of some mugs for Christmas gifts, they turned out OK, had some bowls in there too which turned out better.  Will focus on bowls the rest of the week, want to make enough for a kiln load by the weekend and see if I cant get them bisqued and glazed.  Looking for a used kiln this holiday season for bisquing since that part of my firing takes the longest and I have to babysit the kiln the entire 12 hours.  It would free me up to do other things.

It took 3 months to get centering right. I was a 90lb weakling ( really 87 pound). I thought my forearms developed Popeye muscles after 3 months. As for learning to throw, I think I am really getting pretty good now, and that has taken 50+ years but I don't usually end up fighting that lump. I have a plan and execute it. Without struggling.

This is an interesting topic, people on both sides of the debate with very strong points of view. Just a friendly reminder that even though we may agree to disagree we need to avoid being disagreeable. Lets keep the tone civil so the discussion may continue.
Thank you.
 

https://www.doi.gov/iacb/act
From the above link:
"The Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-644) is a truth-in-advertising law that prohibits misrepresentation in the marketing of Indian arts and crafts products within the United States. It is illegal to offer or display for sale, or sell any art or craft product in a manner that falsely suggests it is Indian produced, an Indian product, or the product of a particular Indian or Indian Tribe or Indian arts and crafts organization, resident within the United States. For a first time violation of the Act, an individual can face civil or criminal penalties up to a $250,000 fine or a 5-year prison term, or both. If a business violates the Act, it can face civil penalties or can be prosecuted and fined up to $1,000,000."

https://www.doi.gov/iacb/act
From the above link:
"The Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-644) is a truth-in-advertising law that prohibits misrepresentation in the marketing of Indian arts and crafts products within the United States. It is illegal to offer or display for sale, or sell any art or craft product in a manner that falsely suggests it is Indian produced, an Indian product, or the product of a particular Indian or Indian Tribe or Indian arts and crafts organization, resident within the United States. For a first time violation of the Act, an individual can face civil or criminal penalties up to a $250,000 fine or a 5-year prison term, or both. If a business violates the Act, it can face civil penalties or can be prosecuted and fined up to $1,000,000."

Here’s how the gravy boat redesign turned out. 

took 6 months of getting up at 4:30 and throwing a couple of hours before work every day and mostly cutting everything in half before I would say I could throw a decent pot. Couple of years ago tried my hand at doing full time shows for a living and the sudden influx of non-stop daily throwing that had to happen to have twice a month show racks full certainly made a HUGE difference, not just in throwing but every aspect of making.
My take away from the experience is not how long did it take but how many concentrated hours did it take. I think for most, throwing regularly around a full time job and life for 10 or even 20 years will not even remotely compare to someone who throws hours and hours every day for even a few years. 

This about 30 pieces from the 47 pieces. Will load the kiln at lunch break today and start it up to fire the other 17 or so pieces. The goblets will be in this firing. They take nearly half of the 27 inches of the kiln interior height.

Hello!
My name is Philip White. I was the manufacturer of the Stoker Electric Reduction Kiln. The company, a.k.a. The Reduction Production Refractory Factory was building Stoker Kilns in Amesbury,Massachusetts, USA. It had to close in the early 1980's when the US Small Business Administration reconsidered RPRF from being a 'small' business to a 'miniscule' one and not important enough to continue subsidizing. Consequently, the whole thing went down the tubes. Needless to say, I was so disillusioned with this state of affairs that I didn't want to have anything to do with kilns or pottery for years.
 
Flash forward to 2018 and I'm now retired. Thought I'd see if the Internet knew anything about the Stoker. I was amazed to see it mentioned on this website. Subsequently, I decided to come 'out of the shadows' and share a little of what I learned about electric reduction firing and the engineering constraints that made it highly doable and practical. Some of this may be surprising, and (I hope) edifying. Some of what I discovered, you may find surprising. As with other discoveries, it was under our nose all this time, but no one had connected the dots.
It is really not my intention to write a 'book' on this topic without knowing if there is still any interest.
If there is anyone that may find the subject interesting, or want to actually learn more and build one, please reply and perhaps we can open a thread on the subject.
Phil White

Right now? What isn’t on my workbench!

