mel jacobson on wed 28 may 08
making your own tools, working with found object tools, and
making inventions for marks is a key to happy work.
we should never be slaves to those many tools we find
at nceca. some are wonderful, some are gimmicks.
hand tools, and things that we make are part of the
history and sense of being a crafts person.
it is sort of our dna.
one of the greatest joys of learning in the far east was
seeing the systems of making matched sets. using small
bamboo measuring sticks, hand made trimming tools from
scrap metal. throwing sticks made from tree branches and
small knots. it felt so natural.
(watch mike's video..see what he does with his hands..)
it is magic.
it brings me back to those old posts on clayart...years back.
someone was complaining that their new brent wheel was
like 1/64th" out of center. wanted to know if it should be sent
back...i remember telling the person to smack it with a hammer
and get it a 1/16th" out of center...give the wheel some character.
they got mad at me.
i have seen potters in india, dubai, africa working on wheels
that had a wobble of two inches...they just worked around it.
made wonderful pots. pots with character. utilitarian pots, used
by folks for water, storage. perfect, no...interesting to look at
`YES`.
people have asked me why i still use a 1970's skutt dc-1 wheel?
`mel, get a new wheel, something fancy`..and i always say.
`this one works fine. it is my size..it fits me.` i have five other
wheels, and never throw on them. this one fits. it is a little
out of center, the batts wiggle, the holes in the batts are out of
round...it does not matter a bit. i just throw clay on that wheel
and make pots...they are fine. now thousands of pots made on that wheel.
it is never the tool, it is the potters hands, the potters mind...and
simple tools are very helpful to keep the mind at the task. pots.
it was sort of like looking at really fancy cars. $50,000 cars.
i saw some on tv...HD channel. you know what....? they are
just cars. and none of them had trunks big enough for 500lbs
of clay. and a potters wheel would not fit in the back seat.
so...who would want one? and that damn maserati did not
come with a trailer hitch. would not work for me.
sharlene has a small suzuki, a gate in the back for the dog/hatchback.
she takes that dog everywhere...and of course i had a small
trailer hitch put on that car...i have a tiny two wheeled trailer
that fits just right. about 4x5 feet. rides like a dream.
nice when we go to the farm...throw some stuff in the back.
cheap to drive. it is a tool. sort of a hand made tool. fits
our life.
well, anyway...we need more handmade tools, and interesting
pots. we get tied up often in stuff that does not matter.
we get tied up with stuff in catalogs, stuff that will make
you a better potter..sort of self centering clay...sky hooks,
left handed wrenches. all to make your life easy.
make your hands the best tools. then your life gets better.
mel
from minnetonka:
website http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
clayart site:
http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
Taylor Hendrix on wed 28 may 08
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Fredrick Paget on wed 28 may 08
>ZSBiYW1ib28gaXRzZWxmCmFzIGEgYnJ1c2guIEknbSBnb2luZyB0byB0cnkgaXQgZm9yIHN1cmUu
>CgpEb
>Hey, what language is this? Whatever it is I sure dont speak it.
>Goose latin I know but this is worse than Turkish.(Of which I am
>getting spam in same)
--
Fred Paget
Twin Dragon Studio
Mill Valley, CA, USA
fredrick@well.com
Charter Member Potters Council
James and Sherron Bowen on wed 28 may 08
Your point is what?
Jim
----- Original Message -----
From: "Fredrick Paget"
To:
Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 1:24 PM
Subject: Re: found object tools/ideas
> >ZSBiYW1ib28gaXRzZWxmCmFzIGEgYnJ1c2guIEknbSBnb2luZyB0byB0cnkgaXQgZm9yIHN1cmUu
>>CgpEb
>>Hey, what language is this? Whatever it is I sure dont speak it. Goose
>>latin I know but this is worse than Turkish.(Of which I am getting spam in
>>same)
>
> --
> Fred Paget
> Twin Dragon Studio
> Mill Valley, CA, USA
> fredrick@well.com
>
> Charter Member Potters Council
>
>
Fredrick Paget on wed 28 may 08
>Your point is what?
>Jim
>ZSBiYW1ib28gaXRzZWxmCmFzIGEgYnJ1c2guIEknbSBnb2luZyB0byB0cnkgaXQgZm9yIHN1cmUu
>>>CgpEb
>>>Hey, what language is this?
