iandol on wed 5 dec 01
Now I am with you Dayton.
I recall almost thirty years ago seeing an attachment for the wheel
which was like a large paddle or oar which was fixed to a pivot on one
side of the spash pan so that it could be forced against the clay to
bring it to centre with a minimum of lubrication by pulling with a lever =
from the right.=20
So, do you extend this idea by having a wooden or rock plunger which can =
be forced down to open a cavity in the clay then use a selection of =
stone implements in your hands to work the clay.
Well, I have no problems accepting that as a method of producing =
pottery. The Brits at Stoke are doing research which does something =
similar but they are eliminating the human element and putting all the =
tools on robot arms, something like a capstan lathe in principle. The =
whole machine is computer controlled and they predict pretty phenomenal =
production rates. I think they are looking for twenty or so thousand =
mugs per week on a three shift basis.
For the time being I will stick with the methods I am familiar with and =
hope eventually to get the hang of using the new Mintaro Slate Ribs I =
have cut and polished for myself as an alternative to metal and wooden =
ribs.
There is a sensuousness about clay which has developed its plasticity by =
ageing for a few years which cannot be felt or appreciated in any other =
way than through your hands, whether that be across your palms, with the =
blade, from pressure with a well flexed thumb or through your finger =
tips.
Furthermore, as a Technician who ponders on the nature of plasticity and =
the relationship between clay and water, a spiritual link which leads me =
to believe water has a greater part to play than it is given credit for =
in popular literature, perhaps reducing the volume of water by having =
clay in a leather hard state may influence the integrity of the fabric =
in a negative way which has not yet been observed or explained.
Interesting Clay Philosophy=20
Best regards,
Ivor.
-----Original Message-----
From: dayton j grant <>
To: iandol@tell.net.au
Date: Tuesday, 4 December 2001 1:03
Subject: Fw: Re: single firing
>hey Ivor,the trick is that you just use sticks and stones and metal
ribs
>instead of your hands and if you move along in a certain way the
leather
>hard clay is 'quite' mallable so the choreography of any classical
shape
>can be easily and efficiently excecuted with this method and since
the
>clay is almost dry already you can put peices directly into the kiln
to
>candle ,ill say more after some people get my video and say something
>about it on the list(i sent them in the mail yesterday so it should
be
>about three days)
>dayton.
>
>
>
>Would love to accept your offer Dayton but we are on VHS PAL.
>I am wondering how you define "Leather Hard Clay". For me, it means a
>stiff sheet which will cut with a knife but will not bend without
>cracking or splitting. In this, I am in agreement with Fournier and
>Hamer. Although Leather Hard Clay has lost it's ability to be
deformed
>plastically, it retains sufficient moisture to be burnished or to be
>incised, planed, carved and even decorated with slip. It will, as
the
>leather sole of my shoe will, bend and flex. But is would not deform
>to allow me to press my thumb into it to create a cavity in a turning
>pug without fracturing possibly both.
>So, how do you define "Leather Hard".
>Enlighten me!
>Best regards,
>Ivor Lewis. Redhill, South Australia.
>
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