Mark C.

Workflow for me is a few kiln loads so its hundreds,many hundreds . Long ago (70s) I stopped counting pieces in kiln loads. Say how many in a glaze fire etc. I think more in cubic feet every glaze fire these past years is a 12 cubic updraft and and a 35cubic downdraft fires at same time.Most loads have over a hundrerd stuffers-from salt cellars to spoonrests to sponge holders.
I really dislike to fire glaze fires without the stuffers as the space is wasted.
This year is a huge transition year  as I'm working less now ,we (my assiasatant) are working two months on then two off or thereabouts
Just delivered a huge wholesale (my largest ever) to a Gallery a few days ago and am working on backstock to supply  local outlets during my break.
On a daly basis I throw in series -My list on the wheel now says salt cellars, garlic roasters and candle trays-I'll make them in dozens -say two dozen candle trays and a dozen garlic roasters and 2 dozen salt cellars. I just dropped off 80 salt cellars and need a small break from them.
When working on larger orders I step up to making larger runs on any given day.
The slow winter time is still here outlet demand wise so now its stocking up backstock so I can play this summer
 

Teapots-I throw a bunch of spouts-the bodies with each lid-then cut an assemble the spouts I think work best.So that a mix
Honey pots are all 10c seats and 10 c lids-never one offs. I make extra lids and they fit any honey/jam/garlic keeper potsiall the same size galleries-all lids off the hump
Butter dish same deal always 17 c lids a bit larger 17.2
same with french butterdishes all the same
Now with meduim large bowls all are one offs although they are weighed so they sometime do not vary much
all salt glazed pots are one offs
 

Laguna is short staffed as are most places due to covid and they have yet to recover. Also there has been a turnover in the top positions as older folks retired out. Clay output has been tough and many bodies have just been in short supply -all clay makers at laest on west coast is this way now.In all my Laguna years (I swicthed to them in the middle 80s's from westwood clay bodies) its never been this bad. They grew and bought out westwood  and movds to that facility and then bought out the clay plant in Ohio (not sure what that name was Neil may know) then Axner in Florida-Stewarts in LA and Thoirley shevel manufacture as well. They are the gorilla in the clay field . I knew the old owner and his father (who retired near me before passing) I bought some of his stuff long ago as well. When I switched porcealin  bodies in the 80s I went down to meet them(the owners)  and see the plant as it was a big deal for me to switch -12 hour drive  each way. That was long ago but I have a long history with Laguna as well as being a distribiutor in more modern times. For many many decades I would  order  at least 12 tons to get the best price breaks(the 12 ton break was the best price)  before becoming a distributor . Part of my  overall success is keeping costs low as possiable on materials.. Today I noticed I'm down to 1 ton of clay and have not been this low in over 20 years. I have a 8 pallet order in now and they are making the extra soft clay but as noted eralier its a slower process these days. Trucking is now a huge issue for me as well. We live in the boonies and trucking has always been an issue. Now its worse.

(paid more attention to closing up damper for the cool down, and I fired on a fairly thick bed of silica. )
I think this really made the differeance

Better stock up now as its going to go away is my thought

Teapots-I throw a bunch of spouts-the bodies with each lid-then cut an assemble the spouts I think work best.So that a mix
Honey pots are all 10c seats and 10 c lids-never one offs. I make extra lids and they fit any honey/jam/garlic keeper potsiall the same size galleries-all lids off the hump
Butter dish same deal always 17 c lids a bit larger 17.2
same with french butterdishes all the same
Now with meduim large bowls all are one offs although they are weighed so they sometime do not vary much
all salt glazed pots are one offs
 

I started my pottery life with a Brent C. That was 50 years ago. Now I have 5 Brents-CXC, 2 model A's and a model B and that C
Tomas Stuart (now skutts) also makes quality wheels
Brents hold the resale value as well

Low fire clays tend to be tight bodies -so its risky at best. If the pots are made try them if not wedge in some grog. Also made during the raku process try and temp shock them less.

I started my pottery life with a Brent C. That was 50 years ago. Now I have 5 Brents-CXC, 2 model A's and a model B and that C
Tomas Stuart (now skutts) also makes quality wheels
Brents hold the resale value as well

Low fire clays tend to be tight bodies -so its risky at best. If the pots are made try them if not wedge in some grog. Also made during the raku process try and temp shock them less.

