Mark C.

Call amaco/Brent and ask I would just have her and throw the regular direction as lefty does not matter as most throw all the same direction no matter if you are right or left handed I'm making the assumption she is new to throwing and just learning-if she is already throwing clockwise then you should get it turning clockwise

sold over 20 of the french butterdishes past weekend at show -no issues-sign says French Butterdishes. they sell well in hot climates like the desert

maskedmaven has not been on this site since Nov 6th 2020 just click on the name and you can see that . You could send a message on that link to them and it may get to them via email if its setup. Welcome to the forum

I ordered clay way ahead of time (4 tons half of that was special softness) and trucking took extra long. I knew it was like that so no surprises .Since I'm a materials hoarder no problems with materials-none needed spoke to soon-was leaving town soon for show and was low on small paper bags(I have enough just not many extra) and the whole sale grocery supply house has only one size bag instock seems like bags are supply chain issues now as well. I plan on stopping in SF on return at a wholesale supply and picking up a few bales of different size bags there. I usually stock a one to two year supply but have let it get low with lack of shows past two years. Get your bags early before xmas season I forgot to add tires to that list. My 1ton van(art show vehicle) needed new tires (80 PSI load range E) Michelin is the brand coast about 350$ each. I had to order two at a time thru costco to get them on van. Seems they are hard to get now as well. Same deal with my big truck tires last month-high inflation load range E tires are in high demand and low supply. The list keeps expanding

I always add new colors every so often. I reacently repalaced a robin egg blue with another blue that easier to work with. Colors keep me involved-either better colors or easier more dependable colors-either way its always on my mind currently using about 12-15 glazes as a standard. I have soemthat like hot and cool spots and get into those in the gas kilns so they are optimum looking

Extruded handles for 40 years now-two wall mount extruders. power jiffy mixers with thre size heads on three drills -power slab roller-LEd lights-lots of them-studio air filtration system past 25 years-hot tea kettle for hot throwing water-two tub setting system outside for clay sink. I embrace anything that saves time and energy. I love my manuel electricl kiln with old school fire right ramp up. No relays no issues for an occasional bisque fire. I do not glaze fire in an electric.I do 99% of bisquing in gas kiln always embraced any thing that saves time. all kiln shelves for gas kilns are advancers I have a spare pile of them as well now bought used at good price. Bit of a ceramic hoarder for sure

I rarely use my triple bean over the newer digital scale-it weights more and is 10 times faster to make a `10,000 gram batch I still fire old school gas kilns with only two cones in lower spy plug.New school is the oxy probes and digital pryros also is the older meter on kiln which works without a battery for rough temps. I gave up wet mop for central vac system in studio. It burns up a motor every two years but is worth it. I still throw with very few tools-sponge and a stick. Old school is my plaster bats for all things 8#s or less old school is I use the material bags they came in-unless it smaller colorants Old school I clean wheel every year not every day- less water use and better use of time old school phone in studio covered with clay from western electric -bullet proof old school banana bexes for transporting wares to and from shows, 70+ fit in van-easy to recycle at a show or to get more.

French butterdish is what I call them-no lawyers yet after 40 years. But wait there is still time for them to line up out front. Well they have to see them at a show or a shop. No online sales for me.

Some years back I spoke to John Pacinni at a wood fire opening show. He was the clay/materials guy for Laguna Clay Co. (now retired) and he said many mines where being bought out either for single use companies or even just to end competitive natures of the business. Net effect was many materials where getting revmoved from the market wreaking havac in the smaller ceramic world (our use). Texas Talc is just the latest.

Thanks for that Min-I should have added I never did substitute that for texas talc. I actually do not use texas talc -but do own a bag.

I use sierra lite from laguna-its a white talc-no stortage, cost is more.

No I have fired a few items for people over my 47 years. I stopped doing it about 20 yaers ago. No much risk. The last person said clay was high fire but it was cone 6 and bloated badly and made a mess.Never again. That said I also have fired the local elementry school kids work twice using my clay and my glaze (onece was unglazed planters)

Yes its a bit like stock trades-(I also do some of that as well) buy when price is low in quantity Maybe the thing is decide if ceramics is your thing and if that s a yes than approach materials in a business like manner . If you are just playing around with clay than all this makes no sense.