The point was that Taylor Hendrix's whole post came into me as
gobbllde gook. Looks like machine language. It is not html. Did any
one else get this?
--
Fred Paget
Twin Dragon Studio
Mill Valley, CA, USA
fredrick@well.com
Charter Member Potters Council
Taylor Hendrix on thu 29 may 08
How about now, Fred?
Taylor, in Rockport TX
Fredrick Paget on thu 29 may 08
>How about now, Fred?
>
>Taylor, in Rockport TX
Looks OK. I wonder what happened before.
--
Fred Paget
Twin Dragon Studio
Mill Valley, CA, USA
fredrick@well.com
Charter Member Potters Council
Ric Swenson on thu 29 may 08
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mel...........
Tools....I love them.....
invent the use and try to see the usability... I wrote about ribs....and trimming tools...teak ribs....trimming tools made from the barrel metal straps.....it all works.
just find what works for you.
sharpen anything. ..........use it for trimming or texturing.............
bamboo can work as well as metal for trimming......soft metal...... or tempered steel that breaks when you happen to drop it to to floor....made by Bison or made from your hand....use what you have available....
just enjoy your own inventions. It makes your work...yours....individual expressions....
I enjoy the use of old plastic caster wheels for roulettes....carved....cut with a grinding wheel...drilled.....filed....sanded....try to use them on the wheel in a way that interprets your methods of work......
life is such a joy when you invent it for yourself. The work is your own. The ribs made from animal bones, antlers, exotic woods like koa and teak that will last longer than you will....
Happy potting.
Ric
"...then fiery expedition be my wing, ..." -Wm. Shakespeare, RICHARD III, Act IV Scene III Richard H. ("Ric") Swenson, Teacher, Office of International Cooperation and Exchange of Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute, TaoYang Road, Eastern Suburb, Jingdezhen City.JiangXi Province, P.R. of China. Postal code 333001. Mobile/cellular phone : 86 13767818872 < RicSwenson0823@hotmail.com> http://www.jci.jx.cn/http://www.ricswenson.com
_________________________________________________________________
News, entertainment and everything you care about at Live.com. Get it now!
http://www.live.com/getstarted.aspx
--_a13d9263-3e04-440d-90a0-6e906ba4eeed_
Content-Type: text/html; charset="gb2312"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
mel...........
Tools....I love them.....
invent the use and try to see the usability... I wrote about ribs....and trimming tools...teak ribs....trimming tools made from the barrel metal straps.....it all works.
just find what works for you.
sharpen anything. ..........use it for trimming or texturing.............
bamboo can work as well as metal for trimming......soft metal...... or tempered steel that breaks when you happen to drop it to to floor....made by Bison or made from your hand....use what you have available....
just enjoy your own inventions. It makes your work...yours....individual expressions....
I enjoy the use of old plastic caster wheels for roulettes....carved....cut with a grinding wheel...drilled.....filed....sanded....try to use them on the wheel in a way that interprets your methods of work......
life is such a joy when you invent it for yourself. The work is your own. The ribs made from animal bones, antlers, exotic woods like koa and teak that will last longer than you will....
Happy potting.
Ric
"...then fiery expedition be my wing, ..."
-Wm. Shakespeare, RICHARD III, Act IV Scene III
Richard H. ("Ric") Swenson, Teacher,
Office of International Cooperation and Exchange of Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute,
TaoYang Road, Eastern Suburb, Jingdezhen City.
JiangXi Province, P.R. of China.
Postal code 333001.
Mobile/cellular phone : 86 13767818872
< RicSwenson0823@hotmail.com>
http://www.jci.jx.cn/
http://www.ricswenson.com
Get news, entertainment and everything you care about at Live.com. Check it out!
--_a13d9263-3e04-440d-90a0-6e906ba4eeed_--
Info khmerceramics on thu 29 may 08
yes, yes, yes,
We just have a huge banana flower in the garden, tommorow i will use its
petals as stamp to make platters.
Bamboo are an infinite ressource to make tools.
We made our quickwheel in here, i chose the wheel following the work i want
to do; each have its "soul".
maybe this post is empty of sense; but it is hearth reaction to mel'post.
