ginny bivaletz on sun 21 may 00
i don't spend much time in beauty supply stores, but
when i do,you can be sure i am looking for tools to
use in the studio. they have great sponges used for
removing makeup that work so well for finish work on
clay. they come 50 to 100 in a bag, are inexpensive
and last quite awhile. there are sticks that are like
tongue depressors cut on an angle that are originally
used in waxing. i use them to clean up the foot after
throwing and to stir and apply slurry. little sponges
on plastic sticks work great for clean up around
handles,spouts, carvings,etc.
there are probably allot more things out there waiting
to be discovered.
ginnyB on orcas island, washington - where it is
raining
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mel jacobson on mon 2 may 05
it is an old story here on clayart:
`anyone know where i can buy a cheap kiln, cheap tools?`
i cannot stand that attitude.
no commitment to the craft...no commitment to yourself.
your approach is all wrong.
cheap is always cheap.
rarely do you get a good deal.
old worn out kilns are just that...`old worn out kilns`.
great pots are made from great tools...your hands are the
first tool used...take care of them.
it is like buying a car with 150,000 miles.
cheap...but won't last.
if one claims to be a good craftsman...if that is the
idea...use good tools. buy the best. take care of them.
go look at the tool box of any quality mechanic...are they worn out,
broken? no. spotless. and, very expensive. it is the first line of his or
her profession.
if your idea of good is cheap imports from a book..well good luck.
not my hands.
have you ever had a wrench break, or slip? hurts like hell.
phil goes nuts when we talk of cheap imports...as he should.
he is an expert in fine tools...he has tools from every era...back
to the 20's. he knows how to use them, take care of them.
his cars are old...but, like new. perfect care.
you don't need thirty water color brushes..you need three that are
perfect for you needs...take care of them..they last for years.
brushes on pottery wear out fast. no need for sable. but the size, shape
and texture of your brush has to be right.
ask a person like johnathan k. about ceramic tools...he knows, has tested
them...has a marvelous understanding of how they work and how they
will last. take that advice. it is priceless.
often in the kiln industry is not the visible things that matter.
it is the relay...the stuff in the box. drives us crazy.
just like computers...the box looks spiffy..nothing inside. you can see
that in the hp home market...300 dollars worth. ??? not worth much.
i have switched to dell. high end. priceless.
often you get what you pay for...just like your dad told you.
junk is junk.
makes the land fills full.
mel
have respect for yourself and your craft...buy good tools.
from mel/minnetonka.mn.usa
website: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
Antoinette Badenhorst on mon 2 may 05
Mel, I do agree some with you and what your message boils down to in my =
mind
is that value lasts, but I do want to tell you about a different =
approach.
If one can take care of their cheap stuff, they will take care even =
better
for the more expensive. Years ago when I started out, I literally =
started
with R30 (about $5) in my hands. With that I bought clay. Five months =
later
I could buy a R400 (about $25) kiln. It did not work and kiln dirt was
horrible. This was in 1985 and the beginning of my own studio. Today, 6
years after leaving behind a fully equipped studio in SA, I am in the
process of putting a studio together again. At this stage when I buy, I =
have
to decide what I need the most and what I can leave for another day. I =
also
have to decide what I can afford to buy expensive and what is okay if it =
is
cheap. I often times create temporary tools to achieve what I want. Most =
of
the time I goes middle of the road, because that is not cheap and it is =
not
too expensive. To state that expensive tools shows better commitment to =
the
craft, is in my mind plain wrong. Commitment to the craft comes from =
making
the best of your work and your abilities to your work; For sure not to =
buy
expensive tools. If that was the case I would have no respect for the =
craft,
because there are many people out there that can afford the best, but do =
not
have a cooking clue what they are doing.
Respectfully....
Antoinette Badenhorst
105 Westwood Circle
Saltillo MS, 38866
www.clayandcanvas.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of mel =
jacobson
Sent: Monday, May 02, 2005 8:12 AM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: cheap tools
it is an old story here on clayart:
`anyone know where i can buy a cheap kiln, cheap tools?`
i cannot stand that attitude.
no commitment to the craft...no commitment to yourself.
your approach is all wrong.
cheap is always cheap.
rarely do you get a good deal.
old worn out kilns are just that...`old worn out kilns`.
great pots are made from great tools...your hands are the
first tool used...take care of them.
it is like buying a car with 150,000 miles.
cheap...but won't last.
if one claims to be a good craftsman...if that is the
idea...use good tools. buy the best. take care of them.
go look at the tool box of any quality mechanic...are they worn out,
broken? no. spotless. and, very expensive. it is the first line of his =
or
her profession.
if your idea of good is cheap imports from a book..well good luck.
not my hands.
have you ever had a wrench break, or slip? hurts like hell.
phil goes nuts when we talk of cheap imports...as he should.
he is an expert in fine tools...he has tools from every era...back
to the 20's. he knows how to use them, take care of them.
his cars are old...but, like new. perfect care.
you don't need thirty water color brushes..you need three that are
perfect for you needs...take care of them..they last for years.
brushes on pottery wear out fast. no need for sable. but the size, =
shape
and texture of your brush has to be right.
ask a person like johnathan k. about ceramic tools...he knows, has =
tested
them...has a marvelous understanding of how they work and how they
will last. take that advice. it is priceless.
often in the kiln industry is not the visible things that matter.
it is the relay...the stuff in the box. drives us crazy.
just like computers...the box looks spiffy..nothing inside. you can see
that in the hp home market...300 dollars worth. ??? not worth much.
i have switched to dell. high end. priceless.
often you get what you pay for...just like your dad told you.
junk is junk.
makes the land fills full.
mel
have respect for yourself and your craft...buy good tools.
from mel/minnetonka.mn.usa
website: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
_________________________________________________________________________=
___
__
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
Rog Coman on mon 2 may 05
Amen, Mel. And if one has to save their pennies for a year - do so - it is
worth it.
