Mel Jacobson on wed 10 sep 97
in order...
spouts should be reverse funnels. the base should be at least
5 times the size of the opening.
attach at the highest point that liquid will rise inside the body.
i like to cut a round hole just smaller than the spout in the body.
(the little holes have become redundant....use a strainer)
cut a sharp edge on the lower half of the spout opening. liquid can
be cut. remember that the best pouring things in the world are
silver service coffee pots....look at their spouts....sharp edges.
remember to put at least a quarter inch hole in your cover. must
get air pressure into the pot. (ask all of your buyers what the hole is
for, they all say "let steam out")
do not let teapot spouts look like cannons on army tanks.
keep the proportions clean. (unless you are a post modernist)
look at warren mackenzie teapots....and copy them.
mel
http://www.pclink.com/melpots
douglas gray on thu 11 sep 97
Mel's post on spouts was right on. I do, however, make strainers in the sides
of my teapots. Something about the process I like... and I like to look inside
and see those little holes all lined up in some arrangement or design. Can't
say I ever use loose tea leaves, but could if I wanted to.
For a strainer, I thin the wall of the teapot, with a knife, where the spout
will be added...like faceting, don't cut all the way through. Then drill or
pierce holes through the wall. Arrange holes in any kind of pattern.
IMPORTANT-- the total open area of these small holes must be equal to or greater
than the open area at the end of the spout, or you won't get a good pour, more
of a trickle.
Some possible designs for your strainer:
Christian-A-Tea
* *
* *
* * * * * *
* * * * * *
* *
* *
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* *
High Tea ?
* * * * * *
* * * * * *
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* * * * * * *
* * * * * *
* * * * * *
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Royal Tea
* * *
* * * * * *
* * *
* * *
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
Nice-A-Tea
* *
* * * *
* * * *
* *
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* * * *
* * * *
* * * * *
* * * *
Man-A-Tea
* *
* *
*
* * * * * *
* * * * *
* * * * *
* * * * *
* *
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* *
* *
* * * *
Pardon my trivial-A-Tea,
doug, with obviously not enough work to keep me busy.
=========================================================================== =)
Douglas E. Gray
Assistant Professor of Art, Ceramics
Francis Marion Univeristy
Florence, South Carolina 29501
dgray@fmarion.edu
Joyce Lee on fri 11 may 01
No expert here..... absolutely..... but have made a lot of pitchers ...
from micro-mini to gallon size. I usually prefer pulling the spout,
whether it's out or up, but when I want either a linear/geometric OR an
exaggerated look to a spout... different from one another, yes, but I
begin them both to my satisfaction the same way ... I cut a spout from a
slab, usually beginning with a triangular shape. Sometimes I cut out the
space on the pitcher to coordinate with the spout; other times
teapot-like holes seem to suit what I'm seeking. Works for me and they
don't drip ... at least, the last so many haven't. Occasionally I use a
different ^10 clay for this slab spout and for the handle, maybe the
feet if I'm into feet that day.... usually the pitcher is white
stoneware and the second clay is dark brown ... once I used a claybud's
percentages for working cobalt into the white claybody for spout etc,
carved and sgraffitoed the pitcher's torso in blue slip and dipped in
Coleman's clear. That was a few months ago; sold the pitcher to a studio
visitor from the garden club. Wish I'd taken a picture...... seemed
rather elegant at the time; wonder how it would look to me now......
These pitchers were partially developed from extrusions... then slabs...
then some pulling of handles, maybe throwing the feet. Can't say we
don't have variety in our shared obssession.
Joyce
In the Mojave where a Wilson's Warbler (referred to as a canary around
here, but isn't really) spent the night in my studio. As I opened the
door, could hear her singing ... she then flew to the open door, sat on
the top edge, flew back to the rafter, sang some more.... and repeated
this many times before deciding to majestically dip down from her perch
atop the door, then aim high... to rejoin her world.... lovely...
Martin Howard on fri 20 sep 02
We discussed non dripping spouts a few weeks ago.
I posted the idea, not original, of a small hole coming from the underneath
of the spout, just where the last drop usually hangs, leading back into the
throat of the spout.
The problem was how get such a small hole in the final piece, without doing
some very difficult drilling with diamond drills.
The idea came to me that we should thread, with a needle, a length of thread
at the leather hard stage; then once fire.
The thread would burn out leaving the required hole.
