Mark C.

Loading pots to close so they cannot (breath). In my reduction fires I pack them as tight as one can-always have. Yes in my salt kiln pots need to breath so salt gets on them but in reduction its a myth for me.
I can occasionally throw handle and fire pots same day. Its all about timing and knowing the limits of your materials and work.
Washing pots that where bisques -This I do with less than .001% of my studio production. Again only if they have months of dust on them which for me never happens. Pots are like mild around here they get processed and out the door. no need for washing .
I did wash a mug the other day as I am one handed for spell I dropped on in the glaze bucket and it need washing off and drying them reglazed and fired-that the .001% this year
I do not consider these habits but workflow

I use a water catchment system that takes clay water outside to setteling tubs-then goes to plants
I use a whole/studio vacuums system locateded outside for dust control.
I never clean up my throwing wheel much (Why bother) I keep the  other wheels clean .Use a deacated glaze area which is ready to go always
Use 100% advancer shelves in gas kilns

post a photo of fired pot please.

Been part of a local ceramics guild long ago as it folded up after a 10 year run. I have stayed in touch with my collage clay  professors until they passed (one is still around locally)
I donated low fire glazes and a ton of magaizes to local schools and art center as well as materials over the dacades. Some of this was from my deceased  potter friend who's studio I cleaned out for his widow over the past years.
I fired some local elementary schools work for them years ago as well -I gave them the clay and glazed the work myself.
 
 

Been part of a local ceramics guild long ago as it folded up after a 10 year run. I have stayed in touch with my collage clay  professors until they passed (one is still around locally)
I donated low fire glazes and a ton of magaizes to local schools and art center as well as materials over the dacades. Some of this was from my deceased  potter friend who's studio I cleaned out for his widow over the past years.
I fired some local elementary schools work for them years ago as well -I gave them the clay and glazed the work myself.
 
 

Waxed and ready to glaze
1 bottle, 1 vase, 1 bowl, 10 mugs, 11 berry bows
and 4 plates that are our 15yr anniversary/test design for shape, weight, durability since it was last week's class subject, feeling pretty firmly in the intermediary category now, gettin there. It will be so awesome when I'm not throwing "a" bowl, I'm throwing "MY" bowl, another thousand pounds or so maybe, hopefully, lol.

I do have an old creative industries wheel  its the 1st ones made-super heavt duty long before the clay boss came along.-I found the perfect use for it next to my Brent wheel CXC throwing wheel
I was cleaning my shop after xmas in my year end shop cleanup and here it is
well some of it-turns out a potter i knew moved away and gave me this table-no motor or controller or wheel head but a really solid table top and stand. I usually have it 1/2 loaded with bats and its where I put my clay to throw for the session next to me.
The thing about the CR wheel  and its really an old 1st generation wheel is its been trouble free the whole time no adjustment needed and I cannot hurt it-its got adjustable feet as wheel so you can level it.

I do have an old creative industries wheel  its the 1st ones made-super heavt duty long before the clay boss came along.-I found the perfect use for it next to my Brent wheel CXC throwing wheel
I was cleaning my shop after xmas in my year end shop cleanup and here it is
well some of it-turns out a potter i knew moved away and gave me this table-no motor or controller or wheel head but a really solid table top and stand. I usually have it 1/2 loaded with bats and its where I put my clay to throw for the session next to me.
The thing about the CR wheel  and its really an old 1st generation wheel is its been trouble free the whole time no adjustment needed and I cannot hurt it-its got adjustable feet as wheel so you can level it.

I have had good luck with needle nose pliers hanging on to element side of elements and grinding off the crimp carefully with a 4 inch grinder not grinding the element pigtail than prying it off-cut the wires off 1st and get the boxes away as well. Then forget the crimps and strip back to good clean feeder wire and use these
https://euclids.com/collections/connectors-lead-outs/products/element-connector-1-screw-hd
 
I just ordered a bunch of them-make sure the screw hits the wire on top as well when you tighten them down hard.Crimp connectors are just cheap and a pain. 
This is assuming the elements test good. Mine had a few fires on them and where new.If yours are the original replace them as the 70s was to long ago

Euclids makes and sell everything you need as well from elements to sitter parts

I bought another Peter pugger to help with clay body mixing (two bodies mixed together ).
I also just had a APL suspensionplasty with biotenodesis screw in left thumb. in laymans terms they cut out my trapezium bone out of thumb and use part of a thumb tendon to suspend the thumb over that hole. My surgeon did 3 techniques on my thumb to strengthen it.this was lastTuesday-i'm off of painkillers now and have a brace for two weeks then a cast for 4 weeks then rehab for 4-5 months . my thumb will have to be taught to work again as its immobile now. the other fingers are sticking out and i have use of them. The restriction of use is no lifing more than a cup of coffee.
i choose this coivid time to be down from clay to rehab as we cannot travel and are hiding ot on the property for a long stint.I did make lots of greenware and in few weeks will help my assistant glaze and fire a small kiln load to keep my outlets supplied duri ng this break. one armed now
my wife needs the same surgery as soon as i'm healed.

