Hulk

Recall we received clarification from Orton on small vs large cones: https://community.ceramicartsdaily.org/topic/21668-kiln-sitter-cone-for-witness-cone The website was corrected (the .pdf was ok) The small cone description has been changed on Orton's website, now reads (emphasis added) "Small Cones used on the kiln shelf deform at about 9°F after Large or Self-Supporting Cones of the same number." My take is still (mostly) repeatability - how the glaze and clay behaves when cone is bent thus, hence difference between large and small cones matters when a) switching to the other cone type (I like the small ones) and/or b) when sharing firing info with others.

Hi Michaela, Kudos on motor replacement and adding a foot control! I don't have a suggestion on the gearbox - not finding any detail on the gearing. There is a 1-101 on eBay right now; they're asking a Lot of $ (imo). The original motor is AC? Varying the speed on that wouldn't be trivial. Good luck!

Check Claybabe's post on page two, the .pdf is still available. https://community.ceramicartsdaily.org/topic/37-anyone-have-a-really-old-creative-industries-model-mp-wheel/page/2/ ...looks like JohnnyK posted the same manual on page three! Per said manual, CI wheels have a reversing plug; the Jr model is .25 hp, "...can center 25 pounds of clay..." Centering capacity and hp ratings - not an exact science. If your JR model is still running well, give it a break and stick to small pots?

Long limbs, eye that, in the 99th percentile, reach for height - fun shopping for long sleeve shirts that fit at the wrist, neck, and body ...on t'other hand, reaching the top shelf, painting walls, etc., heh. Often overlooked: a) clay shifting on the wheelhead/bat, where just a smidge of movement is all it takes to "throw" off your center. b) shearing - apply too much pressure, too soon, where the separation/shear that results will continue to influence that pot, throughout - start over. c) poorly prepared, where a thick or thin bit of clay, bubble, crumb - any inconsistency - will disrupt the flow of the clay. d) poorly prepared, where thorough wedging is continued in the several "conings" (as DH mentioned, above) on the wheel, continued, where a clockwise thrower tips up the rams head to the right, eh? Try it. e) poorly thrown base, as the opening and working of the base/bottom is a continuation of the preparation to throw a vessel - easy to impart a shear at this step. f) direction, where one may be better suited for one over the other; whilst I can (sort of) throw counter clockwise, t'other is soo much easier for me. There may be a right/left handedness to it, meh, I'm right handed. f) too wet/dry, where the patience and persistence required to work stiff clay ...it's difficult! ...and squishy clay doesn't provide much feedback, and requires quick work. If the clay is a smidge too damp to start with, it will be just right once thoroughly wedged - wedging removed some moisture, eh? Learning (wouldn't say learned) all that th' hard way. Having seen eighty five pound eighty five year old potter throw large pots without straining (except, perhaps, lifting the clay to and from the wheel head!), not sure much strength is required?

Nice color! ...however, "Significant Flaw: potentially toxic" Barium, just not seeing a need, excepting for a smidge in scummy clays...

"Did anyone live through the chalk blackboard era...." yeps, and music class as well

Fluctuation in humidity (what Curt said, above) is key; your fridge idea would likely help, however, likely wouldn't take long to fill it up. I like the points Preeta (also above) made - one's progression is a factor. I'm culling more green ware to reclaim than ever, but it's still not enough!

How has your work progressed in terms of thickness and shape(s)? Several folk have worked toward thin/light sections, then moved away from the extreme for strength, durability and feel. Just into my third year, I have turned away from thin, for the most part.

Half a veg omelet - local broccoli, kale, green and white onion, cilantro, mushroom quick in olive and sesame oils - with a bit o' cheese; pint o' IPA and toast slice onna side thar (spouse ate t'other half!) The egg floats in a bit of butter, gotta butter! Try a spash of beer in the eggs, whip it good just before pouring in hot pan - the bubbles make it fluff up like

"1st rhubarb crop this year." Pavlovian! ...what are the round brown bread bits?

Hi Mihai! I started out with a used electric two years ago. Its capacity is about seven cubic feet; it came with a brand new shelf set, fairly new elements (~15 firings) some old shelves, an assortment of posts, and glaze material. There's no controller - three switches for low, medium, high only - so takes some attention and care, for sure. I spent almost twice as much on a wheel, and another basket of money on clay, glaze materials, tools, and equipment. I am having fun! If I were to build a kiln, for sure it would be gas fired, no question there. Have you considered gas? The other question that comes to mind - are you considering going larger than ~2 cubic feet? That seems rather small for big pots! Several active members here have cobbled together controllers, relays, etc. as upgrade to a manual kiln; you might find some of the threads...

Hey Babs, deep dish is fairly standard pizza dough, search "Crispy Cheesy Pan Pizza Recipe From King Arthur Flour" …aha! https://food52.com/recipes/82857-crispy-cheese-pan-pizza-recipe Next time will roll the bottom in some corn meal, let the dough age a full day, and use a bigger dish - so the dough part isn't quite that thick. That plate is a second (bit overfired) from Heath (Bay Area); my best friend (spouse) bought a set over thirty five years ago...

