Barb Lund on wed 13 jan 99
At 01:14 PM 1/12/99 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>
The problem with wedging up tons of clay is it has a tendency to ruin the
wrists after a while. A number of years ago I was wedging several hundred
pounds of clay a week because I could have all the reclaim I wanted for
free. One after the other my wrists gave out, became incredibley weak and
I spend the summer in wrist splints. I think also that that was the
begining of my carpal tunnel problems. I would rather save my wrist
stength for throwing and use the pug mill for the clay prep part. I also
started in clay at a farily old age-34 so that might have something to do
with it also.
other Barb in Bloomington-can't get used to being just Barb yet. that will
take a while.
>
>Gacie , why not just wedge ,either by cut & slap or spiral ( japanese type
>aramomi, then kikumomi ) . You will find "The Japanese Pottery Handbook" has
>easy to follow diagrams..
> Wedging is a good from of exercise if the clay is not too firm. To make
>lumps up , roll coils & use finger widths to roughly make up lumps before
>weighing.
. It also helps in getting focused on the days production.
>
>
Norman R. Czuchra on thu 14 jan 99
Helpful suggestions for geezer potters.
I missed the initial question but have to agree with Barb, that if you are
having problems with your wrists, the pleasure one finds in wedging doesn't
balance out when you begin having wrist pain and numbing in the hands.
When the Dr. said don't do it any more, I got a pugmill and 15 years later,
my wrists are doing very well. I think if you're committed to clay for the
long haul, it becomes imperative that one consider the damaging impact some
tasks place on the body. If you're fortunate to be problem free, great,
but the cost of a pugmill is offset by you're ability to continue with the
work. Its not as much fun to pug, noisy too, but its a lot less wear and
tear on your wrists. If the cost is too much, I recommend taking an
unopened (deaired) bag of clay, dropping it on the floor from the height of
your thighs. Do each side and both ends of the bag. This evens out the
contistancy enough so that it will throw pretty well.
I've found that using Chinese health balls has made my hands a lot more
flexible. It also helps if you lift 5lb weights 3x a week to build up your
upper arm muscles. Any book on upper arm exercises for women should give
you the info. Takes the strain off your elbows, shoulders, and wrists.
Good luck.
Candace Young
>Gacie , why not just wedge ,either by cut & slap or spiral ( japanese type
>>aramomi, then kikumomi ) . You will find "The Japanese Pottery Handbook" has
>>easy to follow diagrams..
>> Wedging is a good from of exercise if the clay is not too firm. To make
>>lumps up , roll coils & use finger widths to roughly make up lumps before
>>weighing.
> . It also helps in getting focused on the days production.
Erin Hayes on fri 15 jan 99
Hi All!
I got a suggestion off Clayart a couple of years ago about
tilting the wedging board while wedging to relieve wrist pain. I
tried it and found that it worked so well that I had a friend
help me build a wedging table with a tilted top. The
recommendation was (I think) to tilt the board about 30 degrees.
I found this a little much, so the wedging table I use has about
a 23 degree tilt down and away from where I stand.
The tilt of the table really keeps my hands much more in line
with my wrists and forearms and it is rare that I have any pain
or numbness in my hands. Now if I could only levitate those heavy
glaze buckets...
Erin.
Corinne Null on sat 16 jan 99
Now if I could only levitate those heavy
>glaze buckets...
>
>Erin.
I've found it helpful to put the glaze buckets on a low bench, made of 4
cinderblocks-on-end and an old door. They are then at just the right
height so that I don't have to stoop over to stir or dip. Haven't yet come
up with a way to prevent having to lift them to pour when I'm mixing...
Any hints out there?
Corinne
Corinne Null
Bedford, NH
USA
null@mediaone.net
Janet Harper on sun 17 jan 99
Erin- I like your idea of tilting the wedging table...I may try it. I was
visiting Otto Heino ( a wonderful 83 yr old potter in Ojai, CA) and he wedges
lots of clay. One thing I learned from him was to soften my clay before
wedging. He opens a new bag of clay, pokes 4 holes with a 1"inch square pole
(about 3/4 of the depth of the block of clay), and then pours hot water in the
holes. Tie the bag back up and your clay is the perfect consistency for
wedging/throwing. He said throwing with clay that is too stiff is usually the
cause of wrist problems. I know my wedging is now easier and I can also throw
larger pots because I'm not fighting overly stiff clay.
The only problem that I see with the tilted table...can you use the table for
anything else or do things slide off it? Regards- Janet
=?iso-8859-1?Q?Ren=E9?= Sprattling on sun 17 jan 99
------------------
Erin,
Thanks for the tip. I had forgotten that when I took a Stephen Jepson
workshop a couple of years ago that his wedging table was also tilted
backwards, and high enough that he never had to bend foreward to wedge. I
think he just had blocks attached under the front legs. He also used piano
wire for his cutting wire. It sang every time he used it.
Ren=E9
In n. CA
Muddy
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