@Earl, I believe that when you look at wheels you have to consider your physical abilities, your throwing skills presently and in the future, and just how often you see yourself in the shop making pots. I would suggest that you sit down with some wheels at a pot supply shop, and try some throwing. In a previous life I taught HS ceramics, and bought some wheels that were good for the money, 1/2 hp, and some that were 1 hp. Over the years I got to the point where I would never demonstrate on the 1/2 hp wheels only on the full ones. I have an aggressive centering style, not wasting time on the centering but getting right down to the throwing. I could always out torque the 1/2 hp wheels and it would mean more time to center. If I was demonstrating the entire throwing thing for a form it was best to blast through parts of the demo and concentrate on the parts I was teaching for the day. 
When it came to buying my first belt driven wheel I looked at all of the wheels out there, and chose a Brent CXC, as I had thrown on Brent's in grad school, Randall's in undergrad, Amaco motorized kick wheels, Skutt wheels at conferences, a few early Soldner's, and some Bailey's. I decided on the Brent, even though it was one of the most expensive, but as I grew in ability, it supplied everything I needed. Now 30 years later, I have had to only do one repair. . . last year a flood in the shop soaked the foot pedal so I had to replace the potentiometer. Easy research on line, easy ordering and quick repair.
Hope this helps,
best,
Pres

I started my pottery life with a Brent C. That was 50 years ago. Now I have 5 Brents-CXC, 2 model A's and a model B and that C
Tomas Stuart (now skutts) also makes quality wheels
Brents hold the resale value as well

I think that glaze looks to be a matt or satin Matt which can put lots of stress on the pot as well unless it has glaze on bottom. Does this happen with shiny glazes or just your matt glazes? I cannot see any need to fire down with these glazes or pots. Try closing the damper as soon as the cone gets to where you like and CLOSE the Damper all the way to cool. 99.99% of all potters do this .

You said you are firing down-so I assume you have a gas controller on your kiln. Talk about what type of kiln you have downdraft (slow cooling) or updraft -whats size kiln?
I have fired cone 10 for 50 years and never fired down (no controller on any of my gas kilns yet) I always pack them tight and close them up as soon as the kiln tops out with my cone.
Looking at your form-I think more compression is needed-also what clay body is it and how tight is it. Unglazed on the bottoms can also add to the cracking issues .Same thinckness as others noted is key. Less water when forming also helps. More compression and the right clay body . Grogged body is good but that now for me points to lack of compression and fast cooling (damper open???)
If you are firing down I may ask why are you doing that???
Those all look to be cooling cracks to me. To fast cooling (open damper will do this) where is the cold air coming from? 
Tell us more details please 
 

Skutt makes the exact elements you need just call them and tell them all the details as strange as they are-if they send the wrong ones it's on them and they will make it right.

Interesting piece on Slave pottery in the post-I can gift this I hope  to the forum as its behind a paywall. Lets see if it works
https://wapo.st/3nEd56J

Workflow for me is a few kiln loads so its hundreds,many hundreds . Long ago (70s) I stopped counting pieces in kiln loads. Say how many in a glaze fire etc. I think more in cubic feet every glaze fire these past years is a 12 cubic updraft and and a 35cubic downdraft fires at same time.Most loads have over a hundrerd stuffers-from salt cellars to spoonrests to sponge holders.
I really dislike to fire glaze fires without the stuffers as the space is wasted.
This year is a huge transition year  as I'm working less now ,we (my assiasatant) are working two months on then two off or thereabouts
Just delivered a huge wholesale (my largest ever) to a Gallery a few days ago and am working on backstock to supply  local outlets during my break.
On a daly basis I throw in series -My list on the wheel now says salt cellars, garlic roasters and candle trays-I'll make them in dozens -say two dozen candle trays and a dozen garlic roasters and 2 dozen salt cellars. I just dropped off 80 salt cellars and need a small break from them.
When working on larger orders I step up to making larger runs on any given day.
The slow winter time is still here outlet demand wise so now its stocking up backstock so I can play this summer
 

Interesting piece on Slave pottery in the post-I can gift this I hope  to the forum as its behind a paywall. Lets see if it works
https://wapo.st/3nEd56J

Interesting piece on Slave pottery in the post-I can gift this I hope  to the forum as its behind a paywall. Lets see if it works
https://wapo.st/3nEd56J

Just call Skutt and talk story (have all your plate info ready) and know the brick thickness. Or order online from them

