Paul Taylor on tue 2 jan 01

Dear All

I have been watching this thread with amazement.

For my handles I extrude a flat coil out of a pug mill. I could pull the
first shape, most professional potters do that but I am too lazy. Then I cut
the coils up into segments. Tap the end of the coil with the knuckle of my
thumb dip that end in a bit of slip, stick the handle on the pot give a few
pulls and the handle is attached. I only get cracking away from the pot if
The pot is too dry !!! even if I score it and use gum arabic slip or
vinegar slip.

I have seen many people scoring the pot and mixing up secret potions to
stick the handles with. I have always wondered why . I expect it could
depend on the clay and ones environment . I use a smooth but open clay -
cheap and cheerful. It throws a bit thick but has not got that awful memory
that ball clay bodies have, where you get throwing rings even when throwing
with a rib and it reclaims very easily . I also live in a cold and damp
place so I do not need a drying cupboard. so I can not speak for those
using a tight little ball clay living in Arizona.

If your clay will take it there is no need to do any more than put a dab
of slip on - same for lugs . So I would experiment a little in case you have
been doing a lot of work that is not necessary.

Or have you been mixing up smelly slips because you are not able to dry
the pots out slowly and evenly - naughty boys and girls.

Yet who am I to stop you if you have been scoring and gluing
unnecessarily for years. I also indulge in a time consuming useless ritual
- fly fishing.


Regards from Paul Taylor
http://www.anu.ie/westportpottery

> From: Charles
> Organization: Prodigy Internet
> Reply-To: Ceramic Arts Discussion List
> Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 00:18:46 -0500
> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Subject: Handles
>
> I have been watching this thread with some interest. I have perhaps 1/100
> handles crack on me..just a little around the edge of the upper attachment.
> I put handles on by using a serrated rib to score both the handle and the
> mug, add a single drop of water to the scoring on the handle, then press it
> carefully onto the mug, taking the time to work it in all around the edges
> of the attachment. If I am working with stoneware, I then pull the handle
> off the mug and attach the bottom, no scoring. if I am working with white
> stoneware or porcelain I also score the bottom attachment. Also with white
> stoneware or porcelain, I will then dip the half of the mug with the handle
> into water, both inside and out and let it dry slowly under plastic. With
> regular stoneware I just pull the handle and let it dry...no problems.
>
> -C
> Visit my webpage...
> http://www.thecreativeoasis.com/Hughes/hughes.html
>

Marianne Lombardo on mon 13 aug 01

Hi Ron;

Some of us that are not as skilled in pottery, would be interested to know
what makes a well-designed handle. Books seem to show how to pull a handle,
and that's it. I know that I am not happy with my handles, so any advice or
tips would be appreciated. My handles stay on, and they look like the ones
in books, but they still lack something.

Question to everyone: what defines a well-designed handles?

Marianne Lombardo
Omemee, Ontario, Canada
email: mlombardo@nexicom.net

>
> Design has to to with thinking - it costs no more to make and attach a
well
> designed handle than a poor one. For most of us - it requires an interest
> in good craftmansship - for some of us there is no point without trying to
> be the best we can be.

Matt MacIntire on mon 13 aug 01

Kate wisely wrote:
>> Observe the subtle differences.
>> Choose the one or two that you like the best.
>> Define why.

I agree that *IS* a good exercise.

That approach seems to be the essence of training yourself to make better
and better work. Anyone who is interested in good form is probably doing
that all the time throughout each process -- throwing, turning, assembling,
decorating, glazing, firing.

It is simple... We make some pots and discover which ones work best and
look best. Then we figure out what it was we did that made them better.
Then, we just repeat this process for the rest of our lives.


Matt

Ron Roy on mon 13 aug 01

This is to Mariko who recognized the importance of universality and to
Marianne for asking the question.

I am not sure I can add much to how the handle should look - good spring -
not sagging - good negative space and a thickening where it joins the body
- like where a branch is attached to a tree - nature as teacher - handle
looks like it will not come off in use.

Every utilitarian article we make has a limitation in the form - and that
is the function - if you sacrifice the utility for form you have failed.

The actual forming of a handle - and this is where universality comes in.
We all have hands, four fingers and a thumb - well most of us do. If we
make a handle that is comfortable for us then we have made it for everyone.

Don't give me the difference in size of hand argument - that is an agument
for not making sets all the same size. Factories make everything the same
size - that is part of the problem with manufacture.

When making a handle you should be thinking - will this be comfortable in
someones hand, should it have sharp or rounded edges - how should it feel
against the outside finger? Makes you wonder why so many handles have that
double fluting on the outside - might look nice but not my idea of
comfortable.

Should be wide enough so the cup does not tend to slip from side to side.

Should have enough space for one, two or three fingers.

Outside lower part should provide a comfortable rest for the outside finger.

Glaze should feel pleasant to touch.

I recommend picking up every cup you can and finding out which ones are
EASY to hold - the ones that take little effort to hold should be your
touch stone - and while you are at it - take a look at the negative space
and learn from that.

I don't mean just hand made mugs - this has nothing to do with good design
- any factory made mug can be well designed. It would be interesting to see
who makes the better mugs - the potter or the the factory - in the end the
potter is the designer and the maker - the designing is the thinking part.

We should all have a sense of pride about making good handles - if someone
reaches for one of my mugs when given a choice it makes me feel good -
especially if that choice is through experience.

In the end the hand should fit the handle and the handle should fit the mug.

RR



>Hi Ron;
>Some of us that are not as skilled in pottery, would be interested to know
>what makes a well-designed handle. Books seem to show how to pull a handle,
>and that's it. I know that I am not happy with my handles, so any advice or
>tips would be appreciated. My handles stay on, and they look like the ones
>in books, but they still lack something.

>Question to everyone: what defines a well-designed handles?

>Marianne Lombardo

>> Design has to to with thinking - it costs no more to make and attach a
>well
>> designed handle than a poor one. For most of us - it requires an interest
>> in good craftmansship - for some of us there is no point without trying to
>> be the best we can be.


Ron Roy
RR# 4
15084 Little Lake Rd..
Brighton,
Ontario, Canada
KOK 1H0
Residence 613-475-9544
Studio 613-475-3715
Fax 613-475-3513

Matt MacIntire on mon 13 aug 01

ML>> what defines a well-designed handles?

allow me to volunteer my thoughts on handles...

I like an organic looking handle. The best handles look to me as if they
are part of the pot, as if they grew out of the side. Handles that look
smeared on, and don't relate well to the pot, are much less attractive to
me. A slight tapering in thickness from top of handle to bottom of handle
seems to help a handle have this organic appearance. Handles that don't
taper seem more mechanical to me.

The swoop of the curve is critical. In my view the best handles grow out of
the side and curve back in a graceful arc but still have a fluid strength.
Within the handle is enough room for your finger(s) or hand, without a lot
of excess. Fly-away handles with way too much space within usually look
wrong, and don't work as well. To keep the swoop of the handle looking
fresh, it is best to bend the handle as little as possible when forming it.
A relaxed bend at the very last moment seems to work best. Don't fuss with
the curve of your handles. Flex the clay and get the curve right the first
time, with only very slight minor corrections after it has bent. The curve
of the handle seems most attractive if it isn't too saggy or bottom heavy.
The handle should seem to have grown more strongly from the top attachment.
The curve of the handle should stand firm and look ready to support the load
of the vessel.

I try to make the thickness and width of the handle related to the general
weight of the pot and strength the handle needs. Don't make the handle too
thick or too wide or it will look stodgy. Some handles also look too thin
and fragile, especially on larger pots. Getting the right thickness and
width is an important part of handle design.

The cross section of the handle may be best as a simple strap-like cross
section. I don't care for fancy extruded profiles. To me extruded handles
have a mechanical look that doesn't often suit a wheel thrown pot as well as
a pulled handle.

Like a pot, a handle should be deftly made. Making handles can be a hard
won skill. When handles are swiftly made with confidence, they can have the
same vitality as a well made pot. Handles that have a natural, organic
appearance seem to work best with traditional thrown forms.


There are surely other approaches, but these are my opinions.

Matt

Diane Echlin on mon 13 aug 01

To add one point to Matt's observations, placement of the handle on the
pot or mug is crucial. I've found with my short mugs, the handle needs
to be more or less centered from top to bottom, but on my taller mugs,
which taper toward the bottom so as to fit in the cup holder of my car,
the handle needs to be about 2/3 of the way up the mug. It's a visual
balance thing as well as a physical balance thing. Handles are a
constant source of frustration for me, and I've maybe made 2 "perfect"
handles that were well pulled AND well placed in my 17 years of making
pottery. When I look at other people's work, I look at handles and
feet. If those are good, chances are the whole piece is good.
Diane in CT

Matt MacIntire wrote:
>
> ML>> what defines a well-designed handles?
>
> allow me to volunteer my thoughts on handles...
>
> I like an organic looking handle. The best handles look to me as if they
> are part of the pot, as if they grew out of the side. Handles that look
> smeared on, and don't relate well to the pot, are much less attractive to
> me. A slight tapering in thickness from top of handle to bottom of handle
> seems to help a handle have this organic appearance. Handles that don't
> taper seem more mechanical to me.
>
> The swoop of the curve is critical. In my view the best handles grow out of
> the side and curve back in a graceful arc but still have a fluid strength.
> Within the handle is enough room for your finger(s) or hand, without a lot
> of excess. Fly-away handles with way too much space within usually look
> wrong, and don't work as well. To keep the swoop of the handle looking
> fresh, it is best to bend the handle as little as possible when forming it.
> A relaxed bend at the very last moment seems to work best. Don't fuss with
> the curve of your handles. Flex the clay and get the curve right the first
> time, with only very slight minor corrections after it has bent. The curve
> of the handle seems most attractive if it isn't too saggy or bottom heavy.
> The handle should seem to have grown more strongly from the top attachment.
> The curve of the handle should stand firm and look ready to support the load
> of the vessel.
>
> I try to make the thickness and width of the handle related to the general
> weight of the pot and strength the handle needs. Don't make the handle too
> thick or too wide or it will look stodgy. Some handles also look too thin
> and fragile, especially on larger pots. Getting the right thickness and
> width is an important part of handle design.
>
> The cross section of the handle may be best as a simple strap-like cross
> section. I don't care for fancy extruded profiles. To me extruded handles
> have a mechanical look that doesn't often suit a wheel thrown pot as well as
> a pulled handle.
>
> Like a pot, a handle should be deftly made. Making handles can be a hard
> won skill. When handles are swiftly made with confidence, they can have the
> same vitality as a well made pot. Handles that have a natural, organic
> appearance seem to work best with traditional thrown forms.
>
> There are surely other approaches, but these are my opinions.
>
> Matt
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.

