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big wobble

updated sun 31 aug 97

 

Mel Jacobson on tue 19 aug 97

----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Hi Jo
4 or 8/1000's of an inch is insignificant in pottery throwing, however I
can see how it would make it more difficult for someone who is just l
snip/

while in the back country of india, perhaps the south, i think
madras, i came across a potter. he was throwing 10 pound balls
of clay on a wheel. I asked him to throw some pots for me so
i could watch...he said "ten rupees" so of course i gave
him ten rupees. his wheel was an ox cart wheel with the hub
mounted on a rock. animal fat was slathered on the bearing.
i piece of plywood (square i might add) was nailed to the hub.
he spun the wheel with his hand, it had about a 4 inch wobble.
he moved his legs in rhythm with the wobble and his whole
body rotated to the wobble.....the pots were perfect. tall water
containers. boy was it worth 10 rupees to see that.
have never complained about a little wobble since.

i have heard from potters like hamada, leech, mackenzie.
"the perfectly machined, motorized wheel has taken the
natural human throwing rhythms out clay."

i have seen a lot of pots lately that i would love to give a wobble.
mel/ mn.
http://www.pclink.com/melpots

Grimmer on thu 21 aug 97

Hi,
Back from vacation/moving etc. 1200 messages. Sheesh.
Anyroad, a favorite quote from Ken Ferguson: He was demoing *large* bowls
one time, and someone asked, "Doesn't that wobble bother you?" To which
Ken replied, "I pray for that wobble!" I love it.

steve grimmer
marion illinois
waiting for the gas company man to come turn my pressure up to 2 psi
for the MFT kiln.