[Medallion Mug Question]

Stamp the circle with whatever your image is. Make your own stamp or you can buy one.

I have been around a zillion mugs with stuff on the sides either mine  or others back in the day-My studio assistant made women bike mugs for years-I think a few photos are in my album if you look.

We use a small needle bulb to apply the glaze (thes ecomes with a few micro tips) or colorant into just the indentations and spong off any extra (usually not needed). Then wax over it to freeze it or glaze it and wax it whatever system you are looking for in the outcome

I have a power sponger if you are doing say 50 of them. My guess is thats what Deneen does as well

Once you get it down its easy-just takes time lots. of time. I had a potter who supplied the local natiuona and state parks with logos of redwood trees with park name on each mug as I said seen a zillion of this type of work. You can order your stamp in metal ,wood or make your own in clay

 

[repair on an old kiln]

Skutt kilns are sectional-this one looks to be a solid body

Old cress for sure-have you called them?

[Slab Roller Issue]

I think the bailey should do 3/8 no issues-I'll try 3/8 and see myself.

Is your canvas stiff or soft? and does your outfeed  table fit tight against bottom roller?

I have the Bailey 8 foot table is your home made ? as the outfeed is critical  hieght and tightness

[Slab Roller Issue]

I am noticing some side cracks so maybe that clay is a bit to dry/hard?

I just rolled a few 4 inch peter pugger pugs thru in one pass down to a 1/4 inch on my 30 inch Bailey electric -this is about standard for me in one pass-made some wall fish and fish plates and some oval platters  today. The porcealin is pretty soft as well

[Slab Roller Issue]

I put about 1/2 a pug cut diagonally so it vee shaped  with the long side catching the rollers. If its not vee shaped I piund it down so the thin edge grabs the rollers.

I never use say a think slab-always a really thick pice or two of clay that rolls off as it squeezed . 

for me it canvaa on bottom and the smooth cardboard like slab matt  brand on top (no canvas marks)

 

[Shaping large pug mill logs for throwing]

I slap 4 logs together and drop them onto my wedging table and shape them into a standard 25# pug then cut them into usual amounts to throw

[Crack Diagnosis?]

Buff clays are very abuntant

[Slab Roller Issue]

What are top and bottom carriers? fabric or something else

are you using a few pieces of clay or one piece? I just shot some pugs today thru my Baily 30 inch electric and ner get that on bottom?

[Crack Diagnosis?]

I think B mix is the wrong clay for this. It does not slab well (staying flat) like to cracks as well and drys super uneven.

I work in porcelain 95% when I need to do slab work I choose other white  bodies

I make larger press molded baking dishes -that body is white -its 1/2 porcealin and 1/2 wso called 1/2 and 1/2 the WC number is 382. Its made for slab torture.

I suggest a body thats more up to the task any white body with finer white grog will work as well.

I also will add as other below me on the waster  slabs or sand or grog to allow the slab to move as it shrinks in the fire

[Crack Diagnosis?]

looks like a cooling crack to me

Also high fire body is not mature and a bit punky also amy be a factor ?

The high fire clay, low fire   glaze is not an issue with moisture  weeping?

can you explain the forming technique as this could be the factor ?

Looks a bit like toilet lid-what is the size of the piece?

[A used Bluebird 12 Clay Mixer?]

I think of these as old school machines-If your studio is huge and it can be forgotten in a corner and the price in super cheap than yes but really you will need to pug and deair the clay still which a modern tool does all in one step.

For me its a waste of time and free would not do it but keep in mind I have moved up to way better equipment long ago.

[QotW: Do you or have you ever mixed your own clay for your studio, and if you do describe your equipment and working space?]

Sure long ago (the 70s)

mixed it in a tub added my slop -dryed it in huge plaster tubs-ran it thru my vertical Alpine pug mill (before most of your times-these maching stood 5 feet tall)

came out rough -had air in it and was short-agged it for a few years still short.I was in my 20s and in the middle of the schooling of hard knocks  which I got a degree in about 10 years after my art collage degree. You try every thing until it kills you-listen to know one except a bad back and sore body-I went for the advnaced hard knocks degree

Gave up the whole darn deal. Never looked back-My time has always had value

Nowday I have two peter pugges and still would not make clay . The only reason for me would be to make a body I could not buy one. Maybe a self throwing body if Glazenerd can devise one for me as that is the only body I cannot buy as of now.You would weigh the balls drop them on the wheel and step away as it throws itself. 

 

[buying clay in bulk, dry vs wet]

Those cheap moving blankets over clay will also stabilize temps and slow down the drying

[buying clay in bulk, dry vs wet]

I mixed 3 tons once in a soldner mixer once darn near killed me unloading it all. Ran it thru a bluebird no airing pug mill.-clay was short for years.

