David Hendley on wed 15 jan 03
I have been throwing with very little water for a long time. I do not
own a splash pan. I stay completely clean and dry when working
on small to medium size pieces, but do send some splatters flying
when wrestling with 8 pounds or more of clay.
One of the keys to using little water is to use every bit of the slurry
that is produced when throwing. For instance, after centering I
collect all the slurry on my hands and use it to lubricate the clay
for opening the ball; no new water is added.
It may seem counter-intuitive, but I have found that "dry throwing"
works best with clay that is already pretty stiff. If the clay is soft
to start with, more water, not less, is required for adequate lubrication.
I use clay of widely varying consistency, depending on what I am
throwing. For plates, I want it very wet. Easy-as-pie and quick to center,
open, and spread, and not much that can slump down.
For pitchers, I want stiff clay. I can throw it with very little water so
it can be made tall and thin without slumping.
It definitely puts more stress on your body to use stiff clay, but
for me it is worth it for those forms that benefit from it.
David Hendley
Maydelle, Texas
hendley@tyler.net
http://www.farmpots.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bonnie Staffel"
To:
Sent: Monday, January 13, 2003 3:50 PM
Subject: Softer Clay
> Hooray for you, Vince. I thought I was giving in to being 80 wanting my
> clay to be pugged softer. I do repug my clay with my clay scrap slop to
> dampen it down and it throws so easily for me and does not call for any
> stress. The resulting pots are very pleasing in form. It is true that
you
> have to throw without so much water, but that is a skill in itself. After
> my three pulls, I use no water at all unless collaring at the top. The
> potter is at one with the clay, feeling its texture and responding to how
> the clay wants to speak. Most beginning potters have their wheels
swimming
> in water, none of which is on the clay and for no reason it is not used
> judiciously. I always teach to accept the feel of the slight drag of the
> unwatered clay wall. That technique should start with small pots.
>
> I spent five weeks with Ed Gray last November, throwing 20 - 25" pots one
a
> day and then pit firing them. They came out with such beautiful colors
and
> markings I wish I had started doing this years ago. But I was caught up
in
> working with glazes all those years instead.
>
> Regards, Bonnie Staffel of Charlevoix.
>
>
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Jennifer F Boyer on thu 16 jan 03
Completely CLEAN?? Jeez, I'm always clayey, but I also like to
throw dry. I never squeeze a spongeful of water onto a pot, and
my splash pan doesn't have much in it. And I agree about the
clay needing to be on the harder side. I've found that it saves
time for certain forms. Flared pasta bowls tend to sag if the
clay is soft unless you leave a monster foot to hold up the
flaring lip. With harder clay you can keep the foot small,
leading to less trimming.
Chacun a son gout! (to each his own)
But a CLEAN potter?? I don't know, sounds FISHY... ;-)
My favorite mess is when glaze somehow splashes into my face,
glasses and hair.....don't ask how I manage to perform this
humiliating feat of clutziness(more than once), but I get this
image of a lawyer or accountant in spotless clothes in an
environment that would never sabotage her this way.....
David Hendley wrote:
> I have been throwing with very little water for a long time. I do not
> own a splash pan. I stay completely clean and dry when working
> on small to medium size pieces, but do send some splatters flying
> when wrestling with 8 pounds or more of clay.
--
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Jennifer Boyer mailto:jboyer@adelphia.net
Thistle Hill Pottery Montpelier VT USA
http://www.thistlehillpottery.com/
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