Mark C.
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Posts posted by Mark C.
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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.
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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 $1500 in costs to the customer. This year will probably be worse. I believe that the large online shipping companies are controlling much of the sizes and delivery situations that will make it a different world for craftspeople shipping their items. This does not even include what you have mentioned in the way of social media exposure.
best,
Pres
Pres you need to be using Pirate ship-its a super deal with UPS and USPS rates-The best deal I have worked with by far. Anyone can sign up-you just need a printer and a scale and a ruler
- Pres and Piedmont Pottery
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I cannot image selling 10,000$ 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.
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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
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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
- Pres, Babs, Piedmont Pottery and 3 others
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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
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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
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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.
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Well lets see the show was under perfect weather condions no wind in the upper 70s and 80s for 3 calm days. Best show of my life and thats saying something.
Customers heard it was my last show there after 30 straight years
They came from Canada and Seattle area,Bellingham to Germany. My largest sale was from a Jeweler from Atlanta area who flew in for show and was along time customer-she heard it was my last show and bought a few boxes of pots.. Had over 750 customers over the 3 days
My new fish plates in 3 sizes where a big hit and sold out in 2nd am.I raised the price 3 times on them.
It was tedious telling custmers over and over why I was not coming back
One thing people at shows think is you will always be there for them whenever they come. Well that was true for 30 years . They where slow to under stand that my wares sell out where I live and i have no reason to take them out of county ever again.
They get it now. It was sad and a joy at the same time doing this last of my favorite show -the show is 250 artists which 25% where brand new. Less than 10 potters left now as in most shows I see nowadays. Only less than 5 artists who like me have 30 plus years in there.
I meta youg potter couple in mid 40s and invited them down to our local art show and will if they ever come pass on some of my display racks for cheap as I have way to many sets of displays at this point-no more double booths for me. The diving was so so as the tides where not good and I picked up a cough/cold (not covid) on trip. I was masked whole time in the heat -no fun but I'm careful .
I'll miss the show and the customers as I saved them to the end.
well back to packing stuff up for 5 order drop day at local outlets
- Pres, Callie Beller Diesel, Chilly and 4 others
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HAND FOOT WAXER is oval not round and not as deep as a crook pot-its made for feet and hands not stew-temps are easy to control. Its loaned out right now otherwise I could take a photo.
its full of wax all the time-sometimes that wax is cold and hard when put away
Its a PT tool for rehabbing after surgery or whatever.Hot water soak can also be helpful.
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32 minutes ago, Roberta12 said:
recipe for kiln wash
50% alumina hydrate
25% Edgar Plastic Kaolin EPK
25% calcined Edgar Plastic Kaolin EPK
I use this recipe. I got it from someone here on the forum. It is a great recipe. However, I do not put the wash on my shelves. I put it on cookies that I put under my pots. The community studio where I first started working had a horrible mess with kiln wash. Flaking all over everything and everyone's pots. When I got my own kiln, I didn't want that mess. So I just use cookies. But....if I were so inclined to wash the shelves, I would use the recipe above that @oldlady posted.
I posted that recipe long ago hear-its on all my high fire shelves. Its bullet proof and it comes off if neded as well.
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Have you changed the orfices to propane size? they should be much smaller holes? than Natural gas
next the tank has a regulator of shorts and then one should be near kiln?-whats your set up?
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Most likely none-plug it in and turn it one
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Lets deal with the belts-You need to fix the flipped belt then tighten them with the motor hinge (that tightens the belts). You can still get these from Brent last I looked. They will last a lifetime. but not if they are flipped.
as to the potentiometer you can buy one and modify it -look at the
Lets deal with the belts-You need to fix the flipped belt then tighten them with the motor hinge (that tightens the belts). You can still get these from Brent last I looked. They will last a lifetime. but not if they are flipped.
as to the potentiometer you can buy one and modify it -look at the the 1st pinned subjest at top of equipment page by Brandon on replacing a potentiometer -she bought a cheap one and modifided it to work. Since. your old Brent has a old foot pedal and those potentiometers are long gone this is your only option
The motor is mostlikely a 1/2 hp -no way to tell for sure except a motor shop visit and thats gues. at best
I think you have a 1072. Brent 1/2 hp model C. New style plastic deck and plastric controller-new style. wheel head with flange for splash pan-old style foot pedal and motor.
