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speed confusion/wheel

updated fri 7 nov 03

 

mel jacobson on wed 5 nov 03


almost universally, because of electric power wheels,
folks get very confused as to what is `fast`.

all of the contemporary electric wheels are set at the
factory for very high speed. far more that is conformable
to throw with. it is up to the potter to tone down that
speed. most have a speed controller in the foot pedal.


when many people where learning to throw in the
fifties, kick wheels were common. treadle, kick, randalls,
leach, klockstiens etc.

the instructors would tell folks to `wind them up` for centering.
and that was good advice. you had to get up a head of steam
to center a ten pound ball. that is no longer true.
but, like so many urban legends, it remains a hard and fast
`rule`.

what is high speed on a kick wheel is almost slow on a brent
cxc. wheels today have the speed and torque to throw
100 lbs of clay easily. but, even throwing 50lbs. does not
require 150 rpm's. it gets in the way. the slightest movement
of the body will kick the clay `out of center`.

it takes discipline to slow the wheel down. get a perfect rhythm
of speed, squeeze and pull. most potters just learn it, but some
get it in their heads that fast wheel speed means that you can
throw the pot in less time. not true. there is a maximum speed
for your rhythm and hardness or softness of the clay.

the larger one throws, the slower the wheel must spin.
the forces outward increase dramatically at high speed.
it must be controlled.

so much of throwing is based on physics. potters by nature
can figure out the problems. but, speed for some reason has
been a thorn in the side of young/beginners. slow down,
work for precision, then understand that style and rhythm
become your own signature. speed, pull, squeeze, soft
clay, hard clay are yours to control. loose and tight throwing
is just changing rhythm. it is not about some abstract/art/design
problem. it is about simple changes in physics.

it is like the wood firing potters that insist that their aesthetic
of brown pots, loppy in design are the only things that have value
from a wood fired kiln. it seems to me that ming dynasty pots
were fired in wood burning kilns. they are not brown and loppy.
it is choice, then everyone has to make the same pots.
funny choice. it is like teenie bobbers, wearing the same clothes.
derivative design. the modern way.
mel
we all copy, just don't have all of us copying the same pots.
that is boredom.
(someone wrote me and complained that i made old time
glazes, and old time teapots.)
hooooray for me. i just did not want to join their club.
i have my own.
they were confused however, mine actually are for making
tea, and that is a very strange concept for them.


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

Lee Love on wed 5 nov 03


----- Original Message -----
From: "mel jacobson"

> the instructors would tell folks to `wind them up` for centering.
> and that was good advice. you had to get up a head of steam
> to center a ten pound ball. that is no longer true.
> but, like so many urban legends, it remains a hard and fast

With low momentum kick wheels, like the korean kickwheel, you really
can't get up a head of steam. Actually, you pull with a bare foot, you
don't kick. It is more like treading, because the wheel really only
moves under power while your foot is in contact. Soft clay is essential
on these types of wheels. Nobody told me this when I first arrived at the
workshop, and I was given hard clay to start with (Sensei's clay has iron
added. When you begin as a deshi, you use the light colored Nami clay.
Work made from this clay is not stamped when it is finished. It is kiln
work and not the Sensei's work.) I didn't figure the problem out until
the new young woman deshi started about a month later. While I was not
told the clay was too hard, the Forman told her right away. This teaching
style is not well liked by most Westerners. ;^)

--
Lee In Mashiko, Japan
http://Mashiko.org
Web Log (click on recent date):
http://www.livejournal.com/users/togeika/calendar

Chris Clyburn on thu 6 nov 03


>it is like the wood firing potters that insist that their aesthetic
>of brown pots, loppy in design are the only things that have value
>from a wood fired kiln. it seems to me that ming dynasty pots
>were fired in wood burning kilns. they are not brown and loppy.
>it is choice, then everyone has to make the same pots.
>funny choice.



What is "loppy" exactly? I got an image of pots with big floppy bunny ears
when I read this :-)



>we all copy, just don't have all of us copying the same pots.
>that is boredom.


My wife has a great quote she uses whenever I have her edit my papers (she's
an English Major)..."Stealing ideas from one source is plagiarism, stealing
ideas from many....that's called research" :-)


Chris Clyburn