John Evans on tue 21 oct 03
I've recently been trying to learn throwing up standing. I've had a
problem with the porcelain before, but that was usually from a different
position. The spinning isn't as much of a problem anymore.
Over the years I've heard standing up is better for your back, but my
back has never been a problem during past sessions. Can it help the other
parts of me that don't feel so good?
I've been trying to track down someone to take some close-up digital
photos to share so I can get some feedback on my posture, but everyone seems
unwilling.
For those of you who are old pro's at this, what is your success/failure
rate? How often do you just miss the mark? Any special tools, methods,
lubricants that work better than the old standbys?
Hope you have a great day,
John Evans in sunny San Diego, enjoying a cool one as the kiln fires.
David Beumee on wed 22 oct 03
Over the years I've heard standing up is better for your back, but my
> back has never been a problem during past sessions. Can it help the other
> parts of me that don't feel so good?
I've had alot of success with much less back trouble standing at the
wheel, and I have found I can get alot more leverage for centering when I am
able to get my legs into it by virtue of a standing position. I built a box
around my wheelhead so I have a bellyboard to lean against and a place to set
tools and collect trimmings. I have a slide of the setup if you're interested.
David Beumee
Earth Alchemy Pottery
Lafayette, CO
> I've recently been trying to learn throwing up standing. I've had a
> problem with the porcelain before, but that was usually from a different
> position. The spinning isn't as much of a problem anymore.
> Over the years I've heard standing up is better for your back, but my
> back has never been a problem during past sessions. Can it help the other
> parts of me that don't feel so good?
> I've been trying to track down someone to take some close-up digital
> photos to share so I can get some feedback on my posture, but everyone seems
> unwilling.
> For those of you who are old pro's at this, what is your success/failure
> rate? How often do you just miss the mark? Any special tools, methods,
> lubricants that work better than the old standbys?
>
> Hope you have a great day,
> John Evans in sunny San Diego, enjoying a cool one as the kiln fires.
>
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Alisa Clausen on wed 22 oct 03
Dear John,
I am not an old pro at standing. I began a short while ago. However, the
adjustment is minimal.
In the past 6 months I have had back and hip troubles from too long throwing
sessions. I cut them back and did other stuff in the studio in between the
throwing. Still had problems off and on. I started a stool search and
bought one that I thought was the right one. It was worse for me than the
common stool I had. I started trying any chair or stool I could get in to
the studio and really found that the chair change was not helping me. Then
I had my wheel put up on stilts and sat on a high chair. That seemed to
help, but after a while I could feel my hip and back stressed again. I
realized that I had not changed my posture so much, but just elevated it! I
was trying to sit high, with my legs stretched out more like a kick wheel
position. But I was more or less sitting still with my legs bent at the
knee.
In Ikea a few weeks ago, I bought a very common stool that has a screw under
the seat. It costs 15.00 US compared to the over 200 USD for my
professional potters stool. I have it really high so that when I sit on it,
my legs are stretched out straight to meet the floor.
My wheel head is elevated to about waist level. I stand and throw and when
I rest, I sit on the stool right behind me. As said, I am not sitting, just
resting on it, still with my legs straight. I could also lean against the
wall as some standing potters do, but it is an outside wall and cold.
Otherwise the window sill is at perfect height to park my seat during the
summer!
I thought that if I stood I would have to relearn to throw. Not at all. I
use exactly the same methods, tools, etc. I use softer clay because I do
not use as much upper body strength to center. Which is a real help to my
wrists and back, because I am not using an enormous amount of pressure
downward, which I had a tendency to curve my back into and my wrists do not
get over tired.
I am happy throwing standing up. It has not at all been the challenge I
imagined. It is liberating also that I can just walk away from the wheel or
set things on shelves without pushing away the chair and repositioning it
everytime I approach the wheel again. It may be an overlooked throwing
position that more people may look into to see if it better suits them then
sitting. I have seen photos of production potters in Europe standing at
their wheels, that are built for standing.
Another small adjustment I will make is to put a board that is slightly
tilted forward on top of the stool. It is also good for helping to resist
slumping when I do sit. I thought my posture was pretty good, but I believe
I was not sitting as straight as I believed. Taking photos would be a good
document to see what you are doing.
good luck,
regards from Alisa in Denmark
elca branman on wed 22 oct 03
I can't resist; I always throw up om my knees with my head over the
john..
Elca Branman
http://www.elcabranman.com
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