John Sproule on mon 25 mar 96
Hi Folks,
I'm having a "bad clay day" and I need an opinion.
I'm using Plainsman M340 (^6) buff stoneware and am having continuous
problems. It doen't centre well, and even when it feels and appears to
be centred, it ends up thick on one side and thin on the other. It won't
take very much water before it collapses, so I can't get it nice and
thin. In trying to throw fast (to avoid water absorption), it develops
torque. If I try to throw without much water, it "grabs" at me. I throw
with a sponge (damp, not dripping), and finish with a metal rib. When I
throw thick, I then have to trim most of it away. The Plainsman clays
are the most accessible in the area, and I feel a bit "tied" to them.
But I need a white/off white body for the glaze I use, and porcelain
makes the glaze craze.
I have thrown with porcelain, and two red ^6 Plainsman clays and have not
had these problems. But the catalogue calls M340 a "great throwing body"!!!
Okay, so is it me? Should I huck the lot into the back yard and try
somehting else? Is it sun spots???? Has anyone else had problems like
this? I have to admit I'm one of those, "I have to do it right the first
time, and if it doesn't work it's my own fault" types. I am proud to
say, I'm a fairly competent thrower, and I have just dealt with the M340
problems until now. But I just threw 10 pots with the same problems and
now there's clay all over the floor where I hurled it! AAAAAAG!
Any suggestions for the world's best commercial ^6 clay available in
Vancouver????
Desperate on Hornby Island
Vickie
email: jsproule@mars.ark.com
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