Pres

Lately, I have been trimming patens for communion sets and realized that over the years there has been a change in my tooling habits. When I was younger, 50 years ago, I would trim with both hands, one holding the tool, and the other resting on top of the paten or pot and use the thumb as a guide in part for the hand holding the tool or directly on the tool. I believe this method of resting the hand on the pot came from the fact that I did not trust the clay chocks holding down the pot while I trimmed and wanted to have a hand there to catch it just in case it slid loose which would happen at times. Flash forward to today, what changed? One thing different is the use of a Griffin Grip during the late 80's which I got at school for the kids to use. Then at home. Another change is the years of practice with the GG, and with chucks in the GG. For years now, I have been holding the tool in both hands. . . actually one holding the tool at the front the other holding the tool at the back. I use an open trimming tool for most work and have several variations. By holding the tool this way I find that I use the front hand to trim away the clay holding it at an angle on the pot, while the back hand steadies and at time refines the angle of the cut by turning the handle slightly. Then again too maybe just maybe I hold it in two hands to make certain my older hands can hold it well. . . . NOT! QotW: When trimming pots how are your hands configured? Please explain. best, Pres

I believe that your analysis is spot on. Over the years I have fired several student pots that were what I would consider oversized. At the same time these pieces were student work and so not as well constructed as a professional or good hobbyist. My firings in the day were controlled by a setter, and for bisque and glaze I erred on the side of high caution, turning up the kiln slowly watching the climb and making certain to let the kiln cool naturally. It really helps. My ramp up took my entire teaching day until around 4-5pm when I would turn all switches to high. Hope this help. best, Pres

Sorry folks, but for future reference and search clarity I have moved this strand from In the Studio here with Equipment and Repair. best, Pres

@Hulk,cup heads take a special bat that has an area underneath that sets into the cup. I learned to throw on an old Randall powered kick wheel that used cup heads. They were pretty handy, but at the same time you have to have a lot of bats! @Marie-Michelle, years ago when I started out, I bought a used Amaco powered kick wheel. What I figured I could afford. At the time I did not realize the compromises that made. 10 Years later I decided to bite the bullet, and bought a new wheel, a Brent CXC. In an instant I realized my mistake, I was outputting twice the amount of pottery as before in the same time frame. Point being, buy the wheel for your lifetime, they can always be repaired, but realize that frustration with a wheel that just doesn't meet your style even though the price is right at the time does not work. best, Pres

Old time shoulder bags work well when carrying heavy loads to navigate stairs and doorways as hands can be freed up. best, Pres

@Hulk, you might be able to build a hinged and pinned box that could be used to protect the kiln when not in use. I'm thinking of non weather events like insects, bird dropping and other creatures of the day or night. At the same time with the way weather has changed of late, a layer of weather protection couldn't hurt. best, Pres

I would still seek medical help just incase you do have another issue. best, Pres

@Hulk I also shut off the vent fan at the end of the cycle when the kiln shuts off. On bisque and on glaze. I am doing a lot of patens (plates) and so don't get much chance to split level as It is more economic to use four patens to a level, splitting levels cuts the numbers especially since I don't have extra shelves yet. best, Pres

I assume you are firing gas, @Russ, not electric. best, Pres

I was cleaning out a kiln from a forced firing that was a disaster, and wondered about shelf settings. I have always believed that shelves should be spaced even on the same level, and at times would make certain to not have shelves on the same level staggering ware and shelves. Yet I have recently been using 4 stilts to a layer leaving only an 1/8 th of an inch in spacing. This also leaves me to wonder about the downdraft blower, and how gaps effect the movement of air in the kiln. QotW: Gap or no gap in your shelf spacing and how do you believe this effects your firing if you use a downdraft blower/vent? best, Pres

I too am dealing with cataracts, but the Dr. says to hold on them for a while. When I have them done, I will add extra bucks in to correct much of the astigmatism that makes my lenses for glasses so expensive, and heavy even with plastic lenses. best, Pres

I used to be an Art teacher, but really got hung up on clay even though I usually taught 2-4 classes a day depending on enrollments. Started using shows to fund summer vacations, then when the wife said no more to me working til 2 and teaching to have enough stock, I quit the shows. However, now I have enough in the way of sales to keep the hobby going and equipment up to date. Keeps me limber and in shape too. best, Pres

Used a similar kiln (Amaco) to this at the HS when I first started teaching in '73. It was a good little kiln of 06 earthenware. Two years later I talked the district into a new kiln as part of a building project the meant a new studio with more equipment and a kiln area. The new kiln was chosen by me to fire to ^6 and was an octagon sectional. The old kiln I saved for a few years, and used it for electric raku outside. We stored it just inside a doorway leading to a center courtyard. The kiln held up well for 3 years of this, but that was it. I could not imagine it firing to ^6 on a regular basis, but ^06 was fine. best, Pres

IMHO, i think starting local is the best plan. Starting local and building a rep will let you slide into the wider radius of shipping. Often a gallery situation for a show will have resources to help you with transport of pieces especially if you have built a reputation for fine work. Shipping takes a lot of work, and unless the purchase is paying for the shipping the shipping costs of packing, mailing and time should be figured into the sale price even if in a separate category in the billing. Best of luck, and Welcome to the Forum! best, Pres

