Hulk
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Posts posted by Hulk
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Hi Irene!
I have several pieces of the 1/4" that I use for wedging clay - one each for dark, red, buff, and white clays - leftover from tile projects around the house. I'm just setting the board on the workbench, the end up against a scrap piece of wood tacked to the wall. It wipes off easily, and then can be stored out o' the way as well.
We scored both sides with a razor knife, then snapped it over a straight edge for a fairly clean cut; I haven't used the heavier board.
For reclaim, I'm using two inch thick slabs of pottery plaster (cast in a cake pan), which will absorb a lot of water; propped up on 1x1" sticks, five sides are exposed to air for evaporation, which helps a bit as well...
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Clay/pottery/ceramic specific stores within reasonable driving distance, we don't have, however, when passing near one on our travels, I've fenagled time for a stop and shop...
Hence, for pottery specific parts, e.g. Dawson sitter tube assembly, new thermocouple, etc. it's internet and/or telephone, unless repair can be put off until the next trip.
As for generic parts, e.g. threaded fastener, if it's a small number of pieces, I also prefer matching up hands on from the locals' drawers/bins and paying the premium. If the part count is more than a few, and I can wait, then I'll look to match up at the locals' bins, buying one or two, then placing an order, when the saving$ are significant*.
*examples:
We bought hidden/European style hinges for our cabinet refinishing project from D Lawless, where per piece difference was a few bucks - multiply by the required count, two or three hinges per door - total savings buys tires and tubes for over a year of bike riding (I ride "a lot")...
For our steel door restoration project, we bought new low series stainless button head hex screws at a bit over six cents each (vs forty five cents each) from Albany County Fasteners (their minimum was twenty five pieces, if I'm recalling correct - we needed a few hundred).
For local botanical garden bench restoration project, bought carriage bolts from Albany County, saving just under 75% (but for hot dip galvanized, not electroplate).
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Good question!
Everywhere.
FaceBook marketplace; Craigslist; https://www.govdeals.com/; nearby pottery places, including universities and Junior Colleges, suppliers, studios, etc.Good and fair stuff goes fast - keep looking.
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I'm good with flame and/or smoke tests on a cold kiln for proof of concept - that the fan system does indeed pull from the kiln, also for getting an idea how/if adjusting the shutters influences the pull.
In use, however, the warm and smelly outflow provides a positive indication - it's working*.
As for hanging about the studio whilst firing, I'm ok with only very minimal exposure to vapors, fuming, etc., hence, if the overhead system wasn't in place and working, I wouldn't be in there - even with the rollup door, windows, and man door open - except for checking pyrometer readout (whilst holding my breath). Yep.
*I've little doubt that it is possible to overdo downdraft venting.
How much is too much, just right, not enough air movement through the kiln? idk -
Hi Moonzie!
I built up a diy downdraft kiln vent as well (seven cubic foot Skutt electric), using an inline fan*, four inch ducting, galvanized sheet for the box, which has two adjustable vents. I'm running it with the vents closed down to leave about 3/8" square on one side, the other almost shut.
I believe the vent does work, that is, it pulls a small stream of superheated atmosphere from the kiln (which is replaced by ambient through the various cracks, small vent hole, etc.), for the exhaust end (outside) is definitely warm! ...and there's strong wax smell outside (where it belongs) early in glaze firings...
There were significantly less fumes, however, not enough that I was comfortable hanging about in the studio, even with the rollup (it's a single car garage) door, windows, and man door full open, so, I've since set up an overhead hood with 400 cfm fan, which does a job on the heat and fumes.
I wouldn't expect a downdraft setup to ameliorate fumes entirely.
Note: any fan system will require provision for adequate make up air.*When the inline fails (it will, a matter of time), I'll replace with somewhat more suitable.
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"...the old manual controller is very crude and does not show the current temperature"
Aye.
I use an inexpensive pyrometer setup for feedback, and pyrometric cones to verify.
Since developing some trust in the pyrometer, I've stopped looking at the cones whilst firing - I'm just checking them out afterward. However, I've gone back to setting a target where it can be seen from the peep, just in case the pyrometer goes pfftt... -
You'll need that gpio instance, no doubt.
Glancing at volume o' discussion on " ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'RPi' " (via simple query) - my guess would be permissions, aye, perhaps where the user/account the program is running under doesn't have the required permissions; do you have a sudo command in thar at all (and observing proper/required case, note Case Sensitivity) *?My reason for posting, however, was to suggest manual firing as an alternative - my kiln has three switches (one for each zone/level), with options off, low, medium, high. I run the kiln up to about 200F the night afore, then set "High" on all three the day of, both bisque and glaze fire.
