Mark C.

shirat bags for 50 years for me as well-I also have some larger sheets if similar plastic . I live in a area that banned sinle use bags as well so even if I wanted them they are not here (better for the planet). The lighted plastic works the best=shirt bags

Usually natural gas is cheaper so if you have natural gas stick with it. If you are not able to use natural gas and must use propane its just an small orfice change on each buner and a propane regular at tank-no big deal so the only reason to convert is what gas type do you have thats convenient?

I put in two heat pumps in past few years. Most run on 220v and require a double slot. They do not use much power (low amps) as to being very efficient .We do have a small haet pump in master bedroom that is a single slot 110v unit. They vary depending on size of space ny most are 220V Most 100 amp main breaker boxes are 12-16 slots depending on brand and age. Lots will depend on your actual house loads (what you really are using amp wise) I suggest a good electrican for the job.

At one time about 1,100 mile each way to a show twice a year for 24 years straight. It was one of my best shows. Gave it up 6 years ago. I did AZ,NV,UT,Wa,CO, shows for many years. A few where two days trips to get to show and two days back and one was always 3 days to Denver. I did that for 5 straight years to Denver. Last August I did my last Anacortes art show after about 30 years of them (retired from show which was my best)-that was 800 miles each way. I began a few years ago spliting into a two day drive up and and two back .Gave it all up last year no more traveling shows for me. I still have a twice a year wholesale order (20 boxes) I drive 4.5 hours each way to drop off. Its less than 1/2 the distance to the gallery it goes to. (its the gallery owners brothers house) They get it the rest of the way. Its one Forester full of pottery stuffed to the gills. At one time I drove over 20,000 a year on my old van doing art shops in the western states.In the last decade it was under 10,000 . Now its under 2k dropping off local orders. I do not miss it except for the large amounts of cash returning home with. That was always a nice feeling after slaying the Dragon at a big show.I was smart and saved much of it for later in life.Love my Roth

You often can use twin breakers on small curcuits like outlets and lights -that is a breaker in a single slot that takes two circuits and has two switches. Use two of these and then you now have two open slots which you will need for another 220 double pole curcuit breaker . Use of twins frees up space.Every box is different as are the loads-this is where a good electrican is worth the $$

Turn on the heater (natural Gas) let the shop warm up and go to work. For me my winter break ends on Valentines day-back to a large wholesale order.This is my biggest transtion year on my slow down plan. Sold a single burner Gas kiln today (west coast I have been storing for 35 years (never used) part of my downsize plan as well. Filled a Suburau outback with it and shelves. Got the studio wet mopped/wet dusted all shelves and vaced it up with whole studio vac. system. Brought in 1,000 #s of clay to heat it up before Tuesdays work schedule. sunny and 61 today as the rain stopped. Colder nights now but only in the 30s.Perfect climate for clay work

Yes a bat in between -fits the brent and is drilled for whatever Euro system you need. Thats a good solid option..

You can only work as fast as the clay will let you grasshopper

Make your own wash-the commercial stuff is crap-that stuff should grind off easy-use a 4 inch hand grinder

(calcine half the kaolin) Yes I forgot to mention this as well. Its what I do with my kiln wash for shelves .Same formula 50% alumina 25% calcined Kaolin and 25% kaolin

I was planning on a MFA in as well Pres. It was suggested I take a year off and focus on clay at home in studio. The rest was history no regrets there .My only gripe is what its done to my wrist and hands 50 years of production has really taken its toll on my wrists-3 bones cut out on right wrist and one thumb bone on left hand. removed. My hands are not happy these days Of course arthritis has also added to them not being happy. My brother was a Art Prof at UC Santa Barbara for 25 years so I got lots of exposure to that way of life (all my family where teachers) I cut my own path and am happy with it. It was more work by far than teaching and took much longer to get traction. I only have myself to answer to and I have done it all my way as Frank Sinatra would say. I have amassed a great retirement when needed as well as I started that thought in the mid 80s as I knew that no pension was coming down my road. When I want more $ I just worked more and hit the road selling more. No regrets -I think next time around I may want a small Island in the tropics with a pier to tie up my boat and do more diving. Of course with climate change that may be in 5 years here in Humboldt County

I would not use that silica at all 50% Alumina50% Kaolin this is a basic salt kiln wash The 50% alumina is at a good start I also like some milled zircon The kaolin makes it stick So maybe 50 alumina Hydrate and 20 Milled zircon and 30 EPK silica is not to be used in this wash at all-soda and salt go after it (stick to it like the silica in the clay pots) water it down to thick cream-spray the soft bricks just befor applying as they will suck all the water out of wash if not a little damp 1st. One thin coat is far better than a thick coat which tends to spall off later. Keep that coat thin .

