Lili Krakowski on mon 20 sep 04
HOLES. As each clay body shrinks in its own way, and the % figures in =
the catalogs are a bit "loose", the only way I know is to make sample =
pieces with several holes, fire the piece and then test the final =
insert.
Ok. Make a piece by the method you make the final product. Using old =
drill bits, make a series of holes, mark with the size or number of the =
bit used. Fire to glaze temp. Now check screw you wish to insert, and =
use the drill bit that was used to make that fitting hole to make the =
holes in your pots from now on. While the screw you wish to insert =
may be thinner than the 1/4" bit you used on the raw clay, after the =
clay is fired the screw may FIT BEST IN THE 3/8 inch hole. =20
As to the joints: You might consider making a few pieces and testing by =
making holes at different stages of dryness. My guess is that you wait =
too long, the clay is too dry to adapt .
WARPAGE: No idea how you make your plates, not really. But warpage =
generally shows up in the glaze firing. Unless it was SO bad to begin =
with you should've caught it. Warpage is caused by a bunch of factors. =
Abuse and too quick drying being the principal ones, I think. A draft =
you cannot feel still can affect the pots drying on the shelves. Handle =
you pots as though they were babies with colic who just, finally, have =
gone to sleep at 3:00 AM. Yes. THAT gently. Cover them well in =
plastic and let dry in a cool place. Or build a damp box out of =
styrofoam connected with duct tape--make a cloche, set on a piece of =
styrofoam, and dry slowly. In my opinion a week of drying after =
trimmingis not too long.
As to wedging up "bad" plates. You certainly can do that, as long as =
you wedge the whole lump of clay to absolute evenness. If some of the =
clay is drier than the rest--i.e. the rejected half-dry plate is not =
fully integrated into the clay lump--you virtually can COUNT on warpage. =
=20
OK. $200 sweater, mohair, cashmere, wool. Says wash by hand in cold =
water. You wash the sweater in cold water, but for some reason wash a =
sleeve in hot-as-you-can-stand water. Look, Ma, the sleeve shrank. =
Same idea. You are doing one thing to one part of your clay, something =
else to another. Your fresh clay has X water in it, the half dry =
reclaimed plates only Y. Tension! Warpage!
Lili
Lili
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