Craig Clark on sat 26 oct 02
Ingeborg, what shipper is giving you a $70 per ton price? Sounds like a
great deal to me!
I will occassionally make a clay run up to the piney woods of East
Texas. I don't do it to save money. It's a four hour drive, which I enjoy. I
get out of the city, which I need to do on occassion. And I get to stop off
a David Hendleys for a bite to eat and a cup of coffee, whose company and
coffee are wonderful. It's nice to be able to hang out with a potter on the
way! I do it for the enjoyment of the trip.
Craig Dunn Clark
619 East 11 1/2 st
Houston, Texas 77008
(713)861-2083
mudman@hal-pc.org
----- Original Message -----
From: Ingeborg Foco
To:
Sent: Friday, October 25, 2002 5:42 PM
Subject: Re: pedal to the mettle/ making, shipping clay
> Lily said:
>
> > > What puzzles me is this. Why don't more people hop in the pickup
and
> make a
> > road trip? A night at a motel costs (just made reservation) around $70.
> > Gas around here is $1.47 a gallon, so a 300 mile trip at 20 m per gallon
> is
> > $25 or so. Pack a lunch, get some food at the deli counter....and some
> $100
> > is what the road trip will cost.
> >
> > If you are lucky, you will have some pal or relative near the clay
> supplier
> > to put you up.
> >
> > If you are lucky you will find a couple of other potters who go to the
> same
> > supplier and would share a truck rental and driving with you.
> >
> > As to getting a better body... I don't think so. I never go the same
year
> in
> > year out consistency and reliability that I get now when I mixed my own.
> >
> Dear Lily,
>
> the reason more people don't do this is because it doesn't make sense
> economically. If you get 20 mpg you most likely have a small pick-up.
> Mine is a 1/2 ton and I get about 20 mph. So, unless you want to damage
the
> suspension, you only buy 1/2 ton of clay. You drive 300 miles, spend the
> night and save what - nothing. You have lost two days of working in the
> studio and you stilll have to unpack the truck and you only have one half
a
> ton of clay. Which means you have to make this ordeal of a trip sooner
than
> you want to.
>
> Belive me, I know, I went thru this except I only did it to get samples
to
> try before I had my clay shipped. You also need to consider the wear and
> tear on your pick-up. Mine oiver heated and I was stranded on the freeway
> with trucks flying by at 85+ mph - clearly not a lot of fun.
>
> It cost $70 to ship a ton and a half of clay and another $25 to have it
> dropped onto the ground. The guy only drops it --he doesn't carry it into
> the studio....unless you want to pay him $60 per hour. I had to haul it
> into the studio and stack it but I figured I was still way ahead even
though
> it adds costs to my total costs.
>
> If you rent a truck with a couple of other people, I doubt things would
work
> out any better. You still have to consider what weight carrying capacity
> the truck has.
>
> If I had the space, I would make my own clay. I'd still ship the dry
stuff
> but then I could make it to suit me and when I needed it. The only time
it
> makes sense to pick up your own packaged clay is if your dealer is within
a
> reasonable driving distance. 300 miles is way too far. It took me 5
hours
> to drive to my dealer. Two days were wasted and hours stranded on the
> freeway in 90+ degree temperatures and 100% humidity. Even had my
> thermostat not frozen up,(funny expression in 90+ degree temp) it still
> wasn't worth the time and expense.
>
> Sincerely
>
> Ingeborg
> the Potter's wporkshop & Gallery
> St. James City,
> Florida
>
>
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