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warping pots

updated mon 6 mar 00

 

Carrie or Peter Jacobson on sun 5 mar 00

To Jan, who is warping cylinders: When I find myself doing that (and it
seems to happen in patches), I generally find that the lubrication is not
even inside vs. outside.
So as the cylinders become thinner, especially, the friction on, say, the
inside hand increases, and at some point, I end up with a bulge or fold.

To solve it, I've been throwing with slip instead of water. Also, using a
sponge in one or both hands can help (I don't do this much, but students do,
and it works great for them).

I also try to remember to pull straight and tall, toward my nose, not at all
a-kilter.

Finally, in some pots, I simply embrace the irregularity, call it part of
the pot, and have a fine old time with it.

Carrie Jacobson
Pawcatuck, Conn.
for not much longer