Rog Coman
Fish Hook Pottery
Montrose, CO
----- Original Message -----
From: "mel jacobson"
To:
Sent: Monday, May 02, 2005 7:12 AM
Subject: cheap tools
> it is an old story here on clayart:
>
> `anyone know where i can buy a cheap kiln, cheap tools?`
>
> i cannot stand that attitude.
> no commitment to the craft...no commitment to yourself.
> your approach is all wrong.
> cheap is always cheap.
> rarely do you get a good deal.
> old worn out kilns are just that...`old worn out kilns`.
> great pots are made from great tools...your hands are the
> first tool used...take care of them.
>
> it is like buying a car with 150,000 miles.
> cheap...but won't last.
>
> if one claims to be a good craftsman...if that is the
> idea...use good tools. buy the best. take care of them.
> go look at the tool box of any quality mechanic...are they worn out,
> broken? no. spotless. and, very expensive. it is the first line of his
or
> her profession.
>
> if your idea of good is cheap imports from a book..well good luck.
> not my hands.
>
> have you ever had a wrench break, or slip? hurts like hell.
>
> phil goes nuts when we talk of cheap imports...as he should.
> he is an expert in fine tools...he has tools from every era...back
> to the 20's. he knows how to use them, take care of them.
> his cars are old...but, like new. perfect care.
>
> you don't need thirty water color brushes..you need three that are
> perfect for you needs...take care of them..they last for years.
>
> brushes on pottery wear out fast. no need for sable. but the size, shape
> and texture of your brush has to be right.
>
> ask a person like johnathan k. about ceramic tools...he knows, has tested
> them...has a marvelous understanding of how they work and how they
> will last. take that advice. it is priceless.
>
> often in the kiln industry is not the visible things that matter.
> it is the relay...the stuff in the box. drives us crazy.
> just like computers...the box looks spiffy..nothing inside. you can see
> that in the hp home market...300 dollars worth. ??? not worth much.
> i have switched to dell. high end. priceless.
> often you get what you pay for...just like your dad told you.
> junk is junk.
> makes the land fills full.
> mel
> have respect for yourself and your craft...buy good tools.
> from mel/minnetonka.mn.usa
> website: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
Mike Gordon on tue 25 dec 07
Merry Christmas!!
I have been using 7" bamboo meat picks, made in China, for scoring
clay. The label says they are "high temperature and disinfect". 100 to
the pack for $2.00. I take 4 of them and masking tape them together
with the points even at the bottom. They are very sharp points! When
the get dull they go into the wood stove and I make a new set. They can
can be used as singles too.I am on my first 100 pack 2 years later.
Mike Gordon
Jeanette Harris on tue 25 dec 07
> I have been using 7" bamboo meat picks, made in China, for scoring
>clay. The label says they are "high temperature and disinfect". 100 to
>the pack for $2.00. I take 4 of them and masking tape them together
>with the points even at the bottom. They are very sharp points! When
>the get dull they go into the wood stove and I make a new set. They can
>can be used as singles too.I am on my first 100 pack 2 years later.
>Mike Gordon
Mike, I've been using these too in the studio and house as well. They
are very handy for stirring, poking and securing tiny things. They're
sharp enough to use as a regular needle tool.
They're also great for fishing out short toast from the toaster!
Cheers,
J
--
http://jeanetteharrisblog.blogspot.com/
http://www.washingtonpotters.org/members/Jeanette_Harris/wpa_jeanette_harris.htm
Jeanette Harris
Washingzona
Lee on wed 26 dec 07
I use shishkabab skewers and wire bread twists to make my measuring
gauges. I just snip them to size with my Gerber multipliers.
--
Lee in Mashiko, Tochigi Japan
http://mashikopots.blogspot.com/
"Tea is nought but this: first you heat the water, then you make the
tea. Then you drink it properly. That is all you need to know."
--Sen No Rikyu
"Let the beauty we love be what we do." - Rumi
Lili Krakowski on fri 21 jan 11
Among cheap tools. =3D20
Someone did mention credit cards. (Take the kids' ! Their parents will =
=3D
bless you, as it will take the lil' dahlin's weeks to learn how to =3D
replace them! Get ahold of someone who has scissors that cut in waves, =3D
curves etc...they ARE sold.... and cut the cards with those.
Pieces of old sneaker/shoe soles make great stamps....Can make really =3D
nice prints.
The screw tops off pill and other bottles often are ridged. Nice =3D
rollers. In fact one "finds" rollers if one looks for them.
And then nuts from bolts...these are gems...With a nut imprint for a =3D
center, and petals made by pressing the tip of a teaspoon all =3D
around...Yum.
("Yum" is a word used in art criticism and forbidden to the =3D
unpretentious!)
Lili Krakowski
Be of good courage
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