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new tools at nceca? microplane

updated sat 3 apr 04

 

Lowell Barron on wed 31 mar 04


Anyone know how/where I can get one of these? It sounds like a handy thing
to have. Thanks, Lowell

From: "Jennifer Boyer"



> I bought one of those suction tools for grabbing pots while glazing. I
> got it at the Chinese tool booth for under 15.00. ...This tool(think
little floppy toilet plunger
> without a long handle) holds onto the pot long enough for me to get the
> pot onto a shelf.....fixed one of those long standing pet peeves.
> Yippeeee
> Jennifer, easily amused

Ellen Currans on wed 31 mar 04


I like Mel's idea of a special ClayArt tool room/demo/display. I'm always
looking for a new tool that will do the job better. Did any of you attending
NCECA find something especially wonderful this year?

In the spirit of sharing, let me suggest that if you use a Surform in your
work, that you will really like the new Microplane made for zesting oranges,
ginger and hard cheese. The Microplane came out a few years back as a long,
stainless, narrow tool for woodworkers with a very fine grating surface. It was
immediately grabbed by cooks who found it worked beautifully for grating hard
foods. This year they came out with a Microplane made just for cooks and it is
the best of the bunch.
It comes in about 4 grating sizes and I like the finest. The surface that
touches the clay(or orange) is about 2 inches wide by 4 1/2 inches long and
slightly rounded on the edges (so it doesn't dig into your rim like a straight,
flat surform would). It is very sharp and it doesn't collect gratings as a
surform sometimes does. The grater is surrounded by a plastic edge and has a 4
1'2 inch rubber handle. These cost about $15 in a good kitchen store.

I use mine to true up the edges of slab plates and the rims of handbuilt
bowls at leatherhard stage, and I imagine it would work very well for gently
changing the contour of sculptures. I bought mine for the kitchen and moved it to
the studio. If you don't like it in the studio you can always use it in the
kitchen - or both, if they are close to each other!

Ellen Currans
Dundee, Oregon, where I have just finished "making" for the Oregon Ceramic
Showcase, and now must settle in and fire pots for the next three weeks. If any
of you are in Portland April 23-25, the Oregon Potters Assoc. invites you to
attend our 22nd Ceramic Showcase at the Convention Center. The event is free,
and we will have around 140 booths, plus a gallery section and a group booth,
in an 80,000 sq. ft room. All pots! On Friday night we are even having a
wheel throwing competition between leading Portland Mayoral candidates! Better
publicity for us than for them, I'm thinking.

Jennifer Boyer on wed 31 mar 04


I bought one of those suction tools for grabbing pots while glazing. I
got it at the Chinese tool booth for under 15.00. It's great! I have
some bowls that are white on the inside and colored glaze outside. I
glaze the inside first , let dry and then dip the outside with the bowl
right side up. But before, I had to dip my hand below the pot to raise
it out of the glaze. This tool(think little floppy toilet plunger
without a long handle) holds onto the pot long enough for me to get the
pot onto a shelf.....fixed one of those long standing pet peeves.
Yippeeee
Jennifer, easily amused

On Mar 31, 2004, at 6:14 PM, Ellen Currans wrote:

> I like Mel's idea of a special ClayArt tool room/demo/display. I'm
> always
> looking for a new tool that will do the job better. Did any of you
> attending
> NCECA find something especially wonderful this year?
>
************************
Jennifer Boyer
Thistle Hill Pottery
Montpelier, VT

http://thistlehillpottery.com

Jennifer Boyer on thu 1 apr 04


Heads up NCECA attendees:
Can someone who spent a lot of time in the suppliers exhibits help me
out with Lowells question? I got this tool from the folks who had a lot
of Asian tools: they had bone, horn and bamboo tools and also brushes.
There were some brushes with one-of-a-kind handles of pretty woods and
they were hanging up on hooks on a vertical display. The display of
brushes was the front area of the display and the tools were on a
separate table around the corner..I'm pretty sure they were on the left
side of an aisle walking away from the front entrance....Was it Chinese
Clayart? If someone confirms my guess I'll post the address. My charge
receipts are of no help....
Jennifer

