Throw fine porcelain work on plaster bats. The work will dry and pop off the plaster base when ready for turning.
Porcelain bisque should always be fired slowly.
Don't stiffen up or quit breathing while you are
throwing.
Relax and enjoy the experience at the wheel - even if it is frustrating at times. As a beginner many people develop a rigid posture at the wheel and worse yet they all but stop breathing as they are in the throes of throwing a pot or taking it off the wheel. Over time you'll develop a comfortable position for throwing. You should keep your arms stiff from the elbow to the point at which your hands contact the clay while you are trying to center it or compress it and when you make any major changes to the form. Otherwise you need to relax and breath and move
around while you are throwing.
Plaster Bats
To throw - to form a ceramic vessel or other object on the potter's wheel. Throwing is not always a straightforward thing. It certainly is not something that is learnt in a few minutes. The finer the clay, the harder it is to work with. Sometimes a plaster bat can be useful when throwing these finer clays. Then, it is possible to remove a precarious piece from the wheel head without actually cutting it off -- it just stays on the bat and the bat is removed, freshly thrown vessel and all.
Here is a simple method for casting plaster bats......
Read this entire article 'How-to make Plaster throwing bats' in the Articles section of this site
Or go to:
http://www.ceramics-tips.com/RscArticleV.asp?id=400
Ever had trouble turning finely thrown porcelain? Try glueing a piece of carpet cut in a circle to a bat and turning on that. The carpet stops the work from slipping with a minimum pressure on the foot, while the rims are protected.
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Guru Spotlight |
Patricia Walters-Fischer |