Lili Krakowski on wed 11 jan 12
There is an old "factory" tool that has been used forever and is called =
=3D
a "gripper" One makes two hooks that are held by one hand and let one =3D
grab a plate and swish it through a basin of glaze. The motion is =3D
horizontal, and it works very well. It has been shown in action in =3D
several books.
Some years ago Mel very kindly posted my drawing of this tool on his web =
=3D
page under ClayArt. I did not see it there today, but it would not be =3D
difficult to send another such drawing to Jeff. =3D20
Lili Krakowski
Be of good courage
Ellen and Tom on wed 11 jan 12
I too like to dip my functional, cone 10 stoneware, especially the
flatter serving pieces and plates up to 12 inches.
The buckets I use are actually beer fermenting buckets- the older
ones l4 " by 14 " deep (the newer buckets 14" by 15 inches deep.
They are white plastic and come with lids and mine are arranged
on rolling carts that slide under my glazing table, 5 on each side.
I can keep an ordinary 5 gallon bucket on the bottom shelf below
each big bucket with extra of the same glaze, sieved but thick so
that I can top off each dipping bucket whenever it gets a few
inches low so that the larger pieces will always be completely
immersed.
My work has a lot of texture to it, and I find that thinner glazes
and dipping twice works best. I sort out 150 pieces or so - what
looks like it will make a good kiln load, and wax with hot candle
wax heated in a small deep fryer pot which sits in my spray booth
with the fan on when I am waxing. I wash all my bisque, since
I tend to make a lot of pots before I start to do back- to- back
firings, and they do get dusty.
My tip for dipping without tong marks or fingerprints, is to use
Duct Tape grips on the backs of the pieces. For a 12 inch plate
with a 9 inch base, I would cut a piece of duct tape about l5 inches
long. Starting at one edge of the waxed base lay down about
an inch of tape, make a loop, pressed together of about 3 inches
of tape, run the tape across the middle of the piece to just before
the other edge, make a second loop and press down the remaining
inch or so. You are making two small grips at each edge of the
foot to hold onto as you dip the piece horizontally into the glaze.
I hold one grip with my left hand, dip it into the glaze, pull it out
evenly, grab the second grip with my right hand, turn the piece
so it goes back down horizontally into the bucket. When you pull
it out with your right hand, you can reach under and steady it with
the other grip. You can slide it off onto a table edge to dry. I
have a six foot row of dowels (one every 3 inches o so, removable
when not needed) drilled into the window ledge above my sink.
It is easiest to slide almost any form off onto the dowels. When dry
enough to handle, pull off the tape and sponge off any residual glaze,
but there won't be much if you use hot wax.
Duct tape comes in various strengths. The cheapest won't work as
well as the best on the heavier pieces. I also use it on the bottoms=3D20
of
soup bowls, pie plates, all my slab trays, etc. Most of my slab
plates and trays do not have foot rings, but you can use duct tape
inside a foot ring if you don't glaze inside the foot. On stoneware
it really isn't necessary. There is a limit to how heavy a piece you
can handle with Duct Tape. For me, if it fits into my buckets I
can hold it with Duct tape. It takes a bit more time to prepare to
glaze, and I use from 1 to 2 rolls of Duct tape doing 5 or 6 firings.
(700 to 900 pots) but it does save time in the cleanup, and my
current work depends on clean glazing that doesn't mess up the
textured patterns.
Ellen Currans
Dundee, Oregon
"You only need two tools in life - WD-40 and Duct tape. If it doesn't
move and should, use the WD-40. If it shouldn't move and does,
use the Duct tape."
Steve Mills on thu 12 jan 12
I use that technique a lot, and have a photo sequence I made I can post to =
a=3D
nyone interested.=3D20
It is a PDF (Acrobat) file.=3D20
Steve M
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
Sent from my iPod
On 11 Jan 2012, at 23:40, Lili Krakowski wrote:
> There is an old "factory" tool that has been used forever and is called =
a=3D
"gripper" One makes two hooks that are held by one hand and let one grab =
a=3D
plate and swish it through a basin of glaze. The motion is horizontal, and=
i=3D
t works very well. It has been shown in action in several books.
