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cracking problem solved

updated sat 6 sep 08

 

Judy on fri 5 sep 08


Hello Potters,

I wanted to thank everyone who responded (both on and off the list) to =
my post a few weeks ago concerning the problem I was having with getting =
S cracks in most of my bowls. I adjusted my coning process, per Jeff =
Zamek, turned my pots when wiring off the bottoms, per Vince Pitelka, =
compressed the bottoms more consistently, and am trying to make sure the =
rims don't dry more quickly than the bases. I know this wasn't a =
scientific process as I'm not sure which one thing, if any one thing, =
helped. In any event, 7 or 8 bowls later, not one crack has appeared. =
Thanks again to all for taking the time to help. What a great group!

Judy Musicant
PottersGuildNJ.org

KATHI LESUEUR on fri 5 sep 08


On Sep 5, 2008, at 9:01 AM, Judy wrote:

> Hello Potters,
>
> I wanted to thank everyone who responded (both on and off the list)
> to my post a few weeks ago concerning the problem I was having with
> getting S cracks in most of my bowls. I adjusted my coning
> process, per Jeff Zamek, turned my pots when wiring off the
> bottoms, per Vince Pitelka, compressed the bottoms more consistently,


You have just described why the centering arm that has been discussed
here does not do the job. Putting a lump of clay on a wheel head and
trimming it so that it is centered does nothing to align the clay
particles properly. That "centered" lump of clay will continue to
frustrate the beginner. Like Mel, when I was teaching, I could teach
a kid to center in one or two sessions on the wheel. Moving the clay
is everything. You can't just hold onto the clay with all of your
might hoping that it somehow stops pushing your hands around. If you
can't move the clay up to a cone and back down you will never be able
to center. Once they understood that concept centering came quickly.

Kathi