Lili Krakowski on mon 1 may 06
Years ago a potter friend got a call from an "institution" where she once
had taught. They were phasing out their pottery program, and wanted to sell
her their kiln. Wanted $500 for a well used electric. Ah, they cried! Keep
in mind how much it costs new!
She was ready to offer them $300. I said: just wait. One of these days,
since they want the space, they will lower their price. They called: $150.
I said to wait. A week later I told her to call and offer to schlep the
kiln away, but if they did not clinch the deal then and there, she would
charge for the pickup. Result: free kiln.
Despite appearance of Schadenfreude and snickering, this is a sad story.
Unless someone just down the street wants that particular piece of equipment
at that time, one takes a beating on equipment. Yes a brand new wheel or
mixer etc will bring a better price. But the 50 year old this, and the 40
year old that...although as good as ever, just will not.
I am looking for an electric wheel. And, yes, some lovely ones have been
mentioned on Clayart and all that--but I CANNOT dash out to Seattle, I
cannot drive to Arkansas....And shipping is a tremendous problem...Just
remember what a hard time Bill Edwards had with his studio close-out.
What goes for equipment goes double, nay, triple for "stuff" Yes, yes, yes,
you save a bundle if you buy Frits and Spars and like that in 50 lbs bags.
Been there. Done that. Brought garbage cans full of materials from NYC
when we moved in 1971. Still have some materials from then. Have bags of
stuff in my little shed....Much also decades old.
If you are not sure you are going to stay put for a few years...DO NOT buy
more material than you can use.
From a current catalog:
Dolomite: 1 lb $.75
10 lb $.50 per pound
$.19 per pound in 50 lbs bag
Wow! Humongous saving! Wow!
But:
One of my glazes uses 29.5% dolomite. Simply put in kilos (very stylized,
that) that is about 300 grams per kilo.--I think the rule of thumb is that 3
k dry material make up a 5 gallon bucket of slop. Mr K tells me 300 gms=
about 20 ounces
So you get two 5 gallon buckets full of slop for under two pounds of
dolomite.
For me two 5 gallon buckets of glaze last a long long time....
Which reminds me that, while indeed it is a wonderful idea to buy materials
in the
50 lbs bag, one better know how long one is going to stay put. One is well
advised to face that large volumes of supplies create a major
storage problem, that they can equal a huge headache if and when
one moves. Some materials may need to go to the special toxic waste dump, I
honestly do not know, but taking stuff even to the regular dump is a pain.
The chance that another potter will pay you for the materials is infinitely
smaller than your having to pay someone to haul the stuff away.
If you do not know yet what glazes you will be using on a regular basis,
if you do not know yet how much time you will spend doing glaze tests just
for their
own sweet sake, if you do not have much of an idea how long you will stay
put,
the economy of volume falters before the economy of common sense.
Lili Krakowski
John Rodgers on mon 1 may 06
Where equipment is concerned, join the real world. Used equipment is
just that ... used equipment.
Our tax system is designed to encourage the purchase of new equipment
when possible. Get a business license, buy new equipment, depreciate it
down to nothing, recover what residual you can when done with it, and be
happy. You have gotten your use of it, haven't had to futz with the
maintenance of use equipment, you have reduced your taxes by the cost
the of the equipment, so you are really not out anything, You may have
to pay a tax on the recovered residual from sale of the equipment. If
you don't want to pay the tax, donate it to a charity, school, or haul
it to the dump.
Works for me,
John Rodgers
Chelsea, AL
Lili Krakowski wrote:
> Years ago a potter friend got a call from an "institution" where she once
> had taught. They were phasing out their pottery program, and wanted
> to sell
> her their kiln. Wanted $500 for a well used electric. Ah, they
> cried! Keep
> in mind how much it costs new!
>
> She was ready to offer them $300. I said: just wait. One of these days,
> since they want the space, they will lower their price. They called:
> $150.
> I said to wait. A week later I told her to call and offer to schlep the
> kiln away, but if they did not clinch the deal then and there, she would
> charge for the pickup. Result: free kiln.
>
> Despite appearance of Schadenfreude and snickering, this is a sad story.
> Unless someone just down the street wants that particular piece of
> equipment
> at that time, one takes a beating on equipment. Yes a brand new
> wheel or
> mixer etc will bring a better price. But the 50 year old this, and
> the 40
> year old that...although as good as ever, just will not.
>
> I am looking for an electric wheel. And, yes, some lovely ones have been
> mentioned on Clayart and all that--but I CANNOT dash out to Seattle, I
> cannot drive to Arkansas....And shipping is a tremendous problem...Just
> remember what a hard time Bill Edwards had with his studio close-out.
>
> What goes for equipment goes double, nay, triple for "stuff" Yes,
> yes, yes,
> you save a bundle if you buy Frits and Spars and like that in 50 lbs
> bags.
> Been there. Done that. Brought garbage cans full of materials from NYC
> when we moved in 1971. Still have some materials from then. Have
> bags of
> stuff in my little shed....Much also decades old.
>
> If you are not sure you are going to stay put for a few years...DO NOT
> buy
> more material than you can use.
>
>> From a current catalog:
>
> Dolomite: 1 lb $.75
> 10 lb $.50 per pound
> $.19 per pound in 50 lbs bag
>
> Wow! Humongous saving! Wow!
>
> But:
>
> One of my glazes uses 29.5% dolomite. Simply put in kilos (very
> stylized,
> that) that is about 300 grams per kilo.--I think the rule of thumb is
> that 3
> k dry material make up a 5 gallon bucket of slop. Mr K tells me 300
> gms=
> about 20 ounces
> So you get two 5 gallon buckets full of slop for under two pounds of
> dolomite.
>
> For me two 5 gallon buckets of glaze last a long long time....
>
> Which reminds me that, while indeed it is a wonderful idea to buy
> materials
> in the
> 50 lbs bag, one better know how long one is going to stay put. One is
> well
> advised to face that large volumes of supplies create a major
> storage problem, that they can equal a huge headache if and when
> one moves. Some materials may need to go to the special toxic waste
> dump, I
> honestly do not know, but taking stuff even to the regular dump is a
> pain.
> The chance that another potter will pay you for the materials is
> infinitely
> smaller than your having to pay someone to haul the stuff away.
>
> If you do not know yet what glazes you will be using on a regular basis,
> if you do not know yet how much time you will spend doing glaze tests
> just
> for their
> own sweet sake, if you do not have much of an idea how long you will stay
> put,
> the economy of volume falters before the economy of common sense.
>
>
>
>
> Lili Krakowski
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
>
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.
>
>
The Chapel of Art on wed 3 may 06
>Mr K tells me 300 gms= about 20 ounces
I think not, Lili! 12 ounces, not 20. Glad you
also have a husband who mumbles! Mine says it is
my poor hearing not his lack of volume or vocal
clarity, but I am not convinced.
Sincerely
Janet Kaiser on a very wet and windy night on the
coast of Wales.
THE CHAPEL OF ART - or - CAPEL CELFYDDYD
8 Marine Crescent : Criccieth : GB-Wales LL52 0EA
Plan visiting The International Potters Path?
Contact: Janet Kaiser
Tel: ++44 (01766) 523122
http://www.the-coa.org.uk
--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.385 / Virus Database: 268.5.1/327 - Release Date: 28/04/2006
| |
|
