Whistle Creek: Klopfenstein

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Klopfenstein

Two weeks ago I couldn't spell Klopfenstein now I can just look at the flywheel of my new treadle wheel! I heard through the grapevine that a friend of a friend was wanting to get rid of an old treadle wheel. I made the phone call and met the donor a few days later. This wheel had seen better days and looked like it had been outside for a while. The pan and wheelhead were both pretty rusty but I have a sandblaster and I found a couple of cans of Hammerite paint in the garage.Voila, it looks a lot better. Two of the feet were shortened for some reason. Maybe they just got tired and quit. I've seen four of these wheels and two of those had been shortened. Go figure.I managed to lift the 120lb flywheel into place without hurting myself and here a tweak, there a tweak she's up and running. The splash pan is huge so these make good trimming wheels. It may also be a good idea to throw standing up at least part of the time so I wear out my body evenly instead of one joint at a time. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks to JeanAnn for the tip and to Mike for the wheel.

5 comments:

Michèle HastingsJune 15, 2013 at 10:55 AM
What a great find! An extra wheel is always nice and standing up to make pots is a good idea... something I have been talking about doing for the last two years.
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Lori BuffJune 17, 2013 at 10:42 AM
The legs might have been lowered to accommodate a stool? In any event it's a great addition to your studio.
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Dennis AllenJune 17, 2013 at 12:42 PM
They might have been heading that way Lori, but they quit after cutting off two legs. If I could read minds I'd be traveling with the circus. It's not that different than doing Art Shows.
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Tracey BroomeJune 17, 2013 at 6:50 PM
Maybe it was in an old building with a very uneven floor,haha! Looks like a perfect trim wheel to me,I love trimming pots on a kick wheel.
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SrishtiAugust 26, 2019 at 1:38 PM
Hello Dennis,
You are the only one i found on hte internet about the Klopfenstein. I recently picked one up. I have no experience in pottery but want to learn. My husband and son refinished it amd it's a beauty. But When we throw on it, after get the speed up on the treadle, soon as you start shaping the pot the wheel slows down. Any tips on how to use this?
Thanks a lot
Srishti
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Why Whistle Creek

Whistle Creek is near the area where my ancestors settled in East Tennessee. It is about 6 miles west of I-75 and 8 miles south of Jellico.At various times the land was claimed by England, France, Spain, Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky,Tennessee, the Union,the Confederacy, and the Cherokee.My family was there around 1800 and possibly before.My brothers and I still own the top of the mountain and it is still very rough country. I named my studio Whistle Creek in memory of the Allens who scraped their living from the earth and managed to keep it for two hundred years.

Bricks,Bricks, Bricks

I have two loads of kiln brick at home and one more to go. Weather permitting I will get some help from my newly retired brother and haul the rest home next week. I'm still early in the planning stages for the kiln. I haven't decided yet whether to make the firebox perpendicular to the arch a la John Theis managama and groundhog kilns or to place it parallel to the axis of the arch. I do know that with #2 three inch arch brick It will be a 3"6" sprung arch on top of low walls with a sunken firebox. If i can find a saw that will cut 41/2" I can rip some of the arch brick to fill in the ends of the courses and use the arch brick on edge to make 9" thick walls. Any input appreciated.

The Pitcher and the Nun

Yesterday a couple of sweet elderly ladies came into my booth and fell in love with the pitcher from the last woodfiring. (See last Blog entry) They said they wanted to give it as a wedding gift, then they said the fatal words-" Do you take Mastercard? " I replied-" No, but I want this piece to go to a good home and I believe that if I send it home with you, you will send me a check." They agreed and we exchanged info. It turned out they were nuns.Instead of mailing me a check, they brought back a check and some homemade candy a couple of hours later.It was nice to make the sale, but even nicer to send out a little faith in mankind and have a good deed returned.

Ohio Slip

More Spring Fair Prep....

Today was spent loading a bisque kiln with pots I have been throwing the last few weeks.They are made with a really nice red clay that a friend sold me when I couldn't get earthen red at Highwater. I should be able to glaze Monday and fire the whole load again next week. This is the only clay that I fire in the electric kilns but it gives a look that a lot of people like and I can fire economically. This plus pots on hand and pots I have been glazing for the gas kiln should be plenty for spring fair so now I can concentrate on the booth.

Spring Fair

The main project of the week was to try to finish throwing a batch of red clay that I have been working on so I can get the pots fired and glazed for the big Spring Fair sale that the Clay Alliance is holding on May 2. This is the big annual sales event for the club and I am very happly to be included this year but I do feel a little pressure to up my game and have a booth that doesn't look like a yard sale. Once I get the pots fired, I will have to spend some time focusing on display space and building some nice shelving. The sale is 11 to 4 at the corner of Madison and Woodburn ( DeSales Corner) Just take 71 to Edwards rd., Edwards to Madison, Right on Madison and you will be there in a few minutes. You will have a great time and get to meet 40 of the best potters and ceramicists in the region. More info at http://www.clayalliance.org/.

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