I learned my lesson-I commend you on going ahead with the school of hard knocks-I was 30 years old then-I hope you are in your 20s

That soldner mixer is a back killer at least for me other may love it

On the clay getting hard deal I have a master tip for you

Use a small round 2-3 inch round throwing sponge  (this is so you can ameasre the same amount every time but submerging it ino a bucket of water.

Now unbox the clay and open the plastic bags-depending on how dry they are its one or two or three squeezes of that full sponge (two is usllay fine) retie the bag and drip them into the box and put a arrow on it.Fip the box everty day for 4 dasys to cover all sides of the longways pugs inside. Then store-this clay will now be even weteness once agin within a week . No to bother with underwater or wet towels. I have done tons this way of porcealin which is harder than most Bodies to rewet. I bought 12 tons for years once a year and some got hard. 

My clay  is 13 hours away one way so your clay seem close but what do I know.

Oldlady said it above -buy in bulk and store it in a cool dry place.The price breaks add up. 

[My last out of state Art show]

Callie I started in 1972 so the fairs/wholesale was the deal for a long long time. Heck I have not done a new fair since the early 90s

In my carreer I have had zero reason ever to go online but its all about timing-its a different world out there now.I would hate to be starting out.

I have left many large long time shows in past 20 years especially since my slow down plan kicked in.

I gave up Denver on Labor Day-Seattle on Memorial day-those two shows right there gave me 14 days back. Then Tempe twice a years for 25 years straight. 

Most of my fairs have over 50% return customers with some way higher 

To some degree its about drive-I have been driven in clay for so long I only know one speed. 

Many cannot handle the business aspects and they can be tough-rejection from shows (took 10 years for me to get into Half Moon Bay Pumpkin show for example ) lots of rejection and untold application fees. After 25 years I walked away from that show (15K show) about 7 years ago because I just felt like it during dinner at show Sat. night.  Leaving huge successful markets at this phase is pretty easy.

So glad I have not had to spend time promoting myself in the social  world-as that would take away making time which for me has been the key element-Heck I just loaded two kilns today recovering from some serious bronchitis 

I have gotten to the point long ago that I learned from another potter-many the pots get them to the customers then its thier issue-for example my visa card reader crapped out on a huge money day afew years ago. Just stuffed the pots into bag with a card saying the amout they owed me to send later via mail. Those customers are now for life as trust is long gone in life for most.They cannot belive you will trust them. They are now like bulldog about your wares in the future they never let go.

Etsy could never do this for me. No matter how much time I spend online. 

Make the pots and lots of them  then get them in front of humans the rest is easy.

[My last out of state Art show]

4 hours ago, Pres said:

@GEP, I can certainly attest to the time and effort it takes to do any type of shipping situation of late. Size of boxes, and the changes in packing materials are small compared to the picture you are painting, but still a nuisance. I shipped 20 orders last year for communion sets and baptismal sets last year with a total of near $1500 in costs to the customer. This year will probably be worse. I believe that the large online shipping companies are controlling much of the sizes and delivery situations that will make it a different world for craftspeople shipping their items. This does not even include what you have mentioned in the way of social media exposure.

 

best,

Pres

Pres you need to be using Pirate ship-its a super deal with UPS and USPS rates-The best deal I have worked with by far. Anyone can sign up-you just need a printer and a scale and a ruler 

[My last out of state Art show]

I cannot image selling 10,000$ in a day like I had once recently on Etsy so you must be refering to small slow amount of sales. To do a big art show you to have lots of wares. 

For me etsy is a one off deal or a small slow burn on sales. My etsy friends tell me now its full of more clay than years past and that pie is cut into many more slices .

Art show potters are usually not a small table affair but a huge booth of wares with backstock. They come for big sales and there are  now very few of them. 

The etsy deal is not at all the same folks like for example  like to feel my plates before buy the dinnerware set -same with a mug-The net is far away from that personal experience .

Yes etsy and other Venuses sell works no doubt  but customers like to touch and any venue that afords that potters with thrive better .

I have some aged out  professional potters selling thier left overs on etsy and thay say it will take a decade vs one show-that a huge difference in time and sales

Intsead of etsy how about having a shop sell it less hassle 

The etsy is good venue for hobby start ups or a line that does not require touch of for someone who wants to work at home . The potters I'm refering to who are not applying to shows  these days are those who never did etsy. The volume is to great.

For a professional like me I want to go gather a bunch of $$ in 2-3 days  and they get back to work .Etsy will never do that for me.

