Tjo62@AOL.COM on sun 10 sep 00
Chris,
I've heard you can make a chuc (sp?) to trim them. I trim pitchers all the
time, and I also pull large pour spouts while the pot is newly thrown. When
the pot is leather hard, I just even it up with coils and center. Sometimes
it's harder to trim than other times. I also hear you can use some kinda
bars that come extra with the Giffen grip? Good luck : ) tj
Lynspots@AOL.COM on sun 10 sep 00
<pulled spout>>
Chris and all,
Can't remember who showed me this, but to trim difficult pots like this, trim
them right side up on the wheel. You will not get a footring this way, so
throw the pitcher with the right thickness on the bottom.
I make a couple of pencil cirlces on the wheel head while it's spinning. Then
apply a little water with your sponge, not too much. Place the pot as close
to center as you can following the pencil marks, rotate the wheel and tap the
pot slightly on the side til centered. Jiggle it a little to make sure it is
secure and then begin trimming. I am always a little nervous that I will get
trimming and the pots will spin off the wheel to the floor, so I don't run
the wheel full speed and I am careful not to dig in too much with my trimming
tool. I also keep the hand opposite where I am trimming ready to brace the
pot if needed. I always trim my pitchers this way.
Have tried little pieces of sponge under the spout while the pot is held by
my Grip, but have never been real happy with this process. I only do this
when I really need to trim a footring.
Lynne Antone
Beaver Creek Arts
Olympia WA USA
chrisclarke on sun 10 sep 00
Clayarters,
I know not everyone trims pitchers, but I like feet (big feet :). So my
question is, Has anyone come up with a way to trim a pitcher with a good sized
pulled spout ( pulled just after thrown) without screwing it up. I can't seem to
get the stupid thing centered and level on the wheel head. I've taken to throwing
them without the need for trimming but I just don't like the way they look,
although I do like the fact that I can hold them sideways on the bat and strike it
on the table so they lean back (attitude). thanks much, chris
iandol on mon 11 sep 00
Dear Chris,
There are at least two ways to solve this problem.
1 Throw a thick pad of clay on the wheel head and cut out a wedge of =
clay where the lip of your pitcher will sit. If you mark some concentric =
rings on the pad before you cut it out these will guide you to get it =
well centred. Let the lip sit in the empty space.
2 Throw your pitcher on a bat. Remove it with the bat and allow it to =
dry for a short while. Encourage it if necessary with a paint stripper . =
When it is leather hard, cut away the excess clay and make sure to =
undercut to get that elevating shadow which people are talking about. =
You can also make a profile rib and press this against the clay as the =
pot revolves. Do all this before severing from the bat.
3 Try out the medieval English technique. Throw up side down, make and =
attach a slab base. Invert and pull up the thick clay then form the =
spout.
Hope that helps.
Ivor Lewis. Redhill, South Australia
Norman van der Sluys on mon 11 sep 00
Make yourself a chuck that fits inside the pitcher, tall enough that it holds the
rim above the wheelhead. use a ring of plastic clay on the to of the chuck to stick
the pot to it. Center the pot and trim away. Use this for trimming those
delicate-rimmed bowls. It avoids stressing the rims in the green state - less
warping and cracking.
> <> pulled spout>>
>
--
Norman van der Sluys
by the shore of Lake Michigan, wishing the humidity would go away, and also the
thunder storms like the one that zapped my wheel. :-(
Anji Henderson on mon 11 sep 00
Chris,
I am not a big pitcher maker but -- Why not make a
trimming chuck that the top can fit in by tilting a
little while putting it in the chuck. And tall enough
to not ruin the lip.. I would also think that probably
fireing the chuck may be a good idea..
Did that make any sense??
Anji
--- chrisclarke wrote:
> Clayarters,
> I know not everyone trims pitchers, but I like
> feet (big feet :). So my
> question is, Has anyone come up with a way to trim a
> pitcher with a good sized
> pulled spout ( pulled just after thrown) without
> screwing it up. I can't seem to
> get the stupid thing centered and level on the wheel
> head. I've taken to throwing
> them without the need for trimming but I just don't
> like the way they look,
> although I do like the fact that I can hold them
> sideways on the bat and strike it
> on the table so they lean back (attitude). thanks
> much, chris
>
>
______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change
> your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be
> reached at melpots@pclink.com.