From there, I twiddle the switches to get my holds in, which is a bit of trouble, but not too bad.
* sudo allows a permitted user to execute a command as the superuser or another user, a specified by the security policy. -
Likely I'd turn away if there were no power available to turn the electric wheel.
There is clay nearby - many of the California Mission roof tiles were made here - it'd be a whole project; however, I'd give it a try.
If glaze choices became more limited, I'd likely roll with that.
If firing became difficult, I'd like to think I'd still throw, trim, and finish, but recycle a lot more.I'm enjoying the whole process; however, throwing is what got me into it, and I'm not seeing running a kick or treadle wheel.
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Cimbar's material data sheet dated 4-AUG-21 includes these paragraphs, which may reflect their "new status" as talc suppliers to potters?
"Cimtalc’s are also used to produce low expansion ceramics, for example thermal shock resistant stoneware bodies. In these, it acts as a low expansion flux that reduces body expansion by converting available quartz mineral, mainly in kaolin, to silicates of magnesia. Cordierite bodies used in kiln furniture and flameware (an a[sic] host of other applications e.g. catalytic converters) employ a high percentage of Cimbar talc and extend this concept so that all free quartz is used up.
Talc by itself it is a refractory powder; yet in amounts of only 1-3% in stoneware or porcelain bodies it can drastically improve vitrification! Yet adding these same low percentages to some zero-porosity highly vitreous bodies does cause them to warp, blister or over fire. Cone 06-04 ceramic slips containing up to 60% talc can be fired to cone 6 without melting or even deforming (50:50 mixes can even go to cone 10).
Talc is a curious glaze material also. At middle temperature raw talc is refractory, its presence tends to create opaque and matte surfaces, yet if supplied in a frit it can create wonderfully transparent glossy glazes. At cone 10 it is a powerful flux but also can be used in combination with calcium carbonate to create very tactile magnesia matte glazes (the MgO forms magnesium silicate crystals on cooling to give both opacity and a matte silky surface). This being said, where transparency is needed it is generally best to source MgO from a frit (since talc loses its water of hydration quite late in the firing, after melt of most glazes has begun)."
Cimbar offers at least six different talc products, btw.
I picked up a fifty-pound sack of C-98 when passing through Sacramento earlier this year, which may cover my talc needs for quite some time, and at a very reasonable rate as well (less than 50¢/pound)
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Regarding oxide or carbonate, there was something about that tickling in my memory - thought it was well put, but couldn't remember any detail, nor the source*.
Sometime later, having swept through a few Tony Hansen articles, thought maybe in Peterson's book**, ah,
In Glazes chapter, under topic Colors, subtitle Metallic Oxides"Natural metallic oxides that withstand kiln temperatures are few, so the palette is limited. ...some come to us in the form of carbonates; ...Carbonates are weaker in color than oxides because they have an added atom of carbon and three atoms of oxygen per atom of metal. (...accordingly cost less, usually).
...Salts of metals, such as chlorides, sulfates, and nitrates can also be used as colorants."One could, and probably should look into how the various materials are safely handled, for some are more soluble, toxic, etc.
*I enjoy this forum! Initially, was looking for info on equipment, since, there are personalities, also interesting topics/information - stuff I wouldn't otherwise see/read/think about - maybe, gets me thinking, and even researching.
**The Craft and Art of Clay
Wherein, still the best explanation of unity, imo, and other stuff, including pictures.- Bill Kielb and oldlady
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The last link could be (should be) a direct match, as it is from the vendor, dated August this year.
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Hansen posted this on CIMTUFF 9100
CimTuff 9115 TDS (digitalfire.com)
Cimbar has several talc "products" - cimtuff is one of ...many
Axner has this listing:
Talc - Cimtalc (sold per lb.) (axner.com)Looks like there are three grades, where the numeral corresponds to the median particle size in microns.
New Mexico Clay has posted this:
Talc Magnesium Silicate (nmclay.com)Cimbar "CIMTALC Talc", posted by Palmerholland (updated 4-AUG-21):
Your Technology Resource (palmerholland.com)This tds ^ includes three paragraphs on its use in ceramics, btw, which may reflect the vendor's view ...Cimbar, what say you?
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I'd like to respond to colorant (and leave oxide/other aside for now) - I like cobalt, copper, tin, chrome, rutile, zirconium, and some pre-made stuff (underglaze) as well, so far.
