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#1
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throwing (pulling up)
Hello,
I have been throwing for about a year, but I still have trouble pulling my clay up (throwing, right?). Sometimes, I end up with a ring that just comes off when I get to the top. Other times, usually when I am making tall objects, the clay doesnt seem to move up at all after a while. Then I get too ambitious and pull too much up at a time, and the piece usually ends up all wobbledy. Can anyone give me some pointers? Thanks, Mandy |
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#2
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"Mandy Farrier" wrote in message ... Hello, I have been throwing for about a year, but I still have trouble pulling my clay up (throwing, right?). Sometimes, I end up with a ring that just comes off when I get to the top. Other times, usually when I am making tall objects, the clay doesnt seem to move up at all after a while. Then I get too ambitious and pull too much up at a time, and the piece usually ends up all wobbledy. Can anyone give me some pointers? Thanks, Mandy Keep it slow and controlled. Always use sufficient water/slip, a dry spot will cause problems. When reaching the top always compact the rim. If you are leaving lots at the bottom, before lifting with your knuckle dig your finger in against the batt/wheel head so that you can get your knuckle in right at the bottom. Good luck |
#3
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"Mandy Farrier" wrote in message ... Hello, I have been throwing for about a year, but I still have trouble pulling my clay up (throwing, right?). Sometimes, I end up with a ring that just comes off when I get to the top. Other times, usually when I am making tall objects, the clay doesnt seem to move up at all after a while. Then I get too ambitious and pull too much up at a time, and the piece usually ends up all wobbledy. Can anyone give me some pointers? Thanks, Mandy Hi Mandy, my tips for what its worth: 1. Dont spin the wheel too fast..... slow down. 2. Try and "link" your hands together at the thumbs.... it helpd to make the wall thickness of the vessel even. Difficult for large pieces but do practice just throwing tubes with say 400gms of clay to begin with.... progressively making them taller and thinner walled will an even rim. 3. Ease off the pressure on the top of the tubes to help prevent the top becomming to thin. 4. Dont try and pull too much clay up at once.... especially if it is on the hard side for thowing..... on the other hand if the clay is too soft, its difficult to pull up tall thin walled pieces. 5. Soft clay (while easy to center), will tend to "buckle" if its thin.... but if its not too bad it is recoverable. Regards Kevin my pottery homepage www.kevinbaldwin.20m.com |
#4
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Hi Mandy,
I am a new potter, too. I was having the same problem. I was not keeping my fingers moving up at the same speed. I found I was holding my fingers in one place for too long. Hope this helps you. Sandi "Kevin Baldwin" wrote in message ... "Mandy Farrier" wrote in message ... Hello, I have been throwing for about a year, but I still have trouble pulling my clay up (throwing, right?). Sometimes, I end up with a ring that just comes off when I get to the top. Other times, usually when I am making tall objects, the clay doesnt seem to move up at all after a while. Then I get too ambitious and pull too much up at a time, and the piece usually ends up all wobbledy. Can anyone give me some pointers? Thanks, Mandy Hi Mandy, my tips for what its worth: 1. Dont spin the wheel too fast..... slow down. 2. Try and "link" your hands together at the thumbs.... it helpd to make the wall thickness of the vessel even. Difficult for large pieces but do practice just throwing tubes with say 400gms of clay to begin with.... progressively making them taller and thinner walled will an even rim. 3. Ease off the pressure on the top of the tubes to help prevent the top becomming to thin. 4. Dont try and pull too much clay up at once.... especially if it is on the hard side for thowing..... on the other hand if the clay is too soft, its difficult to pull up tall thin walled pieces. 5. Soft clay (while easy to center), will tend to "buckle" if its thin.... but if its not too bad it is recoverable. Regards Kevin my pottery homepage www.kevinbaldwin.20m.com |
#5
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In article ,
sandi wrote: Hi Mandy, I am a new potter, too. I was having the same problem. I was not keeping my fingers moving up at the same speed. I found I was holding my fingers in one place for too long. Hope this helps you. Sandi A couple of other hints that might help-- If you want your cylinder to flare out at the top slightly, keep your inside fingers slightly higher than your outside fingers. If you want your cylinder to flare in at the top slightly, keep your outside fingers slightly higher than your inside fingers. As someone else mentioned, regularly compress the top rim--maybe after every pull upwards. Use your rib to take off the slip from the surfaces of the clay after a couple of pulls. This will also compress your walls. Try to sit as close to your wheel as possible, so that you are vertically over your piece. This reduces the tendency to pull outwards towards your body. If you're trying to go tall, go about halfway, and let the piece sit for awhile to slightly firm up before pulling it higher. This will reduce the chance that it will flop down. I don't mean leather hard or anything like that--just for a little while so that it's not really wet and soft. For your last couple of pulls, try pulling dry. Rib off all the water from the surfaces of the clay, and dry off your hands on a towel. There can't be water either on your hands or on any part of the clay surfaces or you'll "catch" when pulling, but it works well if you've gotten the water off. Takes some practice. I was surprised that it worked for me--I didn't quite believe it would until I tried. Deb R. |
#6
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another newbie here. learned something in class last night...
