2010 Great Changes

Published on January 10, 2010 in Ceramics. 4 Comments

2010 has brought a bunch of new things to my world. There have been big changes at the  Clayscapes studio. Our studio space has tripled giving us more room for students wheels tables and shelving and given me my own studio space. We have another teacher on board as well, Millie St.John. We have already doubled our class enrollment this year. We will be planning more workshops and professional development opportunities  for ceramic artists as well.

Having my own studio means better videos. No more humming from the transformer. I also learned (FINALLY) how to use my HD camcorder and video editing software. The videos will now be clearer with better sound and in a format that can be put on DVD. I have some great ideas for new videos like critiques, how to determine what is microwave safe, what is food safe. I may even do some glaze mixing and calculation videos.

Shawn Mcguire and I have also started a  page on facebook Pottery Critique , where people from around the world can post images of their work and have other ceramic artists from a wide range of backgrounds  give constructive feedback. It is off to a tremendous start and as it grows it will only get better.

I have reopened my Etsy store as well this year. I hope to keep up with it and when new things come out of the kiln they go right to the shop.

There is a lot to do this year and should keep me pretty busy, just the way I like it.

Simple Raku Firing

Published on November 24, 2009 in Ceramics. 8 Comments

There is no mumbo jumbo in Raku. Raku is not magical or spiritual. It’s the carbon staining the still hot clay as in white crackle or oxygen getting pulled out of a glaze to make iridescent coppers. The important part is knowing when your glazes are melted and when and how to put the in combustibles. The videos and this blog entry will not make you an expert in Raku, it takes time and patience and a whole bunch of trial and error. Here are some tips to get you started.

 

1. Keep your glazing and form simple. The more complex your form the more the glaze is going to confuse it. A simple form will compliment a well-fired raku surface.

 

 2. Do not over apply your glaze. Many of the copper mattes and the glossy copper pieces only need a very thin layer to work. Often when heating as quickly as with raku glazes will run and over application can cause a big mess.

 

3. Keep trying new things. Raku firing has many variables and every change can affect the outcome. Do not be happy with what happens the first time try other combustibles, different size chamber for combustion, or any other factor that determines how the work is finished.

 

4. Take notes. Take down all the information from weather to amount of work that went into the can. The more information you collect in regards to you results will help you understand what you are getting.

 

5. Adding water to a hot can or pots and paper. the rapid cooling can freeze the colors in the can leaving a mottled colorful surface.

 

6.  White crackle should be cooled quickly. I like doing crackle in the winter they open further and are darker. I like a crackled surface with only a few dark crackles.

 

7. Dip your pieces before they get too cool. reoxidation is what causes color change, if the pieces sit in the can too long  they will be too cool to reoxidize.

 

Here are some SIMPLE raku glazes

 

White crackle

80   gertsley borate

20   nepheline syenite

 

for blue add .5- 2 percent cobalt carb

for green add .25-1 percent chrome oxide

for yellow add stuff with iron like Red Art or iron oxide up to 10 percent

for burgundy add 2-10 percent manganese

for copper luster add 2-10 percent copper carbonate to any of the above or by itself

 

Copper matte

50 copper carb

20 Om4 or any other ball clay

15 gertsley borate

15 copper oxide

Here are a few links to the couple raku videos I have on you tube.

Pottery Wheel Tests

Published on November 7, 2009 in product reviews. 2 Comments

 

I have heard many questions about wheel and heard many claims by companies and wanted to get down to the real issues about wheels. Here are some of the things I want to talk about, centering capacity, wheel head speed, and wheel head speed controls.

Centering Capacity

Now I have seen many wheel manufactures ad this bit of information to their wheels… no all of them have this. What does this mean though? I would guess it has something to do with “power” and not with skill. If it does deal with power I suppose we should find out what “power” really is. Power is defined as work over time. P=W/t. Ok what does that mean though. That is the amount torque in this case applied over a period of time. The torque is measure in angular force X distance. So they are measuring the How much force the wheel head can generate as it is spinning at a certain speed over an amount of time…. bla bla bla. What it comes down to is how much force can that wheel head apply to something spinning in a certain time. The test for wheel power I guess is wrong I should have labeled it force, oops. In the test I encountered problems other than just force that one should consider when buying a wheel. Belt slipping,and noise. I tested each wheel the way I found it, no adjustments. I did notice that most wheel had the belt slip rather than the motor stop. After the test I adjusted some of the wheel and did the test again the results can back with greater force applied but noise went up greatly. the Solders belt squeaked like crazy as did the Brent B. So if one wanted more force out of their wheel it looks like you should just adjust your belt. Now that isn’t going to make a artista run like a CXC but it will make the wheel operate as it was most likely tested in the factory.

