littlefairyone Posted April 30, 2021 Report Share Posted April 30, 2021 This is my first post here, but I really need some guidance. I'm making handbuilt plate set (6 dinner, 6 dessert, and 2 serving plates) for a wedding gift for friends of mine. (I haven't figured out how to throw plates yet so they are slab) Anyways, I plan on doing high firing with them and would like glaze all around (i've tried to make a couple feet for them and it just hasn't worked well :( ). Do I use stilts? Is there a simple way to make feet that don't look like a first grader made them or that give to much height? How do I accomplish this?! Any and all constructive help would be appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted April 30, 2021 Report Share Posted April 30, 2021 Welcome to the community @littlefairyone, this is an ambitious project. Let us know what your skill levels are, and what tools you have available. Potters wheel, banding wheel, forms etc. Have you fired pottery, where do you fire, what temps are you talking about as being high fire. Any information you can give us to fill in your profile will be helpful. best, Pres Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilly Posted April 30, 2021 Report Share Posted April 30, 2021 3 hours ago, littlefairyone said: Do I use stilts? No. Not if you're high-firing. You need an unglazed foot ring. Too much risk of them slumping around the stilts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlefairyone Posted April 30, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2021 Thank you @Presand @Chilly I appreciate the feedback. @Pres I have updated my profile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted April 30, 2021 Report Share Posted April 30, 2021 @littlefairyone, I did not see the temp you are firing to. Are you doing ^6 firings with the electric kiln? What cone are you firing your glazes to? best, Pres Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlefairyone Posted April 30, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2021 @Pres, sorry! Yes, I do 6-10 cone firings. I know my kiln can and des handle these temps well. I am also using stoneware clay. Since it’s dinnerware I plan on doing the glaze firing cone 10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Min Posted April 30, 2021 Report Share Posted April 30, 2021 If you are firing cone 10 in an electric kiln its going to wear out your elements (and the kiln itself) far quicker than if you fire your stoneware to cone 6. There are wide firing claybodies out there that claim to go from cone 6 - 10 but they will only be mature at the high end of that range. I would suggest using a cone 6 clay, not a wide firing range one, and firing to cone 6. A cone 6 clay fired to maturity is just as suitable for dinnerware as a cone 10 clay. Just be sure and choose a claybody with a low absorption rate, this information is supplied by the manufacturer but it's best to test it yourself also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted April 30, 2021 Report Share Posted April 30, 2021 Littlefairyone, @Min has beat me to the punch, as everything she has stated is spot on. I struggled for a few years when I first started with a wide range firing body. I did not hold up well, and even though my throwing and construction skills were well developed, my understanding of clay bodies and glazes was negligent. Welcome to the journey! best, Pres Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JessiD Posted April 30, 2021 Report Share Posted April 30, 2021 I do slab built plates as well, over a shallow curved hump mold, and have had some success trimming a foot on the wheel once the plate is leather hard. I use a foam bat to make sure I don't harm the rim of the plate while trimming the foot ring. Also, make sure you make the slab thick enough to trim away some height for the foot. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Beller Diesel Posted April 30, 2021 Report Share Posted April 30, 2021 There are loads of fun tutorials on hand building plates on this website here, and there are others on YouTube as well. There’s some great ideas involving templates, so you can centre a foot ring on a hand built plate neatly. Many of them are low tech and can be used without involving things like plaster moulds. https://ceramicartsnetwork.org/search-results/?cx=015655428297685009518%3Ab3gq10fzvs4&cof=FORID%3A10&ie=UTF-8&sa=&q=Hand+built+plates Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlefairyone Posted April 30, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2021 @Min& @Pres I use Standard 182 clay. Any advice on how to become more educated in those areas that isn't insanely boring? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlefairyone Posted April 30, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2021 @JessiD & @Callie Beller Diesel Thank you both for the feedback! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Beller Diesel Posted April 30, 2021 Report Share Posted April 30, 2021 Define insanely boring. You can go as in depth or as light as you want with technical and chemical information. But knowing a few basics like firing range, how cones work or how absorbent your clay is when it’s mature will help you make the kinds of things that you want to make. Because there’s a lot to find out, usually you wind up learning as you go and figuring out things as you find you need the information. Doing it that way tends to make it not boring, because its information you want, need and are interested in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted April 30, 2021 Report Share Posted April 30, 2021 ( Any advice on how to become more educated in those areas that isn't insanely boring?) In ceramics many things are not just throwing and making-the technical issues will bite you in the butt but for some they are not as fun as the making.If you ignore them then you will not be bored becuse you be to involved in grinding kiln sheves from runny glazes or breaking your pots because they weep water and are not suitable for use .Ceramics is pretty technical in some areas-You will need to know some boring items to master itothewre wise it will be a disaster. Many here will help you with the mastering it goal . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted April 30, 2021 Report Share Posted April 30, 2021 I would suggest that you look at the shrinkage , and the absorption of the 182 at both of the firing temps. Then look at the shrinkage and absorption of 563 and 630 from SC. This gives you a clue as to the size you would need to make pieces and how they will be after firing/shrinking, and also how much water the bare clay would absorb after being fired to glaze temperatures. Simple, straight forward and telling. I understand the difference between the excitement and satisfaction of making. It is immediate and thrilling. Trust me though, it is not as thrilling when you find that your pieces so lovingly created do not hold up or last as long as you would expect them to. Many of us reject the idea of "throw away" society, wishing to make things that last and are cherished for the lifetime of the purchaser. best, Pres Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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