mel jacobson on wed 2 nov 05
the necea hotel...the `red lion inn` is totally booked.
please do not call them. there are some other
convention street motels that may have some rooms.
i do not have the names and address`.
i know that about 30 of our `spill overs` have booked
the hotel next door.
if there are a batch of cancellations, i will let you know.
hollow forms;
in most cases, proper drying methods, including
setting those `in danger` pots on top of a kiln firing bisque
over night will assure you that the pots will be successful.
we rarely lost a hollow pot when teaching high school..those
all sat on top of kilns to dry. NO tiny HOLES
as i have said before...every load of pots that i bisque spends the
night stacked on a kiln that is firing. water is the enemy, get rid of it
slowly,
but get rid of all of it. in industry they are using giant microwaves just
before
the clay hits the tunnel kiln. no water in the clay...zero.
tall throwing.
i am with michael wendt on this one.
i have seen some really skilled potters throw very large thin
pieces by slowing the wheel, perfect finger pressure and using perfect
clay...slippery and strong. mr. uchida's top thrower, mr. nagata would
throw a perfect sphere..
20 inches in diameter. see that pot in my book. just amazing. it had a one
inch hole at the top. the tool used to finish the inside was amazing.
and it is one of the perfect physics problems solved.
it is always the same story. wheel speed, finger pressure, water
amount, and a perfect rhythm with all of them. and without doubt,
consistent throwing rings with base structure..it comes with years
of experience and the making of thousands of pots. not 50.
when i demo, i usually talk about loose throwing vs. tight throwing.
it is not an art form, it is a rhythm of throwing.
like music. loose is based on speeding the wheel, pulling tight and
lifting with more speed than the pot can manage. whooopps, torque,
deep grooves and a loppy set. is that art? no...just speeding the
process. i bet if i practiced hard for a year...i could throw a pot
that would be worthy of being wood fired. geez, people talk about
loose throwing like it was a religion. gasp, ahhh, oh my. every potter
gets to choose the rhythm they want and need for their work. and that
can vary with every new set of pots thrown.
it is all about pre/set rules by authority figures...loose throwing, never
use gas in a wood fired kiln, suffer when you fire with wood, drink a
great deal of alcohol, minimize other potters that fire with
electricity...you all know the drill.
mel
from mel/minnetonka.mn.usa
website: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
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