Hulk

liner glazin'

Changing elements in the big girl today.  Last cone 6 firing took 13 hours, but it was pretty packed.  No more Err1 for me for a while.
 

It’s photo editing day!

liner glazin'

I thought the crack added to it, here is another pic that shows the board better.

 

Min: the first mention of slow cooling I seen was in an ACERS journal by Edward Orton, Jr. (The cone guy) in 1908. The mid 1970's is when I have noticed changes in modern pottery. However, I also noticed detrimental effects of technology in the last two decades. Modern kilns, glazes, and premix clays makes pottery easily accessible to any and all: which is a good thing. However, the ease of operation does not require the user to acquire any basic working principles of functional or food safety guidelines. We have all seen the end products on EBay and art fairs. 
That said: technology has opened doors on previously extremely challenging techniques and glazes. I spent all of one month attempting to fire crystalline glaze in an old kiln with a sitter before I quickly realized I was not spending 8 hours babysitting it. Kiln controllers rank high on technological improvement list. Anyone who had or played on a kick wheel: would say the same about an electric wheel. I have been playing around with self glazing clay bodies----one of these days....
T

liner glazin'

liner glazin'

liner glazin'

As to the workbench I'm overloaded with demand currently. I open my booth on the 11th -build it on the 10th same day I unload two glaze fires. Every outlet is selling like crazy -one gallery sent a email today as they sold all the tumblers today to one customer (48 of them) . I called them back and said more on the 12th. My  organic markets are outselling last year by a bunch. This years xmas season is nuts and since it my 40th something season thats saying something. To top it all off covid is on the rise now even here behind the redwood curtain.

This thread hasn't gotten much love recently.
Right now on my workbench is a small load of "sailing mugs", old school travelers. 

Also been doing some water etching on porcelain with shellac.

  Just finished some Christmas orders, still have more to do unfortunately, and I need to replace my elements of course, something always happens when it's crunch time.
 
 

U of I study found that KnaO was completely melted/spent at 2190F. Above 2230F =/- cristobalite begins to form. In a clay body 3/8-1/2" wall: potassium begins to melt (fluid) at 2044F and sodium 2012F. The combination of these factors is the basis of cone 6 firing target. Ougland & Brindley (British Ceramic Society) found glass content at cone 6 was 61% and glass content at cone 10 was 66%. Mullite at cone 6 was 19% and mullite at cone 10 was 21% Their study was based on a triaxle blend of 1/3 kaolin, 1/3 KnaO, and 1/3 silica. (porcelain).  So now you have the why!

I think of wifi as being intangible but feel it would need to be included also. Or is the wifi the tool? Tough definition to nail down. Perhaps separating into old and new technology? Old could be anything that has been in use for X number of years, new technology after that?

thanks, bill, that is what i meant.

I think the traditional definition of the practical advancement of knowledge within a discipline is very appropriate. In the current day the meaning often has been the use of computers some way. I think the original definition is still appropriate and all encompassing to include any advancement in knowledge whether process, ease of construction, better quality, more quantity etc.... I think the original definition seems well thought out.

agree with all this.    does make me wonder if Wedgewood would have liked plastic bags or tubs for storing clay.

Back in the day pots where made all by handbuilding/coiling etc or a kick wheel  driven with a foot  or a stick or a treadle (later invention) or by someone else 
handles where rolled or pulled or slabbed
Indoor plumbing came along as well
Since those days and much of this has been in my lifetime its all changed.(not the indoor plumbing)
Power wheels extruders slab rollers  pug mill and clay mixer and combo machines-they even come all with  electric power now
Pres story on extruder dies sums up how far this has come-I cut my pulled clay handle in 1/2 traced it on the aluminum die and cut it with my jewelers saw from collage jewelry class.
I most likey would still do that way as I like the craftsmen ways still. sure I have power wheels and electric slab rollers but filing it smooth and completing it feels good still to me.
I embrace the parts that save time and my body as a professional potter.Even with all that stuff I'm still been beat up by clay. I'm missing 3 bones in one wrist from overuse after a fall injury long ago I do not recall. Soon to have a bone removed from my other thumb (later in January) no cartilage  between bones from overuse.. (centering I think )as that hurts the most
I will add that clay has also kept me in shape. Moved 1/2 ton today into studio. Keeping moving at my age is a good thing.
The part of clay that has not changes much is how much we have to move it. At least 12 times for me before its sold or dropped off. That adds up over the decades .Especailly when it 10 tons a year. I would love this to be different but even If I had a better studio set up it still would be 10 moves at least .
If I made less stuff -non production potter I would not think about this.I learned long ago not to make my own clay as it was killing my body when I did.Now its more a slow death by clay.
Griffen grips power mixers and wheel all add up to  time and body savings. I'll all in for that. I sponge up all labor saving I ever see from other potters no matter how small from glaze tongs to hot waxing-it all adds up to less time.I do not claen my  throwing wheel much anymore whats the point it gets used to much to bother time wise. I keep my trimming wheel clean as its easy.
Leanring from others was and is a high priority for me. Technology for me is all about Time/labor saving .
I still like paper and lists so some old school left in me.
 
