liambesaw

So today started like many glaze days except this was the last one this year. The day ended looking like these last two photos.Which is all that bisque ware you see in above post which got glazed and loaded today.
The big car kiln was not quite full (last fire of year is a cleanup of whats left) and the little 12 cubic updraft was bait loose as well.
This year in firing making terns is ending earlier than it ever has for me. Due to my two month broken arm setback-I ended up with a whole shows extra inventory-Hence no need to make that much more for xmas.I;ll post a year end comparison as usual for my business later in month after things slow down. I closed my retail pottery sale booth for two days (mon_tues) to concentrate on the glazing and firing as well as the usually 18 days this season is just a bit to long for me-I like 15 days selling maximum . So is will reopen on Wednesday and sell everyday thru xmas eve.
My workbench will be empty of  greenware and bisque ware  its only for fired pots that need pricing or sorting or shipping now as the selling season is on and the makings season is over.
 

Love that angled cylinder one, beautiful

Love that angled cylinder one, beautiful

Been doing noodle bowls this week but took a break to make this jar.  Had to mix it up.  Over the weekend I did a bisque and a glaze firing of some mugs for Christmas gifts, they turned out OK, had some bowls in there too which turned out better.  Will focus on bowls the rest of the week, want to make enough for a kiln load by the weekend and see if I cant get them bisqued and glazed.  Looking for a used kiln this holiday season for bisquing since that part of my firing takes the longest and I have to babysit the kiln the entire 12 hours.  It would free me up to do other things.

Been doing noodle bowls this week but took a break to make this jar.  Had to mix it up.  Over the weekend I did a bisque and a glaze firing of some mugs for Christmas gifts, they turned out OK, had some bowls in there too which turned out better.  Will focus on bowls the rest of the week, want to make enough for a kiln load by the weekend and see if I cant get them bisqued and glazed.  Looking for a used kiln this holiday season for bisquing since that part of my firing takes the longest and I have to babysit the kiln the entire 12 hours.  It would free me up to do other things.

Been doing noodle bowls this week but took a break to make this jar.  Had to mix it up.  Over the weekend I did a bisque and a glaze firing of some mugs for Christmas gifts, they turned out OK, had some bowls in there too which turned out better.  Will focus on bowls the rest of the week, want to make enough for a kiln load by the weekend and see if I cant get them bisqued and glazed.  Looking for a used kiln this holiday season for bisquing since that part of my firing takes the longest and I have to babysit the kiln the entire 12 hours.  It would free me up to do other things.

Love the variety @liambesaw

I wish I had an economical way of preventing it, but it's gonna be in the 20s at night this week and even with a space heater going it sometimes isn't enough.  But I've got a trick up my sleeve for at least this cold snap...  I'm down to my last bits of clay and won't be able to drive down to Seattle pottery until probably after the new year... So take that mother nature! Hah!

Here's the reclaim jars, had to torch them a little because the reclaim was pretttttttty soft, but they came out pretty good.  They'll all get lids and handles in the coming days

Here's the reclaim jars, had to torch them a little because the reclaim was pretttttttty soft, but they came out pretty good.  They'll all get lids and handles in the coming days

Well worked my way through all of my bags of iron-rich stoneware.... Or so I thought.  100 lbs of reclaim looks just about ready to throw with, so I'll be wedging up some of that tonight to see if it's still got legs.  While burning through my bags I used this stuff called Goldbar Brown and it was pretty stiff, but it made throwing large pretty easy, might have to pick some more of it up if I like the fired appearance.  I made a pretty good sized lidded jar with it and I know with my standard clay I would have had the torch out a few times at least.

Here's the reclaim jars, had to torch them a little because the reclaim was pretttttttty soft, but they came out pretty good.  They'll all get lids and handles in the coming days

Well worked my way through all of my bags of iron-rich stoneware.... Or so I thought.  100 lbs of reclaim looks just about ready to throw with, so I'll be wedging up some of that tonight to see if it's still got legs.  While burning through my bags I used this stuff called Goldbar Brown and it was pretty stiff, but it made throwing large pretty easy, might have to pick some more of it up if I like the fired appearance.  I made a pretty good sized lidded jar with it and I know with my standard clay I would have had the torch out a few times at least.