Tommy Humphries on mon 13 aug 01

The only way to get consistent handles, that you like are to make tons of
them... practice every technique you can find. pull handles from a lug, off
the pot extrude them whatever you can. when you become comfortable doing
handles, and know many different types, then, you can fit the type of handle
to the pot. the same handle will not look good on every pot you throw. you
must be able to picture in your mind how the handle will have to work to
achieve its purpose. where will the handle attach for good balance. good
balance on an empty pitcher is vastly different than the balance of a full
pitcher.

I think that handles are the last great hurdle for a new potter, and can
take as long (or longer) to master as throwing does. remember, the handle
is the most intimate part of any pot, as it is the part that is touched in
every day use, and should be as friendly as possible. I believe that a
handle (or pot for that matter) that has been fussed over for hours, looks
fussed over for hours. like a kid at a wedding, scrubbed and dressed up and
uncomfortable as hell, generally no fun to be around.

practice until you can get the handle on with no fuss and you will have a
handle that is fun to use.



Tommy


----- Original Message -----
From: "Marianne Lombardo"

> Question to everyone: what defines a well-designed handles?
>
> Marianne Lombardo
> Omemee, Ontario, Canada
> email: mlombardo@nexicom.net

Martin Howard on mon 13 aug 01

YOUR hands.
We each make different ones, depending on our personal method and geometry.
Mine are for right handed drinkers.
I sometimes turn them round for left handed ones.
Sounds odd?
Well they are not symmetrical.
But neither are hands.
The part of the handle further from you can be narrower than that part
nearest to you.
Just look at your hand shape as you hold a mug.

Martin Howard
Webb's Cottage Pottery
Woolpits Road, Great Saling
BRAINTREE, Essex CM7 5DZ
England

martin@webbscottage.co.uk
http://www.webbscottage.co.uk

PotterSmiths' on mon 13 aug 01

Matt,
Nice well thought out, thanks!

Learned this from Shirley Johnson, who will probably never be on Clay Art,
because mostly she uses a typewriter still. Encourages students to slow
down. Tries to teach students to "see". She is my favorite teacher ever!
She has...heart.

Anyway, she promotes discipline, and this is one or her exercises. Be
organized. Make 6 of similar or the same form, place them on a ware board
side by side. (draw them if you can first). Add 6 handles that are similar
or the same. Again be organized in the way you apply (keep it clean).
Then learn to look at them. Observe the subtle differences. Choose the one
or two that you like the best. Define why. How did the process differ in
one from another? Ask others what they think and why, discuss.

Each time you sit down and throw make 6 easy cylinders, easy does it keep it
simple. Use it as a warm up. And of course if you don't like them, don't
fire them. There's enough bad pots in the world.

Gunna have to call Shirley...maybe I need another class


Kate

Phil & Kate Smith
White Bear Lake MN

-----Original Message-----
From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG]On
Behalf Of Matt MacIntire
Sent: Monday, August 13, 2001 9:05 AM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Re: Handles


ML>> what defines a well-designed handles?

allow me to volunteer my thoughts on handles...

I like an organic looking handle. The best handles look to me as if they
are part of the pot, as if they grew out of the side. Handles that look
smeared on, and don't relate well to the pot, are much less attractive to
me. A slight tapering in thickness from top of handle to bottom of handle
seems to help a handle have this organic appearance. Handles that don't
taper seem more mechanical to me.

The swoop of the curve is critical. In my view the best handles grow out of
the side and curve back in a graceful arc but still have a fluid strength.
Within the handle is enough room for your finger(s) or hand, without a lot
of excess. Fly-away handles with way too much space within usually look
wrong, and don't work as well. To keep the swoop of the handle looking
fresh, it is best to bend the handle as little as possible when forming it.
A relaxed bend at the very last moment seems to work best. Don't fuss with
the curve of your handles. Flex the clay and get the curve right the first
time, with only very slight minor corrections after it has bent. The curve
of the handle seems most attractive if it isn't too saggy or bottom heavy.
The handle should seem to have grown more strongly from the top attachment.
The curve of the handle should stand firm and look ready to support the load
of the vessel.

I try to make the thickness and width of the handle related to the general
weight of the pot and strength the handle needs. Don't make the handle too
thick or too wide or it will look stodgy. Some handles also look too thin
and fragile, especially on larger pots. Getting the right thickness and
width is an important part of handle design.

The cross section of the handle may be best as a simple strap-like cross
section. I don't care for fancy extruded profiles. To me extruded handles
have a mechanical look that doesn't often suit a wheel thrown pot as well as
a pulled handle.

Like a pot, a handle should be deftly made. Making handles can be a hard
won skill. When handles are swiftly made with confidence, they can have the
same vitality as a well made pot. Handles that have a natural, organic
appearance seem to work best with traditional thrown forms.


There are surely other approaches, but these are my opinions.

Matt

____________________________________________________________________________
__
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org

You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/

Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.

mel jacobson on tue 14 aug 01

one small addition to ron's fine post.

balance.
without question how a cup or pitcher balances
in your hand determines how you like or dislike
the pot.
balance is not an abstract theory. it is real.

if the location of the handle is too low on the pot,
the pot seems to thrust forward and down. it does not balance.

often the handle is attached to the rim of the pot, this makes it seem
far too high. in theory, no handle should ever be attached to the
rim...but, then, many don't give a damn.

a good rule of thumb that mr. uchida taught me....
place your pinky finger against the top of the rim of
a mug, make a mark at the bottom of your pinky.
attach handle to this mark.
the handle sits just about a half of an inch below
the rim.
and, can you believe it...holy cow...your pinky just became a ruler.
it is the same size, every time you measure with it.
`hey, mel, i didn't know that...can we use our self for rulers?`
`geez, don't you love this class, learn the dumbest things.`

glaze feel.
ron has hit the nail again.
glaze feel is the most abstract of design senses. we love the color,
we love the temp....but, the damn glaze feels like crap. don't use
it on functional things...people will hate it, and really often, not know
why.
the feeling of rhodes 32, when fired right....butter, velvet. people
just like the feel. temmoku, ron's temmoku...feels like velvet, skin.
it is a perfect glaze for functional ware. many don't like the dark color.
(stupid) but, they love the feel.
a glaze fired a half cone under often feels strange. it does not have
the right sensation. potters feel pots.

i used to tell my divers....the sounds you make when diving
are just as important as the `seeing` the dive. if the diving
board makes a big bang...the judge will, in an abstract almost
unknowing way, mark the dive down one point. it is a fact.
so, we got quiet....just like glaze feel...it is abstract, but still
exists. good customers will pick up pots in a show or sale,
rub them, turn them...look the other way...sorta feel the
pots. watch some time...they all do it.
potters are best at it....1. look at the bottom, 2. feel the pot, 3.
observe the glaze, 4. check the form. 5. talk to the potter.
if they are all perfect...buy the pot.

we can never come to terms with Artist, Professional, Potter, Craftsman.
we have no stick to measure any of them.
abstract, and up to the person wanting the title. therefore, useless.

i have been to booths at craft fairs..the multi color brochure touts
this person as a `master potter, professional artist, internationally
known.`...bull, the work is crap, the design is crap, the person is crap.
so, who cares?
i am far too busy to give a damn about any of it.
boring.
mel
got the old victrola out..playing pots backwards.
amazing things to hear. a two hour lecture by david
hendley...backwards. his last thoughts first.
works for me. he must talk and sing a great deal when he throws.
From:
Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
web site: http://www.pclink.com/melpots

Lee Love on tue 14 aug 01

----- Original Message -----
From: "Marianne Lombardo"

> Question to everyone: what defines a well-designed handles?

The hand to which it fits.