Workflow for me is a few kiln loads so its hundreds,many hundreds . Long ago (70s) I stopped counting pieces in kiln loads. Say how many in a glaze fire etc. I think more in cubic feet every glaze fire these past years is a 12 cubic updraft and and a 35cubic downdraft fires at same time.Most loads have over a hundrerd stuffers-from salt cellars to spoonrests to sponge holders.
I really dislike to fire glaze fires without the stuffers as the space is wasted.
This year is a huge transition year  as I'm working less now ,we (my assiasatant) are working two months on then two off or thereabouts
Just delivered a huge wholesale (my largest ever) to a Gallery a few days ago and am working on backstock to supply  local outlets during my break.
On a daly basis I throw in series -My list on the wheel now says salt cellars, garlic roasters and candle trays-I'll make them in dozens -say two dozen candle trays and a dozen garlic roasters and 2 dozen salt cellars. I just dropped off 80 salt cellars and need a small break from them.
When working on larger orders I step up to making larger runs on any given day.
The slow winter time is still here outlet demand wise so now its stocking up backstock so I can play this summer
 

Workflow for me is a few kiln loads so its hundreds,many hundreds . Long ago (70s) I stopped counting pieces in kiln loads. Say how many in a glaze fire etc. I think more in cubic feet every glaze fire these past years is a 12 cubic updraft and and a 35cubic downdraft fires at same time.Most loads have over a hundrerd stuffers-from salt cellars to spoonrests to sponge holders.
I really dislike to fire glaze fires without the stuffers as the space is wasted.
This year is a huge transition year  as I'm working less now ,we (my assiasatant) are working two months on then two off or thereabouts
Just delivered a huge wholesale (my largest ever) to a Gallery a few days ago and am working on backstock to supply  local outlets during my break.
On a daly basis I throw in series -My list on the wheel now says salt cellars, garlic roasters and candle trays-I'll make them in dozens -say two dozen candle trays and a dozen garlic roasters and 2 dozen salt cellars. I just dropped off 80 salt cellars and need a small break from them.
When working on larger orders I step up to making larger runs on any given day.
The slow winter time is still here outlet demand wise so now its stocking up backstock so I can play this summer
 

You said you are firing down-so I assume you have a gas controller on your kiln. Talk about what type of kiln you have downdraft (slow cooling) or updraft -whats size kiln?
I have fired cone 10 for 50 years and never fired down (no controller on any of my gas kilns yet) I always pack them tight and close them up as soon as the kiln tops out with my cone.
Looking at your form-I think more compression is needed-also what clay body is it and how tight is it. Unglazed on the bottoms can also add to the cracking issues .Same thinckness as others noted is key. Less water when forming also helps. More compression and the right clay body . Grogged body is good but that now for me points to lack of compression and fast cooling (damper open???)
If you are firing down I may ask why are you doing that???
Those all look to be cooling cracks to me. To fast cooling (open damper will do this) where is the cold air coming from? 
Tell us more details please 
 

You said you are firing down-so I assume you have a gas controller on your kiln. Talk about what type of kiln you have downdraft (slow cooling) or updraft -whats size kiln?
I have fired cone 10 for 50 years and never fired down (no controller on any of my gas kilns yet) I always pack them tight and close them up as soon as the kiln tops out with my cone.
Looking at your form-I think more compression is needed-also what clay body is it and how tight is it. Unglazed on the bottoms can also add to the cracking issues .Same thinckness as others noted is key. Less water when forming also helps. More compression and the right clay body . Grogged body is good but that now for me points to lack of compression and fast cooling (damper open???)
If you are firing down I may ask why are you doing that???
Those all look to be cooling cracks to me. To fast cooling (open damper will do this) where is the cold air coming from? 
Tell us more details please 
 

You said you are firing down-so I assume you have a gas controller on your kiln. Talk about what type of kiln you have downdraft (slow cooling) or updraft -whats size kiln?
I have fired cone 10 for 50 years and never fired down (no controller on any of my gas kilns yet) I always pack them tight and close them up as soon as the kiln tops out with my cone.
Looking at your form-I think more compression is needed-also what clay body is it and how tight is it. Unglazed on the bottoms can also add to the cracking issues .Same thinckness as others noted is key. Less water when forming also helps. More compression and the right clay body . Grogged body is good but that now for me points to lack of compression and fast cooling (damper open???)
If you are firing down I may ask why are you doing that???
Those all look to be cooling cracks to me. To fast cooling (open damper will do this) where is the cold air coming from? 
Tell us more details please