[QotW: What is your most unapologetic, shamelessly proud, pat-yourself-on-the-back accomplishment of any type in Ceramics?]

For me it may be building two salt kiln conversions at a Molkai Art center on two different trips. Pro Bono as well. I am in the giving back space of life and passing on knowledge is part of that process. It felt right and was for a good cause . It still feels great years later

[What’s on your workbench?]

7 hours ago, Pres said:

Hi folks, 

I have been doing some thinking about the white liner glaze that I have been dipping the hazelnut and the white clays in before spray glazing. So I decided to try a piece without glazing the whole piece in the white glaze, just the inside and neck. I think you can see the difference. Seems like to me, the white is bleaching out the cream rust glaze here, pieces I had sprayed with the cream rust, the variegated blue and the rutile green would always be more blue and green. Interestingly enough, the hazelnut pieces would have more browns in them. 

 

best,

Pres

Nice piece 

 

[What’s on your workbench?]

My workbench /wheel is now empty after a two week production  run that may have been one of my largest output periods ever. The last two kilns are firing now and the van is about 2/3 full for an upcoming big show. This last two kiln loads has my wall fish and odds and ends in them. I plan on a small ceramic break after the show and do some diving before returning to my remodel for a few weeks in August. I'll get back to clay near end of month for fall shows .

Now packing for a huge show and a dive trip all in same vehicle .

[What’s on your workbench?]

8 hours ago, Min said:

Some of 75 assorted mini vases for wedding favours, 60 done, 15 more to do.

 

Reminds me of making 125- 2 inch baby vases for a friends wedding. Pro bono deal

felt great when done-one was at every table place setting for each guest.

[QotW: What is your studio companion lately?]

I have full blown large set of speakers(cerwin-vega) in studio also a set in outer kiln loading area-and 5 more sets spread around like kitchen living room salt kiln-office all hooked to two 300 cd disc players and also can pipem pandora thru the system.Most speakers have their own volume control nearby. The players and amp is in the living room so its dust free.There is a 8 speaker control as well. Player goes all day on shuffle .Or pandora on a shuffle mix .

Music is must for me. 

[What’s on your workbench?]

Working on a kiln load -bowls mugs and glasses so far. Been doing remodel work mixed in . Helping my sheet rock finisher and getting ready for new windows and the flooring guy on the 15th. Moved out of bedroom June 1st-sheet rock mud will be done on Friday -then painting before wide plank maple hardwood floors

[QotW: What would your basic tool set be for handbuilding, or throwing?]

I seem to have started to really use less tools these days 

sponge/water

needle tool

wood stick with point

screwdriver to pry plaster bats off of clay pad

I rarely use a cutoff wire unless the pot is over 10 #s as its thrown then on a plastic bat and need one vs not using one on plaster bats.

[What’s on your workbench?]

some times  my salt refires come out spectacular in reduction fires as well.

[What’s on your workbench?]

Un loaded two kilns  this week and have dispersed most of it. I'm taking a break from clay some (still putting in a few days a week) in next 6-8 weeks.

The last remodel project is starting on the house .Its a big one -but only one room-the main bedroom. About everything one can do to a room-

[What’s on your workbench?]

I do not use or have a damp box (never did) I use plastic sheets-some are dry cleaner bags from friends but most are plastic just a little thicker(tougher) from items we have recieved.I keep a tub full of them and use them about every day.I think I was in a dry cleaners in 1963 with my mother? but am unsure .

[Skutt model 181 kiln?]

3 inch brick  is the way to go with all firing as far as I am concerened as it s better insulated and does not use as much energy.I even no\tived this in bisquing in electrics.

If I was going to cone 6 all the time it would be in a 3 inch wall with elements made for higher temps than cone 6 . You will get more life from them if they are cone 10 elements fired to cone 6. 

[Skutt model 181 kiln?]

And can someone tell me if I *Have* to have 3” bricks in a ^10 kiln?    Or can I get away with the 2.5” brick?

 

Yes you will need 3 inch brick for cone 10 and really that is just a bare minimum .Forget about 2.5 for cone 10

[QotW: In terms of your pottery work, where do you seen yourself five years from now?]

We have been traveling for 1 month trips for the past 3 years (this year was my wifes new hip surgery so we had a rehab break).

You could take a year off shows with not much worry as well.

I feel  with shows  a year off is very doable-the wholesale orders are not as flexible .My Grocery store wholesale is diffently hard to be gone with. I have had friends take in the work to the markets when I'm traveling .I like to be gone  in dead of winter months.

[QotW: In terms of your pottery work, where do you seen yourself five years from now?]

1 hour ago, liambesaw said:

There will be plenty of time to retire when you're dead.  

