Runyan,Jacob on mon 11 aug 03
Ok, so the girlfriend and I have moved in to her parents
house for a month. I needed to get out, so I finally built
my potters wheel. It seems to work pretty good, minus a
couple things. I have to adjust the speed with my big toe,
as I haven't yet constructed a pedal...I just turn the
rheostat with my toe. It's nto that big of a
deal...motivation to build a pedal may take a while.
The other one is what I am having trouble with...hopefully
you can help. I can throw nice pots (for my skill level
:)...but nearly always kill them when I go to remove them
from the wheel. As of now, I try to dry the surface of the
clay some with a propane torch, then I run my wire and lift
off... They always bend all funny.
I am using a couple pieces of sheet metal that I have
constructed to "slide" under the pot to lift off...they
seem to deform the pot some also.
Is there any easier way that I am missing, or is it best to
just make bats?
Also...although I never said it earlier...thank you for all
the help with your posts about wheel speed control.
-Jacob
Milla Miller on mon 11 aug 03
I wonder why you might not consider using a bat to throw upon?
They come in many types and can be made of a number of materials from
masonnite, plywood, preddedboard with masonite[salvaged cutouts from kitchen
countertops to cast plaster.Each has their followers and distractors and the wood
based ones should be sealed to keep them from absorbing water and getting
deformed.
A bat pin registration system also works best to quickly reposition them and
replace a used one with the next one to progress smoothly.There are some newer
systems that have a stationary affixed bat with a square hole that takes
removable small square bats that has its use and the Pure and Simple system of
plaster bats is another commercial solution as are the old Randall type recessed
heads that receive cast bats designed for the head.
Many ways have beeen devised to remove the wet piece directly from the head
including chop sticks and the fingers at the base positioned very low
opposite each other and these take some practice to master.Always learn whether to
stop the wheel from turning or whether to take them off while it continues to
turn for whatever method you adopt as that can make a difference.
Good luck with your learning and potting.
Margaret
In a message dated 8/11/2003 9:00:08 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
jrunyan@CHARTERMI.NET writes:
> I can throw nice pots (for my skill level
> :)...but nearly always kill them when I go to remove them
> from the wheel.
Milla Miller on mon 11 aug 03
oops, I failed to discuss using pot lifters.
I use them on opposite sides of the pot and have the wheel stopped, i use a
tool to make a little indent at the base of the clay at the wheel and use the
cuttoff wire or fishing line pulled very taught to cut off.Then I wet the
lifters and make sure to use a size matched to the piece I hope to remove.I keep
then real flat and level on the head as I ease them together.
I make a physical touch of one lifter to the other and carefully lift them in
syncn to a close board careful to hold them steady and no tlet the lifter
base go from level.The shorter a distance from the wheel to the board or
whatever surface they are transported onto the better.It will take patience, a steady
hand and eye on the level as well as a bit of practice.
The amount of clay you leave on the base could affect how inclined the piece
is to ''fold'' too easily.Practice will give you a good clue for your
particular pieces.
Sometimes it helps in the early learning curve to slice the wet pots, in
half, to see the thickness profile to aid your visualization on the amount of
clay you allow for the bases, whether youplan to trim heavily or not at all.
Best wishes and good luck,
Margaret
In a message dated 8/11/2003 9:00:08 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
jrunyan@CHARTERMI.NET writes:
> I can throw nice pots (for my skill level
> :)...but nearly always kill them when I go to remove them
> from the wheel.
Earl Brunner on mon 11 aug 03
Some shapes lend themselves to moving in this manner better than others.
Also how wet the pot is can be a factor, if you are still taking too
long or using to much water to make the pot it is going to be really
"floppy" when you try to move it.
I've heard of people putting newspaper or dry cleaning bag plastic over
the rim of the pot before moving it. This tends to help stabilize the
rim and reduces distortions when moving.
Also if you put some water on the wheel head on the side that you start
your wire on for cutting the pot off of the wheel, you will pull some of
the water under the pot along with the wire. You might need to run the
wire under a couple of times. The pot will then slide on the cushion of
water and you can slide it onto a bat or board next to the wheel. (The
bat or board will need to be wet as well.