Hi folks, I have been making chalices and patens the last few days, 9 patens setting out in the shop after Saturday afternoon of throwing. These are wet still, as we have rain here the last two days. I have to say, I am loving the new roller stamps that I bought of late to decorate with. I throw the cylinder for the cups, stamp it with the roller while the wheel is moving slow, single pass or multiple pass, gets me some texture. After that I enlarge the cylinder into a chalice bowl form, compress the rim with first/second finger web and under cut with a wooden rib and then cut it off with a spatula. Easy. Decorating the paten that is used for bread is just as easy with the roller stamp after throwing again while the wheel is turning. I have to say it is a "Pat on the back" process that I love doing and is pretty efficient. Doesn't take much to please me of late. QotW: What is your latest "Pat on the back" process, idea, or tool purchase? best, Pres

How many thermocouples in your kiln? Can you do a thermocouple offset? As Babs says, 1-2 is not much, maybe try starting with a 5 minute to see what happens. best, Pres

Honestly, I think I simplified the end steps, as I could put in packing for shipping, carrying to the post office. However, Mark, I can get it down a few steps by starting with the throwing making and removing step 8. It is the reason I asked the question, everyone has a different answer. My point is in the end, there are chances for an accident to happen to a piece at every time you handle the pot. Then again to I wonder about how many times a shelf full of pots gets knocked off, or some other accident that takes out one or more pieces. best, Pres

I like to also use clay slip over pieces. I have found that when I assemble the chalices, that a coat of contrasting slip over top is a great way to accent further decoration after the slip dries enough. Then I use a potato peeler to facet the stems, and trimming tools to add incised bands into the stem and cup. These show up under glaze as lighter darker areas that add and extra layer of decoration. I like to have a lot of depth to my glazes where layers of transparency will reveal other things underneath. The slips I use are SC 630 and SC 211Hazelnut. best, Pres

Hi folks, QotW: After throwing/making: How many times do you handle a pot? I have tried to cut down on the times I handle a pot, it used to be I would handle it when trimming; then when assembling or adding handles; then go over each piece on a ware bat to assure no rough spots, little nits, or sharp edges; loading the bisque; unloading the kiln; washing; glazing; washing the bottom before loading; unloading the glaze load; sanding the bottoms; taking pictures; and packing for shipping of storage these days. That's 12 times that I have handled the pot! 12 times that if it slipped out of my hands I could have lost it! Too much, so now I try to combine some steps by smoothing edges and such just as I put it on the ware board, but that is still 11! best, Pres

Bamboo chopsticks work very well for any modeling of fine areas. Using a dremel or even a knife to shape them gives you a variety of small tools. These also work well for making whistles. . .cheap way to make a classful of whistle making tools. best, Pres

Once demonstrated for a very good attentive group of students. The demonstration was wheel throwing 3# of clay. I told them it was all about touch. . . then proved it by having one of them blind fold me completely. They had seats enough to not get too antsy. I did the entire demo including shaping and trimming the base of a vase form about 8 inches tall with flared belly and narrow neck flaring to the rim. There were some giggles in the audience, but all seemed good until I removed the blindfold and there was my Vice Principal sitting in among the students. She told me afterwards that she would have never approved such a reckless lesson plan. However, she said she was amazed at how I had them enthralled with the demo, and that it was probably the best demo she had ever seen! That was my yearly observation, and afterward we seemed to have greater respect for each other. best, Pres

Years ago I was involved in an overstock grouping for school districts and other gov. organizations. I got several useful things from them, but the most useful was a box of band saw blades that were 1/2 to 5/8 wide. I did not have a band saw that they fit, but found that they made excellent metal ribs for wheel thrown pot trimming and other uses. I cut the band saw blade into 4-6" lengths and rounded the corners. I also made some with angles and sharpened with grinder as in open trimming tools. best, Pres

I used to do guided practice in the dark, my room was without any windows so complete darkness. I would walk around the room calling out the steps to a pinch pot, and they would work on their 1-2#ball of clay. This actually got much better results than the previous exercises, but then it was the third exercise at pinch pots. However almost every one of the students had thinner more consistent walls with better form. My reasoning for the exercise in the dark was tactile pinch control, and being able to trust the touch to the thickness of the walls. Sometimes other senses get in the way of touch. best, Pres

Hi folks, I am busy making chalices and patens for communion sets of late, and have been thinking of repurposed materials for throwing and trimming tools. I have wondered how many of you have repurposed another tool for throwing, or trimming pots in the shop. Yet I realize that many of you handbuild pottery. QotW: Do you have a favorite tools for pottery production that you have repurposed or made? I have a shaping rib for throwing that is a bamboo spoon with the handle cut off and rounded like some kidney ribs. However the curve of the spoon works even better than a flat rib of the same shape as the curve allows me to open up, and enlarge a form much easier. My other favorite tool I used to day, and it is the trimming chuck that holds the chalice stems for trimming without messing up the form or any decoration on the form. This was made from common plastic plumbing parts and is really much better than any chuck that I have used for trimming these forms. best, Pres

@mxdsaYou may find this link helpful to some degree. Welcome to the forum! When running searches you may find it helpful to do them from the home page, as the search will cover all of the departments/strands. best, Pres