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Apr 11th, '13, 12:16
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Re: Amateur Hour (Non Artisan Member Made pots and cups)

by JBaymore » Apr 11th, '13, 12:16

futurebird wrote:I'm not allergic to it.
Wow...... do you get a reaction to actual poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac?

best,

..............john

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Apr 11th, '13, 17:10
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Re: Amateur Hour (Non Artisan Member Made pots and cups)

by futurebird » Apr 11th, '13, 17:10

Nope, never had that kind of rash... but I do get a rash from walnuts, and sunflowers.

So much so that I always have an epi-pen on my person.

Apr 11th, '13, 22:36
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Re: Amateur Hour (Non Artisan Member Made pots and cups)

by biglou13 » Apr 11th, '13, 22:36

What about rubbing with wet leather chamiois

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Apr 11th, '13, 23:55
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Re: Amateur Hour (Non Artisan Member Made pots and cups)

by futurebird » Apr 11th, '13, 23:55

Now that the re-constituted clay has cured for a day the texture is much better. Now I see why they leave clay in caves for years to cure it.

I'm going to make something this weekend. Maybe a cup with a foot using the rive paddle form my rice maker and lazy susan from the spice rack.

I NEED MORE SUPPLIES.

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Apr 13th, '13, 15:19
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Re: Amateur Hour (Non Artisan Member Made pots and cups)

by paul haigh » Apr 13th, '13, 15:19

AdamMY wrote: I am sure the last thing you want to buy is more items, but potters have items called "ribs" that can be wood, metal, smooth, jagged, etc... I was recently introduced to rubber ribs, which you get them a little wet and rub them over the surface of your piece, it works wonders smoothing everything out. ( It should work on yixing clay, as it is somewhat similar to using water to join pieces of clay which I have seen yixing potters do.)

I would avoid sanding while dry at all costs, even with very fine grit sand paper it will likely only make the piece either awkard looking from many many scratches, not to mention might be a great area for stuff to grow as it will be increidbly hard to clean thoroughly. Although if you are going to glaze it sand away, as most glazes would easily fill in such small scratches.
A flexible rib is very useful, and can be made from a credit card. Wooden spoons, hand made wooden ribs, other kitchen implements are employed in my studio. Make your own tools, and you will make your own marks.

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Apr 13th, '13, 22:16
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Re: Amateur Hour (Non Artisan Member Made pots and cups)

by futurebird » Apr 13th, '13, 22:16

I'll give it a try. These were today's efforts. I've never made anything like a teapot before, just trying to emulate the videos on youtube.

Obbviously, I have a long way to go. :lol:

These are some ugly mugs.

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Going for the small size, all imperfections are magnified.

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The green clay is rather army... no?

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I was happy with the thickness of the walls on this 2nd one. But the spout is stupid-looking and they are just too rough. I think I need better ways of keeping the clay moist while working -- that's a source of many problems. Maybe I need to stop more often and put the clay back in the humidity box (a plastic box with wet sides and wet paper, but a dish on the bottom to keep the water from touching directly)

Maybe I need too let the reconstituted clay rest longer.

Butt mostly, I think I should just keep churning them out. I learn something each time I do it. If I make 100 pots then maybe #101, will look decent.

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Apr 14th, '13, 13:40
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Re: Amateur Hour (Non Artisan Member Made pots and cups)

by futurebird » Apr 14th, '13, 13:40

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todays teapot... 97 more to go.

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Apr 18th, '13, 22:06
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Re: Amateur Hour (Non Artisan Member Made pots and cups)

by futurebird » Apr 18th, '13, 22:06

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I decided to just focus on smoothness and make something less complex. just a cup with a foot.

I still think it could be smoother. I'm excited about getting a larger space to make slabs, so I can work a bit bigger.

I may post another of this one after it is burnished.

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Apr 19th, '13, 12:35
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Re: Amateur Hour (Non Artisan Member Made pots and cups)

by futurebird » Apr 19th, '13, 12:35

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This is after burnishing it.

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Apr 20th, '13, 19:44
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Re: Amateur Hour (Non Artisan Member Made pots and cups)

by futurebird » Apr 20th, '13, 19:44

Today I made a small tea canister with tight-fitting lid:

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I can't wait for more clay to come in the mail. The green is a bit odd looking but it's nice to work with.

I think I might try another full teapot soon.
Last edited by futurebird on Apr 20th, '13, 20:21, edited 2 times in total.

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Apr 20th, '13, 19:52
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Re: Amateur Hour (Non Artisan Member Made pots and cups)

by AdamMY » Apr 20th, '13, 19:52

I picked up my 8 bisque fired pieces, I will try and take photos of them before I take them to get glazed and loaded into the anagama kiln. I am eager to see how they behave in the wood fire. I hope they get a lot of nice glossy glassy surface from all that colleted wood ash.

Kiln gets loaded next weekend, and firing starts the following Wednesday, and it goes until sunday, then we let the kiln cool down slowly and we unload the following weekend, and see if we were blessed by the kiln gods.

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Apr 20th, '13, 20:02
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Re: Amateur Hour (Non Artisan Member Made pots and cups)

by futurebird » Apr 20th, '13, 20:02

I haven't had much luck finding a kiln. The two schools I tried don't go hot enough.

I hope your work turns out well, Adam!

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Apr 20th, '13, 21:55
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Re: Amateur Hour (Non Artisan Member Made pots and cups)

by GreenwoodStudio » Apr 20th, '13, 21:55

AdamMY wrote: then we let the kiln cool down slowly and we unload the following weekend, and see if we were blessed by the kiln gods.
This is always a painful wait, I hate it :evil:

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Apr 23rd, '13, 02:37
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Re: Amateur Hour (Non Artisan Member Made pots and cups)

by futurebird » Apr 23rd, '13, 02:37

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This is my newest work. Today my ox horn came in the mail it's SUCH a big help making the pot smoother.

I'm getting ready to fit a lid on this one. I have not shaped it ideally for this, but I'll do my best.

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Apr 23rd, '13, 10:41
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Re: Amateur Hour (Non Artisan Member Made pots and cups)

by futurebird » Apr 23rd, '13, 10:41

Here are some more photos after a lot of carving on the spout.

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I'm feeling betting about this one, I did make it a bit larger. I'd guess it's 90-120ml

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still have a lot of work to do on the base.

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not a perfect circle.

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reality check. such a long way to go!

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it is very difficult to tap the cylinder shape in to the nicer rounded shape of the master pot shown with my latest effort.

I'm going to keep working on better symmetry and making it "flatter" --

also I did not plan well for the lid. Maybe I can add a lip. Ideas?

Just gott a batch of new clay!!!

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