 
 

My first thought was, anything you can't find in the woods is "technology". However, a depression in the earth to turn a round pot and an anvil and paddle were once new technology.
So I believe a "History of Pottery Tech" would be more wholly encompassing and easier to....
Not argue about? Lol!
Sorce
 

I think it would be a good idea to come to some consensus on the meaning of "technology" I would propose that we collaboratively write a statement of what "technology" means to us in the Ceramic community, or at least in the ICAN Community Forum. As a starter I will present what it means to me.
Technology for me as involved in ceramics is basically anything that makes my life easier when working with clay. This could include anything that makes my life easier, that I may have had another way of doing, but something technologically innovative would be helpful. 
for Example:
when cutting stencil to spray glazes through I started with commercial stencil, went to hand cutting my own, then to using a cricut type cutter controlled by my computer to cut them. You all know about the handle pulling problem I have with my rt thumb, and not being ambidextrous to use my lt hand, I tried using a hand held putty gun type extruder. That was too much for my hands, even though it worked, but cranking out 100 handles in one day was tough. I switched to a modified battery powered putty gun modified to extrude my handles and other small sections for pottery. At school, I used a setter to fire the kiln, took a step backwards to not have a setter on my own kiln because I wanted to fire up and down. Now days a kiln controller will fire pots up and down and do so much more. I use a scroll saw to cut the dies for my hand extruder, used to use a coping saw. Two years ago while teaching the adult class at the high school someone needed a die for the handheld extruder at the school. Another teacher taking the class took a drawing of what  she wanted down to his "shop" scanned the drawing into the computer, took it into a cad program and cleaned up the scan scaled it and then hit print. A laser die cutter had the die outside cut and the inside extrusion area cut in about 3 minutes! Whole process took maybe 10 minutes. I use a Griffin Grip, today that is old tech, but when it came out in the 80's I think it was like WOW to me. In a little bit of no time I realized how much faster I could trim pots. Even though I knew all of the tap centering tricks and was quick, this thing was quicker, and it would handle odd shapes with a little creative help. Now days with pieces of plumbing parts I can trim stems and chalice bowls and assemble in short time. Also use outer edges of some parts to trim to exacting diameters. Easy and Quick. So to me, unless I can afford or justify the tech, it is not any good to me. Surprisingly enough, the laser cutter, are dropping in price to where cutting the dies will be cost effective. The teachers cutter was about a 24 X 36 table. Pretty big for home use.
I will pose a starting point for a definition:
Technology for Ceramics may be defined as any advancement in a process that will allow a cost effective, easier or quicker, way of doing traditional processes with the aid of a new tool or piece of equipment. This could be some form of evolutionary technology building on traditional methods and equipment or completely new technology.
Please edit, or completely rewrite it. . . .and as we go along, maybe we can come to a consensus. 
QotW: How do you define technology involved in the production of Ceramics?
best,
Pres
 

Automated fire control likely predates Liamb's arrival (electromechanical logic, or relay logic goes back to about my Pa's grade school days), however, low cost cute lil' logic boards makes it available to hobby potters, much later ...thanks to development o' transistors, then integrated circuits.
The topic (thanks Pres!) sure generated some thinkin' for me - what is technology? bein' one o' the questions for sure.

