Jan Adams on sat 4 mar 00
------------------
I'm looking for advice for a new problem I've developed. I haven't done =
pottery
in a while due to an injury and now I find that I'm warping every cylinder I=
try
to make. Size doesn't seem to matter, it's happening with everything from =
mug
size pieces to larger ones, although the larger ones seem to be worse. I've
tried speeding up, slowing down...I can't figure out what I'm doing =
differently.
The clay I'm using is fairly soft, maybe too much so. I have tried another
clay, one that is dug locally with more body, but it's been soft, too. I =
know
that Don Davis mentions this in his book, but I've lent it to somebody and
didn't get it back. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Jan
June Perry on sun 5 mar 00
Jan, it could be from the drying. Make sure your pots are out of any drafts
and away from a direct heat source. Uneven drying will cause warpage.
Regards,
June
Antoinette Badenhorst on mon 6 mar 00
Jan , I hope I understand you right when you use the word warp. Do you
actually say that your pieces are a little off center?
I `ve had this problem since I adjusted to a new wheel and end up with
serious trouble with my arms, hands and back as I tried to get back on my
normal centering. I lost 10lb power in both arms in eight months. That means
that I cannot use my power to center as I should and that caused throwing
problems.
To make you understand I will have to explain how my wheel was in SA. It was
a standing wheel with a stool attached at the right height to let me sit
above the wheel (my nose could be in a vertical position with the wheel head
center). When I centered I simply pushed my bud right into the stool (used my
legs unconsciously), used my body weight and arm power and walla...
Over here I used a loose stool, was uneasy and unsure where to and how to
sit. The results was that I started using my arm power and a little body
weight only. Quickly I developed all these problems. When I realized that I
done something wrong I started adjusting again, just to find out that pains
started coming from other places in my body.
The answer is to sit correctly and through correctly. Use every tool you can
(as I did in SA) I think Mel Jacobson and John Baymore gave me the answer
this weekend.
I used my legs in the past when I pushed my bud right into the stool. That is
the strongest part of your body that you can use to your benefit. I lost that
with the loose stool,but....(Mel`s solution) if I can manage to use my legs
to support my arms, that will solve my problems. That means that I will have
to learn to use my legs as a steering tool to push my hands in, to center. I
hope I will get that. Let your elbow rest on your leg or bring it into the
inside of your leg when centering and push with your leg.
In your case I think you lost power with the injury you had. You did not say
where, but I would say that you are unconsciously scared to use that part of
your body that helped you previous in your centering process. Maybe it still
hurts. Whatever, find out what adjustments you make unconsciously and try and
correct that. If your centering fails, the rest fails.
John Baymore contributed with another, so logical remark. Use your whole fore
arm to center, not just your palm. The pressure just on the palm weakens the
wrist and causes problems, whereas you can use the fore arm, you add strength
to the whole process.
May be Mel or John can explain better, but I think I will go and try that and
report back and I hope this will help you and some others..
Antoinette.
| |
|