Materials have been going up especially lately. I stock/horde materials in larger quantities so am less affected by any fluxations . I also am a distributor so price hikes show up in email form from supplier every month or three or six and I can see whats happening. Tin ,cobalt,frits and really many colorants rise (and sometimes fall ) fairly often. For example the world demand for cobalt /spodume in electric cars really drove prices sky high as Min said above .Other factors include larger companies buying up smaller mining companys and closing them down or taking all the supply for a few business like we saw with texas talc recently. This is a huge factor now in ceramics for us. It started about 10 years back and will affect us all. If one wants to avoid this some buy in larger quantities and shop around. I found a cobalt and odd colorant supplier(non ceramic supply) who dealt in 50# lots and I bought colbalt carb and sold most of it so I would have cheaper cobalt myself. I bought lots of Tin long ago during a drop in price cycle and will not need any more most likely. Trucking cost has climbed steadily and adds to the prices. World demand also can make for rises. I have 8,450#s coming in a week (mostly porcelain) and share trucking to lower costs with our local ceramic supply house Every year almost I buy a few bags of Alberta slip and silica, whiting and Nepheline Syenite as I do not want to stock over 3 bags of each along with my clay order. These have all gone up but considering the price its been small and steady .Clay also has slowly risen. In 1982 I bought 3,000 of kingman feldspar and am down to about 200 -300#s now and that was a very good move it turned out. On a smaller scale one can do the same thing. Now for hobbyists who only use tiny amounts you will take the brunt of all price hikes but really most things ceramic are pretty low cost.

leave out top spy plug until all water vapor is gone-500 degrees sounds fine. Welcome to the board

Vacuum the grog carefully out of elemnets groves before firing

Usually my return customers are my best sales force. I have had a few bad eggs and refused service to about 3 folks over the last 45 years. One was two women from New York with really bad mouths and attitudes and very loud. I usually just let nature take it course and they leave but these two where not going so I had to say your money is not good in this booth-soon they got it and left . I also did that about 25 years ago to a aggressive man who told me after putting 4 mugs down on my sales table what I was going to charge him. I picked up the 4 mugs quietly and returned them to the shelve and told him politely his money was no good in my booth and he left.You get to refuse service as its your right Another was a man who had no clue about reality. I have had a few drunks as well over the past 45 years who required removal before displayed got hurt.Dogs peeing on racks-0dog fight in booth-food being dumped etc My usual way to say no is your money is no good in this booth-that usually gets them wondering why this may be soo and soon they drift away.I do not confront folks most times. Keep smiling and say what I mean. Sometime the customer is not always right

Funny I use the same coolers as Neil -I have them in two sizes.I also have an electric one for the van.I run that electric with frozen gallons of water and things stay frozen for a few days If I'm on a long trip like the one in two weeks that will include diving for 3 days after 3 day show I will take some frozen tuna to BBQ after show-we stay for a week in a place with a kitchen (friend own it) also fresh vegtables from large garden and steam them for dinner . Usually shows and diving do not mix but this one coming up in Wa state I have mixed diving with show for 30 years now . For me my wife makes chicken for me before show and we freeze it . I did many 3 days shows as well.I pack the frozen chicken (one saerving for lunch per day)in pre frozen water bottles quarts and gallons and the food thaws slowly driving to shows (most are long trips up to two days away) I also have a bag of celery and carrots and cold drinks.I also take some hard boiled eggs. I have my own coffee making (stove and dripper always with me in van asa well.) if the show is hot (summer) then I take a as large as I can gett iced latte or coffee. In the eraly am I get a coffee shop to give me a cup of Ice and the drink in another cup and make it up as needed during the day. I like coffee in all forms. I also have some small cold expresso cans as well in cooler.I usually pack some kind nut bars as well. This is for a solo show or a helper show -its standard as I supply food to helper as well. I have done shows for 47 years now and have a system down . Also I take two days of fresh sandwiches which gets me to show and into the 1st day.I carry cereal for breakfast and milk in cooler as well for all breakfasts during and traveling to and from shows. I always eat a dinner out after shows unless I'm staying for long time after show like my next show in two weeks.-part of the deal.10 years ago I put 20.000 miles a year on the van every year(only used for pottery sales) Now its under 5,000. down to 3 shows and soon less than that.My local sales really have made shows obsolete other than the disire to see and talk to customers which I still need. In my past when doing super hot shows like Gilry Ca garlic festival I have a scuba tank air powered mister system that covered my booth and 1/2 I used for decades there. I no longer do super hot shows (maybe not with climate change withstanding in the Pacific Northwest now ) .Customers flocked to that mister booth back then-the emitters where away from the racks of pots. I never eat fair food-for many reasons they are takes to much time Getting bad food and sick at show is no fun (seen this happen more than once to others) Remember your time at show is very limited so make it all count. Reading books no waiting in food lines no attuitude is everything unless the customer crosses the line (been there as well) Refusing service always is a last resort but I have done it more than once-this may be another topic?

