Lee Love on wed 16 dec 09
When the power went out in Mashiko, it didn't effect my ability to
keep working. I just had to turn on a flashlight or candle: My
wood kiln didn't need electricity and my Korean wheel worked fine.
Our power was supposed to be off for 4 hours the other day.
I brought the kerosene heater in from the studio and put the Korean
wheel in the basement. Got the candles and flashlights out and
ready, but the electricity went on after 2 hours.
You can make a 700 lb. pot on my Korean wheel. Actually,
they are easier to do it on. You just have to make them the way every
body did before the invention of multiple horse power wheels made
people think they should throw them in one hunk off the wheel. Only
problem is, that we don't have multiple horse powered bodies. This
power differential is the cause of many bodily injuries.
Check out this wheel in Mashiko, the wheel head is in a recess
in the floor so that the wheel head is level with the floor (makes
tall pots easier to make):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D3DUHba8ammscI
So much for "progress."
--
Lee, a Mashiko potter in Minneapolis
http://mashikopots.blogspot.com/
"Ta tIr na n-=3DF3g ar chul an tI=3D97tIr dlainn trina ch=3DE9ile"=3D97tha=
t is, "T=3D
he
land of eternal youth is behind the house, a beautiful land fluent
within itself." -- John O'Donohue
mel jacobson on wed 16 dec 09
when at amaco, i had the pleasure of a great deal
of time with joe roach, purdue/aero-space engineer,
now working for amaco/brent.
i was able to see the inside of brent, technology and
construction. it is impressive.
joe is an indiana farm kid, well educated, but has a
sort of `hands on tools` approach to engineering.
(he and his family, wife and baby still live on the farm.
he puts in crops.)
not just a computer. he builds stuff, he makes stuff, both
with tools and electronics. he was a great find for amaco.
he looks at wheels and tools sold by amaco/brent with fresh eyes.
`why does it work that way? there are better ways of doing things.`
one of the sort of debates that runs through the
design and construction of potters wheels is:
`my wheel will center 7,000 lbs of clay, so beat that.`
man, do i think that is silliness in the first order.
who cares?
warren mackenzie makes a few thousand pots a year
on a kick wheel. he sure does not care.
are we going to go with one inch shafts and ten horse electric
motors dc?...silly. who wants or needs a ten thousand dollar wheel?
i never throw more than about 18 lbs, ever. then
only a few a month. i could do that on a tiny class room
brent. hell, warren does that on his leach kick wheel. and, he is
85 years old.
what i said i want to see is:
`my wheel will make 75,000 pots without a breakdown or
a repair. day after day.`
if i am in a school situation, i want them to run for years
with kids whack'n them. (my brents at hopkins high came
through with flying colors. others did not fair as well. )
i own several 1970's brent model c wheels. still fine wheels,
and i could throw a hundred pound pot on any of them.
this is not an advert, just a few facts.
the over play of poundage is way over done. it is
how does the wheel perform? day after day.
there are some great american wheels out there, many of you
us them...day after day.
in some cases, the wheel is far better than the potter on it.
my advice, and they asked for it, was:
make quality, the best that can be made. make wheels fit the
body of the potter. leg height must be adjustable. adjustable
wheels must be the future...so:
a 80 pound gal can use it, or a 6'9" 350 pound man can use it.
one size does not fit all. the design must be made adjustable.
orthopedic concerns become far more important as you age. a wheel
that fits you, will be kind to you. you may have to stand and throw.
joe has designed some very fine tall legs...solid as a rock...i was
impressed with that. we old timers know that a wheel cannot scoot
across the floor or wiggle. makes us crazy.
as you that know me, will understand, i will make my calls as i see
them. the owners of brent/amaco know that too.
again, my main purpose in going to amaco was to discuss the decline
of quality clay programs in public schools, teachers that know nothing abou=
t
clay, and are frightened to death with mess, chaos and firing.
i think my post about that is stuck with wayne...it will clear later,
or i will re/post.
mel
from: minnetonka, mn
website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
clayart link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
new book: http://www.21stcenturykilns.com
douglas fur on wed 16 dec 09
mel jacobson
"my advice, and they asked for it, was:make quality, the best that can be
made. "
The hard part is finding the sweet spot in the range between "best" and
"good-enough"-Is it a Rolls or a Honda? What's the "best" at the "best"
price for the user?
(not that I don't agree with what you wrote but I think in our ignorance of
technology we tend to fall into the "more is better" trap. I think we often
waste time and resources firing to cone 42 or making 700 lb. pots that are
ugly just because we can.)