I bought another Peter pugger to help with clay body mixing (two bodies mixed together ).
I also just had a APL suspensionplasty with biotenodesis screw in left thumb. in laymans terms they cut out my trapezium bone out of thumb and use part of a thumb tendon to suspend the thumb over that hole. My surgeon did 3 techniques on my thumb to strengthen it.this was lastTuesday-i'm off of painkillers now and have a brace for two weeks then a cast for 4 weeks then rehab for 4-5 months . my thumb will have to be taught to work again as its immobile now. the other fingers are sticking out and i have use of them. The restriction of use is no lifing more than a cup of coffee.
i choose this coivid time to be down from clay to rehab as we cannot travel and are hiding ot on the property for a long stint.I did make lots of greenware and in few weeks will help my assistant glaze and fire a small kiln load to keep my outlets supplied duri ng this break. one armed now
my wife needs the same surgery as soon as i'm healed.

I bought another Peter pugger to help with clay body mixing (two bodies mixed together ).
I also just had a APL suspensionplasty with biotenodesis screw in left thumb. in laymans terms they cut out my trapezium bone out of thumb and use part of a thumb tendon to suspend the thumb over that hole. My surgeon did 3 techniques on my thumb to strengthen it.this was lastTuesday-i'm off of painkillers now and have a brace for two weeks then a cast for 4 weeks then rehab for 4-5 months . my thumb will have to be taught to work again as its immobile now. the other fingers are sticking out and i have use of them. The restriction of use is no lifing more than a cup of coffee.
i choose this coivid time to be down from clay to rehab as we cannot travel and are hiding ot on the property for a long stint.I did make lots of greenware and in few weeks will help my assistant glaze and fire a small kiln load to keep my outlets supplied duri ng this break. one armed now
my wife needs the same surgery as soon as i'm healed.

I bought another Peter pugger to help with clay body mixing (two bodies mixed together ).
I also just had a APL suspensionplasty with biotenodesis screw in left thumb. in laymans terms they cut out my trapezium bone out of thumb and use part of a thumb tendon to suspend the thumb over that hole. My surgeon did 3 techniques on my thumb to strengthen it.this was lastTuesday-i'm off of painkillers now and have a brace for two weeks then a cast for 4 weeks then rehab for 4-5 months . my thumb will have to be taught to work again as its immobile now. the other fingers are sticking out and i have use of them. The restriction of use is no lifing more than a cup of coffee.
i choose this coivid time to be down from clay to rehab as we cannot travel and are hiding ot on the property for a long stint.I did make lots of greenware and in few weeks will help my assistant glaze and fire a small kiln load to keep my outlets supplied duri ng this break. one armed now
my wife needs the same surgery as soon as i'm healed.

I bought another Peter pugger to help with clay body mixing (two bodies mixed together ).
I also just had a APL suspensionplasty with biotenodesis screw in left thumb. in laymans terms they cut out my trapezium bone out of thumb and use part of a thumb tendon to suspend the thumb over that hole. My surgeon did 3 techniques on my thumb to strengthen it.this was lastTuesday-i'm off of painkillers now and have a brace for two weeks then a cast for 4 weeks then rehab for 4-5 months . my thumb will have to be taught to work again as its immobile now. the other fingers are sticking out and i have use of them. The restriction of use is no lifing more than a cup of coffee.
i choose this coivid time to be down from clay to rehab as we cannot travel and are hiding ot on the property for a long stint.I did make lots of greenware and in few weeks will help my assistant glaze and fire a small kiln load to keep my outlets supplied duri ng this break. one armed now
my wife needs the same surgery as soon as i'm healed.

I bought another Peter pugger to help with clay body mixing (two bodies mixed together ).
I also just had a APL suspensionplasty with biotenodesis screw in left thumb. in laymans terms they cut out my trapezium bone out of thumb and use part of a thumb tendon to suspend the thumb over that hole. My surgeon did 3 techniques on my thumb to strengthen it.this was lastTuesday-i'm off of painkillers now and have a brace for two weeks then a cast for 4 weeks then rehab for 4-5 months . my thumb will have to be taught to work again as its immobile now. the other fingers are sticking out and i have use of them. The restriction of use is no lifing more than a cup of coffee.
i choose this coivid time to be down from clay to rehab as we cannot travel and are hiding ot on the property for a long stint.I did make lots of greenware and in few weeks will help my assistant glaze and fire a small kiln load to keep my outlets supplied duri ng this break. one armed now
my wife needs the same surgery as soon as i'm healed.

