Mark C.

Hey your "sailing mugs", old school travelers. are what we call Motion mugs or Trucker mugs or Travel mugs.I still make and sell them. I attach a neoprene rubber bottom on them so they also make them no skid. I can pm you a source if you want them

Mondern Tec for ceramics beside faster easier could also mean things like catalitic converters and thermo proof ceramics Need more time to think about that statement. -its xmas production time-will revisit later

Back in the day pots where made all by handbuilding/coiling etc or a kick wheel driven with a foot or a stick or a treadle (later invention) or by someone else handles where rolled or pulled or slabbed Indoor plumbing came along as well Since those days and much of this has been in my lifetime its all changed.(not the indoor plumbing) Power wheels extruders slab rollers pug mill and clay mixer and combo machines-they even come all with electric power now Pres story on extruder dies sums up how far this has come-I cut my pulled clay handle in 1/2 traced it on the aluminum die and cut it with my jewelers saw from collage jewelry class. I most likey would still do that way as I like the craftsmen ways still. sure I have power wheels and electric slab rollers but filing it smooth and completing it feels good still to me. I embrace the parts that save time and my body as a professional potter.Even with all that stuff I'm still been beat up by clay. I'm missing 3 bones in one wrist from overuse after a fall injury long ago I do not recall. Soon to have a bone removed from my other thumb (later in January) no cartilage between bones from overuse.. (centering I think )as that hurts the most I will add that clay has also kept me in shape. Moved 1/2 ton today into studio. Keeping moving at my age is a good thing. The part of clay that has not changes much is how much we have to move it. At least 12 times for me before its sold or dropped off. That adds up over the decades .Especailly when it 10 tons a year. I would love this to be different but even If I had a better studio set up it still would be 10 moves at least . If I made less stuff -non production potter I would not think about this.I learned long ago not to make my own clay as it was killing my body when I did.Now its more a slow death by clay. Griffen grips power mixers and wheel all add up to time and body savings. I'll all in for that. I sponge up all labor saving I ever see from other potters no matter how small from glaze tongs to hot waxing-it all adds up to less time.I do not claen my throwing wheel much anymore whats the point it gets used to much to bother time wise. I keep my trimming wheel clean as its easy. Leanring from others was and is a high priority for me. Technology for me is all about Time/labor saving . I still like paper and lists so some old school left in me.

The big innovations since I started in clay are good electric wheels (ones that have power and variable speed control)-this was a. GAME CHANGER in the early 70s Electric wheels in the 60s where horiable comepared to whats out there now.They where mostly AC with bad speed control. The switch to Dc motors was a major improvement-I credit Robert Breent for this at that time. Soon they all followed. Computerized kilns -both in gas and electric. Now its more of control and time saving-Zone control really is sweet for those who need it.-(not me) You can argue griffen grips as they sped me up about 30% -50% in trimming-another game changer for us production potters Kiln shelves which is really a major deal with the this strong non warping shelves-like advancers -huge game changer for me as I have piles of all the earlier shelves from mulite to sicone carbide to dry poressed English ones. They all where thick -heavy-and warped over time at cone 11. now its lite and flat and take up 1/3 the space-maybe the most game changer in terms of more wares in the kiln. Now many of these really are not needed in hobby market but all are beneficial to us all. The last mention iare vacuum combo mixer /puggers. Really another game changer fro production potters-time and ease of working with clay that you make to fit your needs. I will think of more later after this expresso sinks in -back to the shop now as its xmas crazy production now full speed ahead dam the torpedoes On those older wheels that where not very good-The names I recall as I thre on them all when learning where- Skutt-had a string out the side witgh a piece of wood for the foot pedal-poor speed control but buildt in spolash pan as oart of unit Amaco -looks like a Buck Roger space wheel-super gear box but speed control was poor. Oscar Paul--white enamel metal reminded me of a bicycle-poor speed control

After 45 years now throwing pots I think I'll order a 3 d printer and run it from the couch. No more getting hands wet and muddy. I will also match it with one of the new Geil or Bailey auto fire car kilns. I'm just waiting for the auto glaze machine and then I can operate it all from my phone from a tropical Island while diving. Maybe an autonomous vehilce to deliver the wares. Just a few months away from the big investment of Ai stuff. finally after 10,000 yaers of Manual ceramics I'll be free of actually touching the clay. No more dry cracked fingers -worn out bones, worn out cloths and shoes. No more aching back, no more dust . Just a few swipes on an I phone 18 small enough phone to fit thru an airline door. No more pesky watching the kiln. Soon I will have to call the fire department to come and flip me when I weigh 400#s on the couch and have run thru all of netflix content. I can for once be free of that clay desease that invected me in 1969.Finally a cure Somehow I'm wondering if this is all linked to corona virus cure???

Since all my shows where cancelled it was an easy decision but the one sale I put on for the weeks before xmas I was on the fence about . It is the most low key sale I do and is usually only one or two customers at a time. I was waiting to see where our county is before green lighting it. My usual sale gal did not want to do it so I would nbeed some new younger sales staff. I still have a young person that does weekends (there will be two of those) . Last week I decieded since our county is in tier 4 the most open you can get I am going ahead with sale. I will put a large table in front of sales area with plexiglass hanging in front to keep folks away as we wrap and sell pots. . (space below glass to put purchase and use cfredit card reader.) In terms of actual shows I'm not yet ready to jump in.Beside the health risks I have no financial reason to as all my local sales are doing great without shows. When Covid is no longer a factor for everyone I'll get back to a few shows. I have a friend who is doing two shows in AZ one in Nov. and one in Dec/ I did thoss shows for 25 years myself twice a year. One show he said you sign a paper stating you took your temp before the show that day and if its over 100 you will not open your booth. (this is super sketchy really)The other show is requiring vendors to come to the setup table and get your temp taken and get signed off everyday -the beter way to do that. Either way I feel its best for evderyone not to have the shows. The public well they can be and will be spreaders. Tempe show got canceled today (11/13/20) just heard that

