sarah staub

has anyone gotten bad hydrobats recently and can attest to the quality or know of any way to make them level? I just bought 3 (2 x 14" and 1 x 12.5") and 2 of them were pretty uneven on the top (some bits were about .5cm and .7cm higher than other parts) I emailed the company asking if there was any way to fix them and sent 3 different videos of them and they just said that "Your hydrobats are probably wobbling a little bit because they weren't trimmed perfectly, but they should still be usable" and I could try adding clay or I could return them (which the shipping cost will probably make it not worth it). I have other hydrobats from years ago and they are nice and flat so it was a bit disappointing that these one's werent and that their response was that they arent always level, which I feel like is a lot of the reason to use a bat. edit- The bottoms are fine, they do not wobble on the wheel-head but the top of the bat itself has high and low spots on it so if your hand is resting on the bat while the wheel is on your hand will move up and down while it spins- its like a topographic map - versus if it were all nice and flat and level your hand shouldnt move up and down while the wheel turns. I could add a pretty thick layer of clay over the bat and make a new level surface and then throw on that but that is a pain- uses more clay that I then need to trim off -and not what I paid for.

Thanks so much everyone!!! I was using a hole making tool (hollow cylinder with angled sharp edge) and then carving out another little bit on top but I might try just doing one hole like Sorcery said I had tried a few different glazes and pooling the glaze in places but didnt get the same depth/effect that the glass gave but I think Ill keep experimenting with glazes and maybe add some underglaze to bits before I put the glaze on to add a little more color and maybe just adding a few fine pieces of glass in places and Ill make some cookies for them to sit on too. Someone else had recommended wax and alumina so I think Ill buy some of that too and just keep experimenting! itll be awhile before Im back in the studio again but ill post some photo updates once I have them! thanks again!! Sarah

thanks! I dont use porcelain- I use white stoneware fired to cone 6- but does this all still apply? thanks

Hey all, using white cone 6 stoneware- B-mix 5 WC-401 I have been making some little 8-inch coral wall hangings- I throw bowled plates and fill it in with coral looking bits. They dry slowly and they usually make it through the glaze firing fine but then I like to add some glass (I bought some stained glass and mosaic glass pebbles- photos attached (the ones I bought are different colors but same type)) and put them in for another glaze firing and then they often crack at this step. I try not to use too much glass since I know that can cause cracking and often they just crack a little bit in the back but sometimes it goes all the way through (photos attached since Im not good at describing this) I have 2 questions: 1- after they're bisqued, can I put the glaze on them, let it dry and then put the glass on top so that I just do one glaze firing or is there any cost/benefit to doing it separately? - I did it separately this time because I decided I didnt like how they looked just with the glaze. 2- I've heard you can put sand underneath pieces to be like a shrink slab but I fire in a community kiln and they dont seem to be open to that; would making little clay coils or rolling out cylindrical strips and putting them under the corals when I do the glass melting help to prevent cracking? -I figured they were cracking because of friction getting caught on the kiln shelf any other thoughts/suggestions on how to do these? I just made a few more and trimmed the back of the bowled plates to add a little foot thinking that might help since there will be less surface area touching the kiln shelf but they are still drying thanks!