Irv Knowlen on tue 25 sep 01
I'm interested in finding a source for Japanese potters tools.
I'm particularly interested in a measuring devise used to measure the
diameter and depth of a bowl at the same time, made of bamboo, in the
form of a cross or "butterfly". Also interested in various ropes or
cords and other tools. Anyone have any information on this?
Thanks!
Irvk
vince pitelka on wed 26 sep 01
> I'm interested in finding a source for Japanese potters tools.
> I'm particularly interested in a measuring devise used to measure the
> diameter and depth of a bowl at the same time, made of bamboo, in the
> form of a cross or "butterfly". Also interested in various ropes or
> cords and other tools. Anyone have any information on this?
Irvk -
The tool you are talking about is a "tombo." I recommend you aquire a copy
of the "Japanese Pottery Handbook" published by Kodansha. It is a small
paperback, and very reasonably priced. I am sure that Steve Branfman has it
at the Potter's Shop - sbranfpots@aol.com - 781/449-7687. It has
descriptions and beautiful drawings of a wide variety of Japanese pottery
tools.
Best wishes -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
http://www.craftcenter.tntech.edu/
John Baymore on thu 27 sep 01
I'm particularly interested in a measuring devise used to measure the
diameter and depth of a bowl at the same time, made of bamboo, in the
form of a cross or "butterfly". =
Irvk,
The size guage is called a "tombo" whch translates as "dragonfly". I ha=
ve
some that I brought back from Japan with me.....but I haven't yet found a=
ny
supplier here in the US that stocks them. Are you in the US? If I
remember correctly Marunai (large ceramics supplier sort of like Laguna) =
in
Japan has them. You can also get them at the Mashiko Ceramics Cooperativ=
e.
If it is the "functionality issue" you are interested in, they are very
easy to make. If it is the nature and quality of the Japanese items....
then you'll have to find some way to get them from Japan. I have to say
that all of the Japanese clayworking tools that I brought back with me ar=
e
really nicely made.
Tombo are easy to make out of a pair of plain wood hashi (chopsticks) and=
a
bamboo yakitori/teriyaki skewer you can get in most oriental sections of
grocery stores or places like Joyce Chen foodstores. Look at the picture=
s
in books like Herbert Sanders "Japanese Ceramics" and just make them to f=
it
what you do. The only tools you'll need are a small drill to punch a hol=
e
or two thru the hashi, and a small saw to cut the peices to length. The
hashi is the vertical body of the guage and ths skewer is the cross piece=
,
put through a hole drilled in the hashi. You can then make a handle to
hold it by adding a hashi that is "pinned" into the top of the vertical
part of ther tombo with a short piece of the skewer. (At some point I'll=
put a picture of them up on the "CLAYART Discussion Photo" page on my
website.)
Hope this helps.
Best,
..............................john
John Baymore
River Bend Pottery
22 Riverbend Way
Wilton, NH 03086 USA
603-654-2752 (s)
800-900-1110 (s)
JohnBaymore.com
JBaymore@compuserve.com
John.Baymore@GSD-CO.com
"Earth, Water, and Fire Noborigama Woodfiring Workshop 2002 Dates TBA"=
Irv Knowlen on thu 27 sep 01
Steve Mills wrote:
> Dare I suggest you make them yourself; it's not that hard.
>
> In message , Irv Knowlen writes
> >I'm interested in finding a source for Japanese potters tools.
> >I'm particularly interested in a measuring devise used to measure the
> >diameter and depth of a bowl at the same time, made of bamboo, in the
> >form of a cross or "butterfly". Also interested in various ropes or
> >cords and other tools. Anyone have any information on this?
> >Thanks!
> >
> >Irvk
>
> --
> Steve Mills
> Bath
> UK
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> 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.
Yes you may dare, and thanks to the many suggestions of the many nice people on
clay art I planed to. Please accept my apologies for being so unimaginative and
helpless.
God Bless
Irvk
Jeanette Harris on thu 27 sep 01
>I'm interested in finding a source for Japanese potters tools.
>I'm particularly interested in a measuring devise used to measure the
>diameter and depth of a bowl at the same time, made of bamboo, in the
>form of a cross or "butterfly". Also interested in various ropes or
>cords and other tools. Anyone have any information on this?
>Thanks!
>
>Irvk
Hi, Irvk,
The tool you want is called a Tombo or Dragon Fly.
I don't know where you can find one in this country, but you can take two
bamboo skewers and tie them together with a twist wire. (You know, the
wires that come with plastic trash bags.) Loop the wire around loosely
enough to allow the top skewer to slide up and down on the vertical one;
and for that skewer to slide back and forth horizontially.
You can use the pointed end as the part that registers the width
horizontally and on the vertical skewer for placing lightly at the bottom
of the pot.
You can also place a mark with a waterproof marker for standized measurements.
You can also find skewers in different lengths for larger, taller vessels.
Cheers,
Jeanette
Doug Gray on thu 27 sep 01
Irvk,
You can easily make your own "tombo." You need a popsicle stick and a
bamboo skewer. Easy. Use a nail to punch a hole in the popsicle stick
and shove the skewer through. Cut the ends of each to your desired
length and width. Make several for different forms.
