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part-timers, trimming, and timing

updated sun 23 nov 97

 

Liz Dodge on fri 21 nov 97

I use several of those very large storage plastic storage bins you can buy at
hardware stores for damp boxes. I just set the bats in the boxes (for real
soft pieces) or boards (for leather hard pieces) and put the lid on it. If I
can't get to trimming/finishing a piece, every few days I open the box and
squirt the inside with a mister to keep everything damp. When I see an
opening in my schedule, I take the lid off for an appropriate amount of time
to get the piece to the point where I can work with it. I totally
sympathize, this is a terrible hobby for people with intense and erratic
schedules, but there are worse addictions.

Liz Dodge in Berkeley, CA where the 97/98 rainy season has begun (cool, wet,
lovely)

In a message dated 11/20/97 9:47:13 PM, you wrote:

<find,
is one of the hardest skills to develop and do really well. I make a line
of
very assymetrical pots which required a great deal of special trimming. I
found the Grip very useful for very tall thin forms. For more vessel
shaped forms, trimming on a bat with thick foam worked just as well.
Or, just doing the trimming by hand on a banding wheel.

What I find to be the crucial element in trimming for part-timers is the
condition of the clay. It's sometimes very difficult to get back to a pot at
just the right time to trim it easily. I still haven't solved that problem,
especially when it's difficult to control the atmosphere in the room in
which you keep your stuff. I have thought of making a series of boxes
out of styrofoam or insulation foam to accommodate different groups of
items, but it seems like such a pain to do this when I have so little time to
work in clay as it is.

Any suggestions out there?
Sandy
>>

John H. Rodgers on sat 22 nov 97

-- [ From: John H. Rodgers * EMC.Ver #2.5.02 ] --

For much of my work I find the plastic grocery bags serve well as a cover to
slow the drying process. Doesn't work as well as a damp box that you can
tightly close a lid on. But for two or three days it works well. If it
appears I still can take time and trim, I pull the bag off and mist the pot
with water to give additional moisture, then put the bag back over it.

John Rodgers
In Alabama where it is pouring rain.

-------- REPLY, Original message follows --------

Date: Friday, 21-Nov-97 01:04 PM

From: Liz Dodge \ America On-Line: (LizzardOL)
To: CLAYART LIST \ Internet: (clayart@lsv.uky.edu)

Subject: Re: Part-timers, trimming, and timing

----------------------------Original message----------------------------
I use several of those very large storage plastic storage bins you can buy
at hardware stores for damp boxes. I just set the bats in the boxes (for
real soft pieces) or boards (for leather hard pieces) and put the lid on it.
If I can't get to trimming/finishing a piece, every few days I open the box
and squirt the inside with a mister to keep everything damp. When I see an
opening in my schedule, I take the lid off for an appropriate amount of time
to get the piece to the point where I can work with it. I totally
sympathize, this is a terrible hobby for people with intense and erratic
schedules, but there are worse addictions.

Liz Dodge in Berkeley, CA where the 97/98 rainy season has begun (cool, wet,
lovely)

In a message dated 11/20/97 9:47:13 PM, you wrote:

<find,
is one of the hardest skills to develop and do really well. I make a line
of
very assymetrical pots which required a great deal of special trimming. I
found the Grip very useful for very tall thin forms. For more vessel
shaped forms, trimming on a bat with thick foam worked just as well.
Or, just doing the trimming by hand on a banding wheel.

What I find to be the crucial element in trimming for part-timers is the
condition of the clay. It's sometimes very difficult to get back to a pot
at just the right time to trim it easily. I still haven't solved that
problem, especially when it's difficult to control the atmosphere in the
room in which you keep your stuff. I have thought of making a series of
boxes out of styrofoam or insulation foam to accommodate different groups of
items, but it seems like such a pain to do this when I have so little time
to work in clay as it is.

Any suggestions out there?
Sandy
>>


-------- REPLY, End of original message --------