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plaster bats that attach to any flat wheel head with bat pins..and

updated sun 17 apr 05

 

Angela Davis on fri 1 apr 05

Angela's cheapo system

I saw Lester's bat system in action in Baltimore and it looks
like a great innovation, plaster bats are much nicer to work
with.

However;

I have made my own plaster bats for a year now also and
have a system that is for the "hands on " potter , one of which I am.
If I can build or make it myself I am much happier than with an off the
shelf
product.
I use found pans to pour my plaster into, stove burner covers, round plastic
trays, pie plates etc. To make release easier I wipe WD 40 or vegetable oil
in a thin
coat over the inside before pouring. I keep these around when I am pouring
molds and use
the extra plaster to pour a few bats.

No bat pins are needed because I use my NCECA bought "Bat Grabber" or
one of the ones I have cut out myself from heavy perforated foam
shelf/drawer liner.
(Comes in rolls at Big Lots for $3, we call these doilies at school because
of the lacy look) just dampen it before placing it between your bat and the
wheel. These really hold the plaster bat firmly.
I have thrown on hump bats 14 inches wide and 3 inches thick in the center
and never had one slip around. When using a bat larger than the distance
between
the pins I first place a bat on the wheelhead to level the surface and then
put down the grabber.

The beauty of this system is that your bats can be much smaller to conserve
shelf space,
I haven't done so but you could even make small square ones.
Another thing I want to try is using the grabber system to throw on bought
or thrown bisque tiles.
Just had a new thought, I could throw some clay bats on a plaster bat that
I have
carved ( my name or a design), this will leave a raised area in negative on
the clay bat
which will be transfered to the underside of my pot.............. which will
be trimmed away if not carefully
thrown. :-(
So, it won't work for my footed bowls or for Don Reitz' style of throwing
bowls upside down
I've been wanting to try . Could work great for mugs!


Angela Davis

In sunny Homosassa with spring fever.






----- Original Message -----
From:
To:
Sent: Friday, April 01, 2005 8:26 AM
Subject: Plaster Bats that Attach to Any Flat Wheel Head with Bat Pins

> want to make their own plaster bats. The big advantage of the PlasterBat
> Mold
> is that the PlasterBats can be mounted to your wheel with Bat Pins. Also,
> they
> are made with No 1 Pottery Plaster for optimum strength and absorption.
> The
> bats are 12.5" in diameter and 7/8" thick.
>
>>
>
> Best Regards,
>
> Sam Lester
>

Al Strauss on sat 16 apr 05

Angela's cheapo system

Hi,

I also bought a bat grabber at NCECA. It doesn't work well for me at all. It
sticks to the plaster bat very well but less so to the wheelhead. When I
exert any force (centering a two lb. ball) The bat twists the bat grabber
material. Since the bat pins go through, it stretches the material causing
big wrinkles and moves the bat seriously off center. Quite dangerous to my
mind. Has anyone had more success? can they perhaps ghive me some tips?
Thanx
Al Strauss
PS - I know -- go back to the clay under the bat approach - but I'm a sucker
for new gadgets.

Angela Davis on sat 16 apr 05

Angela's cheapo system

Hi Al,
I have never used my grabber quite like that.
If I understand you correctly you have the gragger on the wheel head
and then a plaster bat without bat pin holes sitting on the grabber. The
grabber isn't
holding onto the metal wheel head as well as it is holding the plaster so it
is slipping
against it.
When I use a grabber in this situation I have a bat on the wheel head to
create a
fully level seuface with no pins sticking up. I then just lay on the
grabber (or homemade one from
shelf liner) which has been dampened and then the plaster bat.
My bats are cut from a sheet of hardi backer board and are really absorbent
so they hold
everything in position well. I have never tried this with plastic bats
myself but have seen others do it.
When I use a hump mold I usually roll out the slab and finish on the wheel
and add
a thrown footring. I haven't had any slipping.
The grabber is also good if you have bats that slip around because of worn
holes, it really
holds them in place.

Keep trying and have fun

Angela Davis

----- Original Message -----
From: "Al Strauss"
To:
Sent: Saturday, April 16, 2005 12:06 PM
Subject: Re: Plaster Bats that Attach to Any Flat Wheel Head with Bat
Pins..and Angela's cheapo system


> Hi,
>
> I also bought a bat grabber at NCECA. It doesn't work well for me at all.
> It
> sticks to the plaster bat very well but less so to the wheelhead. When I
> exert any force (centering a two lb. ball) The bat twists the bat grabber
> material. Since the bat pins go through, it stretches the material causing
> big wrinkles and moves the bat seriously off center. Quite dangerous to my
> mind. Has anyone had more success? can they perhaps ghive me some tips?
> Thanx
> Al Strauss
> PS - I know -- go back to the clay under the bat approach - but I'm a
> sucker
> for new gadgets.
>