I always just add wateer to thin it.. Once you fine the right specific gravity (I write that # on side of bucket)

Plaster was hard to get last year around here as well.

There is a learning lesson ready to happen.I think the devil in you says give it a try. PS wear glasses for protection

A forge is all about hot NOW and clay is all about hot slowly as Pres said. You would need a pyrometerm for heat data and some way to go very slowy other wise your wares can crack. theoretically its possible but not likely .

They are blowing them out at 40% off until gone in those smaller quantities-I suggest a phone call to make sure your order is ok with their inventory before placing it.

What kind of clay ,and how much throwing you have done ,will all factor into how much clay is needed to get a certain size. Its not a one size fits all deal I wrote in a CM article a few years back throwing clay amounts if I recall for porcelain in our studio here they are for porcelain in a production studio setting weights =oz 3/4# =8-10oz mug 1# 12-14oz mug 1 1/4# 16-18oz mug 1 1/2 # 24-26oz mug 2#-34-38 oz mug Now as I said throwing clays (some clays throw better than others) and skill level with vary the outcomes We make 7 kinds/sizes of mugs and none are called beer mugs just different sizes for all uses. I do make what I call a soup mug and also a motion mug/trucker mug . They are not on the list above. The soup mugs are low and wide and the motion are inverted V shpae with smaller opening so thay do not splash out and come with a rubber botton no skid so you can leave them on the roof your car and drive a few blocks and still stop and get your morning coffee if you remember it soon enough My customers sometimes get the soup mug idea but not aways and the trucker mugs are a long ago item that no one seems to make anymore and sell well in galleries.

use a few towels over your legs and less water or cut a clay box in 1/2 and make it a splash pan untill it gets soaked (they last a long really)

Ok you got me there on an Amazon order for #1 pottery plaster. I suspect the age of bag or how it was stored. It could have been rebagged a year or two ago. let us know on what the rest does after mixing

Just a thought was this #1 pottery plaster-My guess is thats what you said by #1. Also since you live in the humid souther parts you need to keep air off(sealed plastic bag) it unless it a new unopened bag. Plaster will absorb any moisture in the air right away . Plaster usually gets warm setting off. My experience is when its old and has any lumps it does weird things like not setting well (or warm) Was your bag unopened -around here we can only get #1 pottery Plaster ina 50# bag as well.

I would use 1.5 #s of clay or just a bit less.In porcelain . My 24-26 oz mugs are 1.5#s of clay

USG makers of #1 pottery plaster (white) say 70 parts water to 100 parts plaster . I have my schedule (water to plaster) out in studio now and will look later. Your mix sounds off a bit when using plaster you want dry new plaster-it sound like since you added the words sifted your plaster I assume it had some lumps in it? if so then its old and will behave not as well as new plaster. also you let it soak and in that time you shoild use a power mixer to get all the smalls wet. I mix in a bucket with a small cordless drill with a jiffy mixer at the ready with a fresh bucket of water to clean jiffy mixer-2 minutes of power mixing then drop bucket a short distance on floor to allow air bubbles to rise. Then pour. The water temp is also a key deal. Colder water gives you a bit more working time. We have some real plaster experts here that also may help as time goes by welcome to the forum https://www.usg.com/content/usgcom/en/products/industrial/ceramics/no-1-pottery-plaster.html

Not worth it It will mess with the details as well before firing fire really slowly after a good lomng drying time and you should be fine

I myself cannot stand the smells/scents in most items and have learned to avoid them all. I'm hyper sensitive to them. You find alternatives to them all (dryer sheets for example are not needed same with all perfumes and sented deturgents) yes the same with (chemicals, perfumes, dryer sheets exhaust) ,that said I have 50 years in with clay and do not feel that those apply at all to clay and pottery. Yes the burn off has some smell so I avoid it especailly wax. Clay can mold buts it never been an issue. More dry skin issues with in and out of clay and water. Now there is an issue. Now working with clay wedging and carring 10 tons 12 times a year for decades ,well that a bit different on the body I think clay is not for everyone. If you read the fine print on your credit card statement (if you have one) you will see thats its also not what you thought . A bit like the warning on a box of clay which has about 10,000 less words