Pres

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???

No, it was designed by a human. It was created using a computer as a tool for working clay.

This is exactly why it's an exciting option. You can do things with it that you can't easily do using other methods. It's just a tool.
The idea that you don't have to worry about materials or use careful though when designing 3D printed objects is false. You still have to be knowledgeable of the materials and how they work. The printer is not magic.  Plus there's still the issue of how any specific form will behave in firing, as well as the glazing process. It's not like you print clay and it's done. I have a friend with a 3D printer (for plastics), and we've talked at length about how different plastics behave differently, how supports systems have to be built into the design, cooling rates, plastic temps, etc. Same with the clay- you have to have knowledge of how the slip will behave, nozzle sizes, etc. It's not like you go buy a 3D ceramic printer at Wal-Mart and you're successfully printing 10 minutes after you unbox it. True, it's faster than learning how to throw a pot, but that doesn't make it worse. Is driving a car bad compared to walking because it takes away the 'real life' experience of getting from one place to another?
This gets to the heart of it. Your issue is not with the process, it's with how the process is being used. 

Cheesy garbage is cheesy garbage regardless of how it's made. Is a poorly made heart-shaped pinch pot ashtray better than a 3D printed heart-shaped ashtray? 

How is designing 3D printed ceramics any different than designing wheel thrown objects? If you don't have a good sense of form, balance, proportions, etc, then it won't be successful either way. I'm not talking about the actual computer work. I'm talking about creativity and conceiving an interesting idea that can then be built with whatever process you choose. Design is all about the ideas, not the execution.

I think all technology is valid in art. It's not better or worse, just different. For some people it's great, for others not so much. It all comes down to individual aesthetics and what drives the artist. The problems come when the technology replaces knowledge. In most cases, technology is used because it makes things easier and/or faster. However the path to learning how to do something the hard way teaches you a lot more than the easy path, so when you adopt technology it's important to understand what the technology is doing for you rather than just blindly letting it do its thing. This level of understanding is especially important when problems arise. If you don't know what's happening, you can't fix it. For instance, when using a digital electric kiln you still need to understand how cones and heatwork function so you can make necessary changes to the firing schedule to achieve your desired results.
The other problem that can arise is when one doesn't accept that technology and processes like firing kilns don't operate at the same level of precision. By scientific standards, firing ceramics in a studio is very imprecise, and for the most part can have a pretty big level of slop in the process. 1/2 cone firing difference isn't going to mean the difference between a functional or unsafe pot in most cases. We have quite a bit of latitude in what we do, which is a good thing. So when you hook a digital kiln controller to your PC and start graphing firings, you have to accept that the rate of climb is not going to perfectly match the programmed schedule, and that there is going to be some temperature variation between sections of the kiln, and that those variations are perfectly okay. I once had a customer that was freaking out over these very things, and even though I told him it wasn't necessary, he had me replace all his elements and relays and thermocouples, only to get the exact same results. There were maybe 8 degrees difference between the kiln sections, and the peak temp didn't exactly match the cone chart. His pots looked exactly like they were supposed to, exactly the same as before he hooked up the PC,  but he couldn't get past the variations in the firing graphs.
Personally, I'm all for bringing technology into my studio as long as it doesn't replace a process that I enjoy doing myself. I have no problem with 3D printed ceramics, and even like a lot of what I've seen, although I have no interest in pursuing it myself. To me it has a certain look to it that tells me it was printed, just like extruded or slipcast or thrown pots do, but if done well it makes for some really interesting forms and textures that would be incredibly difficult to make otherwise. It's just as valid as any other process IMO. Every process leans toward a specific aesthetic, and not liking that aesthetic is fine, but it doesn't mean the process isn't as artistically valid. Regardless of the process you use to create ceramic objects, you have to have good designs and skill at the process. That could be skill in programming a computer or skill at working on the wheel. Either way you have to understand the medium and the tools, and either way that skill means very little without good designs and an understanding of forms. If an object is beautiful then it's beautiful, regardless of how it's made. Perhaps being hand made makes it more inspiring or covetable, but from a purely visual judgment of a form it doesn't matter how it's made. I have a healthy respect for all well designed objects, even those that are mass produced. Eva Zeisel's work is a prime example.

Lol gross, but I think you get what I meant.

3-D printing is already an accepted manufacturing technique. Parts for equipment currently in use may be printed to replace old parts. The idea that someday you will pay a price for a piece of software to enter into your printer to make a new home decoration, machine part or such is not that far off. As with photography taking someone like Ansel Adams to raise the craft to an art form, it may take someone to raise 3D printing to an art form.
 
best,
Pres

As far as I'm concerned, anything goes if the technology will help., but you also have to consider that "technology" does not just mean computers or electronics. It could also mean advancements in materials, metals, etc...

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 .

@Pres  I actually do (read your stuff) and you are probably the last person I can think of that fires by color which is impressive . It was an extremely important skill  in early use of kilns. Humans can actually do some amazing things. Damage to eyesight was an occupational hazard. I like electronics a whole bunch but most often we struggle to emulate human skills with what seems like electronic precision. Controllers likely good for most folks though but the lessons of heat color sort of lost in textual explanations likely never to be learned with appropriate appreciation.

I have always had a tendency to leave top two plugs out, when bisquing. The glaze load gets the top two out until 1200F. , Then I put them in. I have had problems in the past with poor color and found that the plugs out helped get crisper brighter colors. Firing down slightly also gave me a little more depth and crystallization.  Some of this may have been because of waxing bottoms.
 
best,
Pres

@Bill Kielb, you may not realize that I fire without any controllers or setters. My L&L was ordered without them in the 80's. I have fired almost entirely with heat color and cone packs. However, am considering a controller to make life easier as I get older.
 
best,
Pres

Sounds logical and likely has little effect on firing time. Not a whole bunch of air moves around after red heat but I suspect small amounts are just what the doctor ordered. Time tested! Wax is always difficult through about 800 degrees even with a downdraft vent.

