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still puzzling throwing -- now turned into wedging

updated wed 31 oct 01

 

chris clarke on mon 29 oct 01


I was originally taught rams head wedging, smushing the ends and throwing
it. I had many airbubbles and cracks. Maybe it was because I was new. But
when I learned spiral wedging (from a book), no more airpockets, much less
cracking.

This type of wedging forms a cone, when you reduce the pressure of your
hands. And that cone is then placed on the wheelhead side ways, swirl to
the side.

But to each his/her own, whatever works.

chris


temecula, california
chris@ccpots.com
www.ccpots.com

miriam shelomith on mon 29 oct 01



It may be that it is the hour and I have been up since 4:30 this morning.  I have never heard so much talk about what end of a wedged piece of clay and in what direction the "swirl" should go...  Maybe, in the 30+ years I have been throwing, I missed this earth shaking topic. 


If your wedged clay is put on the wheel head with the rounded end down so an air pocket is not formed... Just get on with it and start centering the clay......If you are having problems centering, it is probably that the clay was not wedged enough. 









pottermim who has been sitting and watching the moon through a thin layer of clouds moving across the sky and listening to the frogs croak while the dogs sniff around after night critters

























































































>From: chris clarke















>















>Subject: Re: Still puzzling throwing -- now turned into wedging































>Organization: chrisclarkepottery















>















>I was originally taught rams head wedging, smushing the ends and throwing















>it. I had many airbubbles and cracks. Maybe it was because I was new. But















>when I learned spiral wedging (from a book), no more airpockets, much less















>cracking.















>















>This type of wedging forms a cone, when you reduce the pressure of your















>hands. And that cone is then placed on the wheelhead side ways, swirl to















>the side.















>















>But to each his/her own, whatever works.















>















>chris















>















>















>temecula, california















>chris@ccpots.com















> www.ccpots.com















>















>______________________________________________________________________________















>
































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Susan Ford on tue 30 oct 01


I must be spiral wedging wrong. It seems only the
left end of the piece gets wedged when I do the
spiral method. It does make a nice cone shape to
slap down on the wheel.

I normally just wedge with the rams-head method,
turning the clay when it gets too cylindrical, and slap
it into a ball, slap it onto the wheel head, then throw.
I've never paid attention to the spiral in placing it on
the wheel and have not had problems.

Susan


---
Susan K. Ford
Norman, Oklahoma
http://www.clueless.norman.ok.us/sf/rerhome.htm

The weakest ink lasts longer
than the strongest memory.
-- Confucious