If I had to had to pick one, it would come down to tin/chrome (ya, that's two -> for shades o' red) or rutile (iron, titanium, and maybe some pinches o' other stuff, ya, it's not one either!).
- Pres and Bill Kielb
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Cone 5, ox
Texture, yes, chattering; turned cuts, burnished; sometimes freehand carving through brushed on slip.
Mostly one or two tone exterior, liner glaze, sharp boundry at the lip, all dip and pour. I'll use tape, where the incised and burnished cuts offer a guide.
I'm keeping it fairly simple at this point. -
Looks good.
Does it run quiet, smooth?
There's lots of info here on care and repair. My guess would be, could be a great deal for someone handy.The upper bearing plate appears to be on the same plane as the table top; I prefer design where that upper bearing is well up and away from wet. That said, per above, the unit can be disassembled - in the case of a perfectly (err, well) functioning unit, lube and maintain against wet/corrosion, play on!
Looks like that listing has been deleted. -
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Tool organization, well, that's evolving, sure 'nuff ...lifetime struggle.
We've been in our current house just over ten years now. We have pegboard in the car garage and the studio/bikeshop/repairshop for things we want to find easily, also for things we don't want lost. There's a roll around toolbox and many shelves in the car garage, and many many drawers, cabinets, and shelves in the studio. Having places for things helps. Having multiples also helps - there's travelling kit, car garage set, studio set of many basic hand tools. From there, oft used and favorites get a good spots, whilst hardly ever used (but ah'm keepin') go in drawers, top shelf, even storage. Power tools take lots of room - the ones I don't use often are in storage - a few steps and turn of a key away.
Combing through and shuffling the collections, ah, there's the rub! It takes time and effort.
I've three portable toolboxes set to go to our son - I won't use them, all doubles - better now than later.
Just finished a major round o' tool shuffling, late August.
Another couple boxes went to Habitat for Humanity.Clay tools, I'm using ~one quart size cylinders, one for throwing tools, one for trimming tools. The needle tool, sponges, and metal rib* set aside, I just exchange the container to match the activity. The cylinders set on top of the small set of drawers right by the wheel. There's enough room in the wheel's pan for a one gallon bucket (chamois strip clothespinned on thar) , my array of sponges, and tool cylinder. I really use just a few tools - for throwing, two wood knives, metal ribs*, some sponges - sometimes a wood rib, sometimes the needle tool. For trimming, the needle tool, a small two sided loop, a hack saw blade trimming tool (it's custom!), that metal rib*, a brush, and three chattering tools. Extra/duplicate and not often used tools (e.g. hole drillers) are in a set of small free standing drawers that sit by the wheel. There's also an array of brushes in (yet another) cylinder over by the ware shelves. There might be a box of tools that didn't make the drawers somewhere, which I'd intended to drop off at the local JC ceramic lab. Glaze tools are in a cabinet with the low volume (e.g. cobalt) materials. The cutoff tool hangs in the wedging area, along with the scale, another wood knife for cleaning bats, and a bike spoke for poking feet. By the door is a bucket of clear water, a sponge, and towel; this is for cleaning hands, as throwing water clean up leaves a film o' clay, eh? The bats all stack on top of a small set of freestanding shelves near the wheel.
I can lift out the cylinder o' tools, bucket, the few sponges, the needle and rib, then wipe out the pan. Yah, I leave it like I want to find it - clean.
Maybe I'll get more/different tools, heh, probably not, except when things wear out. This next year I want to play with sprigs, so, time to start making moulds, also past time to make more bats...
*The metal rib used for ribbing the outside of forms, and for burnishing after trimming, a standard kidney shaped cheap-ish model, for the metal wears away to the point that it's dangerous, See? When I'd invested in a more expensive (seven dollars!!!) rib for shaping the inside of bowls, that's when I designated the cheaper kidney for the grunt work.
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This'n' got me thinkin' a'righ' - how are coaching and teaching distinguished?
But first, the question, nah, Wheel I and Wheel II were demo then go, with one and one and/or small group when student(s) obviously struggling, also when help requested. Per prior, I was, and still am good with that. As far as other skills, activities, etc., yah, got some coaching in sports, a few classes, music, some trade skills here and there - it's been a while!
Back t'th' thinkin' part - seems to me there's considerable overlap (gray area) between coaching and teaching.