--

Lee Love
Mashiko JAPAN Ikiru@kami.com
Interested in Folkcraft? Signup:
Subscribe: mingei-subscribe@egroups.com
Or: http://www.egroups.com/group/mingei
Help ET phone Earth: http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/

BonitaCohn@AOL.COM on tue 14 aug 01

i like to describe the rise of the handle, as the top of the letter "R" in
script. and like a leaf growing off the stem
Bonita in San Francisco

mariko cruse on tue 14 aug 01

Hi,
I must tell you a funny(?) story. I was born in Japan, and brought up with
tea cups(Yunomi), rice bowls, and tea bowls - all of them without a handle.
Except for the design on the cup, they are symmetrical in forms. My eyes
comfortably go to the area where the center of gravity(c.g.) is located..
Japanese often examine the bottom area of the bowl, also. Well, now that I
am part of the Western mug culture, I am trying very hard to convince myself
that the shift in c.g.of a given form is not a bad thing, esthetically
speaking. Consequently, I am over-concerned with my handles, not to
mention the technical skill I lack in putting them on. The Japanese knew
how hard it is to put a handle on their "mugs" to satisfy their functional
and esthetic needs, so they simply ignored it.
(I know you don't believe everything you read.)Mariko
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ron Roy"
To:
Sent: Monday, August 13, 2001 11:48 PM
Subject: Re: Handles


> This is to Mariko who recognized the importance of universality and to
> Marianne for asking the question.
>
> I am not sure I can add much to how the handle should look - good spring -
> not sagging - good negative space and a thickening where it joins the body
> - like where a branch is attached to a tree - nature as teacher - handle
> looks like it will not come off in use.
>
> Every utilitarian article we make has a limitation in the form - and that
> is the function - if you sacrifice the utility for form you have failed.
>
> The actual forming of a handle - and this is where universality comes in.
> We all have hands, four fingers and a thumb - well most of us do. If we
> make a handle that is comfortable for us then we have made it for
everyone.
>
> Don't give me the difference in size of hand argument - that is an agument
> for not making sets all the same size. Factories make everything the same
> size - that is part of the problem with manufacture.
>
> When making a handle you should be thinking - will this be comfortable in
> someones hand, should it have sharp or rounded edges - how should it feel
> against the outside finger? Makes you wonder why so many handles have that
> double fluting on the outside - might look nice but not my idea of
> comfortable.
>
> Should be wide enough so the cup does not tend to slip from side to side.
>
> Should have enough space for one, two or three fingers.
>
> Outside lower part should provide a comfortable rest for the outside
finger.
>
> Glaze should feel pleasant to touch.
>
> I recommend picking up every cup you can and finding out which ones are
> EASY to hold - the ones that take little effort to hold should be your
> touch stone - and while you are at it - take a look at the negative space
> and learn from that.
>
> I don't mean just hand made mugs - this has nothing to do with good design
> - any factory made mug can be well designed. It would be interesting to
see
> who makes the better mugs - the potter or the the factory - in the end the
> potter is the designer and the maker - the designing is the thinking part.
>
> We should all have a sense of pride about making good handles - if someone
> reaches for one of my mugs when given a choice it makes me feel good -
> especially if that choice is through experience.
>
> In the end the hand should fit the handle and the handle should fit the
mug.
>
> RR
>
>
>
> >Hi Ron;
> >Some of us that are not as skilled in pottery, would be interested to
know
> >what makes a well-designed handle. Books seem to show how to pull a
handle,
> >and that's it. I know that I am not happy with my handles, so any advice
or
> >tips would be appreciated. My handles stay on, and they look like the
ones
> >in books, but they still lack something.
>
> >Question to everyone: what defines a well-designed handles?
>
> >Marianne Lombardo
>
> >> Design has to to with thinking - it costs no more to make and attach a
> >well
> >> designed handle than a poor one. For most of us - it requires an
interest
> >> in good craftmansship - for some of us there is no point without trying
to
> >> be the best we can be.
>
>
> Ron Roy
> RR# 4
> 15084 Little Lake Rd..
> Brighton,
> Ontario, Canada
> KOK 1H0
> Residence 613-475-9544
> Studio 613-475-3715
> Fax 613-475-3513
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.

Ron Roy on wed 15 aug 01

Sometimes food for thought appears to be rules - depends on how open your
mind is and how much you want to understand.

Sometimes the rules are silly - and sometimes they just apprear to be.

Sometimes the rules are just the beginning rather than the end.

In the end we make our own and they are what we are - and what we make -
for better or for worse.

RR


>He like me would fail Handles 101 presented to Clayart. Handles from the
>rim, deep finger ridges and ash glaze. Not wood fire, not wood ash glaze
>doesn't feel good. that is the trouble with these silly rules.

Ron Roy
RR# 4
15084 Little Lake Rd..
Brighton,
Ontario, Canada
KOK 1H0
Residence 613-475-9544
Studio 613-475-3715
Fax 613-475-3513

Gayle Bair on wed 15 aug 01

I love this list!
I was born in the USA but have an issue with mug handles.
I do not like them. I rarely see a mug with a handle that fits or is
aesthetic.
IMHO a handle is an affront to symmetry, wastes space in a shelf, demands
extra care when washing and limits the area of rim from where I can
comfortably drink.
Now all that said after reading Mariko's posting I vividly recalled watching
my beloved Ukrainian grandmother drink her hot tea from a glass....bingo..
no handle! She would sweeten it with a dollop of jelly. I always finished
her tea reaping the reward at the bottom of the glass.
Such fond memories. No mug handles for me, don't like them...don't need
them!
I sell my handle free tumblers (formerly called tea bowls) instead of mugs.

Just for the record I am not handle phobic. All my teapots have handles.

Thanks Mariko for jogging such a fine image from my memory.

Gayle Bair
Bainbridge Island, WA
--------------------------------------------------------
http://claybair.com

...........

Mariko wrote>>
Hi,
I must tell you a funny(?) story. I was born in Japan, and brought up with
tea cups(Yunomi), rice bowls, and tea bowls - all of them without a handle.
Except for the design on the cup, they are symmetrical in forms. My eyes
comfortably go to the area where the center of gravity(c.g.) is located..
Japanese often examine the bottom area of the bowl, also. Well, now that I
am part of the Western mug culture, I am trying very hard to convince myself
that the shift in c.g.of a given form is not a bad thing, esthetically
speaking. Consequently, I am over-concerned with my handles, not to
mention the technical skill I lack in putting them on. The Japanese knew
how hard it is to put a handle on their "mugs" to satisfy their functional
and esthetic needs, so they simply ignored it.
(I know you don't believe everything you read.)Mariko
-

Jorna on wed 15 aug 01

does anyone know what the approx. length etc, should be on a french =
choclatier about 7" high?

debbie jorna
applied geologist(got to justify those years in school somehow)
halifax, nova scotia
jorna@hfx.eastlink.ca

Gesine Rodger on wed 15 aug 01

About 3 years into making mugs, Jack Rogers, my pottery teacher from =
Kingsville, Ontario, Canada, told me and I quote: "Gesine your handles =
look like shit". Well, nobody is going to say that to me. He also said =
that unless I pulled the handle right off the mug I would NEVER have a =
mug that looks good. I went home took one mug and pulled at least 5 =
handles off the mug. I would scrape them off and put another bunch of =
handles on until the mug itself collapsed. I did that over and over =
again. At every show he would come and inspect my pots and make some =
derogatory comment. I was hurt, but still I paid attention to what he =
said. I persevered and tried hard. About 5 years ago I was told I make =
damn good pots. I knew that already though, but, it's nice to be told. =
I am very confident at this point in life and after 25 years of potting =
I like my pots especially my handles. =20

I believe that you can extrude handles and they look good but, I am not =
giving up pulling my handles off the pots, i.e. I practiced too long and =
hard. I like handles that are pulled off the pot. It gives good form =
and shape. I personally don't like the stuck on look.=20

So whatever system you practice, stick with it and by being your own =
best critic, you will find your pot and handle. =20

P.S. I am not a lurker, just busy doing my thing and am only interested =
in some stuff that is posted
=20
Gesine's Pottery
gesine@vaxxine.com
closed shop about 6 years ago - wanted my living room back and only do =
shows now.

Gady on wed 15 aug 01

Ron has covered pretty much everything about how a handle should look or
feel. One addition I like to add is a little disk of clay where the thumb
rests on the handle. It adds a little bit more comfort with out the user
really understanding why the handle fits so well. Take the disk (1/4" high)
score and slip it into place. Smooth it out so it fits the width of the
handle. It should taper down from the side of the cup to the handle. Give
it a try.

Steve Gady
Brandon, Florida

Where the current heat and humidity reminds me of a late Spring day in
Thailand.

Jane Cross on tue 4 sep 01

In response to the recent discussion about handles---I made half a dozen =
jugs with handles that I was pleased with for the first time ever =
recently. My criteria for being pleased was not so much to do with =
curves or shape or making me smile, as someone suggested but for two =
other reasons..
1..They didn't take me all day (for once)
2..I wasn't in a foul mood when I'd finished!
I am told that they look quite nice too---a bonus!
Jane in the UK

Donn Buchfinck on tue 13 aug 02

ok,
there are a few things to consider,
when the pot gets larger, and smaller handle is better, less is more,
unless, there is always an unless,
the type of pot lets you make a larger handle,
get a hairdier, or electric paint stipper gun, and for gods sake don't put it
in your water bucket,
thats for the people out ther who feel I am giving out dangerous information.
A disclaimer if you must.
So, maybe pull the handle and stiffen it up, then attatch it.
If your pulling it off the pot and you want a swoop. Do this, pull the
handle, attatch it with a little extra but it still supports itself. wait 30
minutes until it stiffens up a little, grab it, gently, and gently move it to
where you want it, you can pull and streach it also, but you have to wait for
it to stiffen up so it holds it's shape.
play with it, sacrafice up some pots to learn your handle, I have a hard time
with this too, the sacrafice part, but it works, think of it as R&D.

Donn Buchfinck
San Francisco

Charles Moore on tue 13 aug 02

Donn Buchfinck said the following:

"sacrifice up some pots to learn your handle, I have a hard time
with this too, the sacrafice part, but it works, think of it as R&D."

