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dreaded s-crack-platters

updated sun 8 nov 98

 

Donn Buchfinck on sat 7 nov 98

what I have found is that to make platters
is to first if you are using some industrial pugged premade clay, you have to
spiral wedge it first, this gets the torque that is put into the clay by the
industrial pug mill. then set the ball of clay on the wheel, and center it,
DO NOT WHEEL WEDGE alot, that is do not cone up and down a bunch of times, all
this does is create a powerfull twist in the clay, the twist has to come out
somewhere and it will be in the crack.
so center the clay by pushing down and centering the side, it takes a little
work but it can be done,
open the ball of clay and using a medium hard rib go back and forth over the
bottom of the platter, creating the curve you want, this is the compression
people are talking about.

if all fails and you are still getting cracks, turn the wedged ball of clay
on its side so you work against the spiral you have wedged into it.

Donn Buchfinck