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throwing on canvas

updated sat 4 oct 03

 

Pottery by Dai on mon 22 jul 02


Jean, if you saturate the canvas with slip first, then let it dry (do a
bunch of them at once), THEN dampen and place on the wheelhead, it should
stick, and so should your clay.
Dai in Armstrong, BC
nightfire@telus.net
www.potterybydai.com

Take your work seriously---take yourself lightly. Unknown

J Lutz on mon 22 jul 02


Sometime ago there was a discussion about alternatives to cutting pieces
off the wheel.
One suggestion was to place a piece of canvas on the bat and throw on it
and then simply slide the piece and canvas off onto a ware board.
Well, I finally got around to trying that technique.
How do you get the clay to stick to the canvas? I wet the canvas as
suggested and placed it on the bat. But when I tried to center a piece of
clay it simply slid off it.
Suggestions welcome
Jean Lutz

Cl Litman on tue 23 jul 02


Use thick slip to hold the canvas to the bat, don't wet anything just
swirl some of the slip on the bat and smooth the canvas down. Don't even
need all that much slip.

Cheryl Litman - NJ
cheryllitman@juno.com

On Mon, 22 Jul 2002 09:42:12 -0700 J Lutz writes:
> Sometime ago there was a discussion about alternatives to cutting
> pieces
> off the wheel.
> One suggestion was to place a piece of canvas on the bat and throw
> on it
> and then simply slide the piece and canvas off onto a ware board.
> Well, I finally got around to trying that technique.
> How do you get the clay to stick to the canvas? I wet the canvas
> as
> suggested and placed it on the bat. But when I tried to center a
> piece of
> clay it simply slid off it.
> Suggestions welcome
> Jean Lutz
>
>
_________________________________________________________________________
_____
> 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.
>

vince pitelka on tue 23 jul 02


> How do you get the clay to stick to the canvas? I wet the canvas as
> suggested and placed it on the bat. But when I tried to center a piece of
> clay it simply slid off it.

Jean -
Coat your DRY squares of canvas on both sides with thin gritless slip (no
sand or grog). Let them dry. When you are ready to use them, smear a
spiral of gritless slip (no sand or grog) on the wheel head, place the
square of canvas over the slip, and immediately squeegee it down with a
stiff rubber rib (the black kidney-shaped one works great), squeegeeing out
from the center with the wheel turning slowly. Some of the slurry should
squeeze out from under the canvas, and this will seal the upper surface of
the canvas. Thoroughly squeegee all slurry off the canvas, and do not add
any additional water or slurry. Place your clay ball in the center,
slap-center it as usual, and then add water and center and throw in a normal
fashion. When the vessel is complete, carefully run your cutoff wire
beneath the canvas, grasp the corner of the canvas square, pull it on to a
cheap triangular concrete trowel, and from there onto a wareboard or table.
When the pot is barely leather hard, remove the canvas.

For your gritless slip/slurry, you can use pure Goldart clay if you are
throwing stoneware, and pure kaolin or any porcelain scrap if you are
throwing whiteware or porcelain. I there is any sand or grog, it acts like
little ball bearings, and the canvas will slide right off the wheel.
Good luck -
- Vince

Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@worldnet.att.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
http://www.craftcenter.tntech.edu/

Dannon Rhudy on tue 23 jul 02


.......>One suggestion was to place a piece of canvas on the bat
>How do you get the clay to stick to the canvas?......

The canvas does not need to be wet. Just stick the canvas to the
wheelhead (a little slurry or just a wet wheelhead with some dry
clay in the canvas). Smooth the canvas out with a damp sponge.
Don't put water on the canvas - just smooth it out, and then
place your clay on it the same as on the wheelhead or any bat.
When you are finished throwing, remember to slide your cutting
wire between the canvas and the bat beneath.

regards

Dannon Rhudy

Donald Goldsobel on tue 23 jul 02


I have used canvas to throw large bottom platters. 1.Soak the canvas 2. put
some slip on th wheel head or bat and slap down the canvas. It will stick.
3. center youclay as if the canvas was nopt there. 4.After throwing, slip a
wire under the canvas. 5.Let the piece dry slowly to triming stage hard. 6.
Peel the canvas off the pot and do not wash the canvas. Next time just wet
it and repeat the process. Often enough slip remains in the canvas to do the
job with no additions. Good Luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Donald in the San Fernando Valley


---- Original Message -----
From: "J Lutz"
To:
Sent: Monday, July 22, 2002 9:42 AM
Subject: throwing on canvas


> Sometime ago there was a discussion about alternatives to cutting pieces
> off the wheel.
> One suggestion was to place a piece of canvas on the bat and throw on it
> and then simply slide the piece and canvas off onto a ware board.
> Well, I finally got around to trying that technique.
> How do you get the clay to stick to the canvas? I wet the canvas as
> suggested and placed it on the bat. But when I tried to center a piece of
> clay it simply slid off it.
> Suggestions welcome
> Jean Lutz
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> 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.

claybair on thu 25 jul 02


Vince,
Why use square pieces of canvas? Don't the edges get scraped or turned up???
If the foot is larger than the canvas you then have an indent from the
square.
Doesn't a round piece make more sense?
Sorry if I missed a previous explanation.
Inquiring minds want to know!!!
Gayle Bair
Bainbridge Island, WA
http://claybair.com

-----Original Message-----
From: vince pitelkaJean -
I should add to my previous explanation that you only have to coat canvas
squares with slip when they are first used. Every time you use the squares,
the residual slip/slurry from the last use will be enough to make them work
the next time. After using the squares, you must dry them completely before
you use them again. If they are damp they will not stick to the wheelhead.
The dry residual slip on the canvas helps to absorb the moisture from the
smear of slip that you apply to the wheelhead, attaching the canvas to the
wheelhead very effectively.
Best wishes -
- Vince

Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@worldnet.att.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
http://www.craftcenter.tntech.edu/

vince pitelka on thu 25 jul 02


> > How do you get the clay to stick to the canvas? I wet the canvas as
> > suggested and placed it on the bat. But when I tried to center a piece
of
> > clay it simply slid off it.