An alternative to the sacrificial part is to use a piece (or pieces) of
bisque ware to practice on.

The bisque ware can be washed and re-used again and again.

Charles Moore

Lily Krakowski on sat 7 dec 02

In "The Complete Potter's Companion" by Tony Birks. [p42-45); in "The Craft
oif the Potter" by Michael Casson, (p 47-49); in " Pottery on the Wheel"by
Elsbeeth Woody (p 169-179) there are clear, excellent, illustrated
instructions on how to pull and attach handles. I include page numbers
because sometimes a Public Library cannaot get one the book, but can get
photocopies of pages.

After that is it practice practice practice. Pull 3 handles on each of
Mel's 100 pots!






Lili Krakowski
P.O. Box #1
Constableville, N.Y.
(315) 942-5916/ 397-2389

Be of good courage....

ASHPOTS@AOL.COM on mon 31 mar 03

Well i have put Handmade cane handles on 6 tea pots. I watched the video
from Sheila Clennell. I soaked the materials in hot,Starbucks Morning Blend.
I gave a nice tan color to the Rattan. Also Rattan is a vining palm, there
was one in the Rare Plant house at Fairchild Gardens when i worked there.
I made the teapots for the show at Mudfire in Atlanta. The opening is this
Thurs Eve . Im driving back Thurs and the times are 6 to 9. I made sets
because i think that Tea from Handmade Teapots should be more of a ritual.
So i have 2 cups on a platter with the teapot. I mean it is more special than
just drinking coffee that i pour from my electric coffee pot.
Well if you liver near Atlanta i hope to see you all there. It takes me 2 hrs
to get there. So no excuses
Mudfire phone # 404-969-3260

Mark Issenberg
www.Lookoutmountain pottery.com
Rising Fawn Ga

Wes Rolley on thu 25 mar 04

While the rest of you were going wild in Indianapolis and I was enjoying 12=
=20
days of record heat in California, I had time to read the most recent issue=
=20
of PMI. After some consideration, I decided to comment on Tony and=20
Sheila's excellent article: "Getting a Handle on It."

This is one of the better "how to" articles in recent issues. It makes me=
=20
want to buy their video and to start looking at local materials. But that=
=20
is not why I wanted to comment.

Tony is quoted saying "A great handle can make an ordinary pot look=20
fantastic and a store-bought handle can make a fabulous pot look=20
ordinary." In the accompanying photos, there are two which illustrate this=
=20
marriage of a finely crafted handle and a finely crafted tea pot. There=20
are also two in which the fact that both the handle and the pot are=20
individually excellent work, they do not enhance each other, being out of=20
balance with each other, detracting from the totality rather than enhancing.

Now, I am not a "player" and will never produce pots like Tony's or handles=
=20
like Sheila's. It may be that the photos do not do the pots justice. I=20
know that many of us have not bought museum catalogs because the photos in=
=20
the book were not even close to the real thing. In one case, I am pretty=20
sure that this is true. Still, based solely on the photos, there are 2 that=
=20
I would buy and 2 that I would not. Even when you are good, it is so hard=
=20
to be perfect.

Wes



"I find I have a great lot to learn =96 or unlearn. I seem to know far too=
=20
much and this knowledge obscures the really significant facts, but I am=20
getting on." -- Charles Rennie Mackintosh

Wesley C. Rolley
17211 Quail Court
Morgan Hill, CA 95037
(408)778-3024

Jaqart Studio on fri 26 mar 04

>all of body included for reference<

Hi Wes,

Yeah we were all getting it on at Nceca. I was a first timer, and if you
are thinking about going, Go!

Just killing time on the last ramp of a bisque, and no better time is
spent than with Clayart. So, with handles....Never say never. Handles
are a challenging aspect to a form that has been already been "bearthed".
With production potters this is a natural appendage to a form that is
continuous and that has it's own technique and form and feel, something
not fettered with but known, and comes quickly and in, as I suppose
quantities. Baffels me. I am not a production potter, but had the
pleasure of exchange with a few, and what I gathered was that it is all
about knowledge of technique, knowing your materials, form relationships,
and repetition, and certaintly confidence, and comfortability with all of
the above... best thing I did, was actually, what you are doing. Read
up.listen, watch and then make about two dozen handles, put on some good
music and GO!

Peace,
pamela
~jaq





On Thu, 25 Mar 2004 07:57:46 -0800, Wes Rolley wrote:

>While the rest of you were going wild in Indianapolis and I was enjoying
12
>days of record heat in California, I had time to read the most recent
issue
>of PMI. After some consideration, I decided to comment on Tony and
>Sheila's excellent article: "Getting a Handle on It."
>
>This is one of the better "how to" articles in recent issues. It makes
me
>want to buy their video and to start looking at local materials. But
that
>is not why I wanted to comment.
>
>Tony is quoted saying "A great handle can make an ordinary pot look
>fantastic and a store-bought handle can make a fabulous pot look
>ordinary." In the accompanying photos, there are two which illustrate
this
>marriage of a finely crafted handle and a finely crafted tea pot. There
>are also two in which the fact that both the handle and the pot are
>individually excellent work, they do not enhance each other, being out of
>balance with each other, detracting from the totality rather than
enhancing.
>
>Now, I am not a "player" and will never produce pots like Tony's or
handles
>like Sheila's. It may be that the photos do not do the pots justice. I
>know that many of us have not bought museum catalogs because the photos
in
>the book were not even close to the real thing. In one case, I am pretty
>sure that this is true. Still, based solely on the photos, there are 2
that
>I would buy and 2 that I would not. Even when you are good, it is so
hard
>to be perfect.
>
>Wes
>
>
>
>"I find I have a great lot to learn =96 or unlearn. I seem to know far too
>much and this knowledge obscures the really significant facts, but I am
>getting on." -- Charles Rennie Mackintosh
>
>Wesley C. Rolley
>17211 Quail Court
>Morgan Hill, CA 95037
>(408)778-3024
>
>__________________________________________________________________________
____
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.

mel jacobson on wed 5 jan 05

the only thing i did better than anyone else in the
japanese pottery was to make handles.
that was a death wish.
i got to do all of them.
every single one...and that was often two hundred at a time.
think your arm gets tired?
`work through the pain.`

we did all the handles, on every mug the same size, same
shape.
we used a coat hanger caliper.
you will have to see the drawings in my book
to learn how to make a hundred all the same.
he used a string line to check them after i finished.
now that is being anal.

we pulled them three/quarters finished. pulled them
to a line on a board. each was the same size on the
board. 75 to a set. flat board, line drawn 6 inches. narrow
end of the handle on the mark, snap it off the hump at the
edge.
we made caliper marks using a bent paper clip
to mark where the handle was placed and ended.
take your time. measure.
at the end of the day, they all looked the same.
it is called craftsmanship. it was mr. uchida's design.
i just made them. to spec.
no reason to say...`well, they should have been casual,
or exruded.`. it was his plan of attack. nothing else mattered.
it is sorta like someone telling me how to glaze pots
in 2005. it is my business. no one else's.

if you make a few hundred handles at a time, you get to
know how to do it. make three a month and you
may understand a bit.
a handle grows out of a mug. it lifts
and bends like a branch of a tree. you learn negative space
for real. you see through the handle...it is the negative space
that counts, not the shape of the handle, what is the shape
of the side of the mug?...the handle balances
the mug on your finger. too big and is uncomfortable, too small
and it does not fit your hand. depends on your hand.
too low and the mug tips forward, put the handle on the rim
and it may look silly.
but, to each their own.
handles are like bottoms....we know a great deal about
the potter.

i used to tell high school kids....`if you are at the sink,
making handles in warm water, and you do not have mugs
to attach them to, i will throw cold water over you.`

almost every task in the clay studio has some silly
sexual connotation. i always tell students, `if you fall
into the trap of making fun of our precious material- clay,
you will always lose. it is golden, it cannot be a scape/goat
for obscenity.` same for throwing it at the walls or ceiling.
you just destroyed your most precious material...clay.
and, you made a joke out of what we love most.
mel

From:
Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
web site: my.pclink.com/~melpots
or try: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
new/ http://www.rid-a-tick.com

mel jacobson on thu 2 jun 05

it seems trivial...but each clay works very differently with handles.

i can make mugs, set them in the sun, hour later put on handles,
set them back in the sun...bisque fire them that night. handles do
not come loose. in fact i do not think i have lost a handle in thirty years.
the clay works for this type of work. the clay body is made to
resist problems. sand and fine grog.

the clay body works.

same for S cracks. most often it is the clay.

like wes rolley just wrote to me.stupidity is doing the same thing over and over, with the
same materials and failing.
over and over and over. but as the old norski farmer says..
`i make it up in volume.`

often people use a clay body because it feels good.
piss on feels good.
does it work.
does it crack.
does it warp.
does it split??????
if the handles are falling off....well maybe it is the clay.

any way you make and attach handles...it is almost the same.
pull clay, let it set...add scoring...add water or solution..
add handle...pull it to shape. not hard to do.
i know people that add a lump...pull the handle.
i know people that pull the entire handle..add it and attach.
and, i know people that do all sorts of other things.
they all work.

it is like using southern ice. it just does whatever it wants.
looks great fired...but i would not make pots with it for anything.
it warps, changes shape...and you have to fuss for hours drying
the stuff. potters that love it, learn to live with it..and learn to
know it is fussy. so, they adjust. craig martell loves fussy clay.
and he makes great pots with fussy clay. it is his way.
he does magic with difficult clay. he wins the big race. new
potters go crazy with fussy clay. disaster after disaster.
and of course, they blame themselves. it is the clay.
find forgiving clay when new to ceramics. learn your lessons
with clay that works. and never say...`but i love the feel of baby
pooh clay...that rough stuff hurts my hands.` you wind up sounding
like kurt. `mel, your clay is like throwing concrete`.
never gives me problems however. i hate problems.
mel
from mel/minnetonka.mn.usa
website: http://www.pclink.com/melpots

Glenn Dair on sun 13 aug 06

During my MFA adventures at the University of Georgia, Ron Meyers gave =
us an "assignment" to make a pot with fifty handles, with a week to =
complete the project. Being macho potters, we all made the biggest pots =
we could make, and the tried to find out how to make and attach fifty =
handles to our creations, and because we were in "ART school", we did =
our best to make these abominations into "ART". There is no pot big =
enough to make sense out of fifty handles. Critique day came, and we =
presented our efforts for Ron's scrutiny. He walked into the studio, =
looked at what we had created, and asked "Now, do you know how to make =
handles?" And walked out of the room.