Ran out of my normal clay so I've been going through some other dark clays I bought to try out.  Been working on a new form I like so I've got a handful of these drying up right now, all different weights.  The one in the picture here is 7 lbs, have a few 5 lbs ones and a few 2 lbs ones as well.  
Ended up recycling 50 lbs last week, I have wedged most of it, still have about 15 lbs to wedge and bag.  Not sure how long I should let it sit before trying to throw with it.
I have 50 lbs of porcelain and another 100 lbs of white stoneware I want to get through before I make another clay order, so I'll be cleaning my wheel and tools at some point this week.  Hey I might even get some free time over the 4 day weekend hah.

Wish I had known Liam, as I was there three weeks ago. Could have had a chat over a brew.
 
best,
Pres

Hey that would have been fun! 

Well worked my way through all of my bags of iron-rich stoneware.... Or so I thought.  100 lbs of reclaim looks just about ready to throw with, so I'll be wedging up some of that tonight to see if it's still got legs.  While burning through my bags I used this stuff called Goldbar Brown and it was pretty stiff, but it made throwing large pretty easy, might have to pick some more of it up if I like the fired appearance.  I made a pretty good sized lidded jar with it and I know with my standard clay I would have had the torch out a few times at least.

It's definitely more work to wedge, center and pull but it seems to take a beating really well.  Just finished throwing a couple 10 pound pots with the reclaim, it definitely needed a softer touch but good news is, it's still plenty plastic!

Wow, I struggle to keep my "studio" in the 50s even with a propane heater!  
One thing I have found very helpful is I picked up a little 2 quart crock pot for 7.99 at Target and I turn it on when I get home from work and it's darn near boiling by the time I get my kids in bed and am able to get out there.  I just top it off with some cold water and it's just about right.  I turn it off when I start throwing and it stays nice and warm for a few hours.

Since my shed is so small, I have a space heater to keep things from freezing, the thermostat set to 40.  For when I'm actually out there and working I have a propane tank top heater.  The propane heater really kicks the heat out so I only run it for a few minutes at a time.

Wow, I struggle to keep my "studio" in the 50s even with a propane heater!  
One thing I have found very helpful is I picked up a little 2 quart crock pot for 7.99 at Target and I turn it on when I get home from work and it's darn near boiling by the time I get my kids in bed and am able to get out there.  I just top it off with some cold water and it's just about right.  I turn it off when I start throwing and it stays nice and warm for a few hours.

Ran out of my normal clay so I've been going through some other dark clays I bought to try out.  Been working on a new form I like so I've got a handful of these drying up right now, all different weights.  The one in the picture here is 7 lbs, have a few 5 lbs ones and a few 2 lbs ones as well.  
Ended up recycling 50 lbs last week, I have wedged most of it, still have about 15 lbs to wedge and bag.  Not sure how long I should let it sit before trying to throw with it.
I have 50 lbs of porcelain and another 100 lbs of white stoneware I want to get through before I make another clay order, so I'll be cleaning my wheel and tools at some point this week.  Hey I might even get some free time over the 4 day weekend hah.

Two Kilns are cooling  with glaze wares so tables are empty-New throwing starts in am-salt cellars,miso bowls and small cereal bowls for am.
Only a few fires left this year. I'm way ahead with  at this point a canceled show from broken arm-sounds strange but van is still packed full and back sock is piling up priced and boxed.
 

Haha yeah, my own dumb fault of course.  I was in reduction starting at cone 4, when I turned down the gas to soak it allowed more air to burn and the temperature went up.  It's always a good time for a lesson, that's what I say!

Haha yeah, my own dumb fault of course.  I was in reduction starting at cone 4, when I turned down the gas to soak it allowed more air to burn and the temperature went up.  It's always a good time for a lesson, that's what I say!