Pres

There is absolutely nothing that touches me more than the feel of the clay spinning through my fingers during a pull! best, Pres

I believe this strand should be in the Equipment use and Repair strand, so I will move it there. Hope you agree @neilestrick. best, Pres

Unfortunately, I did the same test, and found that 3 of the factors were upper left hand quad. .. .don't even remember what it meant, but the tester said it was significant to my choice of career. . . a career I never really chose, just fell into. best, Pres

Ever since a kid, I knew I wanted to do art. For years it was drawing, painting,, crafty stuff and other things. The college thing was natural, like walking across a river on wet rocks. Once accredited as a teacher, I thought of going the MFA, but back then 2 years of residency when I already had a wife and child was not in the mix. In the 80's I was working with another arts teacher, a music teacher to write a grant to put in an arts computer studio. We got the grant and I started teaching animation, and he taught computerized music, which we assembled into videos. I found that I had a natural feel for using the mouse and pen interfaces, not much on programming but on the creative visual end. This went along with the pottery as I could enjoy siting on the computer putting together frames in an animation to tell a story. . . .analogous to throwing. I still find myself creating labels, glaze databases, art work for stamps and other things on the computer. I have met other potters that seem to have the same feel on the computer. best, Pres

I did Mishima years ago, using a medium brown colored clay, and a white clay that both had the same percentage shrinkage. I did my carving in plates on the dark colored clay and then used a pasty slip to cover the area. I applied this slip with rubber ribs, smoothing it into the plate. When drier scraped the surface with a metal rib to expose the brown clay and the decoration. Never had a problem with decoration shrinking away from base pot. In the end, I decided the technique was not the look I was after and took longer than my attention span would allow. best, Pres

I really can't heat my garage through the Winter as it just gets too cold for the brick unattached garage, so all of my glazes freeze. In warmer days or when getting set to glaze pottery I make certain everything is thawed then sieve the glazes through the same sieve as when mixing them originally. This brings them back to consistency and ready to glaze. I heat the shop at these times with an electric space heater. best, Pres

Hi folks, no new suggestions for a QotW in the pool, or at least I have gone through the ones that had piled up. However, I had thought that I posted in one other other QotW posts about the mentality of potters. There was some response to be asking if it was needed for the QotW so: QotW: Do you think it takes a certain mentality or emotional state be engage with clay as a potter? Please state with examples or personal perspective. I have often wondered what it was that got me about clay over the years. I had played with clay, done a little here and there in elementary school, and painted some bisqueware when at Hickam AFB in Hawaii, but not much to speak of. In the Summer of 1971, I took a Summer class with my fiancé in Ceramics. This included wheel throwing and handbuilding in 9 weeks. I sat on the wheel the first day completely frustrated after the demonstration by the teacher of how to throw a pot on the wheel (Randolph motorized kick wheels). I could not center, something that seemed so easy, and ended with slop after the 3 hr session with several balls of clay gone through. I couldn't even get the hang of the wedging. . . nothing seemed natural. The feel of the clay in my fingers though was unbelievable, so I trudged on. I think I had nine pieces total out of the class, and received a B. Ceramics II was different, I could wedge, and center, and even throw a nine inch cylinder with 3 lbs of clay. I would wedge in the beginning of class, all of the balls I would use allotted for specific forms. The days were structured, and the rhythm of wedging and throwing seemed to come naturally. I threw casseroles, a teapot, some vases and other pieces ending the course with maybe 20 pieces and an A. I believe that the structure of the process attracted me, and held my interest, I really love the feel of pulling the clay, centering pieces and especially shaping the form to the greatest amount of inflation without loosing balance, I found out late in life after my son was diagnosed with ADHD, that I probably was the same as was my Dad. Our work areas were always in disarray, and our thinking process were often erratic. I found the only way to study in college was to take an immense amount of notes and then recopy every night religiously, then at the end of the semester recopy all of the notes again. . . but each copying of the notes was to shorten or paraphrase the information established in the notes. I also would Outline the text books and recopy/condense the outlines. These techniques allowed me to test in classes much better, but when doing studio classes of any sort, I had no trouble remembering things. So yes, I believe that it takes a certain mental state or even emotional state to work in clay or to be attracted to it. I still get physical, mental and emotional calmness when wedging, throwing, glazing or anything else involving clay. . . .with one exception. .. . .clean up! Whoops, reminder from @Min that @LeeU posted : Do people who work with clay have a tendency towards certain personalities ?" Might be interesting! Sorry, but I imagine the two are similar in intent. . . sorry @LeeU, I did not mean to overlook your question, thanks for submitting it. best, Pres

My glazes are mixed to cuticle visible but covered thickness, no hydrometer. Wash is done with wet sponge or dip, with 20 minute dry. Base glaze is done with 1-2-3 dip, with over dips or sprays. 06 bisque with slow bisque. best, Pres