Jean -
I should add to my previous explanation that you only have to coat canvas
squares with slip when they are first used. Every time you use the squares,
the residual slip/slurry from the last use will be enough to make them work
the next time. After using the squares, you must dry them completely before
you use them again. If they are damp they will not stick to the wheelhead.
The dry residual slip on the canvas helps to absorb the moisture from the
smear of slip that you apply to the wheelhead, attaching the canvas to the
wheelhead very effectively.
Best wishes -
- Vince

Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@worldnet.att.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
http://www.craftcenter.tntech.edu/

J Lutz on fri 26 jul 02


Thanks to everyone who responded with suggestions.
I finally got around to trying them all today. It worked great! Don't know
why I waited so long to try this method. I was having such problems with
distortion using a wire to cut off.
Thanks again.
Jean

vince pitelka on fri 26 jul 02


> Why use square pieces of canvas? Don't the edges get scraped or turned
up???
> If the foot is larger than the canvas you then have an indent from the
> square.
> Doesn't a round piece make more sense?

Gayle -
There is no problem with the edges or corners as long as the squares are
stuck down properly. After you run your cutoff wire under the canvas, it is
a simple matter to grab one corner, pull the canvas and the pot on to the
triangular concrete trowel, and from there onto a ware board or shelf. It
would be hard to grab hold of a round piece of canvas.
Best wishes -
- Vince

Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@worldnet.att.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
http://www.craftcenter.tntech.edu/

JULENE on fri 3 oct 03


As many of us working with clay in our homes, I have very little space for
working and almost none for storage. Over the years, my potting has evolved
to throwing almost totally upon canvas, or fabric. My first canvas bats
were, in fact, made from canvas. These are now over 25 years old and doing
just fine. Many types of fabrics will work just fine for this purpose. My
favorite one is denim. I also have used other woven fabric. Some hold more
water than others and this can effect the drying time involved. Each weave
will add its own texture to the bottom of the piece that is thrown on it.

My bats were originally all cut in circles, which work just fine. I am
trying some squares. Squares are easier to cut, but my kickwheel has a
small masonite wheelhead. A round bat works better on this as there isn't
the room for the corners.

A different fabric is used for each type of clay. Bats of one type are kept
together in a small, plastic grocery bag. Choose the type of fabric and
the size of the bat to match the spirit of the clay one is using and the
size of the pot one is throwing. In my own system of water use, water is
cycled through from the throwing container to reclaiming or making new clay.
Slip from the throwing bowl is used for adhering the bat to the wheel as one
would usually want the slip to match the type of clay being used. The first
time the bat is used, one can have a bit of a problem with adhesion, but
after that they are just fine.

As I learned to throw on masonite, that is the base that I prefer. On my
electric wheel, I use a masonite bat that has been drilled to fit the bat
pins. I do not like any movement in this bat, so it is secured with four
blops of very soft clay. The canvas bat is attached to this masonite bat
with slip from the throwing bowl then squeegeed down with a small square
plastic kitchen scraper.

After the pot is thrown, on the kickwheel, I lift the around the edge with a
pancake turner while the wheel is slowly turning, wire under the canvas and
then lift it off to the ware board. I use a wareboard that is 1 foot by 2
foot and one fourth inch thick. This size is easier for me to handle and
dries nicely on top of the refridgerator.

On the electric wheel, when I am throwing larger pieces, I will just leave
the pot on the both the canvas and masonite bats until ready to remove. I
have about a dozen mazonite bats. This is not for everyone, but at the
right dryness the pot with the canvas bat will come off the masonite bat
easily. The pot is just inverted onto another surface that has been covered
with the plastic shelf liner to protect the rim.

Depending on the purpose of the pot, it is then finished in different ways.
If it is for Raku, which is usually done in colaboration with others, I
have a stamp for the bottom. These are stamped and the edge rolled and
finished. I have treatments I use for the other clays depending upon their
texture and the purpose of the piece. Some have a foot rim trimmed. I do
minimum trimming and prefer a footfirm that is rounded. As most of my
work is now made with a specific end for each piece that comes into play
now. Gifts and donations are signed and dated if that is what is wanted,
otherwise each clay has it's own stamp. A pot may have a message,
inscription, or other additional information added. Sometimes in the
summer, I like to impress the bottom with a leaf or something simily. Of
coarse the bottom is left as to not scratch furniture.

That is basically it. If you need clarification on any of my methods, as
most on this list, I am willing to help.

Julene, The frost has been upon us for a few days now. It was a hard
freeze. In a day or two, the change will be over and the stench of death
will be gone. As with many types of change, it can be painful, but most
wonderful once it takes place.