Rick on sun 29 apr 07
Hi all, I was just reading much great advise on centering in the past posts.
Well, here is my added...
Rick
I'll assume that most use 'bats' of some sort usually attached to the wheel
with two pegs. Often these bats develope holes for the pegs that are too
large. So, #1 is make sure your bat is secure with NO movement or shift as
you center or you will just be 'spinning your wheels' ...pun intended...
Next, you must learn to wedge your clay to perfection. Many put up with air
bubbles or other inconsistencies in the clay and you are thereby just
waisting your time or forcing through a less than perfect form and fooling
with other ways to overcome the problem that is there in the compromised
clay.
Now you are ready (hopefully the clay is not to stiff or too soft). Put the
clay in the center and with a very very slow rotation pat it into as near
center as you can (it just saves energy... sure you can put a square block
of clay on the wheel and force it to center... but why would you when you
can pat it to near center with so little work?).
Now you are ready ... lots of water and "'BE' THE MACHINE" ...lol... I
shouldn't laugh, but, well, really, the way to success in centering is in
grounding yourself to the machine. That is, imagine that you were made of
steel and were actually attached to the machine and that the clay COULD NOT
MOVE YOU.... okay, keep that in mind and now take a deep breath and tense
every muscle in your body and slowly exhale as you totally intend your hands
down in as close to total rigidity as you can muster and will yourself to BE
THE MACHINE ... that is, attached as if you were steel so that the clay had
no chance of moving you. Now you can center anything and carry this through
the whole throwing process and remember. THROWING IS CENTERING ... it is
nothing else!
http://www.prismagems.com/pottery
Lynn Goodman Porcelain Pottery on sun 29 apr 07
On Apr 29, 2007, at 6:57 PM, Rick wrote:
>
> Now you are ready (hopefully the clay is not to stiff or too soft).
> Put the
> clay in the center and with a very very slow rotation pat it into
> as near
> center as you can (it just saves energy... sure you can put a
> square block
> of clay on the wheel and force it to center... but why would you
> when you
> can pat it to near center with so little work?).
When I was just learning to throw and was trying to center, my mom
had a brilliant idea: There is money to be made selling "pre-centered
clay" on bats. I tried to explain all the various ways that this
wouldn't work, but she wasn't having it--maybe there's a way, and
she's smarter than me!
Lynn
Lynn Goodman
Fine Porcelain Pottery
Cell 347-526-9805
www.lynngoodmanporcelain.com
Rick on sun 29 apr 07
Well lynn... I've been working on a wedging machine for years.... but... so
far... no such machine have I feveloped...
Rick
> From: Lynn Goodman Porcelain Pottery
> Reply-To: Clayart
> Date: Sun, 29 Apr 2007 21:21:51 -0400
> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Subject: Re: Centering the clay on the wheel
>
> On Apr 29, 2007, at 6:57 PM, Rick wrote:
>
>>
>> Now you are ready (hopefully the clay is not to stiff or too soft).
>> Put the
>> clay in the center and with a very very slow rotation pat it into
>> as near
>> center as you can (it just saves energy... sure you can put a
>> square block
>> of clay on the wheel and force it to center... but why would you
>> when you
>> can pat it to near center with so little work?).
>
> When I was just learning to throw and was trying to center, my mom
> had a brilliant idea: There is money to be made selling "pre-centered
> clay" on bats. I tried to explain all the various ways that this
> wouldn't work, but she wasn't having it--maybe there's a way, and
> she's smarter than me!
>
> Lynn
>
>
> Lynn Goodman
> Fine Porcelain Pottery
> Cell 347-526-9805
> www.lynngoodmanporcelain.com
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> 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.
>
>
Jim Willett on mon 30 apr 07
Hello all.
Regarding centering, we've recently posted part of our dvd on youtube and
google videos. Here is a link to youtube..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lnPOOfIJeM
We are enjoying our new location in Edmonton. Stop in and see us at 12214
Jasper Ave NW.
Jim and Cindy
Out of the Fire Studio
http://www.outofthefirestudio.com
http://www.howtomakepottery.com
Lois Ruben Aronow on mon 30 apr 07
I'm sure a few people will suggest a de-airing pug mill for wedging, which
is certainly an envious, if expensive choice.