Yes indeed

[QotW: In terms of your pottery work, where do you seen yourself five years from now?]

Gep said ( I also plan to travel, and pursue some recreational interests that I haven’t had time for while running a pottery business. )

This is possiable as well as a pottery career . I have traveled alot on this planet as well as enjoyed lots of other activities. It can work if you schedule the times off well.

Its worked for me since I got the travel bug in the middle 80s.

[QotW: In terms of your pottery work, where do you seen yourself five years from now?]

I have a slow down plan

My slow down plan has been in effect for about 5 years now-I cut out  5 shows in that time. One gallery went out of business  and I did not replace-one wholesale place cut their orders in 1/2.

Thats the good news on slowing my pace but I have picked up 3 grocery store wholesale orders  two years ago. Thats been a lot of success  money wise but that means more work has happened. I no longer will take new wholesale orders.

In 5 years I plan on doing way less production-and it may be next to none by then. Its hard for me to let go as I like certain parts still like talking to customers . Shows are hardest and the most profitable-I have 3 traveling still and 2 local ones left. These will be pared down in upcoming years.

I may still have a few wholesale acounts and one local show in 5 years we shall see.Pottery keeps me moving (I have 4 tons to move today with a helper) it also takes it toll so its a love hate thing on the body.

I'm throwing less this past year but I also broke nmy arm and had two months off from throwing. In 5 years my plan is alot less for sure.

Right now I could quit (retire completly)but I like this business and am not good at relaxing.The hard part is the happy meduim.

[What’s on your workbench?]

12 hours ago, liambesaw said:

Nice!  We finally got some good days of weather and I finally got a little better hold on my settings.

Nice photo -just do not send it to a juried show

[Brent Wheels and equipment fix it-videos]

No I have not seen any videos on PPuggers. I did stop by the factory as I pass by it several times a year.When I redid all my seals-I pulled the shaft as well a .. nd took it to them and bought my parts from them at that time-I also replaced the pressure guage and bought some spare parts,I do have the VPM 30. I bought it used online. It was pitted from low fire clay inside. I'm ok with that as I'm pitting it more with porcelain.Not much to fix with this machine.

[What’s on your workbench?]

Good luck at the show

[QothW: Does size matter?]

In my 35 forms they vary from larger cannistyers to 20# large bowls to 1/2# spoonrests.

Size maters depending on the form.

For me right now the real income is in small stuff-like the 120 spongeholders I sold to one outlet-they pay the bills.

Yes I can make the big sectional pots but I'd rather make lots of meduim bowls.I sell about 2-3 a week in my outlets where a large pots sit for 1/2 a season .

[What’s on your workbench?]

Fred Flintstone said the same thing long ago

(no more fighting the ring and cone drive..)

Now enjoy the modern age of the Jetsons.

[QothW: Is there some piece of equipment or tool that made such a huge difference to the quality of work, and quality of time, that you wished you had found out earlier?]

I posted the wrong size pug /mixer mill, its a  is a 30 vpm Peter pugger

[QothW: Is there some piece of equipment or tool that made such a huge difference to the quality of work, and quality of time, that you wished you had found out earlier?]

My pug /mixer is a 30 vpm Peter pugger

used and shipped was 1/2 price

i have seen a few come and go around the country since I got mine

it fits as I wish I had it decades earlier

i now only throw soft clay and recycle much of my scrap 

[QothW: Is there some piece of equipment or tool that made such a huge difference to the quality of work, and quality of time, that you wished you had found out earlier?]

For me its many things but one was my power slab roller-I knew about slab rollers but the speed my 30 inch power Baily puts out clat as well as makes any thginkness out of any firmness of clay is amazing really-just wished I got it a few decades earlier than 20 years ago

I think the extruder which I got after about 10 years really made for stronger and faster handles-after about 20 years I got another  one as well so I have two which saves lots of time messing with size dies.

Car kiln-well I built the 1st one in 79 and wish I had done it sooner-never looked back on that decision .To this day its saved my back loading its alight year ahead of a front loader and several light years ahead of any bend over electric kiln.

My fans-getting out of hauling pottery's to shows with a  truck vs a van -my knessa and back all where saved -this one tyhing I should have done decades earlier -I'm on my 20 year with vans now.Yes I still use two trucks, just not for finished pottery's hauling.

[QothW: how often do you introduce new forms, and does that change throughout your career]

In terms of glaze colors on forms I have so many choices going the color part comes after the design part. I usually offer most forms in all colors so color is not part of the thought process. Also I know color is such a personal choice for the customer I never put my own choice in that mix. I just glaze forms with many choices-they decide what to buy.