jrklark

Thanks for the prompt reply I'll try your suggestions and see how things go!!

Hi everyone, and thank you for all the good information!! General responses to questions from people's postings: I use both recycled clay (broken up dried clay bodies, slip from throwing added to rehydrate, mixed, dried and wedged on a concrete slab), and new clay. Handles are pulled not extruded. I let the pulled ribbon"hang" from my workbench just long enough to have it maintain shape once attached to the mug. I usually start attaching handles about 20 minutes or so after pulling the ribbon. I do not "preshape" the handles. My process is: take a ball of clay and roll it in my hands to make a cylinder, using water pull into a ribbon, hang from the edge of the workbench for about 20 minutes, lay the ribbon on the bench and cut to proper length, score and apply slip to mug, score and apply slip to ribbon, attach ribbon to top of mug, bend ribbon and attach to bottom of mug. If ribbon is too soft I will use put strip of newspaper, dipped in water, over the outer curve of the handle and into the mug to support the handle while it dries. Min: What do you mean by "overworking the clay"? I have started experimenting with "C" shaped handles, but not in love with the shape Bill: What do you mean by "a bit of over loop at the top"? Again, thanks everyone for the thoughts and suggestions. This has been driving me a little crazy for some time now!

Hi everyone I use a cone 6+ porcelain from a local supplier and attach with a process and slip much like described by Mark C.. I've talked with the supplier but am still having problems. Mugs usually are covered about 30 minutes after I throw them and handles are attached the next day. The clay body is pretty soft and needs the overnight time to setup enough to be handled (no pun intended). The handle cracking seems to be caused by shrinking. Thanks!!!

I'm having the same issue, pulled handles cracking as the mug/handle dry. I work in porcelain. I've tried slow drying, wax over the handle and joint where it attaches to the mug, thicker handles, thinner handles..... And I'm still having about 60% of my handles crack as they dry. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!!