Mark C.

How about a Larger paw print-dog folks love the big size.

I'm not sure thats a ever for me. That said I seem to get about 12-15 glazes going at any one time.-over time I experiment anbd bring is a new one to the fold and usuallt take one out. Thats happend a few years ago with an iron saturated glaze I now make with synthectic iron and am phasing out the old iron glaze. The new one is much brighter and almost red in certain situations. I have a few glazes that I have used my whole career and my costomers still crave them. Test for me works in cycles of how bored I get with my glazes and how much spare time I have to adress the testing period. I know for example I have big (last remodel of house) on our bedroom this late spring/summer and thats will take up all testing time so its now or fall for me for new colors. as to the remodel its a full gut interior-raising the floor 11 inches to match rest of house as one level. Raising the ceiling at least 1 foot-That means collar ties and adding 2x6 to ceiling,making walls 2x6 over 2x4 as is currently by adding furring strips to studs. Adding a very small 1/2 bath with wall monted Toto Toilet and a small corner sink. maple hardwood floor-moving closet into two closets. Moveing entry door 6 inchs over to fit closets .New windows(3 -3x6s) perment color outside wood interior. Maple trim throughout. New wiring (last room to get this). Puting in a small mini split AC /heat pump unit for this room .(its about 16x 15 if I recall.)taking out the exterior door and filling in the 5/8 x 10 old growth redwood siding with cider siding(already have it) Adding new insulation and 5/8 sheet rock as well. I'm doing all the mechanical/electrical and helping with some wood work and doing the trim This room was a add on in 1962 about 10 years before I boughtb the property and its all made from old growth redwood-and is currenty covered with mahogany paneling-the real stuff. Its that only room left thats not 5/8 sheet rock. And as you may have guessed I'm not going to be making many pots during May 20th and the later part of June-But they are getting made NOW. Sorry I got a wee bit sidetracked on the glaze question

1st bisque firing of the year in big kiln today(35 cubic feet)-Little kiln (12 cubic)has had 3 glaze fires already in it.

I learned by real people-teachers and fellow potters-before the net was a web.Books as well-I have a large library on ceramics. I like to read .

What is realistic amout of time to spend before being able to produce quality thrown forms on the wheel.Meaning ones that others will want (not family members) 1 year 2 years 3 years 4 years 5 years longer?

liambesaw you need a biggger shed

My studio is small and the electric slab roller is 30 inchs wide at rollers and another 1 foot for the mechanics. its about 7 feet long as well. I cut into the sill to get it flatter to fit my small space.I use the table all time in glazing and forming stuff. It was an adjustment but in the long run I'm vdery happyt to have it. The table is formica so its a joy to clean up.My answer is yes I can afford it space wise even thought its use is not very often.I wonder why I did not get this sooner in my career ???My rolling pins and shims hardly ever get used anymore-now thats something that is never used taking up space now.

Yes they have wimpy cord and restrains-of course it very quiet when it cannot run-wisper quiet I bet. I used a few of thoise doing some demos a few years ago-great for talking over.

Whats the brand?

The public always needs help with what the heck is it for items.

My thought is the sponge leans against the side at an angle so air hits just about everywhere. It may be extra work for not. I have seen them with shark teeth on sides -as well as the bottom cut out on bottom-both things are unnecessary . Our sponges to not drip are get loose. I had a Japanese potter send me oine from Japan with the bottom cut out an a panda bear on the side. Now that was time consuming. I put put holes in about 1/2 my extruded soap dishes-holes take extra time to clean up.-just a thought. As you know these sell better with one demo sponge in them on of them.

Whats the purpose of the side holes in the sponge holders?-it has to be decorative ?

You meanDxtruded soap dishes thrown -butterdishes -spongeholders and mugs

Today it extruded soap dishes sponge holders-butterdishes and mugs. Short day

Min I got tired of salt pigs taking so long-I worked on a copper pipe to cut my opening like a hole cutter. I like an oval opening but since yours are round this will go easier for you. I ovaled the larger copper pipe fitting and then ground the inside down to a point with a Dremel tool . You could do this with platic pipe or fittings(these vary in size) Just find the size you want and sand or grind the edge to a point and t=now you have a fast punch. It works great then sponge smooth. Saves tons of time.

They have made a few improvements in the past 50 years with wheels. The Fred flintsone model is impossible to get parts for now.

I think good music matters most when throwing .I know that is a little out of the box but for me its true.A nice large light gathering window in front of me keeps me chipper as well The other smaller things are speed control and a good throwing seat. The speed control needs to work well. (The pedals on the shimpos at the time weren't nearly as sensitive.) I think Callie thats an understatement as all those old Shimpo's have teriable speed control .The foot pedal on the ring drives seem really outdated-even back in the day.Sure thay are cute but thats about it. All 5 of my wheels spin only one way-never thrown the other way. No reason to.

Brass hole punch set works wonders-1/4- 3/8- 1/2 -3/4 inch They used to have wood handles now I think they are all brass pipe with plastic cap or you get them from Chinese art supply and they are very cheaply made-make sure the hole bottom is flush with planter bottom. I always did 3 holes evenly spaced. No pots made yet in 2019 but I ma firing a electric clean up bisque right now.I have a small gas kiln load to do in a week to clean it all out.

That strange as I was just going thru my 2011 tax papers to shred (8 years back) to make room for the new 2018 papers I'm working on now. One was a letter from Warren about the bowl he sent me as a trade (I paid shipping cost)I put it with bowl today-same day I read this thread.I had not heard the news-small world.

I tend to work thru a new item by making some 1st and using them. Next batch I improve them and so on-usually I get to what I think is the best in term of functionality and weight and form and function by the 3rd go round.Then I make many hundreds in my line. I can change the form over time like my tumblers which used to flare at the lip more 10 years ago now they are almost straight -just a little for your lip. I have added a few forms over the years if I'm asked a hundred times about it. Thats how I came back to making french butterdishes (butterballs for some) I was doing southwest desert shows and got asked for a decade about them before caving and offering them.I did make them in the 90os but they had yet to catch on then so I stopped . I tend to standardize forms with the same metric measurements so lids will always fit bottoms if I need more-I have done this since the early 80s before that every lid was a different size to fit that particular bottom.I was green out of school and it was learned skill that made life easier but requires some discipline . I also from the start weighed all clay to have standard forms-I can do this without a scaling all the pieces but cutting the pug in so many pieces. It saves lots of time as well. The trick is cutting one handle off your cut off wire and you can drag it thru the pug on end and pull the wire out at bottom of cut.Its the little tricks really that save energy and time. also no need to make clay balls the wheel will round them out in a second unless the clay is over about 6#s then a ball shape will aide you. In terms of exact forms like Pres. said above -on a batter bowl or what I call a whip bowl. I make mine with extra thick beefy handle and a pour spout and sell them with wire whips included. I have yet to break a handle on one. I make a handled whip pitcher with sprout that has a small handle on side that holds the small whip-cute as a bug but its my least favorite form due to the fragile side handle. I was recruited to make them buy a gallery in Mendocino and they sold very well for 18 years until the closed two years ago. I have about 50 more whips and when they run out I'm done making them as I know folks break off the side handles. I tend to like strong forms that last. I make thousands of sponge holders and they are a bit fragile but I know they work very well(we use two ourselves ) I do not like them to thick even though they would last longer and hold up to falls better.Its form weight function trade off.My sponge bottom keeps then from moving on counters.