equipment

Can someone give me a few advices. I am planning to buy some equipment. I
don't have to much experience, well I will pick it by the way... And I can't
decide what equipment to buy. For example should I buy vacuuming pug mill,
or simple one will do? And with kiln - should I buy biggest affordable
right away, or start with smaller... etc... I am asking this because in the
book from Peter King ' Architectural Ceramics ', for example he advices to
buy best (most expensive) affordable slab roller right away. Is it same case
with rest of the equipment?
Thanks

In my opinion, DON'T buy all that expensive, automated equipment
until you know how to perform the basic processes of ceramics BY HAND
-- they way they've been done since the Ice Age. By "basic" I mean
things like wedging clay, reclaiming clay, and rolling or cutting
slabs manually. I'm not being sentimental about tradition -- this is
just practical.



On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 19:46:51 +0100, "MJ" wrote:

Can someone give me a few advices. I am planning to buy some equipment. I
don't have to much experience, well I will pick it by the way... And I can't
decide what equipment to buy. For example should I buy vacuuming pug mill,
or simple one will do? And with kiln - should I buy biggest affordable
right away, or start with smaller... etc... I am asking this because in the
book from Peter King ' Architectural Ceramics ', for example he advices to
buy best (most expensive) affordable slab roller right away. Is it same case
with rest of the equipment?
Thanks

Before we advise you it would be good to know what experience you have.
What pottery/ceramic work you have done. What you intend to do and make.
Annemarie

"MJ" wrote in message ...
Can someone give me a few advices. I am planning to buy some equipment. I
don't have to much experience, well I will pick it by the way... And I
can't decide what equipment to buy. For example should I buy vacuuming pug
mill, or simple one will do? And with kiln - should I buy biggest
affordable right away, or start with smaller... etc... I am asking this
because in the book from Peter King ' Architectural Ceramics ', for
example he advices to buy best (most expensive) affordable slab roller
right away. Is it same case with rest of the equipment?
Thanks

I'm with Marco on this.

We often advise people who are just starting out to buy a 1 cube plug-in
kiln with cone 10 capability so that they can experiment with it and get
a quick turn-around on their efforts and not have to fill a larger kiln
with lots of stuff.
When they decide to upgrade to a larger version they can then use the
original small one as a test kiln.
The same goes with other kit, except Wheels; don't go for a cheap
option, take advice and get a good one; it will stand you in good stead
for a long time. If you decide clay is not for you a quality wheel will
always re-sell.#

Steve
Bath
UK

In article , Marco Milazzo
writes
In my opinion, DON'T buy all that expensive, automated equipment
until you know how to perform the basic processes of ceramics BY HAND
-- they way they've been done since the Ice Age. By "basic" I mean
things like wedging clay, reclaiming clay, and rolling or cutting
slabs manually. I'm not being sentimental about tradition -- this is
just practical.



On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 19:46:51 +0100, "MJ" wrote:

Can someone give me a few advices. I am planning to buy some equipment. I
don't have to much experience, well I will pick it by the way... And I can't
decide what equipment to buy. For example should I buy vacuuming pug mill,
or simple one will do? And with kiln - should I buy biggest affordable
right away, or start with smaller... etc... I am asking this because in the
book from Peter King ' Architectural Ceramics ', for example he advices to
buy best (most expensive) affordable slab roller right away. Is it same case
with rest of the equipment?
Thanks



--
Steve Mills
Bath
UK

Marco Milazzo wrote:
In my opinion, DON'T buy all that expensive, automated equipment
until you know how to perform the basic processes of ceramics BY HAND
SNIP

Very sage advise. I'm reminded of a photographer I know who taught a basic
course in photography. He had to start telling students not to buy ANY of
the equipment he introduced after a guy with more money than sense kept
coming in with the latest most expensive lenses, new bodies, light meters,
etc. He said the guy never learned to make a photograph he was so busy
getting all the latest cameras, etc. He was never able to convince the guy
the it was the person behind the camera that was the most important, not the
equipment. To my way of thinking pottery is exactly the same.

You mention architectural ceramics. If this is something you are heading
towards, start small and learn everything you can, especially shrinkage, how
to measure it, how to minimize it, how different thicknesses in one piece
are going to affect it.

There are no shortcuts to excellence. Ask any Olympic athlete, professional
musician, or working potter.

Raj V

I agree with all replies.

Just stick to a good old wooden rolling pin and use wooden slats to use as
level/even guides. I use slats of approx 5-6mm thickness.

As for reclaiming - well pugmills are great if u have a decent
turnaround...but dont go wasting money on a vacuum one just yet.

Your biggest expense, at the moment, is going to be the kiln and wheel (if
you're going to throw).

JM

Re Pugmills:

From my experience in servicing pottery equipment, all types of pugmill are
a giant pain in the *** unless you are using them continuously.

Unless you have a large amount of clay to pug - either you are processing
your own local clay, or you have lots of clay to recycle - you WILL spend a
lot of time cleaning the pugmill of old dried clay so you can use it again.
Either that, or you will be calling the service man to do it for you. I have
been there.

Most commercially supplied clay doesn't normally need to be re-pugged before
use.

Cheers

Dave

"MJ" wrote in message ...
Can someone give me a few advices. I am planning to buy some equipment. I
don't have to much experience, well I will pick it by the way... And I
can't decide what equipment to buy. For example should I buy vacuuming pug
mill, or simple one will do? And with kiln - should I buy biggest
affordable right away, or start with smaller... etc... I am asking this
because in the book from Peter King ' Architectural Ceramics ', for
example he advices to buy best (most expensive) affordable slab roller
right away. Is it same case with rest of the equipment?
Thanks

Dave,
Clay drying out in pugmill?
Tip.... try putting a plastic bag over the extrusion end and a wet rag with
another plastic bag, over the top to contain moisture, into the plunger
section. This should keep the clay moist for a good 6 months before any
signs of drying out!

JM

Dave wrote:
From my experience in servicing pottery equipment, all types of pugmill are
a giant pain in the *** unless you are using them continuously.

Unless you have a large amount of clay to pug - either you are processing
your own local clay, or you have lots of clay to recycle - you WILL spend a
lot of time cleaning the pugmill of old dried clay so you can use it again.

Either that, or you will be calling the service man to do it for you. I have
been there.

Most commercially supplied clay doesn't normally need to be re-pugged before
use.

I agree with Marco's premise, however... when you do buy the equipment, I
would buy the best you can afford.

Steve in Tampa, FL


"Marco Milazzo" wrote in message
...
In my opinion, DON'T buy all that expensive, automated equipment
until you know how to perform the basic processes of ceramics BY HAND
-- they way they've been done since the Ice Age. By "basic" I mean
things like wedging clay, reclaiming clay, and rolling or cutting
slabs manually. I'm not being sentimental about tradition -- this is
just practical.



On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 19:46:51 +0100, "MJ" wrote:

Can someone give me a few advices. I am planning to buy some equipment. I
don't have to much experience, well I will pick it by the way... And I
can't
decide what equipment to buy. For example should I buy vacuuming pug mill,
or simple one will do? And with kiln - should I buy biggest affordable
right away, or start with smaller... etc... I am asking this because in
the
book from Peter King ' Architectural Ceramics ', for example he advices to
buy best (most expensive) affordable slab roller right away. Is it same
case
with rest of the equipment?
Thanks