If I had to choose just one style of surface decoration I would have to go with soda fired pots with flashing slips. It's not something I can do on a large enough scale to have soda pots for sale though. For pots that I sell, my glazes are getting more and more simple. I did a rutile blue / variegated visual texture look for a long time but a few years ago I started introducing semi matte glazes in mostly white with some gray and a coloured translucent liner glaze. Wasn't sure how they would sell because the look is quite simple. My white glaze now outsells the razzmatazz and it's what I prefer. I find myself getting more and more minimalist with my glazes. I'm not one for busy surfaces, I can appreciate the beauty of such work but it's not me. I've also noticed that with the calmer / simpler glazes I'm attracting a younger demographic of shoppers.

If I had to choose just one style of surface decoration I would have to go with soda fired pots with flashing slips. It's not something I can do on a large enough scale to have soda pots for sale though. For pots that I sell, my glazes are getting more and more simple. I did a rutile blue / variegated visual texture look for a long time but a few years ago I started introducing semi matte glazes in mostly white with some gray and a coloured translucent liner glaze. Wasn't sure how they would sell because the look is quite simple. My white glaze now outsells the razzmatazz and it's what I prefer. I find myself getting more and more minimalist with my glazes. I'm not one for busy surfaces, I can appreciate the beauty of such work but it's not me. I've also noticed that with the calmer / simpler glazes I'm attracting a younger demographic of shoppers.

2 drying in the closet with the rest ready for spray glaze.
Will actually bisque fire the big bowl in the drying closet - need some calcined EPK and need to bisque some more pendants.

What's on my workbench?
Another trip down the rabbit hole.  First tested these glazes in 2014 in an electric kiln.  Gave up as they didn't mature at ^6, and no-one else fires that high and I can't produce enough "test tiles" to fill the kiln.

 
Off to a wood-firing next weekend, so decided to make some more tests and re-hydrate those glazes.  I'll say hello to the mad-hatter and the rabbit from you all while I'm down there.   Middle photo are some tubes for testing, bottom is "posh" catcher trays to stand the tubes in.  Then we'll only have to wad the bottom of the trays, not all the tubes.

Put a space heater in the shed overnight and things firmed up enough to trim for the most part.  Got 8 of them trimmed up, probably gonna toss a few where the lids weren't quite matched up.
Tomorrow I'll be wedging and throwing, don't know what yet, something will strike me!

Making and using my own pottery is my own R&D lab. I do not consciously look at the shape of my hand or lips. It has taken a few years to work out the discomforts of my designs. I detest a mug that dribbles, so lots of R&D on the perfect rim for drinking, close but still not there. With me it is all about how to hold a piece. My hand arthritis dictates that the piece is easy to hold and does not strain the hands. It is pretty cool to make something then use it to find it doesn't work so well. Humbles one rather quickly. Wished I had taken an industrial/ manufacturing design course, or whatever the course would be to teach me ergonomics. Actually I haven't sold much because I don't put it out there. The feel and functionality must be to my expectation before I let it go out of my hands. Lots of R&D.
Favorite piece is the coffee mug. Since recently starting to press texture into the body of the mug, I like using several different mugs. I like the feel of the different textures. My hands are busy feeling the texture in both the body and the handle while using the mug.
If I were an illustrator I could make bowls look more interesting, but I am not. Altering makes the bowls more interesting. We use all sizes of bowls, from the condiment bowl up to the larger mixing bowl.

This is an interesting topic, people on both sides of the debate with very strong points of view. Just a friendly reminder that even though we may agree to disagree we need to avoid being disagreeable. Lets keep the tone civil so the discussion may continue.
Thank you.
 

This is an interesting topic, people on both sides of the debate with very strong points of view. Just a friendly reminder that even though we may agree to disagree we need to avoid being disagreeable. Lets keep the tone civil so the discussion may continue.
Thank you.
 

Last pot on the bench today, carved vase.

Nothing too exciting, large salad bowls trimmed this afternoon.

A finished piece from this week.