If I used them I would buy a 50# bag for sure.

My clay prices and chemicals have all gone up. Demand has gone berserk I have raised prices and am still doing that. My 1st show is coming up a few states away and all pots will cost more except for spoon rests . My natural gas cost has risen as well.

wait and get the right stuff

Any supply chain issues for you as well as raising costs in this new landscape . Things like plaster are scare as well as talc at Laguna Clay Com.Equipment is long backordered they say- Prices are creeping up on most items I had to raise my prices as well to keep up. any issues for you in ceramics?

I had studio sales twice a year at the studio for 19 years-stopped in 1993 when I went to more long distance art shows.There where no local studio tours like these days back then. I had a 1000 person mailing list and mailed a postcards out the last 5 years-before that I had a bulk mailing permit (#75 ) and did bulk mailing as it was the cheapest.I gave up mailing lists in the early 90s never looked back-All the work sells so why botherb looking for more customers? I did a local studio tour one time in early 2000s -it was a bust for me money wise for the effort. I did about 12 traveling art shows for more decades than I recall.Gave up on studio sales . as time went buy shifted to local venues (shops,galleries,stores) and a few less shows I sell to customers who call ahead every year maybe 3-10 a year -just sold $300 last week to return dinnerware customer. I only do this when the production allows it -not on glaze day - or loading day ,usually after a glaze kiln comes out I keep track of these studio sales and they average 1k to 3 k a year -in fact I keep a small 1/2 sheet of paper on fridge side with all sales of every sort every year to compare year to year .Sure I could spread sheet it in excel but why-I log them in when they happen-pen and paper At one time I sold (my display )at a local produce stand in a barn) for a few summers about 1/2 mile away from home. I also had pop up stands in the 70-s and early 80s around this area-now they are called pop up sales I have tried pretty much all ways to sell-turned down the trunk show offers 20 years ago at Norstrums-You have had to say no many times with others trying to make a $ on your work-you get to pick and choose.

In terms of production from late April early May to October 15th I dry most pots outside same day made. Thrown and put in sun,fog or anything but drizzel or rain. Trim and handle same day. If its really cool and foggy and wet I'll dry them in shop with natural gas heater on. The rest of the time its up high in shop with heat on- throw trim as soon as they are ready usually same day no matter how hot it gets creature comfort is of no concern-pots are the focus not my comfort. I like to dry outside so shop stays cool but if needed it can be warm in a few minutes. Pots dictate whats needed. We can throw handle and fire mugs same day if weather is warm and sunny. I do it a few times each year -last week was one of those times. You can do things that are outside previous limits if you get it right.Things like cearl bowls all day long throw trim and fire-handle forms take special care to fire same day-in an ele3ctric its easy the gas kiln is harder and I bisque in gas kiln 99% of the time. Humitity meter in shop tells me what to do with the heater. Today with two glaze fires going I had to trim and keep the pie plates away from kiln area (to hot to soon)

Something to consider -I have installed two Mr Cool mini splits in our house in last two years (one last week) Besides being the most effecent heat and cool heat pumps made they also have a dehumidifier function which could dry out your basement. The smallest unit is about $1,200 (they make 5 models of the DIY models)so for about $1400 total (wiring /breaker and pad) it could cool and heat and dehumidify your basement. Of course I did all my own work and so can anyone if you are handy-check them out on You Tube-Available at all bog box stores etc. I got mine from supplyhouse.com ,no big box around here. Free shipping-they seem to be all fair priced the same everywhere. Its a cheap option and they use very little electricity-could cure your issue and add cool or heat as well. By the way these mini splits are all over the world especially in Asia but are just now hitting the US market. I have a solar electric system so power is alraedy paid for and these only use small amouts of electricity .They heat down to near zero degrees and cool when its hotter than a kiln-so climate location really does not matter.