Automated fire control likely predates Liamb's arrival (electromechanical logic, or relay logic goes back to about my Pa's grade school days), however, low cost cute lil' logic boards makes it available to hobby potters, much later ...thanks to development o' transistors, then integrated circuits.
The topic (thanks Pres!) sure generated some thinkin' for me - what is technology? bein' one o' the questions for sure.

I guess you never noticed that there are computer controllers attached to kilns nowadays.
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3-D printed stamps from Spectrum Glaze

The big innovations since I started in clay are good electric wheels (ones that have power and variable speed control)-this was a. GAME CHANGER in the early 70s
Electric wheels in the 60s where horiable comepared to whats out there now.They where mostly AC with bad speed control.
The switch to Dc motors was a major improvement-I credit Robert Breent for this at that time. Soon they all followed.
Computerized kilns -both in gas and electric. Now its more of control and time saving-Zone control really is sweet for those who need it.-(not me)
You can argue griffen grips as they sped me up about 30% -50% in trimming-another game changer for us production potters
Kiln shelves which is really a major deal with the this strong non warping shelves-like advancers -huge game changer for me as I have piles of all the earlier shelves from mulite to sicone carbide to dry poressed English ones. They all where thick -heavy-and warped over time at cone 11. now its lite and flat and take up 1/3 the space-maybe the most game changer in terms of more wares in the kiln.
Now many of these really are not needed in hobby market but all are beneficial to us all.
The last mention iare vacuum combo mixer /puggers. Really another game changer fro production potters-time and ease of working with clay that you make to fit your needs.
I will think of more later after this expresso sinks in -back to the shop now as its xmas crazy production now
full speed ahead dam the torpedoes
 
On those older wheels that where not very good-The names I recall  as I thre on them all when learning where- 
Skutt-had a string out the side witgh a piece of wood for the foot pedal-poor speed control but buildt in spolash pan as oart of unit
Amaco -looks like a Buck Roger space wheel-super gear box but speed control was poor.
Oscar Paul--white enamel metal reminded  me of a bicycle-poor speed control

I guess we old guys have seen a lot of tech happen over the years, but then again maybe the correct word would be innovation for some. I look at the marvels of the kiln controllers of today remembering why my kiln was purchased without a setter. Major change in innovation, and technology. I also understand the reluctance of 3D printing but realize that many of us are using computer controlled cutters to make stencils and decorating forms. All the way you look at it.
 
Glad to have found a topic that generates some traffic!
 
 
best,
Pres

Wow.
As for (my reading of) the question, lots of tech in my Studio already, which is absolutely dependent on electricity to power lighting, wheel, kiln, audio system (yeh, it's important!), pyrometer, and mixing tools. I'm not interested in:
  working by natural light only (nor by candle light);
  kicking or otherwise powering the wheel myself, nor using a wheel less sensitive, consistent, precise, and powerful;
  isolating myself from media whilst working (although shutting off the system, and rolling up the door to the sounds o' birds, wind, neighbors, ocean can be a nice change);
  firing ware by burning stuff (not even the available natural gas, as there's just nowhere to put a gas kiln at our house, 'cept the courtyard, which ain' happenin');
  working without a pyrometer;
  mixing slurry - glaze, slip, reclaim - by hand.
Without "the internet" my journey into clay would have been much more ...stark; books and magazines are great, sure, as is meeting, working and sharing with others interested in clay, however, the depth and breadth of info, instantly available, as well as the lifetime of vids (some of which are worthwhile!) - amazing resource.
These advantages are all within the arc of my life, if one includes their parents' experience...
 
My list of tech to add includes:
new kiln, as current kiln is well worn, and when the time comes, with controller, to cut down on the back and forth to/from the kiln whilst firing.
That's all that comes to mind just now, although I am interested in mixing clay, seeing how rewarding mixing glazes has been, and how "wrong" so many clay bodies seem to be...
As for other machines, tech, tools, etc. exploring wheel thrown forms was (still is) the whole point - for me; very little hand building, no extrusions (yet), no molds, no nothin'! Hence, perhaps it's not "...drawing a line..." for me, rather just doing what I want.