liambesaw

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.
 
 

@liambesawIt would cut my current production down so far it would not be nearly as enjoyable. However, the time on the wheel would become extremely precious!
 
best,
Pres

@Presunderstandable. There's no doubt I'd slow down if I had to dig clay, and I'd respect it and cherish it a whole hell of a lot more.  Might not be a bad thing.

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.
 
 

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

 

Needed a change of pace and had lots of pieces ready for my wife to paint so I made this, to bad the board cracked but it adds character.

I love my bat inserts, I have 60 of the inserts and I know the old schoolers see them as a crutch, but I have never enjoyed removing things from the wheelhead and don't have space for 60 full size bats or plaster bats (though I do have quite a few of each).  They also take up the same amount of space on a ware board as cutting off the wheel so worth the investment to me!

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.
 
 

liner glazin'

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.
 
 

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.
 
 

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.

Hahaha oh sheesh, you just described a typical weeknight for me.  I need to unlearn how to read, all it does is get me in trouble.

Technology, as applied to the art and craft of ceramics, may be defined as any practical evolutionary, or revolutionary, advancement of knowledge that contributes to a ceramic process, and which utilizes a more efficient method for enhancing traditional practices, with the aid of science, a system, technique, tool, or piece of equipment.  Lee-the-editor-has spoke;  don't neglect those commas!
@liambesaw  Thanks for the roller coaster of a wormhole ride down into Wikiville. I visited much of human history, including clicking on Ted Kaczynski's contribution re: technology (except it was deleted), Heidegger, Blade Runner, something about BMI and weight gain, plus dolphins & crows, to hit the highlights.  Made a $5 donation to pay for the trip.

Well high technology deals specifically with electronics, so a stick wheel would be low tech no matter the era.
I don't think a pottery specific definition of technology is particularly useful or intriguing.  The standard definition works well.  The more interesting and useful discussion is the philosophy of the relationship between craftsman and tool.  At what point on that spectrum do the craftsman and tool trade places?
Less definition and more nuance.  

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!

Technology for art and craft Ceramics may be defined as any practical evolutionary or revolutionary advancement of knowledge within a ceramic process that allows a more efficient method for traditional practices with the aid of a system, technique, tool or piece of equipment.
I would not want to leave out the artists, that do decorative work or the sculptors etc. thus putting in the art and craft. I bow to your editing skills, as you have taken a longer statement and boiled it down to a much more precise statement. . . . thank you.  
How do those of you in the community feel about the statement above.
best,
Pres

Technology for craft Ceramics may be defined as any practical evolutionary or revolutionary advancement of knowledge within a ceramic process that allows a more efficient method for traditional practices with the aid of a system, technique, tool or piece of equipment.
 
I just thought it read a little more concise without changing the definition much.  

With all due respect @liambesaw I do think it's a useful dialogue to be having. From last weeks QoTW and the topic "Do you draw a line in the sand about technology when it comes to your studio or anything Ceramic?" it was your reply "I think 3D printers are the only real new technology to hit pottery since I was born, so maybe this is more a question for the older people here then?" that brought to my mind the possibility that we have different definitions of technology as it relates to ceramics. To me wifi enabled controllers that have only been available for a few years now would fit Pres's definition and yet it doesn't apparently fit yours. (or was an oversight)
I believe Pres is very open to suggestions for a QoTW, yours sounds like an interesting one.

I think that distinction is often blurry. For instance, say someone uses the latest computer technology and high-tech NASA materials to create a hammer that drives nails with 50% less effort. Is that hammer low tech because it's still a hammer that doesn't have any electronics, or is it high tech because of how it was designed and manufactured? I think materials alone can make something high tech even if it doesn't have electronics.
I think technology has a lot of smaller categories- new tech, old tech, low tech, high tech, etc. I suppose something is old tech as soon as  something newer comes along. Digital kiln controllers were the latest tech for 25-30 years until the touch screen controllers came out. Now they're the old tech, but they're still high-tech compared to Kiln Sitters. It's all relative. And high tech isn't automatically better than low tech. Digital kiln controllers are the easiest way to fire, but witness cones are still the most accurate. Some people prefer high tech, some prefer low tech. There's room for a lot of personal choice. Low tech solutions are beautiful in their simplicity. High tech solutions can blow your mind. It's all good. I think of technology as 'any object, tool, or system that simplifies, expedites, or automates a process'.

That's what I use as well, works very good.

I put ceramic blanket on the top of my lid and it caused a big crack in the middle, wouldn't recommend it lol

I actually saw yesterday a new type of 3d printing, it's 3d printing a silica based thermoplastic with a minimum tolerance of less than 1mm, once fired it's more like .1mm, so may see some super delicate stuff coming soon.  I think it's more for printing industrial components but I'm sure once it's more affordable or commonplace, hobbyists will get their hands on some as well.  

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.