For a break in stream of turkey and related left overs, pizza of the deepdish

Hope your foot improves soon Mark! ...have had a few pf rounds on right foot, in remission now almost a year. Ladder work seems to be a factor for me. Really missing swimming (and socializing at the gym), however, still getting out on the bike between rain clouds. It's just eerie though, so little traffic, so quiet; lots of bikers though. Be careful out there! Traffic being spread thin, many more one on one encounters, all kinds, got it?

Rolled or "steel cut" oats, some chia and roasted sunflower seeds, a few almonds and toasted coconut flakes - toss handful inna bowl while kettle's working; walk out to garage to grind coffee beans (e'body's asleep) and check on pots; start pour over into cup; warm two small thermoses with boily hot water, then pour same into the oatmeal mixture bowl; switch coffee filter thingy to thermos when mug is full, add some whitener to coffee, aaah; put oatmeal bowl in microwave, set for a minute; watch oatmeal, for when it starts to foamy boil, that's enough - almost always less than 60 seconds; meanwhile tend the thermoses (for later on). Sit down when the thermoses are done. By the time the oatmeal has cooled some, it's ready! By then, time to warm up the coffee mug. No hurry, it's a.m. (did the same before retirement, 'cept then, at work, 1st break o' th' day, an hour or so in, ...and still nobody around, for early starter was I). I add a spoonful of crunchy peanut butter, because I am Hulk.

Hi Lesley! Yeah (runnin' out to studio to check firing notebook ...person I bought antique kiln from advocates keeping a log, aye that), about 30 mins. Manual kiln is fitted with a decent pyrometer; as temp reaches next critical temp, I'm twiddling the switches to keep it near there for half hour to forty minutes, yep! Excepting foot ring - which isn't glazed anyway - most walls are 4-6 mm (dry) or so; I'd go a bit longer for thicker stuff. Oh, sufficient oxygen during bisque firing likely also important; if you're not fitted with a fan, perhaps leave out a peep or two? Perhaps my bisque fire is a bit slow, haha! I've shortened the run some by coming up to 200F the night before, leaving the kiln fan on all night, then cranking right through and past 212F the next day, as I'm assuming all wet water has been driven off ("bound" water still present, of course). The source post, hrmm ...aha, copied from another thread: Detailed article: https://community.ceramicartsdaily.org/topic/17903-critical-firing-temperatures/ Compilation of links: https://community.ceramicartsdaily.org/topic/20132-slow-bisque-kiln-help/ Tony Hansen's article: https://digitalfire.com/4sight/glossary/glossary_glaze_bubbles.html

fwiw, have one set of test tiles and a few small test pieces in Cassius Basaltic; the same clear glaze that's working for red clay lays down smooth on the Basaltic as well, "Wollastonite Clear" (Bethany Krull) ...some of the coloured glazes look good as well, some froth up and come out crusty. Next glaze fire will include a few more pieces... I'm firing a modestly paced bisque - wouldn't call it slow - however, significant pauses at the three temps (per GlazeNerd) 752, 1063, 1500F

Aforementioned brother, pulling our friend Gwen (rip); myself and big brother; the bunny hill in Italian Alps, Jan '64, a somewhat dry winter, if me recall ...my brother showed me how much faster lying down on the sled is, aero an' all that, hence, took a running start and bellied it, however, having not yet learned how to effectively brake and/or bail, hurtled through the snow fence (off to the left in the panorama pic) and was tackled by a friendly Italian man and ground to a halt some twenty feet from the precipice. He walked me over so I could see the thousand plus drop to rocks below, then instructed me in sled braking and kindly pointed out how much heavier than my brother I am, "...ti piace la pizza" (you like the pizza, eh)? You gd right I do I said - oh, we laughed! How I blushed, din' expect that he spoke the English, which he did, perfectly.

"...thick bats, hulk, what are they made of?" 5/8" powder board of some kind, finished with oil stain, then spar varnish, made up three square ones, three big circles, and three more circles of 3/8 material, these are my fav bats for just a few no hurry pieces; when feeling more "productive," will roll with plaster bats. Excepting six years in Sierra Nevada foothill town - a few snow events almost every year - over fifty years removed from real snow, not missing it much, however, fond memories of my brother catching my eye as he initiated a furious snowball war (half hour drive uphill from Paradise, alla snow one could wish for), culminating in perfectly timed duck as he sprinted across the field, hence my fastball caught the b in law flush against the side of his ******* head, priceless, ahem. I prefer my snow brewed into IPA, heated for shower water, circulating in the lap pool, bubbling in the hot tub, a left on Left Spot...

mugs and bowls

Oooh, I like all those too, even Simon, haha, "Oh Hi there, how are you, potters, friends, utubers?" Ton a day Isaac Button, classic; first of four segments https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmG5NOmQy_4 Michael Casson, here's one of his - there are a few others https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19YjNGEtUYo (I like his book too) Still watching this one 'bout once a month, Genji Shimizu (artist name Hokujoh) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybb-HhSrtxA&t=8s NHK Ceramic Treasures series - some great stuff here https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUCSFSJSz477hmqwO98PWp940W_voWW7W Clinton Pottery clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bs2tUxKQIic&t=70s Tim See - not seeing many potters anchoring hand on the away side to center - works for him https://www.youtube.com/user/timseepots ...where's the German lady, and the Swedish lady, hrrrm… (still looking) Add Bill Van Gilder https://www.youtube.com/user/vangilderpottery/videos