pdp1@EARTHLINK.NET on sat 30 jun 07
Hi Mike,
Below...amid...
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Baker, Michael"
>
> Hello,
>
> I'm new to clayart and fairly new to clay. I threw in highschool and
> college, and about three months ago bought a kiln and wheel to enjoy
> pottery as a serious hobby.
>
> I can throw some fairly decent pieces, but I often lose pieces not
> during throwing, but trimming. I received a Giffin Grip as a gift, and
> it's okay, but doesn't center really well (lots about this in the
> archives, I see).
Once one has acquired the requisite insight and experience and
understanding, Trimming becomes something to be enjoyed, and is seen as a
crucial phase of process for those Pots whose design requires it.
You should learn to Trim regular things in a normal way, and to Trim unusual
things in traditional ways, useing extempore ( soft Clay, with light cloth
or 'handiwrap' on them or Bisque ) Chucks...and later, elect
if you still wish, and it is not likely you would, to recourse with the
'Giffin Grip'.
Far better to learn and have facility with real skills and methods and know
how, and to
make your holding Chuck extempore or otherwise, for those peculiar or exotic
forms which may need them...than to try and rely on gismos which will
frustrate needed learning and frustrate occasions of needing TO Trim things
centeredly TO themselves, which may in fact be off somewhat center...so as
to keep their Walls even, around.
If you can not Trim regular things effectively by just tap centering them
on the Wheel, there is little point in trying to continue on to further
matters which themselves will continue to suffer for want of a good
foundation.
If you can not Throw things which are themselves 'centered' then likewise.
The 'Grip' will not benifit you untill or unless you already know how to
Throw centered things...and, know how to
Trim them, and, unless you already have habits of Throwing your form with
knowing how it is
going to be Trimmed, as per it's design and proportion and reason, to begin
with.
Or, if the 'grip' seems to benifit you now, it is merely postponing or
delaying or preventing the preliminary things you should have learned
first...and should have facility and ease with, first.
Otherwise, it is merely a crutch, which will stand between you and knowing
your Craft. And will limit far more than benifit, your present and your
future.
> Before the Giffin grip, I used the old method of clay tabs to hold pots
> in place and trimmed that way, often to find pieces flying off the wheel
> or not staying centered.
This method never made any sense to me whatever.
All one need do, is to Center the piece to be Trimmed...and Trim.
Insane Wheel Speeds and dull crappy Tools are [part of our post-war legacy
of compromise to instiotutions which screwed up everyone.
Hence, the endless reports of Pots "flying offt he Wheel while trying to
'trim'.
Sharp Tools, Slow Wheel Speeds, as if it were a Kick Wheel...and "then' you
can start to learn how to Trim.
Use a finger tip to press on the center top of the to-be-Trimmed Pot, if
need be...and or use a small
Coin or other friction reducing item 'there' for your finger tip to press
against, to help keep the piece on the Wheel head, if need be.
Ideally, one would 'tap to center' to do so.
Too, if the piece is on the dry side, and not getting much of a grip on the
Wheel Head or Bat, you may merely moisten the Wheel Head
or Bat, hold
the piece still as the Wheel revolves for a moment, making a tiny amount of
slurry, then center it promptly before it 'bites'...and
that will hold it well enough....and securely...for a little while anyway,
till that
small amount of moisture is absorbed. And by then, you are finished Trimming
it, or nearly so. And it self releases.
If need be, if the piece becomes loose, merely slightly moisten the Wheel
Head or Bat
again, put the piece back on, center it, and conclude the Trimming.
Or, make a dedicated 'Trimming Bat' which is covered in some material which
will hold the Pot nicely...and many sorts of thin rubber textured 'place
mats' or similar materials will work wonderfully for this.
Alacrity is not haste...
It is effeciency...it is getting from "A" to "B" with informed
forthrightness.
'Centeredness' for Trimming must defer to the inside shape of the piece.
> Since I'm a beginner, sometimes I wonder if my pieces are just thrown
> somewhat off center and that makes the process harder, but it seems like
> I still loose pieces that are well-thrown.
If you Center the piece on the Wheel in order to Trim it...you will
instantly know whether or not the piece had been thrown 'centered' or Thrown
off-center...and or to whatever degree...or in what portions. Maybe the very
bottom is 'off' and the rest is fine...check the inside to say.
These are fairly fundimantal things...and it is best to pause at this phase,
and examine them first, and become proficient and comfortable in them
first...since they
preceed all these other consequential vicissitudes...and were these
fundimental skills to be in place, there would be no consequential
vicissitudes now,or later.
> Also, I have always thought that I must have a foot ring, but I have
> seen other potter's pieces where there isn't a ring... so if I knew it
> was okay to not trim a ring, that would definitely make things easier on
> some pieces.
Whether you ( or the piece, rather ) has a Foot or Foot Ring, or not, will
depend on
the Piece - what it is for, how is shaped and styled for whatever it is to
do, and for how it is to do it...and how you wish it to look and be poised
or to function in various
ways.
It is not a consideration otherwise, or outside of what the piece 'is', or
is to be...and how it is to do, what it is to do.
> Anyway, if anyone has any advice on how to help the trimming process,
> I'd love to hear it. Maybe learning to trim is a right of passage as a
> potter and I just need to practice more! :-)
Learn to Center your Clay...make sure it well wedged and is reasonably soft
and definitely homogeneous...
Make sure your forms are being Thrown with their centeredness preserved so
they are 'centered' to themselves once done and drying.
Let them dry carefully, so they do not become oval...
Trim with care and patience and intention...Trim according to the function
and form and
design the piece is planned to have, and which was decided before you Threw
it. Trim
so the wall thickness tapers generally as it goes 'up'...and or with
consideration for what thickness the wall needs to be at any given place.
The inside of the Pot then, is the preceeding 'form' to which the Trimming
defers...and the design as a whole is the 'what' to which the 'inside'
defers.
Have sharp Trimming Tools and slow your Wheel down to a speed of maybe twice
what one has for making 'pulls'.
That ought to do it...
> Thanks,
>
> Mike
> Wichita, KS
Best wishes..!
Phil
Las Vegas
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