On Mar 31, 2004, at 11:42 PM, Lowell Barron wrote:

> Anyone know how/where I can get one of these? It sounds like a handy
> thing
> to have. Thanks, Lowell
>
> From: "Jennifer Boyer"
>
>
>
>> I bought one of those suction tools for grabbing pots while glazing. I
>> got it at the Chinese tool booth for under 15.00. ...This tool(think
> little floppy toilet plunger
>> without a long handle) holds onto the pot long enough for me to get
>> the
>> pot onto a shelf.....fixed one of those long standing pet peeves.
>> Yippeeee
>> Jennifer, easily amused
>
> _______________________________________________________________________
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>
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>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.
>
>
************************
Jennifer Boyer
Thistle Hill Pottery
Montpelier, VT

http://thistlehillpottery.com

Elizabeth Hunt on thu 1 apr 04


Jennifer & Lowell,

I wasn't at NCECA, but from Jennifer's description, it definitely sounds
like the Chinese Clay Art Store. They have very unusual, well made, and very
reasonable priced tools. I use several of their bamboo and buffalo horn tool
with great pleasure. Just checked their on-line catalog, though, and didn't
see the glaze suction tool, but they may just not have updated the website
since adding that. Their web addy is
http://chineseclayart.com/mall/c110/s25729/ and their email addy is
chineseclayart@hotmail.com. Phone no. 800-689-CLAY(2529). You could write or
ring them up and describe the tool. But I bet they got it just in time for
NCECA and haven't cataloged it yet. I also have their printed catalog at my
studio. When I get there today I'll look in it too and let you know if I
find it in there. I think the printed version may have a few things not on
the website.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jennifer Boyer"
To:
Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2004 7:16 AM
Subject: Re: New Tools at NCECA? Microplane


> Heads up NCECA attendees:
> Can someone who spent a lot of time in the suppliers exhibits help me
> out with Lowells question? I got this tool from the folks who had a lot
> of Asian tools: they had bone, horn and bamboo tools and also brushes.

karen gringhuis on fri 2 apr 04


Microplane also makes an approx. 12" long blade only
version with no handle $8.95 from Northwest Cutlery on
Lake St. in Chicago. Don't forget to actualy try it
for chees or orange zest in the kitchen. Man does not
live by pots alone.
----------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 18:14:00 EST
From: Ellen Currans
Subject: New Tools at NCECA? Microplane

In the spirit of sharing, let me suggest that if you
use a Surform in your
work, that you will really like the new Microplane
made for zesting oranges,
ginger and hard cheese. The Microplane came out a few
years back as a long,
stainless, narrow tool for woodworkers with a very
fine grating surface. It was
immediately grabbed by cooks who found it worked
beautifully for grating hard
foods. This year they came out with a Microplane made
just for cooks and it is
the best of the bunch.
It comes in about 4 grating sizes and I like the
finest. The surface that
touches the clay(or orange) is about 2 inches wide by
4 1/2 inches long and
slightly rounded on the edges (so it doesn't dig into
your rim like a straight,
flat surform would). It is very sharp and it doesn't
collect gratings as a
surform sometimes does. The grater is surrounded by a
plastic edge and has a 4
1'2 inch rubber handle. These cost about $15 in a
good kitchen store.

I use mine to true up the edges of slab plates and the
rims of handbuilt
bowls at leatherhard stage, and I imagine it would
work very well for gently
changing the contour of sculptures. I bought mine for
the kitchen and moved it to
the studio. If you don't like it in the studio you
can always use it in the
kitchen - or both, if they are close to each other!

Ellen Currans

=====
Karen Gringhuis
KG Pottery
Box 607 Alfred NY 14802

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