Wheel Head Speed

“every wheel purchased in america goes way too fast.
i have said this a hundred times on clayart.

my wheel goes under 40 rpms.
i center at 40, throw at about 35.
big pots too.”  written by Mel Jacobson 

And he has said it a hundred times because he does a few things over and over and is never going to grow again. Many people also feel the same way, I singled this quote out because I remembered it from almost a year ago. Ok folks wheel head speed does matter the slow and the fast.  the slow matters for control over slow things if you wheel is jerky or takes off every time you apply pressure its not good at slow speed. can you throw… of course you can but is it going to limit what you can do…. definitely. Same goes for the fastest your wheel spins. If you are reading this you have seen me throw or you will in a little bit. I throw very fast, I make can make many pots and I have a lot of control. Throwing on the wheel is about matching the force you apply to the clay, the speed of the wheel and how quickly you move your hands. All of these forces need to work together and in balance. An example would be a wheel going very slow would mean when you are pulling up a wall you need to put less pressure on the clay and move you hands up slowly now not squeezing may not be a big deal but moving your hands slowly while squeezing and trying to keep it controlled could be. Now on the opposite end if you know how to throw and your wheel only goes slow but you could throw faster with more control you are stuck. If your not Mel you can push the pedal to the speed you want you don’t have to go as fast as it can unless you WANT to. Mel might have a car that goes 120mph but I bet he doesn’t. Speed of the wheel is a major consideration to what wheel I throw on. The faster it CAN go the better.

Wheel Head Speed Controls

Some of the wheels tested can figure out how fast the wheel should be spinning and if it is not going as fast as it should will increase the force to correct it. those are the new Brent and the Pacificas. I can think of advantages to this at low speeds say when you have a HUGE platter and your just trying to clean up the rim or you are centering a huge piece of clay al slow speeds. Just yesterday we had a wheel brought in where what ever senses the wheel speed was buggy and sending with wheel into spasms, and the new brent tripping the powerstrip. I do not notice the difference when throwing with them. As for the wheels that do not have the technology wheel speed is maintained by further pushing on the foot pedal. 

The table below has some other info on it that could come in handy when buying a wheel I hope this helps.

Tim See

YouTube – Wheel Reviews

YouTube – Wheel power tests

Jim had some more to add.

Tim,

I had another possible thought on why a wheel might be rated for certain weights. What about the capacity of the various bearings, mountings and etc. to handle a weight for a protracted period of time?

Let us say you are using a pair of thrust bearings to support a vertcal shaft with the wheel head and pulley underneath. Then the mounting surfaces bearings and etc have to be able to handle the “load” placed on them without being destroyed. As an example, the Clay Boss has a particle board covered by melamine top….That is not as strong as say Plywood. …. It might not be why they rate certain wheels as they do, but then again it may be.

Jim

Wheel Foot Pedal Smoothness Rated power Tested power Weight   

Lbs.

 Adjustable Splashpan Speed control
Soldner Very smooth ¼ hp   

100lbs centering

 21 95 Legs   

Replaceable Deck

 Easy Smooth does not increase torque
Pacfica GT400 Sticky, hard to get slow speeds ¼ hp   

40lbs Centering

 22 90 Nope Easy Increases torque to maintain speed
Older Brent B smooth ½ hp   

50lbs

Centering

 25 112 Nope Easy A Bit jerky with pressure
Newer Brent C Smooth ¾ Hp   

75lbs

Centering

 20-22 117 Nope Easy See video
Newer Pacifica GT800 smooth ½ hp   

100Lbs Centering

 23 105 Nope Easy Increases torque to maintain speed
Thomas Stuart Legend Very smooth 1/3 hp   

75Lbs Centering

 25+ 112 Different wheel heads Pain and big Slow very sensitive
               

The last great load

Published on April 10, 2009 in Ceramics. 1 Comment

The last glaze load is now cooling. For the last six weeks the kiln hasn’t dropped below 150 degrees but once. For the most part everything came out great, there are always pieces that fall short of expectations but even in them I have found some qualities that I will use in the next round. I will have pictures of the finished work that will be going to The Smithsonian show in a few days. a little over a week till the show and still have much to do and no time to do it.

