Miriam Ash

I learned this the hard way the other day!!! I have been recycling a lot of clay with all my mistakes.

I am throwing in my own studio so I don't have access to a heat gun I am going to try a more aggressive trimming though.

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.

I have tried the water trick! I have also been having issues where my pots are drying very unevenly. The outside dries quickly and the foot dries very slowly so I thought maybe the water on the underside might be the culprit. I tried flipping it as quickly as possible and lost a few pots because they weren't ready. I also tried just wrapping the rim which worked a bit better.

I love the idea of a tapered tool but Bill Van Gilder's is sold out. Can you give me some examples of plastic containers you use?

I have the Mudtools wire but not the squiggly one. I will give that a try too!

What masonite bats do you recommend?

I have noticed timing is everything! Until now I have been a part of a studio and so I had different habits that lent itself to better timing- for example, I set a piece aside after throwing it and let it dry for a bit without being wrapped. In my own studio I can come and go with more frequency so I end up wrapping my pieces earlier. I do wire twice, once right after I throw and once when I am trying to lift the piece from the bat. I have been using cups, bottle, etc to try to restore the shape. I had no idea this tapering tool existed! Will have to try that too.

I haven't- at what stage do you do this? Do I just use a regular piece of printer paper?

I have always struggled with getting my pieces off the wheel cleanly. Here are some of my issues. 1) When I throw directly on the wheel the piece warps either when I try to lift it off or when I set it down. I've tried the pot lifters and I have issues with those too. 2) When I throw on my plastic bats I have a lot of trouble removing them when they are leather hard. They stick firmly to the bat. Once I get them off I put them on a tile lined with wet newspaper which seems to prevent sticking. Any advice? Thanks! Miriam

Thanks! I never paid much attention to the wheel heads at the studios I joined but I guess some wear and tear is expected! Scratches are probably from the paint scraper I use to get the excess clay off the wheel. I should probably get a plastic one. I throw on it once or twice a week- wish I had more time to throw but I have a 7 month old!

My brand new Shimpo VL Whisper wheel head looks like it is starting to rust. I only clean it with a sponge and water. It is located in my garage. Any ideas why it might be rusting so quickly? I've attached photos of the rust. Thank you!!

Hello! Looking for some help, advice and possibly some used equipment leads for my new home studio. I know I love the Shimpo VL Whisper wheel- I would love to buy it used but I am having a hard locating one. I have never fired a kiln and I have no idea what to look for- any advice from more advanced potters out there? Any other things I should keep in mind when starting my home studio? I plan to set up shelves and have a working table & wedging table. I would also love to connect for anyone else in Northern NJ interested in ceramics. Thanks!