>=3D20
> Some years ago Mel very kindly posted my drawing of this tool on his web =
p=3D
age under ClayArt. I did not see it there today, but it would not be diffi=
c=3D
ult to send another such drawing to Jeff. =3D20
>=3D20
>=3D20
> Lili Krakowski
> Be of good courage
plasterjfl@AOL.COM on thu 12 jan 12
Thank you for that Lili.
I seem to recall seeing pictures of such a device as well.
I also remember seeing pictures of a "glazer" holding a plate from above in
a cage-like device. The "cage" was made up of three or four prongs that
looped under the plate form. The device was held about 10"-15" inches abov=
e
the piece.
My preference is to not hold the plate by the edges, either with fingers or
prongs, so as not to need additional glazing.
Thanks
Jeff Longtin
Minneapolis
Lee on thu 12 jan 12
I just use two hands on the edge. =3DA0 When you pull the plate out, you
rotate it, first in one direction, then the other and back, so the
glaze does not pool at the bottom. =3DA0 You can touch your finger =3DA0pri=
nts
with your wet finger tips to cover where your fingers were on the
plate. =3DA0 Use a Japanese kana sharpened on the inside to smooth any
drips or bumps where your fingers were. =3DA0 =3DA0 The master potter at
Shimaoka was also the glazer. =3DA0 I learned this techinque watching him.
=3DA0 =3DA0During glazing, I was the bisque sponger. =3DA0I either handed t=
he pot
after sponging to the glazer or Shimaoka if it required iron brush
decoration.
check this out. =3DA0Jean found a photo of a piece of mine I made during
my first clay class from Curt Hoard. =3DA0 you can see it here (it is
handbuilt terracotta):
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3D3D10150486687397057&set=3D3Da.101=
5048=3D
6687197057.364015.550727056&type=3D3D1&theater
Or here:
http://bit.ly/wa5qzU
I made this in my first clay class with Curt Hoard at the UofMn in
1990. It is titled "Homage To A Hawaiian Shirt." It is a copy of my
favorite Hawaiian Shirt that disintegrated. This was also the year
Paul Wellstone was elected. I had this=3DA0show in the Minnesota State
Fair as a part of the Northern Clay Show. An Aide to Paul Wellstone
asked if I would consider allowing this to be put in Wellstone's new
D.C. office. I said "SURE!" The Aide said that Paul wanted to have
Minnesota art in his office. The funding for this project never came
through, sorry to say. Much to my disappointment, his piece
"disappeared" while I was living in Japan. I am happy I have a photo
of it!
--
=3DA0Lee Love in Minneapolis
http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/
=3DA0"Ta tIr na n-=3DF3g ar chul an tI=3D97tIr dlainn trina ch=3DE9ile"=3D9=
7that is, =3D
"The
land of eternal youth is behind the house, a beautiful land fluent
within itself." -- John O'Donohue
plasterjfl@AOL.COM on thu 12 jan 12
Thanks for that Lee.
Yes, I do the same. I have been glazing plates 32 years now so I have tried
almost all techniques.
Since I started making my textured plates, and using fluid/translucent
glazes, I find it most pleasing to reduce the finger marks as much as possi=
ble.
(Really allow the glaze to flow over the texture without any other
distraction.)
I actually wondered if I saw a plate tongs being used at the St Ives
pottery, in the Mackenzie home movies, but wasn't sure?
take care
Jeff Longtin
also in Minneapolis
Steve Mills on fri 13 jan 12
To all those who asked for a copy of the PDF.=3D20
My Gmail started playing silly b~~~~s while I was sending, so if I missed a=
n=3D
yone out could you email me again please.=3D20
I know at least one post-ee got it twice due to that!!
Steve M
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
Sent from my iPod
>=3D20
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