Mark C.

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.
 
 
 

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.
 
 
 

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.
 
 
 

Bill
I sprayed a Skutt 1027 -inside walls and lid-it was a sitter no timer kiln I just bisqued in it . At that Time I had just bought a 1227 and never fired that 1027 but a few times after that. I sold it last spring to a person who is doing low temp. Bisque on pots  to be used for a wood fire  -perfect use for a kiln that manuel and that low temp. The lid and walls where pristine after all those decades .
I also sprayed my car kiln soft bricks -I'll look to see if I did the inside arch. The walls where sprayed and then put a layer of fiber inside the wall  over the brick and sprayed that. Back in the Day Fritz (ITC invented and long ago owner who sold out) used to give me a great deal on his products. That layer on the bricks is still holding well as some of the fiber in bag wall came off after 20 years and the bricks are still holding the materials well (thin coats are key)
My car kiln wall is 4.5 inch hard brick (I like that look) and 4.5 inches soft brick-mostly k26 and some k28s and in some areas 1 inch high temp fiber over the soft bricks.. Maybe 750 -1000 fires 
in 3.5 decades -average 25-30 cone 10 glaze fires -not counting the exact same number of bisque fires (I never count bisque fires in totals)
I also sparked at least 60 shelves with it top and bottoms and sides-Those where English dry pressed 1 inch thick 12x 24s. Never had any ITC come off.  I also sprayed at least 20 -20 advancers top and bottom maybe more. I used to use that stuff everywhere as it reflects radiant heat very well. Its main use in in industry to select heat in huge kins and such. I also have my own special coatings now that holds well. I use a zircon mixture in firebox area on any material(fiber -soft and hard brick)  and it never comes off. That mixture is milled zircon added to a small amount of  liquid colloidal silica. I have another mixture that resits salt as well but it proprietary to me at this time (not sure what my future plan are with that)
I have been thru more gallons than I care to recall. The new owners priced it out of site now. I still have some. I coated a salt kiln in Molokai a few years ago with some of my old stash of it.
Now I only wash the tops sides of advancers . The its after about 300 cone 11 fires tends to bead up  like salt pebble up on advancers-then I grind it smooth. Never comes off
I loved the rejectivity of this material-that was mostly in the 90s  and early 2000s for me. The love affair is over now after Fritz sold the company.
I still use the ink pens and hat he sent me long ago. ITC is good stuff
 

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

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???

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???

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???

Seat of your pants firing Pres-its what many of us old timers  do. I fire all bisque without cones in gas kilns.Color is key.
One needs to know what the real process is and not take for granted all the time modern convinces .

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

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 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 

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

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.
 

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.
 

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.
 

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

The probable reason it is rated to only cone 6 is the blank ring in the middle. That adds volume but no additional heat. The blank ring can be removed to improve the watts to volume ratio, but that would limit the size of things you could fire.

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 .

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.