I have a current  costumer mail order for 200$  to 250$ and stopping to sort and pack and ship slows me down from my usual work. That sounds flippant I know but its the truth.

[My last out of state Art show]

I gave that up long  long long ago (hard deadline where I’m beholden to someone )

its all on my timeline and schedule-been that way since I can recall.

I have made a life my way and never have bent well to others demands-been that way since youth

As a potter you get to pick and choose thats the beauty of it 

I'm in the drivers seat and have been for many many many decades .

The only fixed dates are shows and now there are only two and one I pick the dates.

Now with no options for store galleries or shops in terms of new potters. You are really in control.

I had some customers in Wa state  last week take a gallery road trip on the Oragon coast to buy ceramics -the whole trip they said was a bust -no more potttery in the galleries.

Not sure whats going on back east or up North of the border but out west we are te last of the Mohicans

I just raised prices again when I got home on some items and dropped them off in the shops last Sunday

 

 

[buying clay in bulk, dry vs wet]

I suggest unless you have power mixing equipment say like a peter pugger you forget the whole dry thing.

The factor you never spoke about (gas .travel, dry vs wet costs) was your time and a quaility clay product at the end of your labors . Clay makers mix the clay ,take the air out of the clay and pug and bag and box your clay-you cannot even ever come close to doing this yourself and think you are saving a thing. Especially money

now if you have a lot of power equipment  for clay making and tons of FREE time then lets talk more

Now its it dry slip casting clay thats another story but you never mentioned slip.

 

PS I have bought dry clay in 50# sacks to add to anothrer clay body (custom blend) and what a pain-I donated most of that dry clay to an art center as a tax write off decades later

[Operating a potter's wheel with a small electric start gas generator?]

Just make sure the generator puts out clean power like a Honda which puts the output thru an inverter.

The amout of amps that a model A needs is very small

[My last out of state Art show]

One thing I never whant to be is a potter making pots for unknown customers only. That is no shows or cointact with customers. That contact which started in 1972 selling pots to real people direct is one of the reasons I'm still in it today. Making wholesale pots was something I avoided for 2/3 of my career .

Wholesale is something I came to late and slowly. Now I could only do wholesale if I liked that.  I still need some customer contact.

[Did I just mess up my kiln?]

If the piece you are coating is broken from the inside (you did not give much in details )

Meaning its falling off or trapped by the elements. Than a repair on the outside is only a partial repair . The brick need to be glued on the crack. You can thin the cement for this inject it with a large plastic hypo. The deal is you need to keep it 100% off the elements -You can sleve these in a say plastic  ot paper. just no cement on any elemnet. The other thing is less is more with cement on the outside (inner chamber) with bricks. It adds weight and will cuase more issues if to thick. I never use cement like paint-I use a putty knife or plastic small spatula orv a fettling knife. If this is yet to be fired it can be sanded down if to think still but that runs the risk of more damage. Looking at tis kiln its new looking so maybe you are overthinking it. The one photo shows only one angle so I cannot see really whats in the rear by the elements.

There are lots of YOUTUBE repair videos to see what works as well.

[Custer feldspar... again... new chemistry 2021 data]

Well shoot -I'm almost out of my lifetime supple of Kingman (on last 100# bag) and custar is my next go to. Of course my 2-6 bags are old stock so that may works for some time. Hope you get to the bottom of this -maybe at cone 10 it will not be an issue?

[Candling temperature / Drying greenware in kiln]

If this helps I have loaded an electric solid with serval hundred slip cast lamps (yes they have thin walls and are stronger egg shapes) all wet and bisgue fired then with zero issues. This was in the 90s and the kiln steamed for a long time. Kiln is manual no  fine control .Thicker wall pots will take longer and slower.Steam is a powerful thing. I'm a firm beliver of the 212 boiling point of water-that said puching the limits is what I am known for. Then you find the limit and back down

[My last out of state Art show]

Thanks Pres

As to mass wearing I have a middle 40s potter firend who has long covid as he got it before covid was testable back in February 2020. He cannot do much of anything at this point all these years later as his energy level is minus 2. He is in a Stanford group long covid group. I have also seen him with a bit of dementia and well as lauguge /memory issues. He no longer can work at all. His wife had it as well in thatearly time and she has some organ issues now also in mid 40s

Every time I may think about the mask issue I just need to think of my friend Seth. Masking works and i'm wearing one always around people til this is at a better place

I am here to tell you long covid will ruin your life and no one knows who may get that. 

About 1/3 of the public was masked at that huge show in Wa state.

My next show is 3rd weekend in Sept locally and am looking forward as we have cancelled it past two years.