=====
Good art does not have to match your sofa!!
__________________________________________________
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Charles on mon 11 sep 00
Chris,
There are several innovative ways to trim pitchers. I used to struggle
with trimming them and lost 1/2 of what I made due to trimming mishaps. The
easiest for me is to take 4 large clay lugs and pinch them around the rim of
the pitcher, thereby making a pedestal that keeps the spout off the
wheeelhead. I then center the pitcher and trim as usual. You have to be
certain to use clay that is at the right wetness for this. Too wet and it
will leave marks on your surface, too dry and the lugs will not adhere to
the pot.
Another way is to throw a thick pad of clay onto a bat, remove a section
of the pad for the spout to rest in, then re-center the bat WITH the pitcher
onto another pad of clay.
Another way is to make a chuck specifically for your style of pitcher to
rest on while trimming. Trimming on a chuck has become one of my favorite
things to do when making large orders of ANYTHING. I was always taught to
use a chuck for trimming bottles, but they can be used to trim everything
from plates to pitchers to cups and bowls. The are a lot faster to use than
clay lugs and less expensive than a Giffen Grip,though I have to say that's
a mighty fine piece of engineering.With a pitcher, the chuck, sometimes
called a chum when used in this way, has to slide into the neck of the
pitcher and support it. I took the idea of trimming this way from Ken
Beittel's book, Zen and the Art of Pottery. After reading his book and
meeting with Ken several times (he is local to my area) I wish I had had the
opportunity to study with him. He can do things with porcelain I can only
dream of.
Good Luck!
Charles Hughes
http://www.thecreativeoasis.com/Hughes/hughes.html
Mel Jacobson Workshop in State College, PA for more info
click this link
http://www.thecreativeoasis.com/FA2000%20Workshops/Visiting%20Artists/sept1.
html
----- Original Message -----
> Clayarters,
> I know not everyone trims pitchers, but I like feet (big feet :). So
my
> question is, Has anyone come up with a way to trim a pitcher with a good
sized
> pulled spout ( pulled just after thrown) without screwing it up
Jean Cochran on mon 11 sep 00
Dear Chris,
This drives me crazy, too. When I do my pitchers, their spouts rise above the level
of the rest of the mouth, then I neck just above the foot and if I am not careful it
causes the top to not be exactly centered with the foot (although I'm getting a bit
better about that one thing). I have tried: foam wrap under the mouths, or under
part of the mouths, throwing a small hump and cutting out part for the mouth, putting
cylinders inside the pitcher so that the foot just rests on top of the cylinders.
Let's see, a Morton's salt container, topped by a crouton box (which is smaller in
diameter). By the way, I use a giffin grip. So far, it remains a pain where the sun
don't shine.
Jean
chrisclarke wrote:
> Clayarters,
> I know not everyone trims pitchers, but I like feet (big feet :). So my
> question is, Has anyone come up with a way to trim a pitcher with a good sized
> pulled spout ( pulled just after thrown) without screwing it up. I can't seem to
> get the stupid thing centered and level on the wheel head. I've taken to throwing
> them without the need for trimming but I just don't like the way they look,
> although I do like the fact that I can hold them sideways on the bat and strike it
> on the table so they lean back (attitude). thanks much, chris
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
Dannon Rhudy on mon 11 sep 00
--On Sun, Sep 10, 2000 2:13 PM -0700 chrisclark e =
wrote:
> Clayarters,
> I know not everyone trims pitchers, but I like feet .... can't seem
to get the stupid thing centered and level .
