Mary/Adams on fri 12 aug 05
I have finally gotten the hang of throwing plates; but, for the life of me,
no matter how much clay I start with, I cannot end up with more than 8
inches diameter mound and 9.5 inch diameter plate. What am I doing wrong.
Maybe my hands are just not going to be strong enough to work with large
mounds. I have some sore finger joints and wrists and try to exercise them
and not overdo it.
Do any of you have any advice? Maybe, get one good one and make a mold?
I've thought of that. But, can't seem to get one good large dinner plate.
m
Steve Slatin on fri 12 aug 05
Mary --
When you center your clay, with each coning allow the
base to go out a little wider. When you leave the
clay in a compact mound at the center you have to
throw it too far -- it can rip in your hands as you
approach plate size/shape, or you can find that you
just can't get it out as far as you want. So start
close to what you want to end up with.
Then, flatten it really well on top. If you're making
a small round-bottomed cup, the top shape isn't too
important (opening the clay will alter it anyway).
With plates, it helps to be very flat.
When it's almost perfectly flat on top, do your
opening -- but gently, with several small motions and
using the side of your hand or palm, creating a very
shallow concave shape. With each of these gestures,
pull out towards the rim. Your rim will
correspondingly expand outwards. (Again, contrast
with a cup or cylinder -- you're not going for height,
so a deep 'well' isn't desirable, keep your thumbs or
index finger to yourself here!)
Now that you have a thick pancake of clay, with a
concave shape, throw with sweeping motions (to keep
the center a bit lower than the rim). That big, thick
rim you're left with can take a few throws of thumb
against index finger, and you've got a beautiful plate
of any size desired.
-- Steve S
--- Mary/Adams wrote:
> I have finally gotten the hang of throwing plates;
> but, for the life of me,
> no matter how much clay I start with, I cannot end
> up with more than 8
> inches diameter mound and 9.5 inch diameter plate.
> What am I doing wrong.
> Maybe my hands are just not going to be strong
> enough to work with large
> mounds. I have some sore finger joints and wrists
> and try to exercise them
> and not overdo it.
>
> Do any of you have any advice? Maybe, get one good
> one and make a mold?
> I've thought of that. But, can't seem to get one
> good large dinner plate.
Steve Slatin --
Drove downtown in the rain
9:30 on a Tuesday night
Just to check out the
Late night record shop
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Michael Wendt on fri 12 aug 05
Mary,
I developed a technique which I call rod and restand that might serve your
needs.
The rod can be a large, hardwood rolling pin or a piece of pipe like I use.
The lump is roughly flattened 1/2" short of the desired diameter and the rod
is used to finish the flattening and widening.
Next a stick is used to restand the wall to the desired height and last, the
lip is shaped normally just as if you had thrown it in the usual way.
The main advantages of the rod restand method are that the plates are
uniform in thickness across the face and can be made easily even if the lump
of clay is not perfectly centered. All unevenness winds up at the edge where
it can be pin tooled away prior to restanding.
Since the rod uses two arms to hold it, almost everyone I have taught this
to can do it.
See a video clip on my web site: http://www.wendtpottery.com/workshop.htm
The steps are shown and a 15 second restand clip shows the main idea.
Regards,
Michael Wendt
Wendt Pottery
2729 Clearwater Ave
Lewiston, Idaho 83501
USA
wendtpot@lewiston.com
www.wendtpottery.com
Mary wrote:
I have finally gotten the hang of throwing plates; but, for the life of me,
no matter how much clay I start with, I cannot end up with more than 8
inches diameter mound and 9.5 inch diameter plate. What am I doing wrong.
Maybe my hands are just not going to be strong enough to work with large
mounds. I have some sore finger joints and wrists and try to exercise them
and not overdo it.
Do any of you have any advice? Maybe, get one good one and make a mold?
I've thought of that. But, can't seem to get one good large dinner plate.
m
Paul Herman on fri 12 aug 05
Mary,
Try using soft clay, it's much easier. Plates, sitting flat on the bat,
don't need to be made from stiff clay as they don't have to stand up.
Best,
Paul Herman
Great Basin Pottery
Doyle, California US
http://www.greatbasinpottery.com/
----------
>From: Mary/Adams
>To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
>Subject: NEW NEWBIE QUESTIONS -- throwing plates--wow, how???
>Date: Fri, Aug 12, 2005, 8:37 AM
>
> I have finally gotten the hang of throwing plates; but, for the life of me,
> no matter how much clay I start with, I cannot end up with more than 8
> inches diameter mound and 9.5 inch diameter plate. What am I doing wrong.
> Maybe my hands are just not going to be strong enough to work with large
> mounds. I have some sore finger joints and wrists and try to exercise them
> and not overdo it.
>
> Do any of you have any advice? Maybe, get one good one and make a mold?
> I've thought of that. But, can't seem to get one good large dinner plate.
>
> m
Jennifer Boyer on fri 12 aug 05
Try to flatten and spread out the pancake so it is only an inch or so
smaller than the size of the finished plate. I sort of lean on my hands
with my body when I do this kind of flattening for a plate or platter.
Then when you start the "opening" process you are displacing quite a
small amount of clay as you pull out towards the rim. The final rim is
made from this clay that you pulled from the middle. Clear as mud? Hope
not.... ;-)
Jennifer
>
> Then, flatten it really well on top. If you're making
> a small round-bottomed cup, the top shape isn't too
> important (opening the clay will alter it anyway).
> With plates, it helps to be very flat.
>
> When it's almost perfectly flat on top, do your
> opening -- but gently, with several small motions and
> using the side of your hand or palm, creating a very
> shallow concave shape. ************************
Jennifer Boyer
Thistle Hill Pottery
Montpelier, VT
http://thistlehillpottery.com
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