Hulk

Cool! I've been to Quezon city many times, it's very nice there!  How did you land that gig!?

The 3 feet of snow on the back porch has slowly melted down to a foot & a half  X a foot & a half bar of solid ice, welded to the flooring, so I still can't get out the back door without a jack hammer.  I need to move 2/3rd of the stuff in my kiln room out onto the porch, mostly furniture. Then I can get at the kiln, the ware cart, the 2nd work table, the firing supplies etc. I'll throw hot water through the screen until I can pry it loose.
Of course, I'm delighted to be procrastinating, since I dread how much I have to push myself to get on with it---"it" being another boat load of the ever-popular (but oh-so-boring to make) plant markers.  At least they bring in the spendoolies and I am truly grateful for that. 
Oh-here's a fun fact. The case of them that I sent to an outlet in the Philippines in very early January arrived yesterday.  Yesterday!! I will never ship international again. And I only learned after the fact that the U.S.  does not track after it leaves the states, and I have no recourse if it is lost/stolen/damaged.  I ship almost nothing, ever, & don't qualify for any discounts, anyway.  I am learning to love local!
 

I made some pots a week or so ago and now they're dry.  So today's task was to load and fire the kiln.
Before that could happen, of course, I had to make space to roll the kiln out from under the greenhouse staging, and into the middle of the floor.  So I also had to move stuff away from the kiln, and from on top of the kiln.  Also had to lift and store the anti-fatigue mats that keep my feet warm.  Then had to sweep the floor. Silver birch seeds get everywhere!

shoveling it out.   stuff collects there since it is near the car just outside the french doors.  might need a construction dumpster.

Hi folks, little late with this as I just didn't have an idea for a topic this week, but thought of something that is nearing for all of us, and in the north is important. .. Spring! Its on the way. So I thought that something about the season was appropriate.
So, QotW: Now that Spring is on the way what will be your first task in the studio?
This change in the seasons, and the warmer temperatures will bring on several days in the shop. I will not be throwing or producing anything, but unloading and unfinished glaze load, removing two kilns, and clearing the area for the new kiln. I will also take the time to do the yearly material inventory and cleaning to get ready for the new kiln due at the end of April. Lots to do, with big excitement!
Once again I will ask Now that Spring is on the way what will be your first task in the studio?
best,
Pres

And here are the finished vases, not on the workbench, but on the hearth.

I post this as sort of a "public service" to other pottery semi-newbies like myself.  I somehow never got the message that you can easily paint oxide (and mason stain) washes on top of glazes for a lot of added color or design.  The videos below brought this to my attention and I am really excited about the results.  It has opened up some new avenues for me.  I defer to Richard McColl for a full description but it could not be easier:
Just add some oxides (or mason stains), a little water, and maybe some gerstley borate as a flux -- and apply ON TOP of your glaze for great color and effects.  Goes on great with a brush.  Make it the consistency of ink.  Hard to screw up.
Some examples are at the bottom and here are the videos:
 
 
 

At my home studio the only people who pilfer pots are neighbors and family, which is 100% OK with me and I've told them all so.  In high school/college the only pots that disappeared after firing were incognito bongs and pipes and I know the teachers accidentally lost them on purpose
 
Right now on my bench I've got several more lamp projects and coffee pourovers.  This lamp has 7 soviet era neon bulbs (nixie lamps) to provide a warm communist orange glow.
 

Could a moderator possibly sticky or pin this fix for this old Brent pedal issue to Mark C's Brent wheel fix-it section?  Brandon's solution works, the modification is simple and saved me a hundred bucks plus days of aggravation.  If you can solder and file/cut a little bit of plastic this is an easy fix to replace a part long thought extinct.
 I just acquired a 1975 Brent in excellent shape save the slide pot was shot.  I was about to pull the trigger on the $100 slide pot assembly from Amaco figuring it would fit (it won't I found out after some research) when I decided to see if I could get just the slide potentiometer.  I found this thread, ordered a couple of the 1M pots from the surplus place and had it fixed in probably 1/2 hour.  One thing that made my life easier was to use a Dremel with a small stone to sand the shaft of the slide pot and then switch to a tiny pointed burr to bore an ovalish slot in the opposite end for the mounting tab (which is on the slide side on this particular model).  I was afraid to hit 50 year old bakelite/plastic with anything like a chisel so a Dremel seemed like a good choice.  The new pot sits perfectly in the nest in the pedal casting and cutout in the plastic.  It should last another 50 years, but I have a spare now just in case
For the record, I believe mine is from 1975 as the serial number ends in 75, but here's a picture of the control box for comparison and anyone who may be in the same situation.
Brandon covered this thoroughly, but I'm also happy to share more pictures or descriptions of the modification if it would help folks.  Thanks.