I believe that only another potter can truly appreciate a "second". best, Pres

I have often considered the +/- side of moving the bisque to 04, but then realized that in the studio I would have to change a few things that I have come to expect. My glazes are all set to pretty much match my dipping time on the 06 bisque ware. My spraying situation also uses a set timing as does my washing of pots. To change the bisque temp would change much of my internal clock when glazing so i have no made the move. Call it old school as I have been doing it for more than 50 years. best, Pres

One other option is to make the two pieces and not join them together, Just have foot ring that fits into the opening of the base. The foot ring would be thrown into the base of the top pieces as an inner rim. best, Pres

I would consider throwing the plate upside down with a rim perpendicular to the plate, could be decorative cut rim. Throw the pedestal with a bow shape pulled inward then flaring out to provide a larger support area for the plate. This will distribute the weight and allow for a gripping area to lift the pedestal. best, Pres

@Gazalposting a picture might help with your description problem leading to a more specific solution. best, Pres

I believe that the big problem was the rough first start and then a few short errands that did not allow the battery to recharge from the first start. Live and learn, but the car is a 2019, and the battery had not needed changing.. . . nor anything else! best, Pres

Once again, from the Question pool for the QotW @Min asked:QOTW would be "do you sell seconds and if so where?" First part of the question would be to define what you consider a second. I will rephrase this as: QotW: What do you consider to be a second? Do you sell these seconds, and if so where? This is a tough one, and my memory is not as good as it could be with these things since it has been a long time since I have sold much of anything other than the chalices and patens. These days, if a piece has anything in the way of a visible crack, or glaze flaw, it either gets broken, or goes to my wife or kids. If the piece is really a disaster it gets broken and thrown out. However, these days I check things over so carefully on every stage of firing that nothing makes it to a bisque if questionable, or after bisque if there are flaws it never goes to glaze. After glaze, the pots get handled a lot during bottom grinding, and wrapping for shipping. If I have any reports of flaws coming back, the piece is replaced no charge to the customer. Verification is required by photo.

Like @Mark C.I have never locked down a bat pin. I keep a lot of Allen bolts in a small cup in a drawer. I make certain to keep them clean, and oil them to protect from rust. I use a pad under my bats with water to aid in holding the bat in place. In the beginning I used one of those thin sponge pads made for potters, but when I couldn't find it one day I improvised with a used clay bag. I cut the bag in 1/2 and placed one piece over the pins flat, placed my bat over top and pressed it down over the plastic onto the pins, with the wheel spinning use a utility knife to cut the excess plastic off. Remove the bat, soak the plastic in water and place it back on the wheel. The water and the pins help hold the bat on even when centering large pieces . . 15-20# of clay, and I usually get about 20 uses before the plastic is worn out. best, Pres

We had a -3 here on Saturday.. . . my car battery froze, and had to be replaced. . . . .brrr! Hate the extreme colds! best, Pres

If you look to the past with some of the popular glass and ceramic baking dishes, they were all accompanied by literature warning about thermal shock. I can remember my mother telling me years ago that you take the corning ware out of the fridge, and place it in a cold oven to be heated up as the oven heated up. She even said it was better to take it out and let it set for a few minutes before putting it into the cold oven. best, Pres

I believe that depends on your clay body, and what you intend to do. There are some pots out there that are not glazed inside or out for cooking that are soaked in water and then used. However, true casseroles are at least glazed on the inside, and these days probably on the outside also. It all depends on the durability of you clay and glazes and how you use the pots. I have mad several casseroles of varying sizes on the potters wheel and some with slab lids as the casserole was an oval shape. These I glaze inside and out. The only bare places on the pots are the gallery of the lid and pot, along with the base or foot ring area. Whatever you decide, if done for sale I would make several and use them before putting any out for sale. best, Pres

Mercy, such good karma! best, Pres

Mark, As all of yours have been, a great booth set up, and such a beautiful display of fine work. Hope the future brings bright days ahead with more time for diving, and other "elderly pursuits" , best regards, Pres

@PaulineNL, I am looking at an article right now that describes using nichrome wire feet on the bottom of mugs. The article might be worth you looking for as it may fit your needs. It appears in the January/February 2023 issue of Pottery Making Illustrated. Best, Pres

Over the years, it seems the answer to the question of vitrified depends on the beliefs of the potter. Considering this, I believe that the best way to confirm your beliefs is by testing. I have found that most suppliers are willing to supply sample clays with orders if the potter asks. I know that the folks at Standard Ceramics have been very accommodating when I mention looking for a clay with specific numbers in relation to absorption and shrinkage rate at cone 6 in that they will suggest a few clays, and let me have some samples for testing. I usually only take one at a time, and use it on the wheel and handbuild a bit to get a feel for the workability, then check the clay out in firing and then with my glazes. It is a really good idea IMO to make good connections with your clay supplier in order to get the best service possible. best, Pres