For starters, distinguishment (ah, it is "a word", ah checked): teaching may involve more subjects/students in prescribed sessions, over a set period, following "the plan," where performance objectives are defined aforehand, and subject progress is tested against them. Coaching may involve more time with subjects - longer sessions, over a longer period, where there Coach may have fewer subjects to work with each day, the objectives are more individualized, and "the plan" may be much less reflective of governing bodies' requirements, testing, etc. A teacher may have 150 (or more) students each day, each class may include thirty or more, for less than an hour at a time. A coach may have a third that many each day, spread over several hours, where some subjects may log years o' time.
However, Special Needs Ed can be very much be tailored to the individuals - Individual Education Plan requirements, etc., where the teaching is rather coachy.
However II, a lot of sport coaching is mass activity, very little individuation at all, where the coaching is rather teachy, one size fits all, where the real "fit" may be for the star(s).
Hmm
The Captain of Oakland Police Department's Juvenile Division said this to me, "There'll never be enough adults interested in kids in this neighborhood." Ah found that to be absolutely true, any 'hood, anywhere. I'll stretch that to there'll never be enough really good teachers and coaches in any neighborhood, anywhere. My observation, about a third to half of coaches should be immediately removed from the gyms, playing fields, pool decks - take a chance on whoever's next. My observation II, oooh, I'll keep to mysel'
- Bill Kielb and Pres
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Hi Cove!
Looks like shivering*, classic glaze fit issue - opposite of more common crazing, where the glaze cracks.
I'm guessing you have lots of the clay? You might crank out a couple dozen test cylinders, test each available (well mixed!) glaze, then shelve the glazes that aren't working - try them again on different clays, down the road.
No doubt more forum members will weigh in here; meanwhile, are you verifying heat work with witness cones? ...cones on each shelf indicates the "heat work" achieved, thereby nailing down a variable...
- Pres and Bill Kielb
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,)
Try searching "hardwood taper"
"hardwood round taper bun foot"
"waddell bun foot"e.g.
$12, below
Less than eight dollars, below
4x2.6 inches
The top one is 4x2.5 inches -
Hi Bas!
Item in question:
Pate Woodworks (Brooklyn, New York, USA) has somewhat like it.
...found several wood hammers "for clay" in Netherlands, however, with round/cylindrical striking end. Perhaps paddle would be a better search string...Then found Xiem clay paddle
Xiem Clay Paddle L - slaghout | De pottenbakster (keramiekenglazuur.nl)
Ya, that'd be my choice, if in the market for a pre-made paddle-ish striking tool.
However, a I'd also consider making one (else, having one made), where starting with a tapered cylinder gets one most o' the way, as cutting off part of the cylinder to make the flat side would be much easier than forming the rounded part, then drilling and fitting a handle, complete with sanding and sealing, voila.
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I'm stuck in on mid range (5/6) stoneware - may never get around to trying porcelain.
This thrower is getting some height on a bowl - perhaps a rather thick bowl - still:
This thrower is getting some good height (not particularly great height) from just under 600 grams o' clay:
BLACK PORCELAIN! Making Ceramic Cups & Glazing - Hobby Potter - YouTube
There's a five year old thread in this forum where Mr. Fireborn described liking the Black Ice, at first, then liked it less later on.
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Good question!
Books and magazines/periodicals are still very much in the frame for me. Earlier on, watching others work was more important to me than now; I watched - really studied - the other students, guests, and instructors during my two semesters at the local JC ceramic lab, and spent some hours watching video clips every week. Some - several dozen - of my favourite clips, I've returned to again and again, for I'll often "see" differently after some time has passed.
Now, well, perhaps I'm well into that long stretch where time at task is the main thing.
This forum has been (err, is) a great source, and offers a sense of community. There are other forums/groups, aye, however, this one's best, imo.
"What a fascinating modern age we live in."*
- Captain Jack AubreyYep.
Exactly where is the block drain on my Toyota truck - found it.
How to set up our son's wellhouse to run off his generator - found it, use a "transfer switch," aye.
Where to find a simple transfer switch - found it, arrived at front door three days later.
How to wire the transfer switch, how to work on the main panel safely when the sun's shining (solar array, heh) - found it.
How to change out the headsets on my road bikes - found it.
Where to find a pump for a twelve year old dishwasher - found it.
How to replace said pump - found it.
...and so on; "the internet" is remarkable.That said, learning with/from others, there's nothing else like it; same for opportunity to help others learn - there's nothing else like it, and no matter how much one may try to fully appreciate the opportunity when it's happening, I believe we take those opportunities somewhat for granted.
Hardie backer board
in Studio Operations and Making Work
Posted
...if you pull back a bit when wedging, consider leaving the backer board pieces long enough such that your hip/tummy/belly holds it in place, else some other scheme for holding it down...