Saving your hands.

[graybeard]

Hi again everyone.

If you have ever searched for your needle tools in the splash pan or slop bucket and ended up finding them stuck in your hands try this.

Buy a length of pipe insulation (the self sealing foam stuff, comes in 8 foot lengths for about $2.00 a piece) and wrap a 6-10 inch piece around the lip of your splash pan and stick the needle tools in that. Been doing that for about 3 weeks now and I don't feel like Moby Dick any more.

Graybeard

[Judith B]

That's a really good idea, thanks for sharing!

[bciskepottery]

Needless to say, a tetanus shot (or booster) is never a bad idea for those working in studios.  After the needle tool, the metal flexible ribbon of death (your shiny metal rib) is the next most dangerous item of which to be wary.  (Yeah, bad pun on needless)

[Joseph Fireborn]

20 minutes ago, bciskepottery said:

the metal flexible ribbon of death 

I still call it this too. Tim See was the first time I heard anyone call it this in that video. I bought a good one that doesn't cut my hands easily. I never use a needle tool though. Wooo!

[What?]

good idea

[Benzine]

15 hours ago, Joseph F said:

I still call it this too. Tim See was the first time I heard anyone call it this in that video. I bought a good one that doesn't cut my hands easily. I never use a needle tool though. Wooo!

What is amazing, is that despite it's ability to attack you, especially on the wheel, I've never had a student injure themselves with one of these. *Knocks heavily on wood*

 

To me, that's just amazing, as the students find a way to hurt themselves with about anything...

[Guest]

I've been doing cut and paste In graphic design back when we actually had to use a exacto knife to cut and wax to paste. I've always used a coffee mug with the tip of the knife facing up to store a variety of tools. In all the decades I've never cut myself. When I started throwing I've instinctively grabbed a thrown mug to place all the tools into.

[Callie Beller Diesel]

I just stick both the needle tool and the "flexible ribbon of death" in a wad of clay on the side of the wheel deck so they're both upright.  I use what's handy, I suppose.

 

I have never ever heard a metal rib called that, but having laid open my thumb cleaning that sucker off about twice in my life, I have to heartily agree with that particular moniker. I've had scalp wounds that have bled less! Taught me pretty fast to scrape the clay off on the side of the bucket.