Handle-making is such a rich and multi-faceted problem. Obviously, the =
context (pot) has to be taken into consideration, but the manipulative =
skills have to be there. Practice, practice, practice will make you =
better, but practicing on a lame or inappropriate handle just gets you =
better at a bad product. Most workshop presenters will cover the handle =
dilemma in their demos, and students can steal these techniques for =
their own work. The trick is to have your own work with your own =
solution, and to look to those potters whose work is compatible with =
your own direction. Ron Meyers handles on Sergei Isupov pots might be an =
intersting contrast, but also might just not work visually. Above all, =
make handles that feel good to your own hand. If you can't sell them, at =
least you can enjoy using them in your own kitchen.

Glenn Dair/Callanwolde/Atlanta

Deborah Thuman on sat 24 mar 07

I've gotten to the wheel part of the class, and I want to learn to make
mugs. I do fine until I get to the handle.

1. How do you know how big to make the handle? There's got to be some
math formula for this - but I can't figure it out. Either I make a
pathetic little handle, or I make a HUGE handle.

2. How do you keep the handle attached? I've tired just score and slip.
It looks bad and it falls off. I've tried score, slip, and smoosh. It
looks bad, but the handle stays put.

3. Trim before or after handle attachment?

Thanks.

Deb
http://debthumansblog.blogspot.com/

Stephanie Wright on sat 24 mar 07

Hi Deb,

BTW, love your blog!

Regarding handles, there are a few things you can do to make them look
better. After a year, I have finally gotten the hang of them - my teacher
always made it look way easier than it is for me to do it!

1) I don't know if there is a 'math formula' per se. I go by visuals, and
what feels comfortable in my hand. However, it is good to keep in mind the
shrinkage rate of your clay. Better to have a handle that looks a little
too big before firing.

2) The best way I know is to use a piece of clay that you have rolled into
somewhat of a very fat carrot shape that is at least 6 inches long. You
can actually get at least 2 handles from a hunk this size, but a) it makes
it easier to hold on to, and b) there's no problem continuing if you pull
too hard at first and break a piece off.

3) Take this carrot shape, and hold it by the fat end in your non-dominant
hand. Hold the clay so it is hanging straight up and down (like this - V).
Also, it is handy to pull over a bucket of water. Dip the clay into the
bucket of water quickly up to just below where you are holding it. Then
wet your dominant hand. You want your hand to slide easily over the clay.

4) Gently start pulling the clay, using your dominant hand. You don't
actually have to PULL - that's sort of a misnomer. By keeping your hand at
an even pressure as you are running it down the clay, it will have no
choice but to stretch. It's more kind of like a firm stroking. While you
are doing this, make sure to keep wetting the clay and your hand every few
pulls. The part of your hand you are shaping the clay with is that u-
shaped section of skin between your thumb and index finger.

I will warn you now, your carrot will start looking somewhat phallic. LOL.

5) What you are aiming to do is actually pull the handle a little longer
than what you need. When you are done, stick the fat part of the clay you
were holding onto to the edge of a table, so the long part of the handle
is hanging over the edge. This will cause the handle to curve (kind of
like a candy cane), and will keep the handle straight as it sets up. DO
NOT try to use the handle right away. It is too soft and difficult to use
at this point. Let it hang for about half an hour before you use it.

6) Once it has set up, unstick it from the table and bring it over to your
pot. Cut the handle a bit below the large knob of clay at the top. Decide
where you want the handle to start on your pot, and how much of a curve
you want in it. Hold the top of the handle gently against where you want
it to start, use your other hand to bring the handle into the size and
shape you want, and make a mark at end with your fingernail. Then cut the
bottom of the handle at the mark you made.

7) Score and slip your starting and ending points. Make sure to use quite
a bit of slip. Stick the top end of your handle to the spot straight on,
kind of like you would plug a cord into an electrical outlet. Hold it
there for a minute or two. Then when the bond holds, attach the bottom
either by doing the 'plug in' thing, or using the side of the handle.
Smooth the bottom of the handle with your thumbs if you stick it on by the
side. If slip oozes out of the attachment points, that is OK. Last step it
to clean up and smooth out these joints with your fingers and a small,
damp sponge.

If this is not clear, let me know. I just got a digital camera, so I can
take pictures of the process if you need them. :-) Hope this helps!

Take care,

Stephanie

louroess2210 on sat 24 mar 07

On Mar 24, 2007, at 7:32 AM, Deborah Thuman wrote:
>

> . I do fine until I get to the handle.
>
> 1. How do you know how big to make the handle? There's got to be some
> math formula for this - but I can't figure it out. Either I make a
> pathetic little handle, or I make a HUGE handle.
Deb, why don't you try making several size handles and try them out
before attaching the one you like best. This would obviate pulling
the handle on the mug, but you could always switch to that later
>
> 2. How do you keep the handle attached? I've tired just score and
> slip.
> It looks bad and it falls off. I've tried score, slip, and smoosh. It
> looks bad, but the handle stays put.
Two things to try. Add some vinegar to your slip or wet the
attachment point with vinegar and create your own slip by rubbing
with a toothbrush before attaching.
Or you can try using paper clay as your attaching medium. There's
lots of info in the archives on making and using paperclay
>
> 3. Trim before or after handle attachment?
You almost have to do any wheel trimming before you attach your
handle. Otherwise it would get in the way of your trimming tool.

Some things to try, at least.
>
Regards, Lou
> ______________________________________________________________________
> ________

Leigh Whitaker on sat 24 mar 07

In a message dated 3/24/2007 10:04:31 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
debthuman@ZIANET.COM writes:

I'm just a newbie too, but I can tell you what has been working for me!

I've gotten to the wheel part of the class, and I want to learn to make
mugs. I do fine until I get to the handle.

1. How do you know how big to make the handle? There's got to be some
math formula for this - but I can't figure it out. Either I make a
pathetic little handle, or I make a HUGE handle.
I like to pull the handles off the pot, which helps get the proportions
right. I pull a somewhat short, fat handle and stick it on with scoring and
slipping. Make sure to hold the pot so that the handle is hanging straight down
so that you don't stress the clay. Then still holding the pot like that, wet
the handle and continue pulling until it looks right. Use the webbing
between your fingers to make the handle a nice flatish shape if you want, and use
your thumb and fingers to smooth the attached region.

A tip from one of my teachers was to practice pulling handles off of a bat
or a plastic bucket if you don't want to waste a pot. You can just load a
bucket or bat up with practice handles.

2. How do you keep the handle attached? I've tired just score and slip.
It looks bad and it falls off. I've tried score, slip, and smoosh. It
looks bad, but the handle stays put.
I wonder if your pot is too dry when you are attaching the handles? They
really need to be _just_ leather hard. Anytime I put a handle on if the pot is
past that stage they pop off or crack. If the pot gets a little too dry I
can usually spritz it with H2O (or quickly dunk it), wrap it and let it sit
for a day or so. If it's too dry that doesn't seem to work (for me), but if
it's just a little too dry it usually works.

3. Trim before or after handle attachment?

Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don't. To keep the rest of the pot moist
enough while letting the bottom dry a bit, I sometimes turn the pot upside down
and wrap all but the base, or I just try to catch it right at that magic
moment when it's dry enough to trim but wet enough to attach a handle. I go
ahead and make the handle and set it aside to get a little stiffer, trim, then
attach. Sometimes I attach the handle first, but I am scared of whacking it
when trimming. Some people don't really trim their mugs, they just sort of
smooth the bottoms out with their fingers and leave them flat. That solves
that question for them, but I like the look of a trimmed bottom.

HTH!
Leigh




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Nancy on sat 24 mar 07

Hi Deb

I love making handles...and I have found with my students they do
several things...

Make them too fat....it's okay to make a long handle....make it thinner
by running your thumb down it to flatten. Thumb on one side and pushing
into the side of your forefinger and make a nice grove. Smooth it with
some water and pulling down the same way as you pulled the handle.
Remember you can always make a larger handle smaller but you can't make
a little one bigger.

The attaching part....I cut mine in an angle at the top so it lays flat
againts the mug. Some cut them straight and try to attach them
flat...yep that can work and does for many. I personally don't like the
look so I cut mine at a 45 degree angle and attach it. This allows the
handle to curve naturally up and around. Sorta the shape of an ear.
When you do this, the smoothing is minor and it looks pretty good. I
then just thumb press the bottom part of the handle onto the mug. The
weight of holding the mug will be carried in the handle attachment at
the top so this is the most important part. Attach it well. I score
the handle and the mub and use a mixture of clay slop from my splash pan
that I have mixed with a little karo syrup and vinegar. I generally mix
it in small batches....4 tbsp or so of slop, 2 tsp of karo syrup and a
splash of vinegar. Does the trick for me.

