Mark C.

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.

I was before covid hit and sales went thru the roof. I have not done an art show in 18 months and still, have a best year of my life sales wise. slowing down got kicked out the studio door with orders thru the moon. I have said no to some lately. The kiln buy has been in the brain works for 3 years now and I still am on the fence-a smaller kiln sounds good at times

I have had a fair amount of Requests for older info on Brent wheels-all from the 70s mainly thru PM's and E-mails. I'll cover all the questions I have answered in the past years here. This is my original Brochure from 1969-1970-I bought a model C then from Robert Brent himself. At that time the model C and CXC where the only two models he made. The CXC was a direct drive transmission and could spin a 3/4 ton truck . The model C had two separate belts. Both had flat heavy duty decks with flat formica on top. The foot pedals where like in photos not like todays models. You can replace the potentiometer by following that link at top of Equipment page on Brandon's post. The splash Pans where galvanized sheet metal and just slid in under the wheel head with no attachment .You can make one from say a plastic bowl like container. I like to find them at Asian Markets as they have the best selections The CXC has a 1/2 steel thick deck and weight 160#s -yes 1/2 plate steel. The Model C was 1/4 inch thick deck and weighed 120#s. I still have my model C and its heavy. The transmission takes 90 weight oil in that CXC. The control boxes where metal electrical boxes and were to small for all the contents and can be replaced with deeper boxes if you are working on one. Any rust can be neutralized using Ospho bought online or any Ace Hardware store and let set for 24 hours then spray with flat black paint after 1st wire brushing away the loose material. If your motor is blue (its original) the brushes are not user changeable -just take it to an electric motor shop and have them change out any neaded bearings or brushes at the same time. If you have a bearing out on the wheeled (its all one unit) you can unbolt it from deck and replace with new Brent wheelhead but the shaft size on the model C was 5/8 and the new shaft/wheelheads are 3/4 so you will need new 3/4 inch shaft belt pulley as well In Brent wheelheads the bearing and shaft/wheelhead are one piece so you need the whole deal.. The good news is they can last a lifetime unless you are a production potter. All newer Brent motors have user friendly replacement brushes (non Blue motors). Hope this helps those who buy these older Brent wheels The wiring brochure is from the old days-the last document is the spring tension on wheels from the late 70s onward written by an old acquaintance from Amaco/ Brent Paul Scowden

Well maybe just maybe a used Giel 18 cubic downdraft front loader kiln. I always like these kilns. I have a 12 cubic footer and a 35 car kiln -the best size for me is a 24 to fill that gap. The other issue is shelve size its 14x28 so I would just leave the back of shelve up as its a ways back to them. Its a bit late in my life but a friend died and got this kiln for him. I may buy it from his wife (I cleaned out his studio last year for her) He only fired it twice.I can close to getting myself but at the last I let him have it. The moving it is a huge issue (I have to take his studio wall down and the logistics at each end are hard expecially his side. I need to pour a pad here for it and the overhead is tight and a small forklift is key. The 15 mile move is also an issue as I do not have a flatbed. Not sure at this age if any of this makes since for me I'm on the fence about this whole thing.

Dryer clay will help you-as dry as you can get away with.

Never used air release mold- I assume the air blows in not suck out so how would pure lube get in the way-lupe is like a soap mixture-slippery and doews not hgurt or clog plaster in any way. The Texas tile maker said 150 tiles a day so have one stick for a day is a huge issue A photo of the insides may help-I think pure lube is your friend many use other releases but this is made to work with plaster My gallon is about 1/2 gone after 20 years-you can buy smaller amounts https://www.axner.com/pure-lube.aspx

The texas Tiler comes with instructions I bet-whats it say? I use mold lube from axner to release clay from molds

You can boil down glaze to thicken it in a kitchen pot-then apply the thick glaze to get the same results

When refiring pieces that you want more glaze on = Get them warm then spray or dip them into glaze-let dry completely before handling handle them as little as possible -get the glaze off bottoms. I have been in a full time ceramnics profession for over 45 yaers and never used or own hairspray to answer your question it will just burn off and not cause you issues most likely-but you do not need it if you want more glaze layers just warm the work and reglaze-let dry and do it again until you have enough glaze.