Two bisque loads to be glazes today and two glaze kilns loaded. Fire on Tuesday.Holiday sales have started

I like my snow with fish in it after it melts and flows to the sea and gets warmed by the sun around 7 degrees latitude -now that my snow.The rest you can have-let me count the ways I do not like it cold cars spin out slippery when wet shoveling more later

Denice Hopefully you are finding a top notch hand surgeon. I consulted with one for 1 hour last week near SF for second opinion and she is now my 1st choice on bone removal this winter.I want to rehab this winter. My number one surgeon moved from SF to take over orthopedics in hand surgury teaching at Yale and I would have her do it but flying for me is out now for some time.Find good people it worth it.Check to see how long they have been doing it. The best only operate from the elbow to the finger tips-nothing else .Kansas must have a good one

Today a little production for Saturdays bisque fire Mugs (1 1/4 #ers) and some meduim bowls as well as cereal bowls all porcelain -mugs got finished today as did the cereal bowls ,all trimmed, larger bowls will be trimmed in am tomorrow . The sun is loosing its heat and will not be able to dry pots outside by Halloween -then its cook them and me until xmas inside.

I love milled zircon-I use some of it in my propriety salt wash formula

Ball clay for me makes it to harder to remove I feel-I took out ball clay from wash reciepe in the 80s I love the EPK alumina mix posted above.

Bisque unloads Sunday afternoon on all the work benches. The last huge wholesale order of the year-already have 12 boxes done and packed for this order. The beat goes on

I tend to use centimeters and millimeters for 98% of work that need measuring. for dinner/salad plates I still use my americano ruler (bad system really) but have done so since 1973 and know the two sizes well-just lazy and never changed For most forms I cut the pug into weights I know without weighing just by the cutting of the whole pug. I weigh the clay if the form is an odd weight. when doing free form slab fish I sketch the fish on paper 1st and trace it onto the slab I tend to do this all pretty fast without a lot of thought

Steriod shot can help but its a temporary solution. See a hand only surgeon -tahts one who only doies hands that all they do. I'm looking at a January or Feb. deal myself. No fun. I see my second hand only suregon is SF in two days for a second opinion . The wax does speed up healing as well as the ice water to hot water baths that you plunge your hand into a few times a day. It all helps with blood flow and inflammation reduction. Same with water soaked microwave washcloth wraps on wrist. All good stuff.Any top notch rehab person will suggest all the se treatments .

Hot wax was used in my PRC wrist rehab- aftyer surgery. I found a new one at a thrift store for 20$ and bought it. Its a electric tub that you fill with High quaility paraffin . You can dip your hand or foot. I then put it in a plastic bag (you want to contain any way as it will ruin carpet or cloths). Let cool and peel and put back in wax tub. They are like this one https://www.spaandequipment.com/Paraffin-Warmer-Machine.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjw5eX7BRDQARIsAMhYLP_4gpPNBGkTlEfJf9Yq2JC_8fTwO0TepgbTFhivmdcnOZXzBtmoqyAaAi9KEALw_wcB Its just better than say hot water on your hands which is temporay feel good and joint loosening. Any great rehab place will have these as they help with rehab.

Pres I to have bumps on finger joints and as far as the hooked or curvered fingers that do not straighten . That can be a simple surgery procedure with no ill side effects if done with a hand surgeon. I had a friend do 3 fingers and no ill effects long term.Only one of my fingers is hooked at end and its thge one I cut off at age 12 and was reattached .So thats a special case and I'm fine with it looking curved when I point.

Joint pain is part of my life-seems that 47 years as a potter has done some wear on hands Wearing the wrist immobilizer while sleeping helps-hot water soak and or hot wax (I have a wax dip tank that I got for wrist surgery rehab 8 years ago) really helps. Pres wrist fusion is what I will have to do if/when my PRC right wrist causes me more pain than I can stand.I miss my 3 bones but have had a great pain free 8 years but its starting to bother me again. Fusion is the last faul safe-not the 1st on the list but the extreme last. I'm contapalting right now on a lower small bone removal on my left thumb-getting a second opinion in SF next week. I'm moving very slowly on this thought. The pain and loss of grip is teh driver. I could stop with pots and still It would be bad. Its a bone on bone deal with no cartilage left and bone spurs. It an ugly X-ray. Dottie doing the prevention items really is the 1st solution to helping.We have never been this age and its taken a toll on us-as you said aging is not for the weak of heart.

Workbeanch had two glaze fires on it today (been glazing all day) now they are loaded and will fire tommorrow-thursday bench will have two glaze fires on it.The beat goes on-big fall orders getting filled.

Bench is covered with orders for shipping out. mailbox (extra large box) is full with 5 boxes going out today. Packing UpS boxes today going to Colorada-Washinton and Arizona states also SF in Ca.. Made deliveries yesterday to 4 Organic super markets. another bisque on Sunday and glaze on Monday-business is off the charts for pre xmas I can feel already that I will get redlined on shipping this fall and may have to slow or shut it down so I can get work done. I knew this business was recession proof now I know its pandamic proof as well.You just have to get your stuff in front of the customers. My local gallery who can only let in 3 customers is selling more pottery than last year at this time. The markets are doing the same as well. I'm back to full time reluctantly .

All work surfaces are covered in bisque wares for tomorrows glazing