You can also roll handles, use an extruder or the nice little handle
cutting tool by kemper. I think it still comes in 2 sizes and you run
it through a slab of clay and pop out the handles. You can then roll a
decoration on them, run your thumb down the center and finish it like
you were pulling it.

Many people will tell you to practice practice and I agree too :)

Nancy
www.hilltoppottery.com

Deborah Thuman wrote:
> I've gotten to the wheel part of the class, and I want to learn to make
> mugs. I do fine until I get to the handle.
>
> 1. How do you know how big to make the handle? There's got to be some
> math formula for this - but I can't figure it out. Either I make a
> pathetic little handle, or I make a HUGE handle.
>
> 2. How do you keep the handle attached? I've tired just score and slip.
> It looks bad and it falls off. I've tried score, slip, and smoosh. It
> looks bad, but the handle stays put.
>
> 3. Trim before or after handle attachment?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Deb
> http://debthumansblog.blogspot.com/
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
>
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.
>

Jonathan Kirkendall on sun 25 mar 07

Hi Deb,

Take a look at the Clayart Archives - lots of info on handles. I'd
specifically suggest you do a search for the thread called "One Thousand
Pulled Handles?" Lots of really useful information in that thread, as I
recall.

I've been throwing for over 20 years now, and I have to admit that
making handles constantly reminds me that god is in the details!

Good luck,
Jonathan in DC
sunny, warm....cherry blossoms soon!

Deborah Thuman wrote:
> I've gotten to the wheel part of the class, and I want to learn to make
> mugs. I do fine until I get to the handle.
>
> 1. How do you know how big to make the handle? T
>
> Deb
>
>
>

Michael Wendt on wed 28 mar 07

I am also a heretic about handles.
I pull dozens and lay them flat
on a board as I cut them off to the
same length. They are then bent to
shape and placed over a fan to dry
for about 20 minutes. We check
them until they are the same moisture
level as the trimmed cups and then
carve them quickly to fit, dip in plain
water, place, agitate and smooth the
joints. We also radius and clean the joint
before we finish drying the mugs.
Loss rate to cracking is very low,
less than 2% with our version of
the Alfred porcelain recipe:
Helmer AF 143
OM4 Ball Clay 7
Custer Spar 38
Minex A270 Neph Sye 38
Silcosil 200 mesh Silica 75
add 30 lbs H2O w 0.7 lbs Vee Gum T
blunged in
Add 30 lbs H2O w 1 pint DR 10 flocculant
Mix thoroughly and pug.
Regards,
Michael Wendt
Wendt Pottery
2729 Clearwater Ave
Lewiston, ID 83501
USA
208-746-3724
http://www.wendtpottery.com
wendtpot@lewiston.com

Chris Trabka on wed 28 mar 07

Stephanie,

Some alternate methods:

At step 5 lay the whole thing flat on a piece of newspaper. If you use ware
boards there is always space. Additionally you can control the drying by
covering with plastic (gone for a day) or with a sheet of newspaper (have
to go to sleep because it's late).

Just before step 6 cut the handle to size (uniformity for several handles)
and form the general shape of the handle, put in the curves that you want
to have.

Now let the handle and the pot achieve the same moisture contents.

Score and use white vinegar or magic water (several references in clayart)
to join the two pieces.

Chris

>5) When you are done, stick the fat part of the clay you
>were holding onto to the edge of a table, so the long part of the handle
>is hanging over the edge. This will cause the handle to curve (kind of
>like a candy cane), and will keep the handle straight as it sets up. DO
>NOT try to use the handle right away. It is too soft and difficult to use
>at this point. Let it hang for about half an hour before you use it.
>
>6) Once it has set up, unstick it from the table and bring it over to your
>pot. Cut the handle a bit below the large knob of clay at the top. Decide
>where you want the handle to start on your pot, and how much of a curve
>you want in it. Hold the top of the handle gently against where you want
>it to start, use your other hand to bring the handle into the size and
>shape you want, and make a mark at end with your fingernail. Then cut the
>bottom of the handle at the mark you made.
>
>7) Score and slip your starting and ending points. Make sure to use quite
>a bit of slip. Stick the top end of your handle to the spot straight on,
>kind of like you would plug a cord into an electrical outlet. Hold it
>there for a minute or two. Then when the bond holds, attach the bottom
>either by doing the 'plug in' thing, or using the side of the handle.
>Smooth the bottom of the handle with your thumbs if you stick it on by the
>side. If slip oozes out of the attachment points, that is OK. Last step it
>to clean up and smooth out these joints with your fingers and a small,
>damp sponge.
>
>If this is not clear, let me know. I just got a digital camera, so I can
>take pictures of the process if you need them. :-) Hope this helps!
>
>Take care,
>
>Stephanie

Mark Issenberg on wed 28 mar 07

Hey Chris , there is only ONE way to do handles.. Do you have one of my mugs?

Pull nubs then stick them on a mug then pull the handle off the mug.. Its
the ONLY way PERIOD..

All others look half ass PERIOD...

Ask any one that has one of my mugs,, ask Dave F and Fred , they came here
to learn to make mugs ,, now they can make GOOD mugs

There are not to many mugs I will drink my morning coffee from , im picky
about my coffee and real picky about the mug Ill use ,, Life is way too short to
drink cheap wine , bad coffee , and using half ass drinking containers

Mark
Lookout Mountain Pottery



************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.

Vince Pitelka on wed 28 mar 07

Mark Issenberg boldly and somewhat pompously declared:
> Hey Chris , there is only ONE way to do handles.. Do you have one of my
> mugs?
> Pull nubs then stick them on a mug then pull the handle off the mug.. Its
> the ONLY way PERIOD..

Mark, my friend, you are a wonderful person, but the above is pure bullsh*t.
It is certainly possible to make nice handles by your method, but I've tried
every way of making handles over the last 35 years, and long ago I settled
on pulling handles off a big slug of clay, squeezing them off on the edge of
the bench, and then applying them to the mugs, pitchers, teapots, etc.
Sorry buddy, you make nice mugs, but I am VERY picky about handles.

Also, I can make a handbuilt handle out of a hand-rolled carrot of clay
easily flattened, so that it tapers in both width and thickness and produces
a very comfortable, effective handle. You can see them on my slab-built
teapots at
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/gallery/current%20work/current_work.htm

Would anyone think it childish of me to simply declare that my handles can
beat up your handles?
- Vince

Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Technological University
Smithville TN 37166, 615/597-6801 x111
vpitelka@dtccom.net, wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/

David Hendley on thu 29 mar 07

Mark, the Soviet Union dissolved a few years ago.... there is no
longer only one way to make a mug handle.

My new MI mug from Louisville, while very nice-looking, is an utter
failure in the handle department - see, I'm left-handed and it is quite
noticeably a "right-handed" mug. It will have to be Karen's mug,
which she is perfectly happy about.
I do agree that pulling a handle off the pot usually produces the
best all-around handle, but it's certainly not the only way to do it.
My contention is that a mug handle should be symmetrical - not left
or right handed, unless you are custom-making it for an individual.
For many years, I have made mug handles by extruding a handle
"blank" and then pulling it from the mug. I think this is a great
technique and teach it to students as a good way to make uniform,
left-to-right symmetrical handles, especially for a set of mugs.

As I mentioned in my report of my NCECA trip, I received Mark's
mug, as well as pots from all the other Potters Council Board members,
as a good-by and thank you gift at my last board meeting, so I
greatly appreciate the mug, in spite of the above comments.

David Hendley
Maydelle, Texas
david(at)farmpots(dot)com
http://www.farmpots.com







----- Original Message -----

> Hey Chris , there is only ONE way to do handles.. Do you have one of my
> mugs?
>
> Pull nubs then stick them on a mug then pull the handle off the mug.. Its
> the ONLY way PERIOD..
>
> All others look half ass PERIOD...
>
> Ask any one that has one of my mugs,, ask Dave F and Fred , they came here
> to learn to make mugs ,, now they can make GOOD mugs
>
> There are not to many mugs I will drink my morning coffee from , im picky
> about my coffee and real picky about the mug Ill use ,, Life is way too
> short to
> drink cheap wine , bad coffee , and using half ass drinking containers
>

Lee Love on thu 29 mar 07

On 3/29/07, Vince Pitelka wrote:
>
> Mark, my friend, you are a wonderful person, but the above is pure bullsh*t.
> It is certainly possible to make nice handles by your method, but I've tried
> every way of making handles over the last 35 years, and long ago I settled
> on pulling handles off a big slug of clay, squeezing them off on the edge of
> the bench, and then applying them to the mugs, pitchers, teapots, etc.
> Sorry buddy, you make nice mugs, but I am VERY picky about handles.

Mark's method works with some kinds of clay. Other's, like the
shigaraki I use, don't like the difference in dryness between the new
pulled handle on the dryer body. They crack at the attachments
every time. The mug will even crack at the lip where the handle is
attached. It ain't industrial clay, so you have to listen to it.

For these, I pull the handles first, let them dry a
little, then cover them. Then I throw the mug bodies. This
allows the body and handle reach a similar hardness, as Chris
recommends. I often texture the mug body either with rope, stamps or
faceting. Put the handle on next and then put slip on. I cover them
with plastic, so the handles and bodies stay the same dryness and then
scrape off the slip when it become hard enough to scrape. With the
inlay, you are always thinking about keeping all the parts at about
the same level of dryness, to avoid cracking.


