Pres
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Posts posted by Pres
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@Callie Beller Diesel I think I've seen a utube video of this a few years back. Made sense to me, especially for some larger forms where one is using the fist to open up. I have found the fist to work well for me with a follow up of a few compression runs on the bottom to even it up. If I were throwing a ton of storage jars, it may make all of the difference.
best,
Pres
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Hi folks, nothing new in the QotW pool so I will pose another question.
Lately there have been questions about folks dealing with arthritis as do I. This has led me to wonder if people that throw use some aids in their throwing because of physical difficulties, arthritis or otherwise. We have all seen those centering jigs with the board on a lever to aid in centering clay. I have seen someone center using a wrist brace similar to what I use for bowling when centering. I am sure others have work arounds when throwing that I don't know of. Some people may scoff at these saying they are crutches to get something done that some one should learn to do without them. . .I was once in that school, but now I wonder??
QotW: Do you use or ever used a throwing aid of any sort due to a physical weakness/ailment?
best,
Pres
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Toilet brushes are pretty easy to keep clean, and I have used them. However, you have to be careful of when the bristles start to fall out. . .throw it out!
best,
Pres
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On 7/6/2022 at 9:55 AM, George S said:
I've already made it so the top surface is somewhat covex prior to firing, this helps slightly but not much.
I wonder if making it more convex would meet your needs. Seems like the piece is shrinking more at the top, thus seeming to slump, but if you give more surface to the top by making it more convex then you may meet your needs without the extra weight of the thicker top.
Just a thought.
best,
Pres
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I use a drill and paint and paint stirrer with plastic blades on freshly made glaze before sieving twice. Glaze that has sat I use the same set up, without the sieving unless the glaze has frozen. Then I sieve twice also. When mixing up smaller amounts of premixed glaze in a spray gun bottle I use a stick blender. I also use the stick blender to mix smooth slips for brushing, or other application to freshly thrown pots.
I used to see folks mix glaze in college dry, then add water. Never for me, too much dust. At the same time over the years I have become much more cognizant of dust and try to do everything I can to cut it when mixing glazes, when filling dray material containers and such.
best,
Pres
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Years ago, I left about 100 raku pots on the back porch that faced an alley. We lived in a 3 room apartment back then, and the first two nights with the grad work pots from a summer course with Dontigny kept us up at night with the pinging! By the end of the second year the pots were gone. Some times later I would be in someone's house looking at a corner, or a fireplace mantle to see on of those old raku pots. Disconcerting in a way, but you always had to smile at one persons trash another's treasure. I hated those raku pots, as I was told to loosen up my throwing, and the pots all turned out looking like Dontigny seconds. Raku for me had been a bad experience all summer long. worn knuckles of my right hand with open sores the entire summer from the sandy clay body, frustration with the throwing, but enthralled with the fire and the smoke and the surfaces from copper to greens and whites with crackling. They spoke a part of me that loves surface.
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Pres
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I should also clarify that my pieces are often highly textured with stamping and incising that leaves room for bubbles in the glazes. The techniques I talked about helps with that especially when the piece is flat as in a paten. Slide dipping had also helped here also.
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Pres
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This topic or something vey close to it was discussed recently in this strand:
I hope this will help you with your problem. If not, please review your glazing process here so that folks might be able to help you more accurately. Please include things like thickness of the glaze you are using, you glazing technique (dipping, pouring etc), type of clay glazing and the bisquefire temp of you clay.
best,
Pres
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I think the wet dip also requires a certain glaze consistency. I like my glaze cuticle thin where a dipped hand has the cuticles still visible even though covered with glaze. I use a 3 count dip on most items. I also use a 6" deep storage bin to dip plates in while using claw type staple removers to hold the plates for a dip through the glaze. Large pieces I brush, dip or pour depending on the size and if streaking glaze is problematic for the form. Everyone has their own methods of glazing and those of us that have been doing it for years become set in our tried and true. Teaching taught me more about ceramic problems than any classroom as a student would have. When you have to solve 10-20 or so different problems a day involving clay you do a lot of research, try a lot of solutions and find a few that work. Too bad it wasn't easier!
best,
Pres
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I understand the situation with the student, especially with adults. I used to teach an adult class on Saturdays at the HS where I taught. My lead in to glazing would always stress that even though glazes were basically not poisonous, if inhaled they could lead to respiratory problems just as sanding bisque or green ware would. I would also stress as you just mentioned that the glazed unfired surface was fragile and fingers could rub off glaze or leave a mark that would show after the firing. Good time to also talk about the use of glaze tongs to dip or hold when pouring.
best,
Pres
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I saw this today while perusing a google page. I wonder how interaction of the recipients is going, also wonder if it is generating any sales?
https://mymodernmet.com/kim-press-sailing-adrift-studios-free-pottery/
best,
Pres
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My first question about such a phenomenon is whether the pot was washed before glazing. Washing a piece with a damp sponge puts some moisture into the pot that allows for a smoother application of the glaze, often taking care of some pin hole bubbles that get in underneath the glaze rising to surface. I always wash the pot with a damp sponge, or dip the pot in clean water before glazing. How I determine which method to use depends on the number of pots I am glazing. The dip wash is fast, and works well if glazing a lot of pots as the first dipped ones will dry enough to glaze as evenly as a few fresh sponge washed pots.