First Test of the SNAIL

Published on February 28, 2009 in Ceramics. Closed
Just a rough idea to get me started on the snail aspects of the work for the Smithsonian Craft Show.



Some ideas I have for snail items

Snail Traps
Steamer/Boiler for snails
Snail-proof Tea Jars
Snailfarm
Specimen jars with snails
Some other things I have thought about but haven’t yet committed to pursuing are 
Snails in the automated vegitation system
Snail shells
Snail eggs 
I am open for other ideas too.

A character from a soon to be written story

Published on February 19, 2009 in Ceramics. 2 Comments
I had introduced a theme for the new work I was producing in a post below. I have added to the idea which I plan on sharing later when I can really make it concrete and more importantly coherent. Many of the subtle references are from H. P. Lovecraft a fantastic author. The main character  Felton Emeril Carter will come across a thriving community of what I am calling Chuthlu snails for now, in a cavern under the city. They like heat and tea and you shouldn’t feed them after midnight. I promised my friend Samuel I would post a little here for him.

Online Press, bloggers, Webbers Hello

Published on February 6, 2009 in Ceramics. 4 Comments

Well It seems, Thanks to Mr. Von Slatt of the SteampunkWorkshop.com, this poor little blog seen in many more places. For those that are so kind as to share this with others whether you are a blogger as myself or a major entity as MAKE, let me know so may link to you and we can all be a better knit community.

Lamps have been found at the dig site.

Published on February 5, 2009 in Ceramics. 1 Comment




So I have been working on a theme… a binding idea, something I can fall back to for ideas, parameters and guidance. The idea is TEA. The work that is produced in the “Dragon Wells Steam Works” style will contain elements and “funk”tional ideas related to MY own tea style not a traditional form or tea drinking. It will be based, as it should, on steam and mechanical means by which to produce, maintain, harvest, preserve, store, prepare, and serve tea. That idea may be too simple though. 

There was a eccentric living in a “home under NYC during the 1910s and 20s who grew and cultivated his own tea with machines he could find or abscond from the surface. He had died leaving his machines of brass, copper and iron to be found a century later by a potter looking for a vein of clay.
Something like that and what I have made and am making will be both things found in his house under the ground in NYC or things I have produced to restore items I have only found parts of, like a conservationist. 
So These are a group of lamps with that idea in mind. They will have cloth covered cords, Edison bulbs from that era I hope and a whole lot of gold and brass. I will be doing research of early pipe fitting and fluid systems to make future groups of steam items more accurate to the period. 
Someone had emailed me asking what Dragon Wells means. It is a type of tea. how perfect is that.

More Steam Punk Pourers

Published on February 1, 2009 in Ceramics. 3 Comments





This group of pourers are sans nameplate but include more exterior piping, nuts and acorn nuts a few pipe fitting and a wing nut. All of these parts are made out of clay.

Air Conditioner… Steampunk

Published on January 30, 2009 in Ceramics. 1 Comment
So this is the start of the steampunk air conditioner, it doesn’t have a name yet. Most of the parts are extruded the assembly of this piece has been the most difficult and time consuming of any of the steampunk pieces so far. All joints and seams have to water tight and there are many seams. when it has been bisqued I will make a drawing of how it works.
These are the raw pieces sized up and ready to go.

The worst part making sure every tube is sealed.

Some of the detail in the fill gauge pipe.

The water tanks are in the back there and will be connected with a rubber tube. The air in the system is relieved in the fill gauge pipe. this whole system will rest upon a base that will be thrown and act as a chimney for the cool air. Also the glass has yet to be installed in the front and back channels. I am super excited to get this finished.