--
Lee in Mashiko, Japan
Minneapolis, Minnesota USA
http://potters.blogspot.com/

"To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts." -
Henry David Thoreau

"Let the beauty we love be what we do." - Rumi

Chris Trabka on thu 29 mar 07

Mark,

Is there a web site where I can see your handles?

I doubt that there is ONLY one way to do anything in clay. I understand you
have your opinions. Most often a technique is used to solve a problem. I do
believe that multiple techniques can solve the same problem. The technique
chosen is often a personal preference.

Chris

William & Susan Schran User on thu 29 mar 07

On 3/28/07 9:53 PM, "Mark Issenberg" wrote:

> Hey Chris , there is only ONE way to do handles.. Do you have one of my =
mugs?
>=20
> Pull nubs then stick them on a mug then pull the handle off the mug.. Its
> the ONLY way PERIOD..
>=20
> All others look half ass PERIOD...

I'll add this to the list of fairly silly statements.

Obviously you are more a potter than a teacher.
I am more a teacher than a potter.
One is not better than the other, just different approaches.
As a general rule, but not always true, but by my observations, the studio
potter will demo a technique and exclaim; "This is the way, period!"
The teacher will demo and say; "This is the way I have found success, but
you may find another way to find success."

The studio potter works alone and employs processes that are efficient and
timely - time is money! So not trimming a foot ring and pulling handles fro=
m
the mug achieves the intended results.

The teacher has time to explore a variety of techniques, they don't get pai=
d
by the pot, if you will. But they also need to be able to show their
students a variety of techniques, allowing the student to select the proces=
s
that makes the most sense to him/her. The teacher also needs to be able to
explain why any particular technique is employed.

Anytime I demo to my students, I show them how I have found the process tha=
t
works best for me and achieves the results I seek. I tell them there are
there other ways to achieve these results, but what I show them first is th=
e
method I've found that they can best find success. Then I demo the other
ways and tell them how each technique requires time and repetition to
proficient.

Well, that's my 2=A2.


--=20
William "Bill" Schran
wschran@cox.net
wschran@nvcc.edu
http://www.creativecreekartisans.com

Thomas Malone on thu 29 mar 07

Hello Lee. You said "It ain't industrial clay," What is indsutrial clay?
Surely all clay is from nature?

Lee Love on thu 29 mar 07

On 3/29/07, Thomas Malone wrote:

> Hello Lee. You said "It ain't industrial clay," What is indsutrial clay?
> Surely all clay is from nature?

Hi Thomas,

In America, our clay is mostly mixed from clays that are
refined and very uniform, made for industy. They are killed.

Here in Japan clay is specifically mined for potters.
Never air floated or over refined. Usually, it comes out of the
ground, is made into a slurry, run through screens and then run
through a filter press or dried just enough to pug. No need to mix
or add anything.

Have you ever had unpasteurized, unhomogenized milk from the
farm? You could say potter's clay is like milk from the cow while
industrial clay is like reconstituted powdered milk. :^)

--
Lee in Mashiko, Japan
Minneapolis, Minnesota USA
http://potters.blogspot.com/

"To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts." -
Henry David Thoreau

"Let the beauty we love be what we do." - Rumi

Pamela Regentin on thu 29 mar 07

This sounds like allotta work to lazy ol' me. I hate doing handles but since I've done about 60 recently I've learned to hate them less. I am irritated though that I can throw a mug in 1.5 minutes but it takes me 3 minutes to make a handle. Trying to get it shorter. I haven't seen anyone describe my lazy way which works great and I have little loss or cracking as long as I don't let the cups get too dry and that I dry the mug slowly for the first day or two after the handle is attached. I can do variations of design like loops at the bottom if I want. I pull the handle wet, cut it and immediately attach it to the mug and move on...

Pam

Michael Wendt wrote: I am also a heretic about handles.
I pull dozens and lay them flat
on a board as I cut them off to the
same length. They are then bent to
shape and placed over a fan to dry
for about 20 minutes. We check
them until they are the same moisture
level as the trimmed cups and then
carve them quickly to fit, dip in plain
water, place, agitate and smooth the
joints. We also radius and clean the joint
before we finish drying the mugs.
Loss rate to cracking is very low,
less than 2% with our version of
the Alfred porcelain recipe:



---------------------------------
We won't tell. Get more on shows you hate to love
(and love to hate): Yahoo! TV's Guilty Pleasures list.

Jeanette Harris on thu 29 mar 07

Hi, Thomas,

Take a look at Charlie Cumming's webpage
http://www.claylink.com/index.html and click on past exhibitions,
"Cup, the Intimate Object" (The latest is show five) and you will get
a great look at the universe of cups and the handles thereof.

Enjoy

Jeanette


>

--
http://jeanetteharrisblog.blogspot.com/

http://www.washingtonpotters.org/members/Jeanette_Harris/wpa_jeanette_harris.htm

Jeanette Harris
Poulsbo WA

Dannon Rhudy on thu 29 mar 07

Vince said:

> Mark, my friend, you are a wonderful person, ..... long ago I settled
> on pulling handles off a big slug of clay, squeezing them off on the edge
of
> the bench, and then applying them to the mugs,....

> Would anyone think it childish of me to simply declare that my handles can
> beat up your handles?


Yes, Vince, anyone would. But it's funny anyway.

regards

Dannon Rhudy

Nancy on thu 29 mar 07

I think handles are a personal thing and noone has the only way to make=20
them. Each person has their own way that works best for them. When I=20
go to a show, I put out about 30 mugs and people pick them up, put their=20
hands around them, see how the handle feels....if we were all the=20
same....geez how boring would it all be!!!

Be creative and find your own style....show all ways you can and share=20
your knowledge, then let your students find their own style and way of=20
working with clay.=20

Bill, you sound like a wonderful sharer of knowledge

Nancy

William & Susan Schran User wrote:
> On 3/28/07 9:53 PM, "Mark Issenberg" wrote:
>
> =20
>> Hey Chris , there is only ONE way to do handles.. Do you have one of m=
y mugs?
>>
>> Pull nubs then stick them on a mug then pull the handle off the mug.. =
Its
>> the ONLY way PERIOD..
>>
>> All others look half ass PERIOD...
>> =20
>
> I'll add this to the list of fairly silly statements.
>
> Obviously you are more a potter than a teacher.
> I am more a teacher than a potter.
> One is not better than the other, just different approaches.
> As a general rule, but not always true, but by my observations, the stu=
dio
> potter will demo a technique and exclaim; "This is the way, period!"
> The teacher will demo and say; "This is the way I have found success, b=
ut
> you may find another way to find success."
>
> The studio potter works alone and employs processes that are efficient =
and
> timely - time is money! So not trimming a foot ring and pulling handles=
from
> the mug achieves the intended results.
>
> The teacher has time to explore a variety of techniques, they don't get=
paid
> by the pot, if you will. But they also need to be able to show their
> students a variety of techniques, allowing the student to select the pr=
ocess
> that makes the most sense to him/her. The teacher also needs to be able=
to
> explain why any particular technique is employed.
>
> Anytime I demo to my students, I show them how I have found the process=
that
> works best for me and achieves the results I seek. I tell them there ar=
e
> there other ways to achieve these results, but what I show them first i=
s the
> method I've found that they can best find success. Then I demo the othe=
r
> ways and tell them how each technique requires time and repetition to
> proficient.
>
> Well, that's my 2=A2.
>
>
> =20

David McBeth on fri 30 mar 07

Sorry Mark but I think I have found the way to the perect, flawless =
handle - make tea bowls.


David McBeth
330 B Gooch Hall
Department of Visual and Theatre Arts
University of Tennessee at Martin
Martin, Tennessee 38238

731-881-7416

Marcia Selsor on fri 30 mar 07

The best handles I have ever seen are by Anne fallis Elliot who
recently moved from
NYC to manitoba. She sells in the Guggenheim Gift Store among other
places. Her handle dance.
She is in 500 teapots? I have a left handed teapot she made for me
and it is perfect.

Marcia Selsor
http://marciaselsor.com

Don Goodrich on fri 30 mar 07

Now that the thread has moved beyond rebuttals to Mark's
amusingly authoritarian pronouncement, I have a different
question about handles.

It seems that if I try to align the top and bottom of
any handle so it's perfectly vertical when I attach it,
it's skewed by the time the mug is dried and fired.
The bottom is a little to the left of the top.
I understand that there are torsional stresses induced
in the vessel by throwing, and they resolve themselves
over time. I'd have thought that this would be finished
in the first firing, but it appears that my handles are more
skewed after the glaze firing than they were after the bisque.
Would anyone care to share some theory that explains this?

This isn't really a problem, since it's easy to compensate by
moving the initial attachment point over a bit. Also, some
customers have said they actually prefer the crooked handles.
Something about not looking manufactured. Just wondering
where else this might apply.

Don Goodrich

Chris Trabka on fri 30 mar 07

Don,

This occurs again in tea pot spouts. The clay remembers what you were doing
when it was plastic. When it becomes plastic again (towards the end of the
glaze firing cycle) it just keeps on relaxing - moving in the direction of
the torque.

Chris

>It seems that if I try to align the top and bottom of
>any handle so it's perfectly vertical when I attach it,
>it's skewed by the time the mug is dried and fired.

>This isn't really a problem, since it's easy to compensate by
>moving the initial attachment point over a bit. Also, some
>customers have said they actually prefer the crooked handles.
>Something about not looking manufactured. Just wondering
>where else this might apply.

Veena Raghavan on fri 30 mar 07

Now, that is a question for which calls for a great answer. No smiley face
needed. Thanks Don.