I think I picked up this process from a Mel-son tool demo. Thanks Mel.
Doug,, SC
Steve Mills on thu 27 sep 01
Dare I suggest you make them yourself; it's not that hard.
In message , Irv Knowlen writes
>I'm interested in finding a source for Japanese potters tools.
>I'm particularly interested in a measuring devise used to measure the
>diameter and depth of a bowl at the same time, made of bamboo, in the
>form of a cross or "butterfly". Also interested in various ropes or
>cords and other tools. Anyone have any information on this?
>Thanks!
>
>Irvk
--
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
Cindy Strnad on thu 27 sep 01
Regarding the Tombo--
After reading several accounts of how to make a
tombo, I was left contemplating trips to the
hardware store, junkyard, maybe contacting a
welder, even, for some models.
And I began thinking, "Asian potters made these
things from stuff they had on hand in the studio.
So what have I got?" Well, I had sand, and a bit
of a flat wooden trim strip, bamboo skewers, an
old ice cream bucket, and a metal
"clothespin-type" clamp. (sorry I don't known the
correct name for the clamp.)
I filled the bucket with sand and "planted" the
trim strip in it. I clamped a bamboo skewer to the
trim strip and I had my tombo! Boy was I ever
proud of myself. I used my noodle. About
time, too. Come to think of it, you could probably
use a spaghetti noodle, but the bamboo skewer is
better.
For those of you who may not know the use of a
tombo yet, you locate the tip of (in my case) the
bamboo skewer so that it barely touches the rim of
a pot you'd like to duplicate. Then you aim for
that spot with the next rim, and the next, and the
next. Makes producing identical sets sooo much
easier. Of course, you can get good enough that
you don't need a tombo, but until then . . . .
Cindy Strnad
Earthen Vessels Pottery
RR 1, Box 51
Custer, SD 57730
USA
cindy@earthen-vessels-pottery.com
http://www.earthen-vessels-pottery.com
Rod & Erin on fri 28 sep 01
On making tombo's
I just wanted to add my two cents here on making tombos. The easiest way
that I have found is to buy lengths of very thin doweling from Home Depot
etc. Then I have an old pair of wire cutters and when I make a form that I'm
going to use as a basic production item for a time I just hold the dowel in
the pot and simply snip it with the wire cutters and I do the same for the
horizontal piece and simply snip again. Then comes the real easy part I mark
with a pencil whre they are to join and then use a hot glue gun to make a
nice big blop of glue. I dip my fingers in some water and squeeze that blob
of glue into a nice clean shape around the two dowels in a couple minutes it
is set up and ready to go.
I go one step further that I suppose most wouldn't but I have my good ole'
book of forms with loose sketches of the forms that I'm going to do and I
quickly sketch that form and then make a pseudo serial number say for
example the date is Sept 12, 2001 and the form is a large bowl, etc. Then I
make a serial number 8-12-01-LB and write that on the side of the dowel with
a fine tipped felt pen and then cover just that area of the tombo with
varethane. I suppose you could cover the whole thing but I just cover the
part with my serial number. Now I always know what tombo I use for what form
and the hot glue lasts forever. I have dowel tombos made this way that have
been in use for over 7 years now.
Rod
RedIron Studios
Vancouver, BC
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Baymore"
To:
Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2001 8:26 PM
Subject: Re: Japanese Tools
I'm particularly interested in a measuring devise used to measure the
diameter and depth of a bowl at the same time, made of bamboo, in the
form of a cross or "butterfly".
Irvk,
The size guage is called a "tombo" whch translates as "dragonfly". I have
some that I brought back from Japan with me.....but I haven't yet found any
supplier here in the US that stocks them. Are you in the US? If I
remember correctly Marunai (large ceramics supplier sort of like Laguna) in
Japan has them. You can also get them at the Mashiko Ceramics Cooperative.
If it is the "functionality issue" you are interested in, they are very
easy to make. If it is the nature and quality of the Japanese items....
then you'll have to find some way to get them from Japan. I have to say
that all of the Japanese clayworking tools that I brought back with me are
really nicely made.
Tombo are easy to make out of a pair of plain wood hashi (chopsticks) and a
bamboo yakitori/teriyaki skewer you can get in most oriental sections of
grocery stores or places like Joyce Chen foodstores. Look at the pictures
in books like Herbert Sanders "Japanese Ceramics" and just make them to fit
what you do. The only tools you'll need are a small drill to punch a hole
or two thru the hashi, and a small saw to cut the peices to length. The
hashi is the vertical body of the guage and ths skewer is the cross piece,
put through a hole drilled in the hashi. You can then make a handle to
hold it by adding a hashi that is "pinned" into the top of the vertical
part of ther tombo with a short piece of the skewer. (At some point I'll
put a picture of them up on the "CLAYART Discussion Photo" page on my
website.)
Hope this helps.
Best,
..............................john
John Baymore
River Bend Pottery
22 Riverbend Way
Wilton, NH 03086 USA
603-654-2752 (s)
800-900-1110 (s)
JohnBaymore.com
JBaymore@compuserve.com
John.Baymore@GSD-CO.com
"Earth, Water, and Fire Noborigama Woodfiring Workshop 2002 Dates TBA"
____________________________________________________________________________
__
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.
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