Rimas VisGirda on mon 17 oct 11
Randall, you say:=3D0A=3D0A"Kickwheels aren't inherently better nor worse t=
han =3D
electrics. They are=3D0Asimply different. Don't like bat pins? Don't use th=
em=3D
. They are not better=3D0Anor worse than not using bat pins. They are simpl=
y =3D
different. Don't like how=3D0Afast electric wheels go? Don't press the pedd=
le=3D
as far.=3D0AIt is true that using a kickwheel can cause knee issues just t=
he=3D
same as=3D0Arunning can cause knee injuries. It doesn't have anything to d=
o =3D
with=3D0A"knowing what you are doing". It just happens. It is sheer arrogan=
ce=3D
to say=3D0Athat someone that had knee injuries due to a kickwheel didn't k=
no=3D
w what they=3D0Awere doing.=3D0APersonally, I like my Thomas Stuart Pro wit=
h th=3D
e bat pins. If you don't, you=3D0Adon't have to use it."=3D0A=3D0ADear Rand=
all, e=3D
verything you say is true. But I thought we were having a discussion and no=
=3D
t determining what is right or wrong. I hear there are many ways to skin ca=
=3D
ts. I think we, that are used to doing things the way we do things, are jus=
=3D
t relaying our opinions to the forum. For example, I agree completely with =
=3D
Vince's opinion of pot lifters; he explains it clearly and effectively:=3D0=
A=3D
=3D0A"I have never used a set of pot-lifters, and I don't think I have ever=
s=3D
eem a=3D0Apair in our studio. I don't much care for what they do to the bot=
to=3D
ms of=3D0Apots.=3DA0 Pot-lifters pretty much require that every pot be whee=
l-tr=3D
immed, and=3D0Athat is a waste of time on so many forms. "=3D0A=3D0AHowever=
, I st=3D
ill disagree with his statement about bat pins and bats:=3D0A=3D0A"Regardin=
g ba=3D
ts and bat-pins, students learning the wheel for the first time=3D0Aneed ev=
er=3D
y reasonable advantage they can get, including bat pins and bats,=3D0Aand I=
s=3D
ee no advantage at all in withholding their use in an introductory=3D0Athro=
wi=3D
ng class."=3D0A=3D0ALearning to throw has to do with centering , opening an=
d pu=3D
lling the clay up, bellying it and/or collaring it, etc. And it has little =
=3D
to do with whether that happens on a bat or a wheel head. Now some people h=
=3D
ave posted that throwing on a bat allows them to take a pot off, let it sti=
=3D
ffen then put it back on for further work and I can see that as a way of do=
=3D
ing things; but that has nothing to do with learning to throw. My reasons f=
=3D
or having students learn to pick their work of the wheelhead from the git-g=
=3D
o is that they learn how to do that; it's an acquired skill that can come i=
=3D
n handy. Once they can do that and understand the mechanisms and logistics =
=3D
for accomplishing the task, I can care less if they use bats with pins or a=
=3D
ttach the bats with clay... I teach them all that stuff, or used to when I =
=3D
was still teaching... Vince likes to cite his time in the field, well, I ha=
=3D
ve as much if not more time in the field; we have both taught about the sam=
=3D
e length
of time. That just means that we have developed methods of teaching that w=
=3D
ork for us and our students, and we do things differently for reasons known=
=3D
to us through our years of experience of guiding the minds and bodies of o=
=3D
ur youth. Some things we agree on, some things we don't -and it's not a pro=
=3D
blem for me...=3D0A=3D0ARegards, -Rimas=3D0A
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