Cleaning inside bottom and wall of tall mugs.

[hershey8]

I've watched many videos on making mugs. How in the heck do you clean finger marks, sponge marks, from the inside of a tall mug, without messing it up with your hand? Is there a special tool for this.  Shouldn't the inside of a mug be as smooth as the inside of a bowl? Some of the vids show slop on the inside, but no one mentions it.  At least that goes for the vids the I have seen.  

 

[preeta]

47 minutes ago, hershey8 said:

Shouldn't the inside of a mug be as smooth as the inside of a bowl?

 

That is a personal choice.  There are potters esp those who alter their mugs like leaving throwing lines inside (if not outside too for design) to show the cup was thrown on a wheel.  

But no there is no rule the inside should be smooth like a bowl. In fact potter like Adam Field stamps the inside of his porcelain mugs on the floor  

I prefer the bottom of my cup be smooth because I like my stirring spoon to be smooth. 

I have a long pointed steel rib that I have used to smooth the inside. I’ve also just used a sponge to get the extra slip inside the walls of the mug. 

Ive used a throwing stick just to try out and I noticed it does not leave marks.  

However I prefer the marks - if they are the right ones.  

Also when I throw tall things I throw in sections so I clean as I go.  I don’t work from bottom to the very top. Once I finish the bottom inside wall I don’t revisit again.  

[hershey8]

Thank you Preeta. Hmmm, so you clean in stages as you throw. Makes sense to me, and then maybe swab a little at the end. I never used a throwing stick, may have to try that. Thanks so much!  ja

 

[shawnhar]

Iv'e been using my index finger pointing down and a rib on the outside, after I finished pulling, to shape my mugs. It doesn't "completely" remove the throwing lines on the inside but smooths it out a lot, then swab a little at the end like you said. I also sponge out the bottom and inside walls before shaping.  Have not tried a throwing stick yet.

[hershey8]

3 minutes ago, shawnhar said:

Iv'e been using my index finger pointing down and a rib on the outside, after I finished pulling, to shape my mugs. It doesn't "completely" remove the throwing lines on the inside but smooths it out a lot, then swab a little at the end like you said. I also sponge out the bottom and inside walls before shaping.  Have not tried a throwing stick yet.

Throwing stick on my list now.  I'm going to make a few with different profiles. So, it sounds like you clean as you go , also. Thanks,  ja

[Min]

@hershey8, size of your hands might have something to do with it? Most of my mugs are 9 - 9.5cm wide at the top, I've got little hands and don't have any problem getting my hand inside the pot and right the way down to the bottom. To get the slip / water out from the bottom of a tall narrow pot a sponge on a stick works. Scrap of sponge on the end of a chopstick or dowel and held on with an elastic band. Or, if you are getting a throwing stick anyways just use the other end of that with a sponge attached. 

[hershey8]

10 minutes ago, Min said:

@hershey8, size of your hands might have something to do with it? Most of my mugs are 9 - 9.5cm wide at the top, I've got little hands and don't have any problem getting my hand inside the pot and right the way down to the bottom. To get the slip / water out from the bottom of a tall narrow pot a sponge on a stick works. Scrap of sponge on the end of a chopstick or dowel and held on with an elastic band. Or, if you are getting a throwing stick anyways just use the other end of that with a sponge attached. 

 

10 minutes ago, Min said:

@hershey8, size of your hands might have something to do with it? Most of my mugs are 9 - 9.5cm wide at the top, I've got little hands and don't have any problem getting my hand inside the pot and right the way down to the bottom. To get the slip / water out from the bottom of a tall narrow pot a sponge on a stick works. Scrap of sponge on the end of a chopstick or dowel and held on with an elastic band. Or, if you are getting a throwing stick anyways just use the other end of that with a sponge attached. 

 

11 minutes ago, Min said:

@hershey8, size of your hands might have something to do with it? Most of my mugs are 9 - 9.5cm wide at the top, I've got little hands and don't have any problem getting my hand inside the pot and right the way down to the bottom. To get the slip / water out from the bottom of a tall narrow pot a sponge on a stick works. Scrap of sponge on the end of a chopstick or dowel and held on with an elastic band. Or, if you are getting a throwing stick anyways just use the other end of that with a sponge attached. 