DRB
Seattle
David Hendley on wed 16 dec 09
This sort of next-to-meaningless citing of statistics takes place in all
fields and is applied to many products.
How many mega-pixels in the camera,
how many watts in the amplifier,
how many square feet in the house,
how many horse power under the hood......
None of these numbers are unimportant, but the one number alone
doesn't come close to describing the real and relative value of
a product.
People like to compare things that are easily quantifiable.
Manufacturers have to go along.
David Hendley
david@farmpots.com
http://www.farmpots.com
----- Original Message -----
> one of the sort of debates that runs through the
> design and construction of potters wheels is:
> `my wheel will center 7,000 lbs of clay, so beat that.`
> man, do i think that is silliness in the first order.
> who cares?
> warren mackenzie makes a few thousand pots a year
> on a kick wheel. he sure does not care.
> are we going to go with one inch shafts and ten horse electric
> motors dc?...silly. who wants or needs a ten thousand dollar wheel?
>
> the over play of poundage is way over done. it is
> how does the wheel perform? day after day.
> there are some great american wheels out there, many of you
> us them...day after day.
> in some cases, the wheel is far better than the potter on it.
steve graber on thu 17 dec 09
at a lighting company we=3DA0were frustrated that=3DA0the general public kn=
ows =3D
only=3DA0"watts" and not "lumins" which really is the measure of light bulb=
b=3D
rightness.=3DA0=3DA0=3D0A=3D0Aas with=3DA0a lot of products=3DA0- realibili=
ty is the ke=3D
y.=3DA0 MTBF of mean time before failure is a common term, but no one usual=
ly=3D
knows that....=3DA0 =3D0A=3D0Ai can say i don't have any pottery products =
- clay=3D
, glaze, tools, wheels, etc that ever crapped out so the industry must be d=
=3D
oing ok at least in my workshop.=3DA0 =3D0A=3DA0Steve Graber, Graber's Pott=
ery, I=3D
nc=3D0AClaremont, California USA=3D0AThe Steve Tool - for awesome texture o=
n po=3D
ts! =3D0Awww.graberspottery.com steve@graberspottery.com =3D0A=3D0A=3D0AOn =
Laguna C=3D
lay's website=3D0Ahttp://www.lagunaclay.com/blogs/ =3D0A=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A----=
- Original=3D
Message ----=3D0A> From: David Hendley =3D0A> To: Clay=
art@=3D
LSV.CERAMICS.ORG=3D0A> Sent: Wed, December 16, 2009 8:47:45 PM=3D0A> Subjec=
t: R=3D
e: my wheel throws 700lb pots=3D0A> =3D0A> This sort of next-to-meaningless=
cit=3D
ing of statistics takes place in all=3D0A> fields and is applied to many pr=
od=3D
ucts.=3D0A> How many mega-pixels in the camera,=3D0A> how many watts in the=
amp=3D
lifier,=3D0A> how many square feet in the house,=3D0A> how many horse power=
und=3D
er the hood......=3D0A> =3D0A> None of these numbers are unimportant, but t=
he o=3D
ne number alone=3D0A> doesn't come close to describing the real and relativ=
e =3D
value of=3D0A> a product.=3D0A> People like to compare things that are easi=
ly q=3D
uantifiable.=3D0A> Manufacturers have to go along.=3D0A> =3D0A> David Hendl=
ey=3D0A>=3D
david@farmpots.com=3D0A> http://www.farmpots.com=3D0A> =3D0A> =3D0A> -----=
Origina=3D
l Message -----=3D0A> > one of the sort of debates that runs through the=3D=
0A> =3D
> design and construction of potters wheels is:=3D0A> > `my wheel will cent=
er=3D
7,000 lbs of clay, so beat that.`=3D0A> > man, do i think that is sillines=
s =3D
in the first order.=3D0A> > who cares?=3D0A> > warren mackenzie makes a few=
tho=3D
usand pots a year=3D0A> > on a kick wheel.=3DA0 he sure does not care.=3D0A=
> > ar=3D
e we going to go with one inch shafts and ten horse electric=3D0A> > motors=
d=3D
c?...silly.=3DA0 who wants or needs a ten thousand dollar wheel?=3D0A> =3D0=
A> >=3D
=3D0A> > the over play of poundage is way over done.=3DA0 it is=3D0A> > how=
does =3D
the wheel perform?=3DA0 day after day.=3D0A> > there are some great america=
n wh=3D
eels out there, many of you=3D0A> > us them...day after day.=3D0A> > in som=
e ca=3D
ses, the wheel is far better than the potter on it.=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A
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