Question:

How do I centre my clay?

Opening up

Hints for successful openings

* Opening is performed at the same wheel speed used for centering, and it also involves the tensing of opposing sets of muscles when pressure is applied. The pressure used to open the clay should be sure and even, and the downward movement should be direct, smooth, and relatively fast........

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A how-to overview

The evolution of a pot
What are the steps from your hand to finished piece?

It begins with clay. Many potters today use pre-mixed clay which is added to water and left to age in large bins or we can purchase it pre-made weighed out in 25 pound bags.

First, wedge your clay thoroughly, 40-50 kneading
motions for a 6-8 pound lump of clay should yield good clay for throwing. When your clay is properly wedged and you have checked for air bubbles by cutting a cross-section to see if any air is trapped inside the clay body, you can affix it to the wheel head........

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Defining the rim

Completing the form

When a successful form is pulled, it is completed with
refinements of the lip (also called the rim) and removal from the wheel head. During both of these activities, speed of rotation varies according to the stability of each shape thrown - greater stability allows faster rotation. Horizontal ware, such as bowls, will require a considerably slower speed. Fifty rpm is a starting point to experiment with for
slow rim refinement.

Refining the rim

Once the shape of the rim is defined, it is finished with a wet chamois, a wet sponge, or a lubricated finger. The finishing action leaves a smooth clay surface and may also make subtle adjustments in lip thickness and shape. Uniform lubrication is important for maintaining a centered rim during finishing.

Pulling the clay

Basic Throwing -

Pulling the clay

You are ready to pull the wall if the outside of the hump is
centered and the clay is opened in center. As your skill increases, it will become apparent that pulling can also have a centering function - many professionals use this technique. But as beginners, it will be important to pull from a well centered and opened form. If the opened hump is off center, the probable causes are either insufficient hand tension, allowing the rotating cylinder superior force, or
releasing pressure too quickly.

Pulling has three main purposes: thinning the wall, extending the form, and directing the shape.

Note: If further spreading of the bottom is needed, the indentation is made prior to pulling. The lowest portion of the wall is squeezed between a surface on the inside and another on the outside of the wall. This helps trim away excess clay which spreads out at the base of the wall by a method similar to the undercut described earlier, besides defining the base of the walls visually it helps the fingers in raising the clay up from the bottom of the pot.

Pulling and collaring troubleshooting

Troubleshooting
When learning to pull and collar, you may encounter some problems with the clay. Hard lumps or soft pockets of clay, air bubbles, and foreign matter (pieces of sponge, cloth, etc.) become more apparent and problematic in the body as the wall is pulled thinner. If you find such a defect, probe it with a needle tool to discover its composition and size.......

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Preparing the wheel head

Preparing the wheel head

Prepare the wheel head for throwing by applying a thin film of water or slip with your hand (wetting the wheel head is particularly useful when the clay is rather hard; when soft clay is used, this step is not necessary). Next, place a lump of clay on the wheel head and twist it back and forth until it is firmly secured. If there is too much water on the wheel head, it will take a long time to seat the clay.

Beginners should use soft clay, because it is easier to work with during most of the throwing operations. If the clay is too stiff to work with, you can dip it in a bucket of water and wrap it in plastic or wet cloth. You can also cut stiff clay chunks and wet enough, it can be re-wedged. If not, you can wet it
again, wrap it in plastic, and stored it until it is softened.

To attach clay to the wheel head without applying a film of close to center as possible. As the wheel rotates slowly, firmly slap the lump into relative center. No lubrication (water) is applied to the clay during this step. Peaks and valleys on the surface of the lump should be smoothed with firm, rhythmic slaps, and the overall contour of the clay should be forced into a symmetrical shape. If this is difficult, the clay is probably too hard. Only when the clay is firmly secured to the wheel head and relatively in center are you ready to begin the centering process.

Alternative centering methods

Alternative centering methods
You can use different methods of centering when throwing large amounts of clay and/or wide-based forms. Because most hands will not cover the entire surface of large humps, more strength or leverage is needed to manage these forms. Consequently, the clay is manipulated from the bottom to the top of the hump - pressure is applied and your hands move slowly upward as the clay below is centered.......

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cutting from the wheelhead

Cutting from the wheel head

When you are satisfied with the completed shape, cut it from the wheel head or hump. Throwing all ware on bats will temporarily avoid the problem, but you will eventually need to learn to lift ware from the wheel head to develop full use of your throwing skills.....

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