Marcia Selsor on wed 22 aug 01
Christena,
If you take that stick tool with an angle at one end, notice the other end has a
finder impression on it. Put your index finger into the impression, hold steady
and clean the bottom inside of the wall squaring the floor of the pot. this will
lighten the inside.
I throw fairly dry, pull up the cylinder to the desired height, then shape it with
a rib and sponge in several pulls. Practice getting height by throwing 10" with 2
lbs of clay.
I had my students warm up by doing 25 of those, cut them in halh and wedge them
back up. Great practice.
Marcia in Montana
Christena Schafale wrote:
> How about a good old fashioned technique question?
>
> I've been working on pitchers this summer, especially trying to get them to
> be lighter, so they aren't too heavy when filled. I've always relied on
> trimming my pitchers to get rid of any excess poundage down at the bottom,
> but now I'm doing some forms that are altered and can't really be trimmed
> in the usual way.
>
> So, I'm back to throwing practice cylinders and trying to get the base of
> the walls thinner so I won't have to trim. However, I seem to have
> plateau'd out. I can't seem to get them down below about 1/2" thick at the
> base (for 3 or more lbs of clay, let's say). Anyone have any great
> insights/tips on moving that clay up more effectively, especially when
> throwing tall forms?
>
> Thanks in advance!
>
> Chris
>
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Cyberpotter@AOL.COM on wed 22 aug 01
Chris:
A trick I use to coax extra height out of clay that got left at the bottom is
to use a tall throwing stick on the outside - hold it securely against the
outside of the wall to keep it in place, push your inside finger into the
inside of the wall right above the floor of the cylinder to make a groove,
then slowly pull up and the whole thing has no choice but to raise up. Using
the stick against the outside rather than your finger prevents they cylinder
from going off center.
Nancy in Cincinnati
Christena Schafale on wed 22 aug 01
How about a good old fashioned technique question?
I've been working on pitchers this summer, especially trying to get them to
be lighter, so they aren't too heavy when filled. I've always relied on
trimming my pitchers to get rid of any excess poundage down at the bottom,
but now I'm doing some forms that are altered and can't really be trimmed
in the usual way.
So, I'm back to throwing practice cylinders and trying to get the base of
the walls thinner so I won't have to trim. However, I seem to have
plateau'd out. I can't seem to get them down below about 1/2" thick at the
base (for 3 or more lbs of clay, let's say). Anyone have any great
insights/tips on moving that clay up more effectively, especially when
throwing tall forms?
Thanks in advance!
Chris
H.M. Buchanan on wed 22 aug 01
Chris, I have two tips that help me get thinner bottoms. When you think you
have gone as far a you can on the cylinder, wet trim the base, under cutting
to about a 45 degree angle then make another pull or two. This gives you a
place to get your fingers to raise and thin the clay. By wet trim I mean
flood the bat with water so the cut clay will slip right off . I like to use
a triangular wire loop tool to make this cut.
Second tip: don't refine the shape too early. Keep the base narrower than
the finished design so you can use some of that too thick clay to expand the
shape when you have gone as far as you can it by pulling.
Judi Buchanan, Flutter-by Pottery, Heidelberg, Mississippi
----- Original Message -----
> How about a good old fashioned technique question?
>
> I've been working on pitchers this summer, >
> So, I'm back to throwing practice cylinders and trying to get the base of
> the walls thinner so I won't have to trim. However, I seem to have
> plateau'd out. I can't seem to get them down below about 1/2" thick at
the
> base (for 3 or more lbs of clay, let's say). Anyone have any great
> insights/tips on moving that clay up more effectively, especially when
> throwing tall forms?
>
>
> Chris
>
>
Karen Sullivan on wed 22 aug 01
Chris....
>
> So, I'm back to throwing practice cylinders and trying to get the base of
> the walls thinner so I won't have to trim. However, I seem to have
> plateau'd out. I can't seem to get them down below about 1/2" thick at the
> base (for 3 or more lbs of clay, let's say). Anyone have any great
> insights/tips on moving that clay up more effectively, especially when
> throwing tall forms?
When I throw a tall cylinder...I use a couple of strategies to bring
the clay up...
1. I let my finger linger at the base...before I start moving vertically
up...so there is a slight indentation that I bring up into the wall...