I bought another Peter pugger to help with clay body mixing (two bodies mixed together ).
I also just had a APL suspensionplasty with biotenodesis screw in left thumb. in laymans terms they cut out my trapezium bone out of thumb and use part of a thumb tendon to suspend the thumb over that hole. My surgeon did 3 techniques on my thumb to strengthen it.this was lastTuesday-i'm off of painkillers now and have a brace for two weeks then a cast for 4 weeks then rehab for 4-5 months . my thumb will have to be taught to work again as its immobile now. the other fingers are sticking out and i have use of them. The restriction of use is no lifing more than a cup of coffee.
i choose this coivid time to be down from clay to rehab as we cannot travel and are hiding ot on the property for a long stint.I did make lots of greenware and in few weeks will help my assistant glaze and fire a small kiln load to keep my outlets supplied duri ng this break. one armed now
my wife needs the same surgery as soon as i'm healed.

Oh come on you are clean from a shower (one of my favorites) and you are in very loose comfortable back open gown and get wheeled into a room with a light above  you the size of of the starship enterprize and you get to count backwards from 10 -usually make it to 8 and you wake up in a strange place drifting in and out of  heavy dream states..  You wife asks you if you are ok and you tell her aboiut some reindeer in Australial and later remember nothing of that talk. .Your surgeon checks on you and gren lights your departure into a wheel chait to the door. Then like a magic carpet you are driven home a long long windy road with lots of curves and huge green trees (about 5 plus hours ) 
its later that day when vacation is over-its a brief vacation at best

Oh come on you are clean from a shower (one of my favorites) and you are in very loose comfortable back open gown and get wheeled into a room with a light above  you the size of of the starship enterprize and you get to count backwards from 10 -usually make it to 8 and you wake up in a strange place drifting in and out of  heavy dream states..  You wife asks you if you are ok and you tell her aboiut some reindeer in Australial and later remember nothing of that talk. .Your surgeon checks on you and gren lights your departure into a wheel chait to the door. Then like a magic carpet you are driven home a long long windy road with lots of curves and huge green trees (about 5 plus hours ) 
its later that day when vacation is over-its a brief vacation at best

Oh come on you are clean from a shower (one of my favorites) and you are in very loose comfortable back open gown and get wheeled into a room with a light above  you the size of of the starship enterprize and you get to count backwards from 10 -usually make it to 8 and you wake up in a strange place drifting in and out of  heavy dream states..  You wife asks you if you are ok and you tell her aboiut some reindeer in Australial and later remember nothing of that talk. .Your surgeon checks on you and gren lights your departure into a wheel chait to the door. Then like a magic carpet you are driven home a long long windy road with lots of curves and huge green trees (about 5 plus hours ) 
its later that day when vacation is over-its a brief vacation at best

I peeked in on the liner tile firing this morning,  they looked great.  I am going  to have my husband help me unload the kiln tomorrow.   I loaded it myself and made my hand that I had the surgery on recently swell up.    Ice pack took care of it,  but I am going to try not to push it for a while.     Denice

Back to clay in am-Its a full court press make as much in next 12 days and get it fired.
shop is 100% empty of all pottery. Lest see what can be done to fill it up.

Back to clay in am-Its a full court press make as much in next 12 days and get it fired.
shop is 100% empty of all pottery. Lest see what can be done to fill it up.

(Time for the young people to step in. )
I wish some young potters would step in around here but as of late there are no takers. Seems nobody wants to be a full timer anymore around here.Might be a sign of the times.
Even at shows in other nearby states I never see young potters coming into this field.

2021 will bring in a fury of potting in 1st two weeks to get stock to cover my hand surgery recovery time in my outlets.
I plan on time away from clay for several months after the 19th.
winter is slow sales and thats what I need now. I will not do my usual may spring fair. Maybe an August show buts it still upo in the air. I'm not going to do a 4th of July show that I have done since 1973 staright thru iuntil covid cancelled it-I'm now done with the one day show forever myself.
I will put in another mini split in kitchen (14 foot ceilings) late spring.for the ac part mostly in summer.Its the only project this coming year after way to many last year.
As to potting I plan on stocking better for xmas since this crazy season that just passed . I was prepared I thought but never had a rush Like I just went thru.Just paid my gas bill $1450,00
I need to get back slowy into clay after the recovery.
I plan on diving /underwater phots in Bali in the fall if covid gets kicked down by then-it will be at least 3 weeks abroad this time.I missed this years trip . I'm also going to do a few less shows and try hard to work less -as I do not yet know how thats done well.