Eleanor on tue 3 jul 07
Deborah Thuman wrote:
> How do you stick a soft piece to the wheel without messing up the soft
> piece?
Dear Deb,
You don't.
There's a point in the hardening process when the clay becomes Just
Hard Enough but not too hard. This is of course, a trial and error
thing, but you will find that point.
At the "right" hardness, you could apply pressure to the rim of your
pot and it would move -- a little. At that point you can center and
attach to the wheelhead, using clay which is softish but not so soft
that it will stick to the pot.
Others have advised that one could moisten the wheelhead and "stick"
the pot to the wheel after it's centered. I have never been able to
do that successfully; just a little pressure from the trimming tool
and the pot moves. So I don't do it. At least I can tap center :)
Sharp trimming tools are good. I have a little sharpening stone near
my wheel which keeps my favorite tools sharp.
(I had some of Phil's Bison tools. They were really sharp but they
shattered on the concrete floor of my studio. Maybe I'll get new ones
if I become less clumsy)
Trim in thin strips. On a fairly dry pot thick strips will come off
unevenly; the pot will fight you -- it will resist and it will win.
If the pot has gotten too dry, you can spray the trimming area or
moisten it with a sponge -- not too much. Wait a few seconds and
continue trimming.
OTOH, if the body of the pot is somewhat dryer you can get "chatter":
the tool skips along, removing clay in bits and pieces, giving the
pot a nice texture. Another trial and error thing.
Sometimes, when you remove a pot from the wheel or GG, the rim will
be distorted from the clay wads or the GG pads. For that you need
balls. I have a collection of them: cue balls, hand balls, croquet
balls, children's smooth surface play balls, even a basketball. Put
an appropriate-size ball into the rim of the pot and gently
straighten. Clean up with a damp sponge, if necessary.
The bottom line is trial and error and what you said:
> not letting the pieces get too precious
Eleanor Kohler
Centerport, NY
Chuck Wagoner on wed 4 jul 07
When Mr. Peeler was in Japan making the "Potters of Japan" Film Series =
in
the 60's he told me the answer to many of his questions about technique =
were
something like.
"Not too hard, not too soft, it has to be just right"
"Not too cold, not to hot, it has to be just right"
"Not too thick, not too thin, it has to be just right"
My wife and I are both potters and she trims things that are very dry, I
like to trim when pots are very soft with a really sharp tool, but ether =
way
they have to be "just right"
Chuck in Rockville
"Home of the Peeler Ceramic Art Films"
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=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
> How do you stick a soft piece to the wheel without messing up the soft
> piece?
Dear Deb,
You don't.
There's a point in the hardening process when the clay becomes Just
Hard Enough but not too hard. This is of course, a trial and error
thing, but you will find that point.
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