best,
Pres
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@Min, I googled custom large cookie cutters. . . . .one promising site is: https://www.cheapcookiecutters.com/collections/custom-cookie-cutters. You can check the same way, many sites showed up, it would mean checking reviews etc. Lots of times a lead in of best rated helps with searches for quality.
best,
Pres
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@Wilts I have been throwing since the early 70's, mostly as a Art teacher in a HS with course load mostly of Ceramics. I began having problems with arthritis around 2000. It has gotten worse over the years even though I am now mainly a hobby potter. I have found though that working with the clay does alleviate some of my pain, and keeps things nimble. I also use a hand exerciser daily as it seems to help. I limit my time now on the wheel, by throwing for a while, doing other things then go back to throwing. Getting older with Ceramics can be challenging, but I would not want to be without. I add this to comments from others, especially Johnny and Mark as they have great hands on experience with hand problems. I had surgery on my RT thumb about 12 years ago and had to make adjustments to my throwing style as a few years later the joint died, but I still throw well enough. Hope you can make your way back to the clay somehow.
best,
Pres
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I was away in May folks and missed this so I moved it here as it seems to be a repair issue.
best,
Pres
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Yes Min I use the same type of dial scale for clay. I find always weighing and noting sizes for new pots helps to replicate. However, much of my work is off the hump and ball sizes are more important there.
best,
Pres
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Hi folks, not much new in the pool for QotW so I will pose one.
Most of you can tell that I am basically an oldy, not used to a whole lot of later technologies. I still like my camera, use hand made tools, fix things when needed, build my own contraptions when needed. I however, fired my kiln by hand for years until it finally bit the dust and I replaced it with a digitally controlled L&L kiln. . .love it! When it comes to working with glaze materials I still use scoops and spoons to parse out the goodies. I also use a triple beam balance with a large fitted plastic pan for the materials with additional weights for large amounts. I have often looked at the digital scales, but figured what I have works, why change at this late date. However, I am curious. . . how many of you have opted for digital scales, or anything digital of late because of the convenience or because you grew up with digital?
QotW: Have you have opted for digital scales, or anything digital of late because of the convenience or because you grew up with digital?
best,
Pres
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I would think I should move this to In the Studio.??
best,
Pres
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For me it has been band saw blades. I used to have a source of overstock blades when I taught HS. Cutting them to length 2-6" long would make great scoring tools and worked well to flatten the bottoms of forms when trimming. I used a belt sander to clean up burrs and round corners. Take it a little further with a torch to soften the blade, then use a vise and hammer to bend to a desired angle for a trimming tool, Sharpen on a grinding wheel. They last a long time, and will work well for classrooms.
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Pres
- Rae Reich and Bill Kielb
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Hi folks, nothing new in the pool of late, so I will pose a question for you. I notice that there are a wide range of personalities and posting styles out there, and thought about myself and my tendency to be ADHD, and wanting to be a nice guy. When it comes to looking for answers, I look for quick answers with a background just enough to get me to figure things out my way. I notice that I tend to have the same posting style, offering a solution and my reasoning/ supportive information afterward. To cut the long short:
QotW: When reading the posts on forums do you have a tendency to like detailed information in long form or quick fix with supporting information?
best,
Pres
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7 hours ago, Gonepotty said:
Is there a more efficient way of glazing plates rather than 2 plates per shelf ? (Firing stoneware to approx 1240degress celcius, underneath of plate also glazed- except the foot)
My kiln is quite large but can only fit 2 large dinner plates on a shelf and I only have 4 kiln shelves and 2 half shelves .
Any tips would be greatly appreciated
I do patens for communion sets, and have had some of the same problems. However my new kiln is 29" in diameter, and I can fit 3 of my plates to a layer. Occasionally I use a broken shelf to raise the 3 plate a little so that the rim even though overlapping the another plate has plenty of room to not stick together in the firing. I am presently lookin to buy two more 1/2 shelves to be able to fire more patens at a time. I would like to get 17-18 to a firing with the patens to the top. Another trick to try is to add a 1" stilt onto your regular height for one 1/2 shelf, and then you would be able to add an overlap as I described before. Get creative!
best,
Pres
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I owned a J230 for over 30 years. It had 4 sections, and I fired it without a setter. If it has a setter and is in good condition, great to pick it up! I kept mine going with frequent maintenance and regular element replacement. Loved that kiln, bu replaced it with a new L&L e28m-3 with quad elements and a genesis controller
best,
Pres
QotW: Do you use or ever used a throwing aid of any sort due to a physical weakness/ailment?
in Int'l Ceramic Artists Network (ICAN) Operations and Benefits
Posted
Necessity is often the mother of invention, but then there may be some obscure reference in a book or other resource somewhere of something made of bamboo, wood or other material. Who knows!
best,
Pres