Christine Davis on tue 18 mar 97
I have heard the term "wheel wedging" used before on this list, but
have never known what exactly was meant by that. Could someone
please explain to a relatively inexperienced potter? Thanks!
Ric Swenson on wed 19 mar 97
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I have heard the term "wheel wedging" used before on this list, but
>have never known what exactly was meant by that. Could someone
>please explain to a relatively inexperienced potter? Thanks!
---reply---------
Strictly speaking........wedging means to cut the clay in "wedges and then
slam it back down on a hard surface...thins method helps to remove air from
the clay....if you are using pugged clay this step is probably
redundant...and NOT necessary....
You should probably also follow the thread about how to lay the clay on
the wheel.....pug augered direction vertical....OR horizontal ?? Whatever
works...just make sure you COMPRESS the bottom against the bat, or if you
are throwing "off the hump", against the mass of clay below the form you
are cutting off the hump..... and do not leave lots of H 2 O...or wet slip
at the bottom of the cylinder...use a bottom knocker....wide flat rib....or
your wide flat hand...to push the clay down and make sure the dreaded "S"
cracks stay far away!....( my favorite bottom knocker is a sagger makers
bottom knocker...a nice tool....send me your fax number and I'll send you a
sketch...)
KNEADING clay is working th clay in a spiral on a bat with your hands,(
using the entire arm..... wrists, arms, shoulders.) rocking th clay back
and forth to complete the mixing process and again to ensure of no air
bubbles in the clay....if your clay is recently pugged and the moisture in
even throughout....ie...NOT drier on the outside than it is in the center
of the slug of clay....then kneading....maybe....helps line of the flay
clay particles...and give the clay a spiral direction....hopefully the same
direction you are about to spin it on the wheel....so it's easier to center
and to caox into the shape you want to make.
NOW to the point.....Wedging on the wheel...probably more accurately called
"kneading" on the wheel...although I don't remember ever hearing it called
that.....as I understand your question....means that as you are centering
the clay....you first push the clay up (gently now) into a cone and then
back down into a "grapefruit" shape....doing this several
times....convinces the clay that you mean business...gives you a feeling
for the clay....aligns particles and generally provides good karma in the
throwing space.....(he said tongue in cheek)...seriously....it just helps
get the clay ready to center and pull up into a cylinder....or sqaush down
with a rib into a plate....more easily.
NO magic....just watch someone ...who knows what they are doing....throw a
few pots....you'll catch on quickly.....There are videos available
too!...just in case you are in Bethel, Alaska and can't get out just now....
Maybe more than you wanted to read....I can't write a short
answer.....something I have to work on....
Now DO IT!
Happy potting...!
Ric Swenson, Bennington, VT
Marshall Talbott on wed 19 mar 97
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I have heard the term "wheel wedging" used before on this list, but
>have never known what exactly was meant by that. Could someone
>please explain to a relatively inexperienced potter? Thanks!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
At 10:50 PM 3/16/97 -0500, you wrote:
>Vince... Thanks for the info... Could you explain in more detail what you
>mean by wheel wedging? Marshall
Talbot -
I have been amazed at the number of well-trained potters who do not
wheel-wedge. There is also a faction of potters from the Mingei-Sota
tradition who specifically avoid wheel-wedging because they do not want to
force the clay to be that symmetrical. I always wheel-wedge, and find that
it makes any form easier to throw. To wheel wedge, one simply applies a
force similar to centering, but without confining the center top of the
lump, so that it rises into a tall lump. As it begins to rise, simply raise
your hands with the column, continuing to apply a "squeezing" force, so that
it tapers smaller towards the top. When it has risen to approximately twice
the height of a normal centered lump, raise the ball of your left hand up on
top of the column and force it back down, maintaining pressure from the side
of the lump with the other hand to prevent the clay from mushrooming over.
I usually raise the clay up and down two or three times. When you place a
ball of clay on the wheel, the platelates are oriented in currents depending
on how the clay was prepared, and these currents may not be at all alligned
anywhere near the spiral which is most conducive to thrown forms. When you
wheel-wedge, the friction of your hands against the clay twists the lump all
the way to its core, setting up the desireable spiral currents of clay
platelates. When you wheel wedge, use barely enough water, in order to
maximize the friction.
Hope this helps.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka - vpitelka@DeKalb.net
Phone - home 615/597-5376, work 615/597-6801
Appalachian Center for Crafts
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
------------------------------------------------------------------
1ST ANNUAL CLAYARTERS' GALLERY - NAPLES, MAINE (Summmer 1997)
http://fmc.utm.edu/~dmcbeth/cag/naples.htm
>the above site can be viewed but is still under construction<
below are other web-sites which mention the exhibit:
http://www.cclay.com/events.htm
http://www.missouri.edu/~muck/
{contact me directly for more information}
Celia & Marshall Talbott
Pottery By Celia
Route 114
P.O. Box 4116
Naples, Maine 04055-4116
(207)693-6100 voice and fax
clupus@ime.net
Clayarters Live Chat-Room 10:00 pm Eastern Standard Time on Saturday Nites
SHORT CUT if the room has already been created then go to:
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and set up a "Private Room"... just use the name: Clayarters
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