Craig Dunn Clark on fri 3 oct 03
platters)
Mel, and others.....this is what works for me when "throwin big".
Begin with soft clay, it really saves wear and tear on the body,
especially if the intent is to throw platters (20 inch diameter and beyond.)
Make sure that the clay has a reasonable amount of some type of grit (I
use grog or kyanite) in it. In my attempts to do this in raku I've gone to a
25 to 30% inclusion in my clay body for thermal shock resistance. This will
also help to facilitate more even drying and minimize cracking.
Before putting the first ball of clay to be centered make a series of
concentric rings on your big-ass bat (20, 24, 30 and 36 inches diameter)
with a bulls eye in the middle. This will help to get things toward center.
Once you have beyond 25lbs of mud on the wheel it can toss you around if
it's not close to center. Spend a little extra time so you don't have to
work as hard.
Split the amount of clay that you will need for your piece into
managable chunks (this varies from person to person.) Center the first
chunk, add the next over the top of the centered "beehive" shape that you
have made and continue until you have enough centered clay to make a large
enough, in this case platter.
When throwing work slowly and methodically. Establish a rythm with the
mud. Feel what is going on. Don't force things....let it flow. You will know
when this happens.
I intially open the low mound by making a fist with my right hand and
then pressing in the center of the spinning mass. I place my left hand over
the top of my right to help. This requires a steady downward force. Once
again...don't force it. Just gradually increase the amount of force you are
using until the clay starts to move the way you want it to and then let
things simmer. We're not after the gonzo-macho thing here.
Once it is open in the middle to about the thickness that you want
(check this with a needle tool) it is time to start to open. I've mentioned
this before and will now re-emphasize....work slowly and methodically. Don't
try and force anything. The clay is stronger than we are. There will be a
very low v-shape in the mound with the bottom of the v in center of the
spinning mass. Take the fist of the right hand that was used to "open" with
and place it in the center. Put the left hand over the right. Be aware of
the inherent physical stress that this can and will put on your body, even
you smaller wiry types who are flexible and strong. This will sound a bit
odd but try not to let your back arch froward. Try and keep it as straight
at the base as you are able, use your abdominal muscles for support, use
your legs (brace them if need be), triangulate yourself as much as possible,
work from your center and gradually lean backward. This will pull the
emerging platter form toward you. If things start to get dry just add more
water for lubrication. I use a large saturated sponge in my right hand as
I'm doing this.
After the platter is out to the desired diameter take a moment and
"re-compress" the clay by putting force a the bottom of the spinning mass
toward the center. This will also give you a convenient ledge to pull a nice
fat lip if you so desire. Before throwing the lip take the largest rib that
you have and work the surface of the platter back and forth several times
until you have achieved the surface quality and eveness that you are looking
for. Leave a nice dry surface in the end. Once this is accomplished it is
time to throw the lip.
Keep proportions in mind. A big platter needs something substantial out
on the edge. Pull the lip, keeping it a quater inch or so thick for
strength, vertically up to three or four inches in height. Finish out any
type of detail that you might want it to have BEFORE you lay it over. When I
say "lay it over" I mean the process by which the vertical wall that it our
on the edge of your platter is formed into what we call a lip. Take your
handy dandy rib, I use two of them, one underneath and one on top, and
gradually lay it outward intill you have what you are after.
If you want a nice finish on the out edge of your lip go ahead and use a
shammy do get it done. Nice and eeeeeaaassssyyyy. Don't spin the wheel very
fast. If, the lip falls while doing this all is not lost. Just cut it off
with your needle tool. Do the compression bit again. Pull up another small
wall and lay out another one.
The final stage before careful drying and handling is to wire the
platter off of the bat. This is very important, unless you happen to have
several monster plaster bats that you use. Take the big-ass wire that you
have made from a guitar string or piano wire especially for this occassion.
Take your potters knife and make a quick small groove where the clay meets
the bat. Let the wheel stop. Pick up your wire in both hands. Spread hands
apart so that the edge of the heavy dowel rod that the wire is attached to
are a coupla inches past the edges of the platter. With outstretched arms
reach across to the point farthest away from you at "twelve-o'clock" on the
wheel head. Get the platter spinning very slowly again. Keep a goodly amount
of tension on the wire. Graduall pull the wire across the bat under the
spinning platter toward you. This will break the vacume seal. Leaning back
to to this works well for me. Keeping tension on the wire as you do this is
important. Otherwise the wire will drift upward into the platter as it is
being pulled.