Veena


In a message dated 3/30/2007 6:01:53 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
goodrichdn@aol.com writes:
>
> It seems that if I try to align the top and bottom of
> any handle so it's perfectly vertical when I attach it,
> it's skewed by the time the mug is dried and fired.
> The bottom is a little to the left of the top.
> I understand that there are torsional stresses induced
> in the vessel by throwing, and they resolve themselves
> over time. I'd have thought that this would be finished
> in the first firing, but it appears that my handles are more
> skewed after the glaze firing than they were after the bisque.
> Would anyone care to share some theory that explains this?
>

VeenaRaghavan@cs.com

Thomas Malone on fri 30 mar 07

Hello Lee.

Thank you for your reply but I do not understand "They are killed." The
most plastic clays I have used have been produced by industry, and for
industry. Your description of "made into a slurry, run through screens and
then run through a filter press or dried just enough to pug" is the same as
many operations I know of that produce clays for industry, and certainly
air floated clays are not common. Perhaps you have had a bad experience, or
perhaps you have not tried clays other than from Japan or the USA?

WJ Seidl on fri 30 mar 07

Oh Jeez!
(As a qualifier, I want to state that I know and respect both of these fine
gentlemen, Vince and Mark.)

I was going to suggest that you both pull 'em and measure 'em and get on
with it,

but then I realized how that sounds...

ROFL
Wayne Seidl
"pulled, extruded, slipcast, rolled-
it's just the thing you use to hold
your handmade mug up to your lips...
That's on your face, not at your hips!"

Apologies to all poets, living and dead

-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of Dannon Rhudy
Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2007 9:00 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Re: Handles

Vince said:

Mark, my friend, you are a wonderful person, ..... long ago I settled
on pulling handles off a big slug of clay, squeezing them off on the edge
of
the bench, and then applying them to the mugs,....

Would anyone think it childish of me to simply declare that my handles can
beat up your handles?

Vince Pitelka on fri 30 mar 07

> This occurs again in tea pot spouts. The clay remembers what you were
> doing
> when it was plastic. When it becomes plastic again (towards the end of the
> glaze firing cycle) it just keeps on relaxing - moving in the direction of
> the torque.

Hi Chris. I understand what you mean, but it might be confusing to others.
The wheel is turning in a counter-clockwise direction, but the torque
applied by the throwing process is pulling the clay back in a clockwise
direction, and that is the direction of the spiral grain-structure in the
clay. In drying and firing, clay shrinks more across the directional grain
structure than along the grain, so the shrinkage is also in the clockwise
direction.

This is usually only a problem with very small-diameter thrown forms like
teapot spouts. I have never experienced it on a mug.
- Vince

Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Technological University
Smithville TN 37166, 615/597-6801 x111
vpitelka@dtccom.net, wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/

dwichman@frontiernet.net on fri 30 mar 07

Hi Vince,

Your oil can pots are exceptional. I find the dichotomy of the
industrial pot design wearing the (for lack of a better
word)fashionable textures, patterns, and colors fascinating. And the
posture of the pots adds to the animated style. Really nice, they
make me want to look at them and analyze the details....


Debi Wichman
Cookeville, TN
http://www.elementterra.com

Jean on fri 30 mar 07

Hi Guys and Gals,

If anyone would be interested in how I do handles, I have some photos on my
web site. For a lot of years I did production pottery. I am now going to
quit doing production and am going to attempt just doing what I want to.
Anyway, this has worked out well for me.

Regards,

Jean Wadsworth Cochran
www.foxhollowpottery.com

Paul Herman on sat 31 mar 07

Hi Vince,

I have experienced the "plastic memory" in my pitchers, and sometimes
mugs. If the handle is put on exactly vertical, it will be tilted a
little after the glaze firing (sometimes). If the pot has a narrow
neck, it's more likely to occur. In making some liquor jugs with
small handles attached to the neck, it became a problem, pulling the
opening into an oval shape. The cork wouldn't seal. I moved the
handles down a little and that worked.

best,

Paul Herman

Great Basin Pottery
Doyle, California US
http://greatbasinpottery.com


On Mar 30, 2007, at 3:55 PM, Vince Pitelka wrote:

> In drying and firing, clay shrinks more across the directional grain
> structure than along the grain, so the shrinkage is also in the
> clockwise
> direction.
>
> This is usually only a problem with very small-diameter thrown
> forms like
> teapot spouts. I have never experienced it on a mug.
> - Vince
>

Rick Bonomo on sat 31 mar 07

I notice Mel has stated a few times that a mug handle should not
start the top of the mug.
Au contraire

What makes one choose a certain mug from the peg?
Probably a lot of things, but I choose the one that just "feels the
best".

I bought a set of mugs a while ago and kept using them till they broke
I saved the last one - just to make sure I could someday refer to it
after I made 500 handles and was ready to get serious about handle
making.
I've been studying it for years

Click on these links:

http://ricks-bricks.com/images/2007images/MyFav2007-03-31.JPG
http://ricks-bricks.com/images/2007images/MyFav22007-03-31.JPG
http://ricks-bricks.com/images/2007images/MyFav32007-03-31.JPG

It's smaller at the top and wide at the bottom, making it stable
The handle begins at the top and ends at the bottom
It has a nice place to put yer thumb
It even feels good in your left hand

If anyone knows who made it please let me know

Similarly, Sequoia Miller has shown the most elegant sense of pottery
form I've ever seen
See the handle on this one:
http://www.sequoiamillerpottery.com/display_pot.htm?id=340


Rick Bonomo
http://ricks-bricks.com

Kathi LeSueur on sat 31 mar 07

Rick Bonomo wrote:

> I notice Mel has stated a few times that a mug handle should not
> start the top of the mug.
> Au contraire>>


My absolute favorite mug is a very small mug with a handle pulled from
the rim. It was made by David Nofziger, resident potter at Sauder Farms
in Ohio. Its balance is asolutely beautiful and it's a delight to drink
from. I had to buy two more just to keep guests from choosing MY mug to
drink from. I admire this mug and, but for a problem with the ethics,
would copy the design in a heartbeat.

Kathi

>
>

Lee Love on sun 1 apr 07

On 3/31/07, David McBeth wrote:

> Sorry Mark but I think I have found the way to the perect, flawless handle - make tea
>bowls.

Handles are easier than a "good" tea bowl. I remember asking
my sewing teacher, Tomoe Katagiri Sensei, after she stopped giving tea
lessons:

What makes a good tea bowl for matcha tea?"

She said, "Make whisked tea in a bowl, and you will know if it is
good for tea or not."

For years, I never made whisked tea because I
thought you had to do the whole "rigamarole", but recently, I just
started making whisked tea in my tea bowl collection, and it has
brought the bowls to life. It is like putting a frame on an oil
painting!


--
Lee in Mashiko, Japan
Minneapolis, Minnesota USA
http://potters.blogspot.com/

"To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts." -
Henry David Thoreau

"Let the beauty we love be what we do." - Rumi

Deborah Thuman on sun 1 apr 07

I'm not sure if knowing that so many of you have handle issues makes me
feel better or worse. It's kind of like the day in court when I got the
psychiatrist to testify that Albert Einstein was mentally retarded. I
don't understand his theory of relativity so if Einstein is mentally
retarded, as the expert testified, does that make me smart or dumb?

A handle demo at NCECA would be dandy - but I agree there might me a
mess factor that makes the hotel a tad nervous. I like the idea of
those of us with handle issues making a mug (tea pot, casserole, jug,
whatever we make with handles) and bringing said object for a critique.
We can see what works and doesn't work and get ideas for how we need to
tweak our handles.

I'm sitting here drinking my happy good morning to me mug of tea. For
some reason, I grabbed the commercial mug rather than a hand made mug.
I'm sitting here studying the handle and having one of those rare (for
me anyway) Georgia O'Keefe moments when I really see the handle. Can't
wait for the next long day in the clay studio when I can pull handles,
lay them out on the board in the shape of this handle, and try again. I
only need to make 41 more mugs and handles to get the hang of this.

Deb
http://debthumansblog.blogspot.com/

Russel Fouts on sun 1 apr 07

Rick,

>>I bought a set of mugs a while ago and kept using them till they
broke I saved the last one - just to make sure I could someday refer
to it after I made 500 handles and was ready to get serious about
handle making. I've been studying it for years <<

If you're holding it like in this picture, it doesn't matter at all
what the handle looks like. ;-)
http://ricks-bricks.com/images/2007images/MyFav32007-03-31.JPG

Also, that looks like a right-handed handle to me.

Ru



Russel Fouts
Mes Potes & Mes Pots
Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32 2 223 02 75
Mobile: +32 476 55 38 75

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Lee Love on sun 1 apr 07

On 4/1/07, Rick Bonomo wrote:

> http://ricks-bricks.com/images/2007images/MyFav2007-03-31.JPG
> http://ricks-bricks.com/images/2007images/MyFav22007-03-31.JPG
> http://ricks-bricks.com/images/2007images/MyFav32007-03-31.JPG
> http://www.sequoiamillerpottery.com/display_pot.htm?id=340

I like to see some width where the handle attaches to the body,
like in Miller's handle. I found a couple of my mugs at my photologs:

http://claycraft.blogspot.com/2005/11/shino-mugs.html

http://potters.blogspot.com/search?q=mug

Shigaraki pitcher:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=5396642

--
Lee in Mashiko, Japan
Minneapolis, Minnesota USA
http://potters.blogspot.com/

"To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts." -
Henry David Thoreau

"Let the beauty we love be what we do." - Rumi