Gauges

Seems like forever since I have had anything to say on here. I've been doing some jam sessions and even a couple of open mics in my quest to totally embarrass myself and annoy as many people as possible. It's working. I have also been a regular contributor to the now massive CLAY BUDDIES forum on Facebook. People seem to have trouble with consistency so I thought I would offer some tips on that.

1. You cannot make consistent pots if you do not weigh your clay16 oz and 18 oz will yield very different results. If you pug your clay, measuring the pug is a quicker alternative.

2. Lids that fit come from consistent measuring. Make lids to a specific size and make fixed gauges for each size lid you use. It's easy and cheap. Here is the most simple gauge you can make. It costs nothing to make and gives results as accurate as you will ever need. Use it for the lid and the seat and you will be happy with the results.

Here is the deluxe version for those of you who must have a caliper. Just one nail at each end. Use as an inside/outside caliper and it will leave you a tiny bit of wiggle room.

I know lots of people who throw to a "needle" Usually this involves setting up a mound of clay next to the splash pan, doing some not too accurate measuring and sticking a knitting needle through the lump of clay followed by more adjusting. Here is an easier way. A board with a hole in it stays clamped to the table. PVC pipe drops into hole. skewer of your choosing goes through horizontal hole in pvc and is fixed in place with a drop of silicone caulk. Make a different post for each size pot you make multiples of. If the post wiggles, wrap the butt of it with tape until it doesn't wiggle.

That's it kids. I've got a show next week ( Yellow Springs Ohio Aug.8) so I need to get busy in the studio. Hope these tips save you some time and effort. Thanks for stopping by.



Excessive Handle Disorder

Mom always said " If all the other boys jumped off the roof would you? "  ( Maybe, depends on how high the roof was) Dad said " If you lie down with dogs you get up with fleas" I think I've been paying too much attention to my friends Dan and Tony AKA the handle kings. I've been very happy making nice little pots. If they had to have a handle, they got a handle. If they didn't need one they didn't. Then this crap started happening around here.

 

The vase on the right will hold flowers just as well as the one on the left., The one on the left will never be hung by those handles,. Either one can easily be picked up with one hand. Why did this happen? I couldn't control myself . GOD FORGIVE ME  I JUST HAD TO DO IT !

 

 It happened again this morning.

 

 

Does anyone know of a 12 step program for excessive handle disorder? STOP ME NOW BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

 

 

Handles Revisited

Hello everyone. Happy Father's Day to you Dads out there. To the rest of you just take this as a reminder. OK enough of that. A while back I posted a video on handle making. The content was fine, the quality was awful.It is really difficult to do selfie videos while demonstrating how to do something. As a way of improving it, I  reshot it this morning in two parts. There are as many handles and ways of making them as there are potters. These videos are just to demystify one way of doing it for those beginners out there who struggle with it. Enjoy

 

After allowing the handle to set up and hitting it with a torch for a few seconds.

 

 

Thanks for stopping by.

First Saturday In June

Every first Saturday in June it's time for the Augusta Ky. art guild to put on their annual show. It sits along the banks of the Ohio River, there is a ferry across the river, and the street is lined with big old houses with beautiful gardens. It is one of the most scenic shows I know of. I did the show for several years but it was a lot of effort. It is a long drive so I had to leave home before 5:30 AM and didn't get home til after 8 PM. Some years I did OK, some years I didn't but I did make friends with some of the other vendors so I still like to drive down and visit. Art shows are so much nicer when you can leave home at 10 , not set up and knock down a booth, and come home when you want to !

Rob Weigartner selling some jewelry

My friend Toby ( left) acting like her sister is buying something

Quickest way to get to Ohio

The whole street is pretty much like this.

Lots of music

Trish McLennan ( in apron) does nice image transfer decorated pottery.
 She had a crowd every time I passed her booth.

I remember this guy's last name was Denham.
I think he had a booth just for busking
He was doing some nice old tunes.
 

Change

Since Spring Fair, I have made a few pots but since the next show is in August, there is no rush to finish anything. I've been cleaning and re organizing. I've sold off a few things that were taking up too much space, broken bad pots, had a seconds sale and it has had some effect in opening up the shop. I may even have made enough space for a photo booth! I'll let you know how that comes out. This week, I've been screwing around making some larger pots. These are about 16" each. I know how to make bigger ones but they get to be a real pain to carry around to shows and these are big enough to be corner pieces while being small enough they might actually sell.

 

In other news, fellow Balladeer John Giver is in hospice care. I guess he had written some songs that Christine Lavin ( Sensitive New Age Guys, Four Bitchin' Babes, etc)  had recorded and they had become friends. She came to town last weekend to pay her respects and give a somewhat impromptu concert in his honor. Turns out she is about my age. I had expected her to be 30 years younger and when she started to sing, she was. She put on a great little show for about 100 people and we all had a good time. One of the openers was Lenny Hall and his wife Linda singing the old Billy Joe Shaver song " I'm Gonna Live Forever" It was a perfect song for the occasion and Lenny does it much better than I do but in case you don't know it, here is my version.