Bird baths

Hi Everyone,
I want to throw a 2 piece bird bath. I have no trouble with the tall
pedestal but the wide low bowl part is giving me a problem. The sides
start to sag when I pull it out so far. There must be a secret trick
to it. If anyone knows how to throw a wide (maybe 15 inches) low
(maybe 3 or 4 inches) bowl, would you share how to do it ? I'd really
apprieciate it.
Thank you,
Sandi

Hello Sandie
To throw a shallow bowl you must leave a lot of extra clay on the base, make
it nearly as wide as the rim, and then trim all the excess at the leather
hard stage. leave a gradual thicker wall as near the base when you trim or
otherwise your bowl will sag in firing.
regards Edwin
"Red Deer" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi Everyone,
I want to throw a 2 piece bird bath. I have no trouble with the tall
pedestal but the wide low bowl part is giving me a problem. The sides
start to sag when I pull it out so far. There must be a secret trick
to it. If anyone knows how to throw a wide (maybe 15 inches) low
(maybe 3 or 4 inches) bowl, would you share how to do it ? I'd really
apprieciate it.
Thank you,
Sandi

On Mon, 26 Jun 2006 07:52:22 -0400, Red Deer wrote:

Hi Everyone,
I want to throw a 2 piece bird bath. I have no trouble with the tall
pedestal but the wide low bowl part is giving me a problem. The sides
start to sag when I pull it out so far. There must be a secret trick
to it. If anyone knows how to throw a wide (maybe 15 inches) low
(maybe 3 or 4 inches) bowl, would you share how to do it ? I'd really
apprieciate it.

If your clay sags when you're throwing it, I'd suggest that you make the base
of the clay wider to keep the rim from falling. When you trim it, you can
then cut the base down to the size you need to mate with your bird bath
bottom.

If you mean that your clay sags in the kiln, you might want to attach some
sacrificial supports to the underside of your birdbath top to support it in
the kiln. You can grind them off once the piece is bisqued.

I'm doing that with some large masks I'm making. There are extensions and
things on the edges of the masks that are just too frangible to support
themselves and the mask, so I'm puttting some simple legs on the back of the
masks to support them while drying and bisqueing. Once that's done I'll
grind them off. Unless I think they're still to fragile, and then I'll just
leave the legs on and get rid of them once the final firing is done.

--
Spunky the Tuna
always steer toward the cornfield...

DKat wrote:
Are you throwing on a bat that is about the width of the bowl? I can't
imagine you creating a bowl that size without a base of almost the same
size.

"Red Deer" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi Everyone,
I want to throw a 2 piece bird bath. I have no trouble with the tall
pedestal but the wide low bowl part is giving me a problem. The sides
start to sag when I pull it out so far. There must be a secret trick
to it. If anyone knows how to throw a wide (maybe 15 inches) low
(maybe 3 or 4 inches) bowl, would you share how to do it ? I'd really
apprieciate it.
Thank you,
Sandi



Try some grog in the body, if yer using a very plastic clay then it just
don't have the "tooth" to do bigger stuff, try a toothier body (crank in
the UK, maybe 50/50 with your standard clay...)
Hugs
Eddie

Throw the shallow bowl upside down on a wheel bat and cast it in
plaster. Let the plaster cure and dry. Then press mold the shallow
bowl peices. This allows a support until the leather hard stage when
they will release from the plaster cast and solves your problem. I
also like the hint to sacrafice some supports in the kiln while firing.
You may be able to throw small bowls or other ware that you can
actually use after using them as supports in the bisque firing!

Chad Everson
The Clay Empire

Red Deer wrote:
Hi Everyone,
I want to throw a 2 piece bird bath. I have no trouble with the tall
pedestal but the wide low bowl part is giving me a problem. The sides
start to sag when I pull it out so far. There must be a secret trick
to it. If anyone knows how to throw a wide (maybe 15 inches) low
(maybe 3 or 4 inches) bowl, would you share how to do it ? I'd really
apprieciate it.
Thank you,
Sandi

The Clay Empire wrote:
Throw the shallow bowl upside down on a wheel bat and cast it in
plaster. Let the plaster cure and dry. Then press mold the shallow
bowl peices. This allows a support until the leather hard stage when
they will release from the plaster cast and solves your problem. I
also like the hint to sacrafice some supports in the kiln while firing.
You may be able to throw small bowls or other ware that you can
actually use after using them as supports in the bisque firing!

Chad Everson
The Clay Empire

Red Deer wrote:
Hi Everyone,
I want to throw a 2 piece bird bath. I have no trouble with the tall
pedestal but the wide low bowl part is giving me a problem. The sides
start to sag when I pull it out so far. There must be a secret trick
to it. If anyone knows how to throw a wide (maybe 15 inches) low
(maybe 3 or 4 inches) bowl, would you share how to do it ? I'd really
apprieciate it.
Thank you,
Sandi

Thank you all for such great help. The clay I was using is very
plastic. I will try a toothier clay. And I will make the base as wide
as I can. I was trying to make it as if it was a big bowl and then
pulling out the sides. That's when it sagged. I am using a 14 inch
bat. I will let everyone know how my next one turns out. Again, thank
you all.
Sandi

Are you throwing on a bat that is about the width of the bowl? I can't
imagine you creating a bowl that size without a base of almost the same
size.

"Red Deer" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi Everyone,
I want to throw a 2 piece bird bath. I have no trouble with the tall
pedestal but the wide low bowl part is giving me a problem. The sides
start to sag when I pull it out so far. There must be a secret trick
to it. If anyone knows how to throw a wide (maybe 15 inches) low
(maybe 3 or 4 inches) bowl, would you share how to do it ? I'd really
apprieciate it.
Thank you,
Sandi

i've done bowls up to 36 inches diameter (wet). ~ expect lots of
shrinkage....

i found i needed a wider base then i was used to. around 9 to 12
inches or so.

i use soldate60 claybody. ~ strong wet strength.

i throw a wide cylinder, and shape the bowl only from the inside.
slowly tilting the walls of the bowl into a wide bowl.

SOMEtimes i stop at a stage & let the clay dry a bit before shaping
some more.

i can lay a bowl into a platter this way too. just keep going till you
like it.

see ya

steve


DKat wrote:
Are you throwing on a bat that is about the width of the bowl? I can't
imagine you creating a bowl that size without a base of almost the same
size.

"Red Deer" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi Everyone,
I want to throw a 2 piece bird bath. I have no trouble with the tall
pedestal but the wide low bowl part is giving me a problem. The sides
start to sag when I pull it out so far. There must be a secret trick
to it. If anyone knows how to throw a wide (maybe 15 inches) low
(maybe 3 or 4 inches) bowl, would you share how to do it ? I'd really
apprieciate it.
Thank you,
Sandi

"Spunky the Tuna" wrote in message
s.com...

I'm doing that with some large masks I'm making. There are extensions and
things on the edges of the masks that are just too frangible to support
themselves and the mask, so I'm puttting some simple legs on the back of
the
masks to support them while drying and bisqueing. Once that's done I'll
grind them off. Unless I think they're still to fragile, and then I'll
just
leave the legs on and get rid of them once the final firing is done.

I don't understand why you have to grind these legs off?

I have used supports as well, but I make them as separate pieces and then
they don't stick to the unglazed surface whether in bisque or glaze firing.
Just have to remember whereabouts they were made to support :-)

Marianne