"Deborah M Riel" wrote in message ... In article , sandi wrote: Hi Mandy, I am a new potter, too. I was having the same problem. I was not keeping my fingers moving up at the same speed. I found I was holding my fingers in one place for too long. Hope this helps you. Sandi A couple of other hints that might help-- If you want your cylinder to flare out at the top slightly, keep your inside fingers slightly higher than your outside fingers. If you want your cylinder to flare in at the top slightly, keep your outside fingers slightly higher than your inside fingers. As someone else mentioned, regularly compress the top rim--maybe after every pull upwards. Use your rib to take off the slip from the surfaces of the clay after a couple of pulls. This will also compress your walls. Try to sit as close to your wheel as possible, so that you are vertically over your piece. This reduces the tendency to pull outwards towards your body. stick your nose dead center over the cylinder. i was looking at the side of my hands when pulling up, and found myself tilting my head sideways to the right. this caused everything to lean over, and eventually fail. If you're trying to go tall, go about halfway, and let the piece sit for awhile to slightly firm up before pulling it higher. This will reduce the chance that it will flop down. I don't mean leather hard or anything like that--just for a little while so that it's not really wet and soft. For your last couple of pulls, try pulling dry. Rib off all the water from the surfaces of the clay, and dry off your hands on a towel. There can't be water either on your hands or on any part of the clay surfaces or you'll "catch" when pulling, but it works well if you've gotten the water off. Takes some practice. I was surprised that it worked for me--I didn't quite believe it would until I tried. Deb R. |
#7
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Thanks so much everyone. I'll let you know how your tips work for me.
Mandy "Charlie Spitzer" wrote in message ... another newbie here. learned something in class last night... "Deborah M Riel" wrote in message ... In article , sandi wrote: Hi Mandy, I am a new potter, too. I was having the same problem. I was not keeping my fingers moving up at the same speed. I found I was holding my fingers in one place for too long. Hope this helps you. Sandi A couple of other hints that might help-- If you want your cylinder to flare out at the top slightly, keep your inside fingers slightly higher than your outside fingers. If you want your cylinder to flare in at the top slightly, keep your outside fingers slightly higher than your inside fingers. As someone else mentioned, regularly compress the top rim--maybe after every pull upwards. Use your rib to take off the slip from the surfaces of the clay after a couple of pulls. This will also compress your walls. Try to sit as close to your wheel as possible, so that you are vertically over your piece. This reduces the tendency to pull outwards towards your body. stick your nose dead center over the cylinder. i was looking at the side of my hands when pulling up, and found myself tilting my head sideways to the right. this caused everything to lean over, and eventually fail. If you're trying to go tall, go about halfway, and let the piece sit for awhile to slightly firm up before pulling it higher. This will reduce the chance that it will flop down. I don't mean leather hard or anything like that--just for a little while so that it's not really wet and soft. For your last couple of pulls, try pulling dry. Rib off all the water from the surfaces of the clay, and dry off your hands on a towel. There can't be water either on your hands or on any part of the clay surfaces or you'll "catch" when pulling, but it works well if you've gotten the water off. Takes some practice. I was surprised that it worked for me--I didn't quite believe it would until I tried. Deb R. |
#8
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Nice website Kevin.
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#9
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Hi GaSeku,
Thanks very much Regards Kevin "GaSeku" wrote in message ... Nice website Kevin. |
#10
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"Monika Schleidt" wrote in message ... Mandy Farrier wrote: Hello, I have been throwing for about a year, but I still have trouble pulling my clay up (throwing, right?). Sometimes, I end up with a ring that just comes off when I get to the top. Other times, usually when I am making tall objects, the clay doesnt seem to move up at all after a while. Then I get too ambitious and pull too much up at a time, and the piece usually ends up all wobbledy. Can anyone give me some pointers? One thing which nobody mentioned: make sure you keep on breathing properly. I found out years ago, when i had difficulties throwing a large piece, that i tended to hold my breath while pulling it up. Once i had noticed that and made myself breath steadily, it became much easier. Monika -- Monika Schleidt www.schleidt.org/mskeramik You are so right, for me it was holding my breath when centring large pieces ) I had so much more strength when I breathed. |
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