Martin Howard
Webbs Cottage Pottery
Woolpits Road, Great Saling
BRAINTREE, Essex CM7 5DZ
01371 850 423
martin@webbscottage.co.uk
http://www.webbscottage.co.uk
Updated 6th July 2002
John Kimpton Dellow on fri 20 sep 02
Martin ,my take on spouts is to cut it off with a clean cut and
when
glazing wipe off the glaze from its lip and brush with red iron
pigment.
I found it to be important to keep the inner edge nice and sharp.
This is
the last point which the liquid exits the spout. This makes for a
nice pour
and no drips.
John Dellow "the flower pot man"
Home Page http://www.welcome.to/jkdellow
http://digitalfire.com/education/people/dellow/
Russel Fouts on sun 22 sep 02
Martin
>> We discussed non dripping spouts a few weeks ago. I posted the idea, not original, of a small hole coming from the underneath of the spout, just where the last drop usually hangs, leading back into the throat of the spout. The problem was how get such a small hole in the final piece, without doing some very difficult drilling with diamond drills. The idea came to me that we should thread, with a needle, a length of thread at the leather hard stage; then once fire.
The thread would burn out leaving the required hole. <<
Enzo picked up nice back handled "Brown Betty" teapot at the annual
neigborhood market that does not drip, at all.
The inside of the end of the spout is circular but the edge that the tea
runs over as it leaves the spout is drawn out into a plane with a sharp
diagonal drop at the end. The angle of the first part of the plane is a
continuation of the cross-cut at the end of the spout, then the next
drop is about 45 degrees before you reach the undercut of the lip. The
whole surface is glazed.
It's basically a thickening of the spout at that point which would seem
to be a much less complicated approach and seems much less prone to
chipping than anything I've seen.
The tea exiting the spout runs over this plane and into your cup and
doesn't drip.
This has become his new favorite teapot, deep mottled brown with a pale
yellow and a pale blue band near the top.
The lid is interesting too. The lid, which appears to be perfectly
round, drops down onto a gallery (also perfectly round) and doesn't come
out until you turn it to just the right point. EITHER the pot is warped
and the lid only fits a certain way or it's a pretty clever bit of
design.
Actually a pretty nice teapot altogether. Can remember which company
made it.
Russel (I should try to get a picture)
--
Russel Fouts
Mes Potes & Mes Pots
Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32 2 223 02 75
Mobile: +32 476 55 38 75
Http://www.mypots.com
http://www.Japan-Net.ne.jp/~iwcat
"There is a theory which states that
if ever anyone discovers exactly what
the universe is for and why it's here,
it will instantly disappear and be
replaced by something even more bizzarly
inexplicable."
"There is another theory which states
that this has already happened!"
Douglas Adams' The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Lili Krakowski on mon 21 nov 11
Dare I say it? I am such a ****, But the key to making good spouts is =3D
to make at least fifty before keeping one! =3D20
I throw my spouts off the hump of clay whence the actual tea or other =3D
pot will come. I use a piece of worn hacksaw blade to clean the inside. =
=3D
I never knew the proportions Mel just gave for relationship top to =3D
bottom diameter--would no doubt have benefited had I learned sixty, even =
=3D
fifty years ago.
As to teapots holding a liter...as suggested by Dina. A pint's a pound. =
=3D
A liter is more than a quart. A full teapot holding a liter would =3D
weigh its own weight plus two pounds and a bit? How am I supposed to =3D
lift this with one arthritic hand, and pour into dear little cups =3D
standing on my best double damask? Please consider weight when you =3D
design...And find a solution....
Lili Krakowski
Be of good courage
Dina Barnese on thu 24 nov 11
Hi Lili et al,
Thanks for your response, they are always fun to read.
I would not normally make a teapot so large (a liter plus!), but that is
what my customer requested and that's what I'm making for him. I've made a
lot of spouts but want to learn to make them more elegant than I currently
do, particularly for the style this pot will be in. Given my time
constraint for this order, I'm going to throw several and put the best one
onto the teapot. I'll practice more after the holiday orders are filled.
I certainly do appreciate all of the advice and tips I get here on Clayart!
I think Bill Schran hit the nail on the head when he said I'm building too
much friction which is causing the spout to twist off. I throw almost dry,
so this makes sense. I'd best learn to use more water when working with the
spouts.
I can't wait to try all of the techniques that were sent in response to my
post.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Dina
Dina Barnese
Zizziba Studio
Flagstaff, Arizona
www.zizziba.com
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