Saki

Ah, that makes sense. Thanks. By any chance, do you have any suggestions on the power/CFM necessary?

Hi, I want to build a spray booth in my basement studio. The design I have in mind would have a spray area 36" x 36" x 36" max, with a filter at the back and a fan behind the filter. The fan would then connect to an exhaust hose and vent outside through a basement window directly above and behind the booth. I have some questions about the fan: (1) What is the best type of fan for this setup? (I was thinking of an inline duct fan?) (2) What is the minimum CPM I should look for in the fan, especially if the air passes from the fan, through an exhaust duct, then outside? (3) As an alternative, I am considering a "waterfall" style booth, where water flows down the back and sides of the booth in lieu of a filter. In this case, where would be the best place to locate the fan — underneath the work area? Also, in a waterfall style booth, does the fan still need to vent outside? Any suggestions or feedback would be great. Thanks.

I have taken classes at the Clay Studio in Philadelphia, which has Brent B and Brent C wheels. They have literally thousands of people come through the studio every semester, and the wheels keep ticking. Do you mean you recommend against the Whisper there is something about the motor that makes it less suitable for production use? and, if so, what is the issue? (this is an honest question.)

If this is your first purchase, may I recommend looking into a used wheel? If you are not sure what you need, this would be a good way to get your feet wet and figure out what features are important to you (e.g., if you aren't throwing huge pots, you probably don't need a lot of wheel that can center 225 lbs). I bought a slightly used brent wheel that I found on craigslist for less than half the price of a new wheel. It works so well that I don't foresee an upgrade any time in the near future. (although I do covet the shimpo whisper wheel—it is so quiet!)

Hi, I have a related question. I can see how throwing round plates is faster and easier than slab building. But if I want to make a large, rectangular or oblong platter (e.g., a 9" x 21" fish platter), would it be easier to do that using a hump mold or a slump mold? My initial guess is that a hump mold might be easier because you can let it dry on the mold and gravity will help the curved sides keep their shape. However, I've never used either a slump or a hump mold before, so I might be missing something.

Hi Curt, My concern was less the machine than the plumbing pipes. Even if the clay doesn't clog the machine, isn't the water expelled into the pipes where it could settle and cause a clog? Thanks, s

Thanks, everyone, for the helpful suggestions! I will try drying and then rinsing in a bucket before washing. oldlady, I will always admire neat potters and strive to emulate them, but realistically I don't think it's in my nature to become a person who can throw pots all day without making some kind of mess!

I have a trap in my studio sink to prevent clay from clogging the plumbing, but nothing at the washing machine. Should I be concerned that washing clothes splattered with clay will clog the pipes or cause other plumbing issues? If so, is there anything I can do — other than becoming a neater potter who doesn't wipe his hands on his pants — to prevent this? Thanks

Or sodium silicate or darvan.

I posted a similar question a while back and got a lot of good information: How To Create Thicken Slip For High-Relief Surface Decoration? I hope this helps.

Thank you both. I had misunderstood that greater plasticity would make it /easier/ to throw, and that the main trade-off would be increased shrinkage and warping. But it sounds like you find it less workable for throwing. If that's the case, I think I may want to look for another supplier of the 365, even if it means traveling a bit farther.

Hi, it's been a couple months since I posted this, so I just wanted to check back to see if anyone familiar with these clays might be able to respond. Thanks!

Hmm, I am intrigued by popularity of digital scales. I had learned that they weren't as accurate as mechanical scales (which are accurate to 0.1g). But I guess that is not so anymore? I ask because I am still testing glazes, so with small batches I feel more comfortable with the extra precision. Also, can digital scales be calibrated like a mechanical scale?

That looks really nice. Thanks for the suggestion.

Ah, I see. That does sound useful. 10,000g batches are beyond me. I'm still learning about glaze chemistry and mostly doing glaze tests right now. Maybe one day I will get up to that quantity! Thanks again