> =
_________________________________________________________________________
If by "pulled" spout you mean that you pull it outward, as =C7ushing or =
Reitz
do, then you can tap center the pitcher. Center the foot, however, and
don't
try to center the neck. If by "pulled" you mean a spout pulled upward,
like
Troy does, then you must throw a chuck to trim a foot. It can be a cone
shaped chuck on which you sit the pitcher, or it can be a hollow form
that
you insert the pitcher into. Use a little string level on the foot if =
you
are concerned that it is off-level.
regards
Dannon Rhudy
Morris, Marlene F. on mon 11 sep 00
I use a round bubble-leveler to get a piece centered front to back and =
left
to right, but it still is a nuisance.
Could you make a foot section separate and then slap that puppy on =
later?
You could have some outrageous feet that way. You could either put =
the
feet on individually or make a cylinder on the wheel and carve a foot =
or
feet out of that.
Marlene
www.throwpots.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Dannon Rhudy [mailto:drhudy@LINFIELD.EDU]
Sent: Monday, September 11, 2000 11:00 AM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Re: trimming pitchers
--On Sun, Sep 10, 2000 2:13 PM -0700 chrisclark e =
wrote:
> Clayarters,
> I know not everyone trims pitchers, but I like feet .... can't =
seem
to get the stupid thing centered and level .
> =
________________________________________________________________________=
_
If by "pulled" spout you mean that you pull it outward, as =C7ushing or =
Reitz
do, then you can tap center the pitcher. Center the foot, however, =
and
don't
try to center the neck. If by "pulled" you mean a spout pulled =
upward,
like
Troy does, then you must throw a chuck to trim a foot. It can be a =
cone
shaped chuck on which you sit the pitcher, or it can be a hollow =
form
that
you insert the pitcher into. Use a little string level on the foot if =
you
are concerned that it is off-level.
regards
Dannon Rhudy
________________________________________________________________________=
____
__
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
chrisclarke on tue 12 sep 00
To everyone who responded,
Thanks for all the insights, I guess I'm not alone. Clayart has
been my only connection to other potters for years. We forget how a new
voice with a new view helps us ride out the waves. Thanks alot!
chris@ccpots
Steve Mills on tue 12 sep 00
The method I was taught at a Pottery I worked at, was to throw a cone
that would fit inside the jug/vase/what have you and then cover with a
piece of muslin or mutton cloth to stop it sticking to the pot, trim the
piece and then you could re-form the cone for the next piece if you
needed to by removing the cloth and re-shaping the cone. I use this
technique for all sorts of chucks both inside and outside fitting.
Steve
Bath
UK
>> Clayarters,
>> I know not everyone trims pitchers, but I like
>> feet (big feet :). So my
>> question is, Has anyone come up with a way to trim a
>> pitcher with a good sized
>> pulled spout ( pulled just after thrown) without
>> screwing it up.
--
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
Des Howard on tue 12 sep 00
Chris
Our turning wheel has a 3/4" thread on top of the shaft,
we use threaded base chucks of appropriate size to
support pitchers (we call 'em jugs, no dear,
not those things you sling over your shoulder for
drinking home brew from, they're demi-johns) ) while turning.
Or,
take a leatherhard lipless pot, trim to your satisfaction,
cut out a notch, as for sugar bowls but much, much larger,
attach a disc of throwable clay & pull a lip.
Works for us
Des
--
Des & Jan Howard
Lue Pottery
LUE NSW 2850
Australia
Ph/Fax 02 6373 6419
http://www.luepottery.lisp.com.au
Judy Musicant on wed 13 sep 00
I hate using chucks. Never manage to fit the pot into it properly and =
end up with a cockeyed pot. I've had great success trimming right side =
up. After the pot is leather hard, dampen the wheelhead, tap on center =
(or center however you're comfortable). Fasten the pot to the wheel by =
using a rib or other wooden tool to draw down a bit of clay from the =
lower sides of the pot to the wheel head. I hold a dry sponge on the =
inside floor of the pot to hold it in place while trimming - works like =
a charm.
You can also trim quite a bit off the bottom when the pot is wet, just =
after you've thrown it, using your regular trimming tool - the sharper =
the better. Try it.
Judy Musicant
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