Two one ton extended vans bought new made by my order over past 20 years-Had one for 10 years put 180k on that one the other is also 10 years old now bought new for 35K and it has 70k on it now-slowing down on miles now less than 4k a year on van Then two Peter Puggers-both bought used one this year Then Baliey electric slab roller bought new a few decades ago or more . 5-6 brent wheels over 48 year period -1st one in 1970 for 270$ new a model CXC in 82 both of those where new all the rest used except a model A off ebay-new old stock a few years ago as a spare trimming wheel some where in this mix is lots of hardbrick/softbrick which cost more than a wheel for sure to build kilns

I bought a life time supply. And am not letting it freeze I have always bought it in 5 gallon buckets but you can get it by the gallon.

45 years with this wax-Its one of the best.

I'm heading the other way-still subscribe to CM since the early 70s although at times I wonder why- dropped pottery making as it aims more for beginners and I got little from it.I donated all my issues to a local fire arts center These days it more technical reading for me-Kilns and materials-glazes-high fire reduction and salt less about technique these days for me I am no longer expanding library and will down size it in next year or two.

No is only use it when I mix it with dry milled zircon since its collidical silica (ridgidizer) That I apply to fire boxes and fiber in the flame box area of gas kilns or as a thin top coat on fiber walls. That mix is super durable and hard and I learned about coating fiber with it from glassblowers who use it building glory holes for glass work. Those are fiber lined and need to be hard with spinning glass in them. That mix sticks to just about anything fiber,hard or soft brick when its thin-if it gets to thick it will spall off (flake off) I suggest a thin coat which will keep fiber firm and solid -best sprayed-take the lid off and lay it facing up for this-lay the loose fibers down. This process will harden the fibers-spary and let dry then fire. can you post a photo of this fiber lid?

Its both for me to some degree but load is usually the main idea but what goes in is more driven always by what I need for orders/sales than any other factor. I fill the kilns full-stuffed no matter what and extra bisque gets stored away and piles up at times. I like to make lots of extras and smalls so the spaces get filled. I'm all about maxium use of space these days. I just finished a piece on tumble stacking for CM just on that subject of maxium fill in for a bisque. Look for it in the future -its more about electric bisquing than my gas kilns. Pots do not go bad and having more in all states is always a good thing-whether green ,bisque or fired-its all good.It all sells in the end so really its a no brainer for me. Right now I have boxes of what I call show pots that are just for shows-not for my outlets as I do not offer them-like cannister sets ,teapots,large vases and huge bowls, larger pots and platters. These pots are waiting for an art show this summer and have been boxed up for many months now since my xmas sale in 2020.

(I guess the use as a rigidizer is insider knowledge) My mistake this is the link sorry THIN coat is best with any product like this https://www.axner.com/search.aspx?find=RF+458 I keep a gallon on hand

this will make the surface rigid-you can spray or brush it on fiber (I spray it with a mask on) pretty cheap stuff -also called ridgizier thin coat is best https://www.axner.com/search.aspx?find=RF+458

Tables where full off 17 boxes of pots (13 banana boxes) , a large wholesale order just dropped off 5 hours south In Santa Rosa yesterday, now I have some space again

(With the direct drive electronically controlled motor of the Shimpo Whisper, when you take your foot off the pedal to stop, it stops so fast that the differential momentum between the top and bottom plates of the Grip reverses, the top plate keeps spinning slightly after the wheelhead stops, and the pads are moved slightly outward on their spiral tracks. ) So Dick this is only an issue when stopping or starting it sounds like ? As the poster said he has to stop when trimming to tighten it up? That means it lossening up up while rotating I think? Something else sounds to be at play here.The lefty loosy or righty tighty could be the issue as you pointed out I have demonstrated on a few whispers but never used a grip on one. I did not notice the instant stop only the quite noise free operation and that I was able to slow the wheel down with larger forms centering and the splash pans seemed a bit odd. I'm from simpler times where all my 5 wheels turn the same way and cannot go backwards-No choice for me is the best choice. Too many options theses days only adds to the confusion I feel. Ceramics is hard enough. My orginal teacher in 1969 would not let folks throw counterclockwise no matter how left handed they were on a kick wheel. We all seemed to master it anyways. Hey you can now buy a pink wheel or a black wheel or a turquoise color as well. Camo soon to follow then you will not be able to find the thing in a dark studio