Help! Always getting air bubbles at the base of my clay when centering.

[Callie Beller Diesel]

20 hours ago, Tova Cooper said:

I think I am doing something when I am making a hole in the center (after centering), but I'm not sure what.

I remember having similar issues when I took an extended break from throwing. I found I was opening and making some of my other motions too quickly.  Slowing down and giving the wheel time to make full revolutions helped.  I was also embarassed to find I was in fact trapping air underneath when I smacked the clay down, because the ball needs to be really crease free.  Reclaimed or reused clay that isn’t completely homogenous also gave me grief. I had to switch to a slurry method, and really make sure that the slop was lump free. If I’m wedging together scraps or flopped pieces that have different states of moisture,  I find it works better to prepare my clay the day before to allow things to even out. 

[oldlady]

the problem i had was not opening at the very center.  i wound up with a nice, round pot that had a thin section somewhere. it could only be seen from above and  directly at the center of the wheel.   i worked at making sure i marked the absolute center when i had finished attaching the ball to the bat using the methods above, round the bottom, roll it just enough to make sure it was tapered and not flat as i put it down.   when i centered with both hands acting like steel  rods attached to my body, i finished by not flattening the top but putting a slight point at the center.   

at that point, i knew where the opening had to start and i did it with a pointed wooden tool.   just enough to get a finger inside so i could push straight down and start the first pull.  sounds complicated but it is not and it is no longer necessary to open with a stick.

Edited January 29, 2023 by oldlady

[MonicaYoder]

I came here because, I too, am having the same problem!  I am actively throwing 10+lbs with success at my studio but with my new wheel at home (shimpo whisper) I can barely center 3lbs without losing half the clay or having it be tired before I can even properly open it. What's the deal! 

[Babs]

5 hours ago, MonicaYoder said:

I came here because, I too, am having the same problem!  I am actively throwing 10+lbs with success at my studio but with my new wheel at home (shimpo whisper) I can barely center 3lbs without losing half the clay or having it be tired before I can even properly open it. What's the deal! 

Same clay? Same consistency?  Seat appropriate height and distance from the wheelhead?

What variations can you clock in?

You prepping clay at home. in same way? Wedging surfaces the same as studio?

Elbows on knees or splash pan?

[Pres]

I am wondering if the folks working on new wheels at home are at a disadvantage when comparing wheels. Many of the colleges out there, and group studios equip themselves with upper line wheels, Brent C, Whisper VL, etc. Working with a 1 hp wheel as compared to a 1/2 hp or even a1/3 hp wheel is much different, as is working on a motorized kick vs a belt driven. All of them take adjustment in your throwing style, and sometimes in the adjustment of the foot pedal. It may mean you cannot crank on the wheel as much centering quickly, but finesse the clay in to center so to speak. Just thoughts, but the recent problems with centering in the large studio environment vs home seems to be problematic, and could not be in ones head alone. 

All IMHO.

 

 

best,

Pres

[Bill Kielb]

I also have a sneaky suspicion that like training in many sports, centering involves training your Central Nervous System a bit. I speed train for specific things and even though eligible to retire, certain speeds have increased even more so than when I was younger. In CNS terms it is not something you specifically feel but simply the repetition of swinging as fast as you can often helps things speed up a bunch. Interestingly some days better than others but definitely a way to trend upward in speed. Runners, running downhill, golfers, swing as fast as you can with something that tells you the speed of each swing.

Centering is such an initial mystery for most with good days and bad days that until one centers a whole bunch -  successfully -  it’s hard to perceive you are improving.

I do believe that after many successes your CNS, perception, dexterity has improved to a point where everything works so much better from visual perception to tactile perception to your muscles firing as needed to control your actions, practice is just necessary.

I think if you do not have structural or outright mechanical issues, significant equipment or clay issues, repetition of something that works is likely one of the essentials for most folks learning to center. Develop good practice, start small and practice practice practice. I would submit for those new - often  it’s not you, it’s training your central nervous system to play nice during the process. We don’t have CNS barbells, so successful repetition is likely the choice. Eliminate the obvious equipment / clay / mechanical issues, but once eliminated train like the pros.

Edited March 4, 2023 by Bill Kielb

[Callie Beller Diesel]

It’s worth noting that throwing with 10 lbs is a bit of a different animal than throwing 3 lbs. If you’re in practice for throwing with larger quantities and that’s mostly what you’ve been doing at your studio, sizing down means remembering to ease off on your pressure. Smaller amounts of clay don’t need to be whacked down hard, you might be used to leaning harder into your centring than necessary, you might be trying to start your pull with too much clay and torquing it, etc. Especially if your clay at home is softer than you’ve been using at the studio.

If any of the above is at play, the good news is that once you readjust, you’ll find you're now a better thrower with the smaller quantities. 

[Carol Meteyer]

I have read through the posts in response to Finn’s original post regarding difficulties throwing on a new wheel. I agree with all of the helpful replies, but has anyone had problems wit new ‘Plastibats’? I have a new Whisper VL and bought new Plastibats. They all have a strange torque that is more noticeable with small amounts of clay (> 2 pounds). These bats aren’t warped in the usual way and lie flat on even surfaces. My throwing is fine when I use my older bats.

 

[Hulk]

Hi Carol, welcome to the Forum!

By strange torque, I wonder if what you are experiencing is the clay sliding on the bat?
Of the several bat materials I've tried, the black plastic ones seem to offer the weakest grip for the clay.
If that's it, going a bit wider on the centered part, and going easy might help?
As the bats got scratched, well, the shiny wore off, that seemed to help too.