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How to remove large, fragile pieces from bat


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Hello!


I sometimes make bird feeders, see attached photo. They are hard to remove from the bat without distorting, since the "deck" is thin. I need to get them off the plastic bat the next day so they can dry more evenly.

Somewhere I saw that you could put pieces of plastic or paper strips on the bat edges, and throw the item over it, and it would be easier to remove.

I wish I'd saved that link, but I didn't. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

I do have a couple of plaster bats, but prefer the plastic ones.

As always, thanks to this community for all the help and wisdom!

Dianne

BF-21-shino, main.jpg

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Nice work!

The few pieces I've attempted that are platter like - allow to dry for a while, then wire the piece so it can move whilst drying, and re-wire periodically. From there, I leave it on the bat, waiting until the piece is resilient enough to be moved (to a plaster block); if it's drying too fast, I put a bucket over it, and mist as necessary.

 

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I find if you cut it off with a larger diameter wire (use a larger /thicker wire)right after throwing it will noit restick and the next day you can remove it.

Smaller wires (thickness)are for smaller pots=larger wires (diameter) are for larger pots-this is for pots tnhrown on bats-plastic or wood.

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Jewelers wires work pretty well for cutting wires also. I prefer the brass coated ones, and picked some up a while back to create some cutting wires. Not bad, and can get different weights/diameters.

 

Large platters I flip using a bat over bat technique. However, for the piece shown, would figure it best left to dry slowly setting on a bat after cutoff ans slight movement.

 

best,

Pres

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Use tarpaper or cardboard bats between the plastic bat and the clay.  Use clay slip only  at the rim of the tarpaper bat to hold the tarpaper to the plastic bat.  Then run cutoff wire between the tarpaper and the plastic bat.  Check out tarpaper bats at Vince Pitelka’s website.  

Vince Pitelka
Professor Emeritus of Art/Ceramics
Appalachian Center for Craft
School of Art, Craft & Design
Tennessee Tech University
Now Residing Chapel Hill, NC
vpitelka@dtccom.net
www.vincepitelka.com 

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one other suggestion is to just use a different kind of bat for these particular items so you do not have to use a wire at all.  plaster is one, Duron is another.   Duron is commonly called masonite but it is not.   duron is 1/4 inch thick, just absorbent enough that your pot will pop off the bat when it is dry enough.  duron bats are sold at some pottery supply houses for about $6 each and can last for many years.  i am still using some i cut in the 1970s.

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Good so far - tried the canvas covered bat today. Took a few tries to get the clay lump to stick securely to the canvas covered bat. I think my "slip" wasn't thick enough, but I added some super soft clay under the canvas and on top of the canvas and then it worked great. Best thing is the wire went under the canvas easily and it was a smooth slide onto a ware board. We'll see how it goes from here!

IMG_3327.jpg

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One more technique for moving large pieces. Throw on the wheel head, use the cutting wire to cut normally, then put water on side opposite you, and pull the cutting wire through again to get a layer of water under the pot. Have someone else hold aboard even with the wheel head, put more water between the board and the pot, and pull one more time with the cutting wire moving more water under the pot. . .if the pot catches and move toward the board, keep going until it slides on to the board. If does not catch, gently use spread fingers to push the piece on to the board.

 

 

best,

Pres

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