Pat B.

I have been using Laguna 55 for years and love how non-fussy it is although it is a bit groggy and doesn't fire too white. I recently started using Laguna 65 and love how smooth it is and the white color, although attachments do crack a bit more and I'm told it doesn't play well with a lot of glazes because of the low COE. Problem: I no longer live near a supplier who carries those two clays. I do live an hour away from Sheffield Pottery and an hour away from Bailey Ceramic Supply. Can anyone recommend a cone 6 white stoneware? I'm not interested in B-mix 5 (my glazes want cone 6 and I don't want to deal with cracking and fussiness). I've seen negative things about Bailey's clay (bloating) but don't know anything about Sheffield's clays. I appreciate any help.

I use newspaper. It's thinner than printer paper but still keeps the shape, is cheap, and is flexible when wet so is very easy to peel off. Do it while the pot is still wet and the rim can stick to the newspaper. Clear off any extra slip on the rim and then gently lay the paper on top. Make sure to get contact all the way around the rim by very gently running your finger along the rim (you'll see where it is sticking) . Move the pot off the wheel onto your ware board and then gently peel off the paper. You may have to smooth the rim a bit if it looks rough, but it will be perfectly round!