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I'm at my last out of state large street fair and just saw this post tonight
Your wheel is a bit of a hybrid as its got the origiunal foot pedal (no parts for this anymore) and the plastic ribbed deck (the earlier models are flat formica on really thick 1/4 to 3/8th steel deck .
Your controller is plastic box not thge orginal metal small electrical box and tghe motor is thge orginal old blue ones. What diameter is the wheel head 14 or 12 inch???>?
My guess is this is model C. That motor can be repaired at an motor electric shop if ever needed. If the potentiometer goes out you an make ones as seen in that pinned thread at top of page and its a maybe as this foot pedal has less space than modern brent pedals .If the motor says 1 hp its model CXC but the head. needs to be 14 inch-they made model C with 14 inch heads as well-see my orginal brochure I posted in the Brent section
One last note is that plastic splash pan fitting under a flange or just floating free as that plastic splash pan came in a few years later witgh a flange-
My guess is still a model C-The biggest issue will be the foot pedal down the road
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I use a 1/2 inch drill attached 20 inch 5 gallon Jiffy mixer
90% on glazes are in 5 gallon buckets-one is ina 20 gallon container. I have a small jiffy mixer on a small cordless drill for 1-2 gallon buckets.
No mess ever as buckets are the right size for the right jiffy mixers and the drills are all varibale speed
I have 3 sizes of jiffy mixers -I also have a cordless drill with the baby jiffy mixer for a few small containers I use every glaze day as well
I mix all my glazes with this set up on glaze day then put sticks of wood -one in each bucket a bit larger and longer than say a paint stick-these have 40-50 year of use on them and I wash them off and toss into a 5 gallon bucket at clean up time.
I have used toilet brushes at a art center I demoed at-I prefer a wide stick myself
as a toilet brush cannot work up hard stuff off bucket bottoms as well-once the glaze is power mixed than a toilet brush would be fine-many have metal in them and are going to rust so thats a concern
I glaze large volumes of work so it has to work smoothly and efficient .
I recall a old post on this where I had some photos of all this as well as my homemade brushes from animal hairs
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Talc bodies have had issues for decades and really where used in low fire clay applications to some extent
This is a common story for low fire folks for many decades
As to cim-talc that manufacture mines a few different types and you can look them up.
None of my bodies use talc and the only talc I ever use (have 4 kinds) is for a few high fire glazes in my mix of 15 glazes I use.
When I speak of talc its for glazes not clay bodies
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I use magma to float glazes-it does not stink or go bad like CMC gums do. I have used gums a bit until I found Magma abiout 20 years ago. I adjust specific gravity of glaze than add the magma. I use it in high fire glaze so brushing is not what I do much of-usually dipping or pouring. The glaze may appear thicker but its the right specific gravity so it fires our fine. I only use it in a few glazes that settle like bricks. I apply that glaze the same as all others and do not try to overthink it,
In this old post I explain how to prepare and store it
one other note-Mins use of the syringe is faster is a understatement-I bought two 100m syringes and use them every week-wow a real time saver-Thanks Min for that tip
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You learn from your mistakes sometimes they work sometimes they do not.
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A cheap digital pyrometer is all you need-60$-the pyrometer probe needs to be better quaility-drill and install it in side of kiln in middle
If you need new elements get all of them not just 1/2 of them-you will need to ohm test them 1st
rebisquing will not hurt the pots
buying clay in bulk, dry vs wet
in Studio Operations and Making Work
Posted · Edited by Mark C.
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.