Serge
Serge Rega
Director
NCKCR
+855(0)63 761 519
www.khmerceramics.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "mel jacobson"
To:
Sent: Wednesday, 28 May, 2008 20:43
Subject: found object tools/ideas
> making your own tools, working with found object tools, and
> making inventions for marks is a key to happy work.
>
> we should never be slaves to those many tools we find
> at nceca. some are wonderful, some are gimmicks.
>
> hand tools, and things that we make are part of the
> history and sense of being a crafts person.
>
> it is sort of our dna.
>
> one of the greatest joys of learning in the far east was
> seeing the systems of making matched sets. using small
> bamboo measuring sticks, hand made trimming tools from
> scrap metal. throwing sticks made from tree branches and
> small knots. it felt so natural.
> (watch mike's video..see what he does with his hands..)
> it is magic.
>
> it brings me back to those old posts on clayart...years back.
> someone was complaining that their new brent wheel was
> like 1/64th" out of center. wanted to know if it should be sent
> back...i remember telling the person to smack it with a hammer
> and get it a 1/16th" out of center...give the wheel some character.
> they got mad at me.
>
> i have seen potters in india, dubai, africa working on wheels
> that had a wobble of two inches...they just worked around it.
> made wonderful pots. pots with character. utilitarian pots, used
> by folks for water, storage. perfect, no...interesting to look at
> `YES`.
>
> people have asked me why i still use a 1970's skutt dc-1 wheel?
> `mel, get a new wheel, something fancy`..and i always say.
> `this one works fine. it is my size..it fits me.` i have five other
> wheels, and never throw on them. this one fits. it is a little
> out of center, the batts wiggle, the holes in the batts are out of
> round...it does not matter a bit. i just throw clay on that wheel
> and make pots...they are fine. now thousands of pots made on that wheel.
> it is never the tool, it is the potters hands, the potters mind...and
> simple tools are very helpful to keep the mind at the task. pots.
>
> it was sort of like looking at really fancy cars. $50,000 cars.
> i saw some on tv...HD channel. you know what....? they are
> just cars. and none of them had trunks big enough for 500lbs
> of clay. and a potters wheel would not fit in the back seat.
> so...who would want one? and that damn maserati did not
> come with a trailer hitch. would not work for me.
>
> sharlene has a small suzuki, a gate in the back for the dog/hatchback.
> she takes that dog everywhere...and of course i had a small
> trailer hitch put on that car...i have a tiny two wheeled trailer
> that fits just right. about 4x5 feet. rides like a dream.
> nice when we go to the farm...throw some stuff in the back.
> cheap to drive. it is a tool. sort of a hand made tool. fits
> our life.
>
> well, anyway...we need more handmade tools, and interesting
> pots. we get tied up often in stuff that does not matter.
> we get tied up with stuff in catalogs, stuff that will make
> you a better potter..sort of self centering clay...sky hooks,
> left handed wrenches. all to make your life easy.
> make your hands the best tools. then your life gets better.
> mel
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> from minnetonka:
> website http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
> clayart site:
> http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
steve graber on fri 13 jun 08
i=A0have made my own tools for a long time and still get a kick out of maki=
ng=A0more!=A0 i have pictures on my website of my tray of tools for making =
marks.=A0 kitchen tools, toy truck tires, paint rollers, gear.=A0 we all ru=
n thru the usual list.=A0 then we learn the concept and make our own.=A0 we=
work in clay.=A0 there is nothing stoping us from making anything we see o=
ut of clay.=A0 =0Anow i'm looking at kid's bike tires or even the 4 wheel d=
rive jeep tires and wondering what they would=A0do on clay work?=A0 =0Abut =
i do recomend buy what you see when you see it.=A0 i bought several paint r=
ollers from home depot once.=A0 they had pimples to hold a roller on.=A0 th=
ey worked really well! =A0i figured i'd get more some day.=A0 home depot i =
guess dropped that supplier or something because they have never been seen =