Thanks, Min.  Will epsom salt shrink my hands? That would be swell, uh....   Must be nice to get in to hard-to-reach places.  I want to make some beer mugs, and my fat hands are causing problems. Stick sponge, good idea, have a pair of chop sticks waiting.  ja

 

11 minutes ago, Min said:

@hershey8, size of your hands might have something to do with it? Most of my mugs are 9 - 9.5cm wide at the top, I've got little hands and don't have any problem getting my hand inside the pot and right the way down to the bottom. To get the slip / water out from the bottom of a tall narrow pot a sponge on a stick works. Scrap of sponge on the end of a chopstick or dowel and held on with an elastic band. Or, if you are getting a throwing stick anyways just use the other end of that with a sponge attached. 

 

[Min]

17 minutes ago, hershey8 said:

I want to make some beer mugs, and my fat hands are causing problems.

Yikes, I didn't mean that! Usually men's hands are larger than women's is what I should have said. How are you at collaring in? Could try another way, get the base to the correct diameter then throw the beer mugs wide enough to get your hand in, collar it in all the way down then shape it with the throwing stick.

[Pres]

Throwing lines on the inside of mugs never bothered me, but I have a tendency to throw tight, with slow upward movement that leaves little in the way of lines. I also use a sponge on a stick to swab bottom and as coming up drag on the walls. However, lately I have been throwing the cylinder. . . stamping it with rubber or wooden rollers and stamps and then shaping the cylinder to the mug shape using a throwing stick. It works well for me and leaves very little in the way of lines. Yet there are time when I get a little too ambitious with my decorative stamping and end up repairing the pot in the cheese hard stage when trimming as I have some holes in the form. These repairs are often smoothed over with the throwing stick with the pot held in the Griffin grip.

 

best,

Pres

[hershey8]

34 minutes ago, Min said:

Yikes, I didn't mean that! Usually men's hands are larger than women's is what I should have said. How are you at collaring in? Could try another way, get the base to the correct diameter then throw the beer mugs wide enough to get your hand in, collar it in all the way down then shape it with the throwing stick.

Great idea, Min. I think I can handle that. Did I say "handle". Now that's another problem. May use the extruder for that. Thanks again, Min.

 

[Mark C.]

I learned is school that the making marks are part of the process and one can leave them-that means a finger mark is just fine.

This is handmade pottery and we are not covering up the process to look machine made.Throwing marks are fine.

If your throw wet you may want a spine on a stick to clean it out. Throw dryer and its a non issue.

[hershey8]

8 hours ago, Mark C. said:

I learned is school that the making marks are part of the process and one can leave them-that means a finger mark is just fine.

This is handmade pottery and we are not covering up the process to look machine made.Throwing marks are fine.

If your throw wet you may want a spine on a stick to clean it out. Throw dryer and its a non issue.

Thank you Mark.  Yeah dryer is better; clay might be too wet and soft. I like some marks, sometimes, but I don't like rough to the point where food residue might collect on the inside of a mug. I do a lot of "oat milk". If that sits for a while, it's difficult to wash out of a plain glass jar. Hey, I've had computer issues over the last year or so that have kept me off this forum.  Nice to connect with you again. Hope all is well in your world. j

[Oldmuddy]

I just made my own cleaning tool for tall or intricate pieces. I used a long thin paintbrush handel and attached a piece of scrubie to the brush end. It worked amazingly well since i did it on the spot in the studio this morning. It actually brandished the inside of my pot and was great at getting in small places.

Sometimes necessity is key.

[Babs]

I use a wooden rib or credit card to smooth out the inside of mugs, then the last shaping pull leaves very little Mark.  Easier to clean , ridges of tannin not attractive to the visitors:-//

Sponge on other end of brush as a liquid remover

[Denice]

I also use a stick with a sponge on the end.   I bought mine but you could probably make one your self.   You can drill a hole slightly smaller that your screw into a dowel rod.   Push the screw through your sponge and screw it into the hole you drilled.     Denice

[Rae Reich]

I have a fine tool for holding sponge or scrubbie. A friend who was a gas company employee gave me his tool for lighting hard-to-reach pilots (he had to, I had drooled on it). It's a brass alligator clip (for holding lit match) welded to a telescoping car antenna (do they still make those?). Adjustable length, no rust, multiple uses. Score!!

[liambesaw]

2 hours ago, Rae Reich said:

I have a fine tool for holding sponge or scrubbie. A friend who was a gas company employee gave me his tool for lighting hard-to-reach pilots (he had to, I had drooled on it). It's a brass alligator clip (for holding lit match) welded to a telescoping car antenna (do they still make those?). Adjustable length, no rust, multiple uses. Score!!

These are available for very cheap on Amazon as well

Telescoping alligator clip should get you some results

[Rae Reich]

@liambesaw, thanks for the edit, I was going to ask how to look it up.