ONce again there are no new suggestions for questions. I have noticed that there seems to be concern about doing shows with the Covid situation, and up till this point I have tried to stay away from Covid when asking questions, and will continue to do so. So ignoring Covid (if possible) if you do  retail shows, what are you most comfortable with in the way of shows?
I started out years ago, by joining the local Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen, Blair County. I was a founding member, and therefore a party involved with by laws, activities and meetings. We decided to jury within the chapter, and that any member wishing to be in a local Guild sponsored would need to be juried in the chapter. I was one of the first juried in, and later became a juror. We did a show at Christmas time for a few years, then I did some local shows in the Summers, mostly finding it a waste of time as they were too small to draw a proper crowd, a beginning but expensive. At the same time as this was happening the Penn State festival was having changes and their local artist groups were complaining about lack of local artists being represented. This brought about a separate jurying that allowed work in person after slides to be judged for the local division. In the beginning the locals were located in one area, then over the years spread over the entire 400+ slots. This was a large show, and I did it for about 7 years. I loved doing the show, even though it was a lot of work, and I met a lot of local people. My wife helped me at the booth, and at times a friend of ours. I often would have to return home during the day to unload a kiln and make certain I had stock. After 7 years my wife was pretty burned out, as was I trying to teach in the Spring and throw pots at night to get up 10K of stock for the show. This was rough on family and our social lives to the point that when another venue opened up for shorter hours and better return I took it and became a college professor for the next 5 years teaching night and Summer classes.
If I were to return to doing shows, at my age it would be local, small booth set up with easy to sell items with a few show pieces. No large booth, no orders, what you see is what you get sort of thing. Just to keep busy, but then again, a good display in a retail area would do as much good I think.
QotW: if you do  retail shows, what are you most comfortable with in the way of shows?
 
best,
Pres

Hi folks, 
Once again there are not new questions in the QotW pool, so I will pose one I was thinking about when wedging clay. Everyone has a "go to" point or comfort zone, for wedging, throwing, rolling out slabs, and other things. Myself I figure over 15# is work when wedging. When it comes to throwing, 25# is my limit, but then I don't often do that,  only for large jars and vases. I usually limit my throwing off the hump to 15# as that will easily get me a good hour or two of throwing for stems or chalice bowls. Most recently I have been running some experimental ideas on chalices, so use about 8# of clay.  When rolling out slabs I limit my clay to about 8# as I don't have a slab roller, but use a 25 inch maple  one.  Some people run their limits because of their kiln sizes, or their own physical limits. While others will find work arounds for their dreams, as in an extra kiln section, combination throwing and handbuilding, or making modular pieces to assemble later.
Putting this together in a QotW:  What is your go to" point or "comfort zone" when dealing with clay weights or sizes for your work?
 
best,
Pres

@oldlady Jim Butcher is an urban fantasy author who's largest and most ongoing series is the 15-book-and-counting Dresden Files.  They follow the adventures of Harry Dresden, Chicago's resident wizard.  Pres and I discovered we were both reading him in the "what are you listening to in your studio" thread earlier this year. If you'd like more details I'd be happy to share them in dm, but I should probably stop hijacking the thread here.
 

@Callie Beller DieselI really like the box form with the resist design. . . .works really well on the dark clay with the snowy glaze. I love making the boxes, and when I was doing them I could sell as many boxes as I could mugs. Time involved is about the same, but the finished effect looks more valuable for lots of people. I would display them with bath beads or salts, paper clips or other things. They work really well in bathrooms when you have toothbrush holders, soap dishes and other things for the bathroom. Some people even talked about using them for salt as salt pigs were not lidded.
As far as cold, snow, ice, and all that comes with it. . .these aged bones are not up to it . keep it!
 
best.
pres

@Callie Beller Diesel(last Dresden. . . still finishing, sad about Murphy, scary)
Working with boxes can be really addictive, I did a run of potpourri burners in the 80's, tower with a ball shaped box on top, lid was carved with pierced decoration to allow the potpourri fumes to escape from the votive candle burning in the chimney base. So many variations of the same form can create some really neat pots.
 
best,
Pres

@Callie Beller DieselI really like the box form with the resist design. . . .works really well on the dark clay with the snowy glaze. I love making the boxes, and when I was doing them I could sell as many boxes as I could mugs. Time involved is about the same, but the finished effect looks more valuable for lots of people. I would display them with bath beads or salts, paper clips or other things. They work really well in bathrooms when you have toothbrush holders, soap dishes and other things for the bathroom. Some people even talked about using them for salt as salt pigs were not lidded.
As far as cold, snow, ice, and all that comes with it. . .these aged bones are not up to it . keep it!
 
best.
pres

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

Sun loosing heat, heh. It's snowing here now.

Ten pounds was my limit,  with my bad hands and wrist it is probably 5 lbs now.   I am mostly a handbuilder so the amount of clay I can or can't throw doesn't matter.  Spiral wedging was the method I was taught first,  now I do the slam method or just work out of a new bag of clay.  Sometime little bubbles pop up,  I can handle them.  I am hoping after my left hand surgery I will be able to throw again.    Denice

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 usually make ones similar to yours Callie but sometimes I make them with the holes just in the bottom part with either a flange type rim or small handles then it can be used as a steamer too. (used on a stove inside a pot with the pot's lid on top of the steamer/berry bowl)