Tapping to center

I am new to clay and wheels and right now trying to learn to tap to
center, this morning while practicing and somewhat struggling with it,
I thought that tapping it with a stick in place of my hand I'd be able
to better control the tapping force, like this:

I didn't have a real bowl to try it with, so I used a plastic bowl,
wrapped a plastic glove around the stick to simulate the softness and
thickness of my hand's side. The idea is to very slowly and gradually
slide left the stick configuration (on my left hand) while tapping the
stick on the bowl, stopping once we deem the bowl centered, while
tapping keep your eyes on the bowl not the stick. Anyway, it may help
someone (or not).

Guillermo

I don't know what hapen with the link, here it is again:

Don't know why google groups change some letters on the URL into
periods.

Here is a link to the video using TINYURL links:

http://tinyurl.com/re9ga

wrote in message
ups.com...
I don't know what hapen with the link, here it is again:




Couldn't play the video, server busy, but.

There are lots of options, I do not tap to centre I just gently move the
pot, feel with my finger extended where it is too close and stop the wheel
and move it gently in the appropriate direction. Tapping might work well,
but it is not entirely necessary.
The other method I use ) is a griffin grip, does the centring for you. I
cannot use the griffin grip when turning porcelain though, it damages the
rim too much.

One last try:

http://tinyurl.com/kldf7

wrote in message
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One last try:

http://tinyurl.com/kldf7


Gotcha video this time. Did you notice that the lines on the wheel head
easily marked where centre was. You could have done it by sight )

That wheelhead is made out of iron, it'd stain brown with oxide any
clay or pot placed right over it, have to use a bat.

wrote in message
oups.com...
That wheelhead is made out of iron, it'd stain brown with oxide any
clay or pot placed right over it, have to use a bat.


OK so to help with the centring get an indelible pen and mark circles on a
good bat at about one inch apart. Then you will have those to help with the
centering for turning. Best to always make things easier for yourself. By
the way your tapping seemed to work fine, I was just pointing out that you
don't have to stress about tapping, there are plenty of ways to accomplise a
well centered pot for turning.

I use bats too - I have used a pencil in the past to mark the concentric
circles - works just fine and certainly makes life a lot easier.
JM

J M wrote:
I use bats too - I have used a pencil in the past to mark the concentric
circles - works just fine and certainly makes life a lot easier.
JM


Never could get the hang of this tapping malarkey... Loooks sooo cool
when real potters do it, but i always find by eye and then running
finger and moving it to centre, takes a little longer, doesn't look
anywhere near as cool, but i can DO it and it works for me (even on
those 75 pots per day daze)
Good Luck
Muchly Hugs
Eddie