priddy on sat 17 jun 00
I am including the whole post below for expository reasons.
I usually think that Vince is on the money, but this time i think he =
is off. =
It is bizarre in contrast to have said in the past, please don't make me
look this up, that the total pot is a result of care and attention to =
all aspects of it and then to declare that one part is irrelevant and =
the problem of the consumer.
In the first half of the following post, in fact, he declares that non-ce=
ramic
materials are an abomination and that the glaze should provide all the
waterproofing that the pot needs (paraphrased).
Then he summarily declares that the foot is not worthy of the same attent=
ion. =
That if there are burs, it is ok to send it out on its search and destroy=
mission to someone's antique credenza.
I say, the pot is only as good as its foot, as its foot is the only =
leg it has to stand on. If you have to go out and add cork pads and =
wads JUST TO BE ABLE TO USE IT AS IT IS INTENDED, what the hell is the =
difference between it and a poly varnished resin cast "porcelain =
figurine"?
Do your job! quality control and dremel the feet before you let it =
go with your name on it.
Elizabeth
vince pitelka wrote:
> > Yes, this issue goes to educating the customer about the product. It=
also
> > goes to liability. If we don't write on the product THIS AIN"T
> WATERPROOF,
> > are we just as liable for damage as if we left a scratchy place on th=
e
> foot
> > of something and it ruined a table?
> =
> Lisa -
> I agree that we need to educate the public about our products, but that=
is
> the end of it. If they give the piece to someone else without passing =
on
> the information, that is someone else's problem. If you are making oil=
> lamps, and using a lamp-liner, then I can understand. Otherwise, I thi=
nk
it
> is wrong to use a non-ceramic product to waterproof raku wares. =
Essentially
> it is dishonest. If anything, the customer expects the surface of the
wares
> to have survived the test of the firing. They do not expect it to have=
been
> coated with some varnish or polymer coating after the firing. The
> "waterproof" quality of some ceramic wares should come from the glaze, =
the
> claybody, and the firing temperature, not from some plastic coating. T=
he
> latter is a travesty.
> =
> And regarding a scratchy foot on a pot, I do think that the potter shou=
ld
be
> careful to finish the bottom to prevent damage to the customer's furnit=
ure.
> But if someone buys a pot with a scratchy foot, and they subsequently
> scratch their furniture, that is their problem. Granted, the potter wi=
ll
> loose business if he/she sells wares with scratchy bottoms, but it is s=
till
> up to the customer to be on the lookout for such things.
> =
> My father has collected pottery for over sixty years. He always examin=
es
> the bottom of every pot, and when necessary he adds those little cork o=
r
> felt pads in order to protect his furniture surfaces. This is just com=
mon
> sense, and we cannot be responsible for customers who do not have any.
> Best wishes -
> - Vince
> =
> Vince Pitelka
> Home - vpitelka@dekalb.net
> 615/597-5376
> Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
> 615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
> Appalachian Center for Crafts
> Tennessee Technological University
> 1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
> http://www.craftcenter.tntech.edu/
> =
>
_________________________________________________________________________=
_____
> 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.
respectfully submitted,
elizabeth priddy
priddy-clay@usa.net
http://www.angelfire.com/nc/clayworkshop
____________________________________________________________________
Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=3D=
1
Cindy Strnad on sat 17 jun 00
Hi, Elizabeth.
I agree, and I think Vince does, too, after having read his post, that we
should take care to finish the bottoms of our pottery in a way that won't
damage the surfaces it's placed on. What I hear him saying is that the
consumer should also take some responsibility for double-checking to make
sure the piece he/she purchased didn't slip through with an unsanded
scratchy spot.
I like Vince's middle of the road approach. None of us is perfect, and these
little slips shouldn't be grounds for a lawsuit. Unfortunately, it doesn't
matter what Vince or I or you think. What matters is what the small claims
court judge thinks. And what he/she is going to think, based on the
precedents I've heard about, is that damage caused to the consumer's
furniture by a scratchy-bottomed product is the fault of the manufacturer
of that product. The consumer is not burdened with the need to display
common sense.
I like to get the bottoms of my pottery smooth enough that I don't mind
sliding them around atop a glass display case. But I'm sure that I do
occasionally miss a spot.
Cindy Strnad
earthenv@gwtc.net
Earthen Vessels Pottery
RR 1, Box 51
Custer, SD 57730
| |
|