Axner does make a "centering arm", but I prefer the two that are attached to
my body.
...Lo
No fan of enabling gizmos.
**********
Lois Aronow Ceramics
Brooklyn, NY
www.loisaronow.com
www.craftsofthedamned.blogspot.com
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of Rick
> Sent: Sunday, April 29, 2007 10:34 PM
> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Subject: Re: Centering the clay on the wheel
>
> Well lynn... I've been working on a wedging machine for
> years.... but... so far... no such machine have I feveloped...
>
> Rick
>
> > From: Lynn Goodman Porcelain Pottery
> > Reply-To: Clayart
> > Date: Sun, 29 Apr 2007 21:21:51 -0400
> > To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> > Subject: Re: Centering the clay on the wheel
> >
> > On Apr 29, 2007, at 6:57 PM, Rick wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> Now you are ready (hopefully the clay is not to stiff or too soft).
> >> Put the
> >> clay in the center and with a very very slow rotation pat
> it into as
> >> near center as you can (it just saves energy... sure you can put a
> >> square block of clay on the wheel and force it to
> center... but why
> >> would you when you can pat it to near center with so little work?).
> >
> > When I was just learning to throw and was trying to center,
> my mom had
> > a brilliant idea: There is money to be made selling "pre-centered
> > clay" on bats. I tried to explain all the various ways that this
> > wouldn't work, but she wasn't having it--maybe there's a way, and
> > she's smarter than me!
> >
> > Lynn
> >
> >
> > Lynn Goodman
> > Fine Porcelain Pottery
> > Cell 347-526-9805
> > www.lynngoodmanporcelain.com
> >
> >
> ______________________________________________________________________
> > ________ 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.
> >
> >
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> ________________
> 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.
Donna Kat on mon 30 apr 07
On Sun, 29 Apr 2007 12:57:39 -1000, Rick wrote:
>Hi all, I was just reading much great advise on centering in the past
posts.
>Well, here is my added...
>Rick
>
>
>I'll assume that most use 'bats' of some sort usually attached to the
wheel
>with two pegs. Often these bats develope holes for the pegs that are too
>large. So, #1 is make sure your bat is secure with NO movement or shift as
>you center or you will just be 'spinning your wheels' ...pun intended...
>Next, you must learn to wedge your clay to perfection. Many put up with
air
>bubbles or other inconsistencies in the clay and you are thereby just
>waisting your time or forcing through a less than perfect form and fooling
>with other ways to overcome the problem that is there in the compromised
>clay.
>
>Now you are ready (hopefully the clay is not to stiff or too soft). Put
the
>clay in the center and with a very very slow rotation pat it into as near
>center as you can (it just saves energy... sure you can put a square block
>of clay on the wheel and force it to center... but why would you when you
>can pat it to near center with so little work?).
>
>Now you are ready ... lots of water and "'BE' THE MACHINE" ...lol... I
>shouldn't laugh, but, well, really, the way to success in centering is in
>grounding yourself to the machine. That is, imagine that you were made of
>steel and were actually attached to the machine and that the clay COULD
NOT
>MOVE YOU.... okay, keep that in mind and now take a deep breath and tense
>every muscle in your body and slowly exhale as you totally intend your
hands
>down in as close to total rigidity as you can muster and will yourself to
BE
>THE MACHINE ... that is, attached as if you were steel so that the clay
had
>no chance of moving you. Now you can center anything and carry this
through
>the whole throwing process and remember. THROWING IS CENTERING ... it is
>nothing else!
>http://www.prismagems.com/pottery
The only think I would add to this is how critical it is that after you
have put all this force into centering, you must release this force very
slowly so that before you take your hands away from the clay you can just
barely feel the clay. It is a soft caress. If you don't do this than all
of your work is for naught because you have just knocked your piece off
center as you let go of the clay.
Donna
Bonnie Staffel on tue 1 may 07
Hi Lois,
I started out as a purist myself, but now that I am 85, I want every =
gizmo I
can use to help me keep making pots. I hope that it happens to you =
!!!!!
Long Live Potters.
Bonnie Staffel
http://webpages.charter.net/bstaffel/
http://vasefinder.com/bstaffelgallery1.html
DVD Throwing with Coils and Slabs
DVD Introduction to Wheel Work
Charter Member Potters Council
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