It is a way I can grab the clay and move it vertically up....
So I have very little extra clay at the base...
1. I have a half/heart shaped rib I use to throw...so I take the sharp
pointed edge...I hold the rib at an angle on the wheel head..so the pointed
edge is positioned against the base and take a beveled cut from the base of
the cylinder...I can then get more of the clay from the base...and with one
more pass of pulling move the clay up the wall of the cylinder.
Once I get the height of the wall...I use a metal rib to give it
shape, scrape away the slurry.....and define the form.
I hope that helps....
bamboo karen
who has begun an intense semester of So. Californiafreeway flying...three
schools...four classes....wish me luck...
My car has tried to wrap 250,000 miles, funky odometer...so
many prayers to get to my destination...the mantra is "I think I can"
http://home.earthlink.net/~kwinnies/
james w. thomas on thu 23 aug 01
> > I've been working on pitchers this summer, >
> > So, I'm back to throwing practice cylinders and trying to get the base of
> > the walls thinner so I won't have to trim. However, I seem to have
> > plateau'd out. I can't seem to get them down below about 1/2" thick at
>the
> > base (for 3 or more lbs of clay, let's say). Anyone have any great
> > insights/tips on moving that clay up more effectively, especially when
> > throwing tall forms?
> >
> >
> > Chris
Chris, one thing that helps me is to know how much clay is actually in the wall. After the second pull for a cylinder stop the wheel and stick a pin tool through the wall until the point can be felt with a finger on the inside, check the distance. This helps me plan the next pull. The third pull will obliterate the pin tool hole I don't always have to do this it just seems handy when working on large forms. I'm not going to go into any trowing techniques other than get used to your throwing ribs. Good Luck. Beautiful things come from the experience and knowledge of many flops.
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iandol on thu 23 aug 01
Dear Christena Schafale,
Every clay has a limit to which it can be thrown, a sort of yield point. =
With many materials this can be measured but because clay is such a =
mysterious substance it is almost impossible to measure this quality. So =
we just call it "Plasticity" and accept that clay remains thick near the =
base when we extend it to its high limit.
The problem is knowing how to increase this limit without changing the =
working properties to a stage where the clay becomes useless. One way is =
to let your clay air dry for a while then knead it up and throw it. =
Another very experimental idea is to mix in a small proportion of a =
material, about one percent by weight, which will increase the tenacity =
of the water in the clay. You have a choice of aluminium hydrate or one =
of the magnesium chemicals such as magnesium sulphate. I have used about =
one percent of minus 100 mesh sillimanite and this really firms up a =
clay. The reasons are very complex and I am not prepared to explain, but =
it is an idea which is not in the regular books or dictionaries.
The alternative is to change your technique and throw from the middle to =
the top, then the base to the middle, as described in an article in PMI
cd on thu 23 aug 01
This is an impractical tip for a 3# pitcher, but it is interesting none =
the less. Can't recall where I heard or read this, may even have been =
here on Clayart. I believe this took place in Europe and involved the =
examination of a number of very well thrown, historical, pitchers. A =
renowned potter was asked to examine them and give his opinion of how =
they were thrown so thin. This fellow concluded that the pitchers had =
been thrown thusly: The pots were initially thrown bottomless, and then =
in the normal manner, up to about 60% of their finished height. At this =
point a slab bottom was added to the top of the cylinder, the cylinder =
was cut from the wheelhead and inverted ( the "top" becoming the =
bottom), recentered, and then the thick part of the wall, which was now =
at the top, was pulled a few more times until the final finished height =
was achieved.
Hmmmm,
Craig
Sarah House on fri 24 aug 01
Anyone have any great
>> insights/tips on moving that clay up more effectively, especially when
>> throwing tall forms?
I've found that the slightest difference in your finger position makes a
big difference in the height of my pots. Next time you are throwing look at
the position of your outside finger(the one that's applying the most
pressure).If it is pointing in (horizontial) or especially down try angling
that finger point up at maybe a 45 degree angle to the pot. That bounces
the particles upward. The first time I tried it, the difference was so
great that the pot went spinning away.
Sarah House
http://www.skhpottery.com
shouse@mcdowell.main.nc.us
po box 84
Little Switzerland, NC
828-756-1191
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