Sometimes when you pick up the pot it will distort, but fix the
distortion by applying pressure at the bottom of the pot (in the
opposite direction) instead of trying to fix the distortion up on the
side of the pot.
Looking down on the pot from the top visualize a clock face, if you
slide your sheets of metal under at 3 and 9 o'clock and it distorts,
apply pressure at the bottom at 12 and 6 to correct the distortion.
-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of
Runyan,Jacob
Sent: Monday, August 11, 2003 4:46 AM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: throwing help
I can throw nice pots (for my skill level
:)...but nearly always kill them when I go to remove them
from the wheel. As of now, I try to dry the surface of the
clay some with a propane torch, then I run my wire and lift
off... They always bend all funny.
I am using a couple pieces of sheet metal that I have
constructed to "slide" under the pot to lift off...they
seem to deform the pot some also.
Is there any easier way that I am missing, or is it best to
just make bats?
Also...although I never said it earlier...thank you for all
the help with your posts about wheel speed control.
-Jacob
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Hollis Engley on mon 11 aug 03
"The other one is what I am having trouble with...hopefully you can help. I
can throw nice pots (for my skill level :)...but nearly always kill them
when I go to remove them from the wheel"
Jacob: I'm with Margaret on this one. Throw your pots on bats. It took me a
long time as a beginner to realize that allowing pots to stiffen up on a bat
meant greatly reduced chances of deformation when you finally remove them.
Some pots -small bowls, for example - can be reasonably safely cut off wet
and placed on a wareboard to dry enough for trimming. You can get your
fingers under them and with some practice safely transport them to the
wareboard next to you.
But larger bowls, cylinders of all kinds and expecially plates or other
flatter forms definitely require time on a bat to dry to a manageable state.
I've never seen anyone but a beginner use pot lifters (that's not a slam at
beginners; we all start there), and when I taught in a community program in
Virginia I discouraged their use. They encourage the bad habit of expecting
instant gratification and they most often just help screw up the pot they're
being used on. I hate them. Be patient, let the pots stiffen up and then cut
them off the bat.
I use store-bought Masonite and a few thicker pressboard bats. Dan Finnegan,
my friend and teacher, cut his own small hexagonal bats from 5/8-inch
finish-grade plywood. Didn't cost much that way.
Good luck.
Hollis Engley
Hatchville Pottery
Falmouth, Mass.
hengley@cape.com
Kathi LeSueur on mon 11 aug 03
>
>In a message dated 8/11/2003 9:00:08 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
>jrunyan@CHARTERMI.NET writes:
>
>I can throw nice pots (for my skill level
>:)...but nearly always kill them when I go to remove them
>from the wheel.>>
>
>Make yourself a bat system. Buy a couple plastic bats and a sheet of 1/4" tempered masonite. Cut various size squares out of the middle of the plastic bats and a small triangluar notch on the side of the square. Cut the masonite into squares to fit the hole you've cut out of the plastic. When you throw a pot, cut it off as usual but don't remove it. Instead, use a screwdriver to remove the square bat with the pot on it. Then just pop the next square bat in and make another pot. To extend the life of the bats coat them with polyurethane. I made most of mine in 1979 and I'm still using them.
>
>Kathi LeSueur
>
>
>
>
>
>
Geoffrey Gaskell on tue 12 aug 03
Jacob Runyan wrote:
>I am using a couple pieces of sheet metal that I have
>constructed to "slide" under the pot to lift off...they
>seem to deform the pot some also.
>
>Is there any easier way that I am missing, or is it best to
>just make bats?
In my own fairly limited experience, I have found the use of bats the
simplest way to solve this problem. It is possible to make miniatures
directly on the wheel (which is what I do) because their small surface area
is not subject to the warping of cup sized and larger objects. William of
Occam's Razor is a very useful tool to keep in mind.
Geoffrey Gaskell
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