again.=A0 i even took a roller into the store and the clerk gave me the old=
"never seen THAT before"...=A0 =0Aa friend bought some odd pasta roller cu=
tter thing and we all asked hime to buy a few more for us.=A0 except the st=
ore decided to just not buy that tool again.=A0 =0Atools are like musical i=
nstruments.=A0 we can take the same thing and make it sound aweful or wonde=
rful.=A0 =0Asee ya=0A=A0Steve Graber, Graber's Pottery, Inc=0AClaremont, Ca=
lifornia USA=0AThe Steve Tool - for awesum texture on pots! =0Awww.grabersp=
ottery.com steve@graberspottery.com=0A=0A=0A=0A----- Original Message ----=
=0AFrom: mel jacobson =0ATo: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG=0A=
Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 6:43:52 AM=0ASubject: found object tools/idea=
s=0A=0Amaking your own tools, working with found object tools, and=0Amaking=
inventions for marks is a key to happy work.=0A=0Awe should never be slave=
s to those many tools we find=0Aat nceca.=A0 some are wonderful, some are g=
immicks.=0A=0Ahand tools, and things that we make are part of the=0Ahistory=
and sense of being a crafts person.=0A=0Ait is sort of our dna.=A0 =0A=0Ao=
ne of the greatest joys of learning in the far east was=0Aseeing the system=
s of making matched sets.=A0 using small=0Abamboo measuring sticks, hand ma=
de trimming tools from=0Ascrap metal.=A0 throwing sticks made from tree bra=
nches and=0Asmall knots.=A0 it felt so natural.=A0 =0A(watch mike's video..=
see what he does with his hands..)=0Ait is magic.=0A=0Ait brings me back to=
those old posts on clayart...years back.=0Asomeone was complaining that th=
eir new brent wheel was=0Alike 1/64th" out of center.=A0 wanted to know if =
it should be sent=0Aback...i remember telling the person to smack it with a=
hammer=0Aand get it a 1/16th" out of center...give the wheel some characte=
r.=0Athey got mad at me.=0A=0Ai have seen potters in india, dubai, africa w=
orking on wheels=0Athat had a wobble of two inches...they just worked aroun=
d it.=0Amade wonderful pots.=A0 pots with character.=A0 utilitarian pots, u=
sed=0Aby folks for water, storage.=A0 perfect, no...interesting to look at=
=0A`YES`.=0A=0Apeople have asked me why i still use a 1970's skutt dc-1 whe=
el?=0A`mel, get a new wheel, something fancy`..and i always say.=0A`this on=
e works fine.=A0 it is my size..it fits me.`=A0 i have five other=0Awheels,=
and never throw on them.=A0 this one fits.=A0 it is a little=0Aout of cent=
er, the batts wiggle, the holes in the batts are out of=0Around...it does n=
ot matter a bit.=A0 i just throw clay on that wheel=0Aand make pots...they =
are fine.=A0 now thousands of pots made on that wheel.=0Ait is never the to=
ol, it is the potters hands, the potters mind...and=0Asimple tools are very=
helpful to keep the mind at the task.=A0 pots.=0A=0Ait was sort of like lo=
oking at really fancy cars.=A0 $50,000 cars.=0Ai saw some on tv...HD channe=
l.=A0 you know what....? they are =0Ajust cars.=A0 and none of them had tru=
nks big enough for 500lbs=0Aof clay.=A0 and a potters wheel would not fit i=
n the back seat.=0Aso...who would want one? and that damn maserati did not =
=0Acome with a trailer hitch.=A0 would not work for me.=0A=0Asharlene has a=
small suzuki, a gate in the back for the dog/hatchback.=0Ashe takes that d=
og everywhere...and of course i had a small=0Atrailer hitch put on that car=
...i have a tiny two wheeled trailer=0Athat fits just right.=A0 about 4x5 f=
eet.=A0 rides like a dream.=0Anice when we go to the farm...throw some stuf=
f in the back.=0Acheap to drive.=A0 it is a tool.=A0 sort of a hand made to=
ol.=A0 fits=0Aour life.=0A=0Awell, anyway...we need more handmade tools, an=
d interesting=0Apots.=A0 we get tied up often in stuff that does not matter=
.=0Awe get tied up with stuff in catalogs, stuff that will make=0Ayou a bet=
ter potter..sort of self centering clay...sky hooks,=0Aleft handed wrenches=
.=A0 all to make your life easy.=0Amake your hands the best tools.=A0 then =
your life gets=A0 better.=0Amel=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A=0Afrom minnetonka:=0Aw=
ebsite http://www.visi.com/~melpots/=0Aclayart site:=0Ahttp://www.visi.com/=
~melpots/clayart.html=0A=0A=0A=0A
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