Last and certainly not least is to get the platter off the wheel and set
it to dry slowly for any trimming that you may have in mind. It helps to
have someone help you lift the piece off of the wheel. You will need to
first pry the bat off the cookie which it is affixed to if you are not using
bat pins. Once this is done have your assistant get on the opposite side of
the big-ass bat that your platter is on. Keeping backs STRAIGHT, bend the
knees, lift together and move your creation to a nice safe place for drying.
I cover the piece with a portion of one of those ninety-nine cent plastic
drop clothes. Use some type of plastic. Let It get to a leather hard state
over a few days. Once again....don't rush. A coupla times take a few moments
and run your wire underneath the platter again to keep it from sticking to
the bat again. This also facilitates and more even drying and releaves some
of the stress on the clay that would otherwise develop as shrinkage occurs.
Keep in mind that if the diameter of your big-ass batt is greater than the
diameter of your platter it is a lot easier to run your wire under the
platter subsequent time after the piece has been removed from the wheel
head. Just put the piece on the edge of your favorite work table. Let your
belly com in contact with the edge of the bat that the platter is on.
Tighten your abs up a bit. Reach across the platter with the wire and pull
back toward you. Your stomach keeps the whole thing from slidding.
Once the piece is set up enough it is time to "flip it over" if you so
desire to trim a foot. Everyone does not do this. Many folks just let it set
and go. But,,,,if you are so inclined, take one of the other big-ass bats
that you have laying around for this purpose. Put it ontop of the platter.
Pick up the whole thing with your strongest arm underneath the center of the
bat that the paltter is on and the other hand ontop of the center of the
batt on top. Now.......and this is the FUN part think about what happens
when an object is thrown up into the air. A the top of the arc it is
literally not going up or down. This is what you visualize as you do this
with the pancaked platter in your hands. Give yourself the ole one, two
three count and sort of "toss" (I'm laughing as I write this....but I've
really done it" the whole thing up into the air with enough force so that
when it comes to that moment at the top of it arc you are able to flip the
whole thing over. BooooYaaaah (this is the macho part for those of you who
need one. Especially when using upward or 35 or 40 lbs of mud.)
Place the now inverted platter on your wheel head with a waiting cookie,
center the whole thing up, and trim away. A foot that is. Don't put much
pressure on the inner part of the platter. You will end up with a convex
shape if you do so (this can be remedied by lightly pressing downward after
the piece has been flipped over again.)
I mentioned before that this involves a nice fat lip. The lip is
supporting a good bit of weight. If it isn't strong enough it will fail. The
other thing that can be done to prevent this form happening is to throw the
beginning of your next platter on a batt waiting on the wheel. Keep it nice
and low with a flat top out to about the diameter of the platter you want to
trim. Place some newspaper over the mound of clay and then put the leather
hard piece to be trimmed on top. This works well for me.
Sorry about the length
Tried to be as brief as possible
This just sorta grew as I visualized what works for me
Hope it helps
Will talk about bigger bottles and such tommorrow
Craig Dunn Clark
619 East 11 1/2 st
Houston, Texas 77008
(713)861-2083
mudman@hal-pc.org
----- Original Message -----
From: "John K Dellow"
To:
Sent: Friday, October 03, 2003 3:38 AM
Subject: Re: others help with big throwing
> Mel what you have posted makes sense.
> I was taught to split the lumps into roughly 60%,40%.
> I would get the student to start with the largest lump which is comfit
> ably centered
> by the individual. Then smooth the top ,scrap off the slip with a rib
> and place a
> lump about 75% of the original on top and center that.
> Open up with the left thumb ,bracing that hand with the right. This
> gives a triangle.
> The first upwards movement is best done with the heal of the left hand
> outside
> and the right hand inside.
> Use clay as soft as the student can manage.
> This ease up on the left in a cooling tower type shape will enable quite
> soft clay to stand up.
> At 55 and at 5ft.9in. tall I can still easily center 30Kg to throw a
> planter.
>
>
> mel jacobson wrote:
>
> > many of you have wonderful techniques for
> > large throwing.
> > please send us your ideas.
> > i have it started, but i need
> > help with this one.
> > there are so many good solutions.
> > mel
> > From:
> > Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
> > web site: my.pclink.com/~melpots
> > or try: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
> > new/ http://www.rid-a-tick.com
> >
> >
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> >
> > 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.
> >
>
> --
>
> John Dellow "the flower pot man"
> Home Page http://www.welcome.to/jkdellow
> http://digitalfire.com/education/people/dellow/
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> 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.
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