Bonnie Staffel on fri 6 may 11
Randy writes:
I can throw 8 and 9 lb bowls with no problem but when I go to 12 to =3D
15lbs I=3D3D
have a hard time keeping them from flopping. =3D3D20 Any suggestions. Is =
=3D
it me
or the clay?
Randy, I learned the best answer IMO of how to throw larger bowls with =3D
this
problem offered in the book Pioneer Pottery by Michael Cardew. His =3D
premise
is that when pulling up the wall to bow the wall inward in a concave =3D
shape
with the top of the form pressed outward to about the width of the =3D
wanted
bowl shape, pulling and shaping from the bottom, (which leaves very =3D
little
in thickness even close to the base). Then when shaping the bowl, you =3D
can
press outward starting at the bottom of the wall, shaping the wall =3D
convex,
or the opposite formation. As an example, I had a friend who worked in
porcelain and was always losing her bowls to slumping during the =3D
throwing
process. When she adapted Cardew's process, she immediately had success.
Example )_( then (_). This is exaggerated, of course. And the example in
Cardew's book is also very subtle, but the message is in the writing. =3D
And it
works if you understand that you need to have an even wall, no missteps =3D
in
the throwing process. Then when leather hard you will find very little =3D
clay
to trim as the pot is quite evenly distributed throughout the whole pot. =
=3D
I
might add that I add no water after the cylinder wall is achieved, just =3D
dry
shaping and with properly prepared clay, this can be done easily.=3D20
I use this same concept when forming large rims on platters as well. The
method creates the alignment of the platelets to give them the greatest
strength in the body.=3D20
Bonnie
http://webpages.charter.net/bstaffel/
http://vasefinder.com/bstaffelgallery1.html
DVD=3DA0 Throwing with Coils and Slabs
DVD=3DA0 Introduction to Wheel Work
Charter Member Potters Council
KATHI LESUEUR on fri 6 may 11
On May 6, 2011, at 1:51 PM, Bonnie Staffel wrote:
> Randy writes:
>=3D20
> I can throw 8 and 9 lb bowls with no problem but when I go to 12 to =3D
15lbs I=3D3D
> have a hard time keeping them from flopping. =3D3D20 Any suggestions. =
=3D
Is it me
> or the clay?
>=3D20
>=3D20
> Randy, I learned the best answer IMO of how to throw larger bowls with =
=3D
this
> problem offered in the book Pioneer Pottery by Michael Cardew. His =3D
premise
> is that when pulling up the wall to bow the wall inward in a concave =3D
shape
> with the top of the form pressed outward to about the width of the =3D
wanted
> bowl shape, pulling and shaping from the bottom, (which leaves very =3D
little
> in thickness even close to the base). Then when shaping the bowl, you =3D
can
> press outward starting at the bottom of the wall, shaping the wall =3D
convex,
> or the opposite formation. As an example, I had a friend who worked in
> porcelain and was always losing her bowls to slumping during the =3D
throwing
> process. When she adapted Cardew's process, she immediately had =3D
success.
> Example )_( then (_). This is exaggerated, of course.>>
Bonnie,
I'm also a fan of this technique. I found that I can throw very large =3D
bowls when using it. As for centering, I learned the trick from Mel. I =3D
center five pounds of clay, use a rib on the top to take aways any =3D
slurry. Then, I place another five pounds of clay on that and center it. =
=3D
I've gone as high as twenty pounds centering in five pound increments. =3D
With two wrist surgeries behind me I'm careful about the stress in =3D
centering. This solved the problem for me.
KATHI LESUEUR
http://www.lesueurclaywork.com
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