I made a big batch of meatloaf last night,  served it green beans and homemade macaroni and cheese.   The rest of went into the freezer for future meals.  Love cooking big batches of food.   Denice

I don't have a photo, but there's a 5L wine box.
And bills. 

Here's one of the finished lamps.  Using low power LEDs.  Not bad for a prototype!

working on some handle attachments. I prefer pulling off the pot, but this shape wanted a pulled and attached handle. 

Hi Anna!
My guess, the differently coloured pots are thick/thicker - takes longer to reach peak temp, longer to burn out organics, etc.
As for picking up a glaze layer, easy enough to test for difference in absorption. Given that a sufficiently thick layer of glaze is applied, reaching full maturity - the clay, that is - in the glaze fire may be at issue.
The more open pots' inside can "see" the elements better - they get the radiant heat more directly than the enclosed shapes.
Back to thickness, perhaps more time at the critical temps (750, 1050, 1500F) and slow ramp to peak, giving time for thicker parts.
Back to thickness II, if all the ware in a load are not about the same thickness, loading so the thicker ones are in the hotter areas of the kiln should help.
Some air movement - supplying oxygen - is important for thorough bisque.

Lunch today. Pulled pork sammies on homemade “extra toasted” pretzel buns. My plate, Noel Bailey mug that was a gift from a friend. Apple pie in the background as it turns out my 9 year old daughter has a touch for pastry. And it was Pi Day.

This week's effort: 
Somewhere in there is a matching set of 4, to replace the set that are too friendly with gravity!

Hi Anna!
My guess, the differently coloured pots are thick/thicker - takes longer to reach peak temp, longer to burn out organics, etc.
As for picking up a glaze layer, easy enough to test for difference in absorption. Given that a sufficiently thick layer of glaze is applied, reaching full maturity - the clay, that is - in the glaze fire may be at issue.
The more open pots' inside can "see" the elements better - they get the radiant heat more directly than the enclosed shapes.
Back to thickness, perhaps more time at the critical temps (750, 1050, 1500F) and slow ramp to peak, giving time for thicker parts.
Back to thickness II, if all the ware in a load are not about the same thickness, loading so the thicker ones are in the hotter areas of the kiln should help.
Some air movement - supplying oxygen - is important for thorough bisque.

I do this too. 
If not in a hurry, spray, stack and wrap in a damp towel, then in plastic.Wait 24 hours.
If in a hurry, I slam wedge - stack, drop onto floor, squat, pick up, cut in half (like a sandwich), stack, drop, squat.............  Do that 20 times and it really evens out the moisture.  If you drop onto a piece of plastic, you can grab the side edge of the plastic and roll the clay into the other hand.

Like @liambesaw said, the wedging may be the culprit. 
I find that most the time, the clay out of the bag from the company is about where you want it (If not slightly too dry).  So while wedging is generally good practice, it may be counter productive in this case.
If you are wedging on a porous surface, especially plaster or cement, that's really going to pull moisture out.  Wood will do so, but far less.
A couple options on top of what Liam suggested:
1.  When wedging, spray down the work surface with a bit of water, throughout the process, that way you are getting the clay homogenized, without drying it out.
2.  Wedge as you were, but after rolling out the slabs,  use a damp sponge on both sides of the slab to both smooth the surface and work some water back into the slab.  
3.  Add moisture to the bag of clay before wedging.  There are a couple methods for doing this.  One is to poke a bunch of holes in the block of clay, add a bit of water and seal the bag up.  Another, and the one I have found to be very effective is to add about a cup of water to the bag and seal it  Then submerge the bag in a five gallon bucket of water.  The pressure from the water outside of the bag, forces the water inside the bag into the clay.  I found out about this method on these forums, but don't recall who first shared it.  Like I said, I have found it to be effective.
Best of Luck,
Ben
 

working on plates....

Here's what I've been up to in my free time.  Been making LED lamps.  Here's a few of the prototype designs. In greenware with crackle slip.
 

My workbench (all of them looked like this yesterday-today the kilns are glaze firing). Today benches are empty
One  and half handed glazing takes time
My new temporay cast can take a xxxl rubber glove over it now. 
Going to rain some it feels like.
 

Oooh yeah, forgot 'bout that!
The white plastic rounder (in my picture, above) has a hole cut in the bottom; the cut off turquoise tumbler is fully open, of course, and the intact turquoise tumbler doesn't get stuck on account of the shape is not round, there are facets that allow air. The faceted one actually works better that the smooth one, imo.

Any tapered cup.  A previous bisqued cup or bowl or vase. A  word of caution if you use a smooth round object it can get trapped by suction so careful how hard you push on this and make sure you can release it.

This is SO helpful, thank you!!!! I am just getting used to throwing again (I took a 2 year break) but once I have the hang of it again I plan to work on repeat forms. I actually got a glass egg easter decoration that looked like the tool you posted and it worked well for some mugs I  threw recently.