[WUVIE]

As a complete newbie to the wheel, I've been practicing wiring off the wheel once
a sample project is finished. I noticed the bottoms of the items were rough and rugged,
so I assumed this would later be cleaned up during trimming.

However, last night I moved the wheel into my husband's room, made a small bowl, and
simply left it on the wheel. This morning, I gently touched it, and it just lifted
right off the wheel with the most beautiful flat bottom, not sticking at all.

Necessary to mention is the fact that there is a wood burning stove in the room. I moved
the pot to the living room, which is quite large, and not heated, where the other items
I've made are slowly drying.

My question pertains to wiring off. Is this always necessary? I would imagine the size of
the project would come into play. Perhaps since my items are so small, they would indeed
not require wiring off. Or in other words, does one wire off to take back possession of
the bat? Unless one was short of bats, why would you not simply allow the item to dry on
the bat without wiring off? I realize I've asked the same question in different manners.

Please know that I'm new, and simply trying to understand the exact purpose of wiring off.

Many thanks for any replies.

[Ivar]

After piece is finished I let it dry bit on a bat. When it is almost leather hard I wire it of, and trimm bottom. If I leave it to dry on a bat or wheel then I can't do the trimming. Also, If you leave a piece to dry on bat or wheel, then it takes more time for bottom to dry, and it could cause deformation or cracking due to uneven drying.

[atanzey]

I saw a youtube video (and of course I have no idea who it was!) of a guy who made tumblers on plastic bats, cleaned and trimmed the bottoms to the bat, and left them to dry and pop off. This method is more usually used on plater bats, and I can tell you from experience that masonite bats do this pretty well. I've adopted this method for my mugs - leaves a really nice, flat bottom. Generally if it needs a litte attention around the foot, I can get it with a light sanding. If you have time to watch, the foot can actually be trimmed right after it pops, but I usually get back to it when it's too dry!

Alice

[Kabe]

I use plaster bats so I don't have to wire my stuff off the wheel. (Plaster bats is a whole nother discussion there are pros and cons. I think there great. some people don't) I don't have the paper here with me to tell you the name of the company I got my plaster bat system from, but they make a bat the has a curved top and that way you don't need to put a foot on your wares because they are already cupped. They just POP right off the bat all ready to go. It's so cool and I know it's cheating and I feel some what ashamed and I plan on getting the mold soon. I bought the mold for the flat bats so I still have to add a foot to my stuff. but soon, I'll be cool! Ain't Clay Fun! Kabe

[Kabe]

Big Electric Cat, on 04 March 2012 - 11:00 PM, said:

WUVIE, you can leave your pots to dry on a bat if you like or want a super flat bottom. I sometimes leave pots on masonite bats for days if I am working on other things. Sometimes I forget them and they dry too much, and as you found, they just come right off, so you can use that situation to your advantage if you want to. I've accidentally left little things or big pots on the bat, and nothing has cracked yet.
I always use bats, I haven't thrown on the wheelhead in a few years now.
Kabe, I think that if you like the way the curved bat is giving you feet, then use that. There is no cheating, I don't think, so if you want to trim, trim. Get the pieces YOU want, and use WHATEVER method gives it to you, and damn the torpedoes. That's one of the things I admired about Ken Price, he painted his pots when it was considered gauche to do so, but he didn't care. It gave him what he wanted, and if people didn't like it they could look at other pots.

Well Thank You. I think I'll do that. If it wasn't for independent thinking and the freedom to attempt what you want, make things look the way you want and do what you want. Where would art be? Why our creative....ect. I'm not sure if this speech applies curved bats,I think I get a bit lazy and just get sick of trimming feet. Aint Clay fun Kabe

[Pres]

Kabe, on 05 March 2012 - 08:47 AM, said:

Big Electric Cat, on 04 March 2012 - 11:00 PM, said:

WUVIE, you can leave your pots to dry on a bat if you like or want a super flat bottom. I sometimes leave pots on masonite bats for days if I am working on other things. Sometimes I forget them and they dry too much, and as you found, they just come right off, so you can use that situation to your advantage if you want to. I've accidentally left little things or big pots on the bat, and nothing has cracked yet.
I always use bats, I haven't thrown on the wheelhead in a few years now.
Kabe, I think that if you like the way the curved bat is giving you feet, then use that. There is no cheating, I don't think, so if you want to trim, trim. Get the pieces YOU want, and use WHATEVER method gives it to you, and damn the torpedoes. That's one of the things I admired about Ken Price, he painted his pots when it was considered gauche to do so, but he didn't care. It gave him what he wanted, and if people didn't like it they could look at other pots.

Well Thank You. I think I'll do that. If it wasn't for independent thinking and the freedom to attempt what you want, make things look the way you want and do what you want. Where would art be? Why our creative....ect. I'm not sure if this speech applies curved bats,I think I get a bit lazy and just get sick of trimming feet. Aint Clay fun Kabe

I usually throw off of the hump, or off of the wheel head except when doing large bowls. At the same time the finishing of the bottom, and coming to decorate it with the finish has become a matter of importance and pride. I had always told my students when looking at pottery for their home use to pay attention to the bottom, as it could be problematic if dragged across an heirloom coffee table or dining room table putting a gouge or scratch in the table. Back then a smooth signiture on a smooth bottom was the rigor of the day. With the advent of wiggle wires and wave wire I decorate a little, and smooth a little with clean signatures.

[WUVIE]

Pres said:

I usually throw off of the hump, or off of the wheel head except when doing large bowls.

Hello Pres,

I've seen mention of this term a few times. Could you explain 'throwing off the hump'?

Many thanks!

Karen

[WUVIE]

Kabe said:

a bat the has a curved top and that way you don't need to put a foot on your wares because they are already cupped.

Oh, now this has me intrigued!

Yesterday I made what I thought was a gorgeous little bowl, still
in the practicing stages, but proud, nevertheless.

It slid right off the wheel and sat on my dresser looking lovely and...crooked! On an eye-level glance, I laughed.
The pot was leaning slightly sideways. I wondered if it leaned during the night, or perhaps I actually made it
that way. Not sure how I would not have noticed a wobble while forming it, though.

This is the most fun I've ever had learning.

[neilestrick]

Nothing beats the elegance of a nicely trimmed raised foot on a nicely thrown elegant form. However, if you aesthetic leans toward loosely thrown pots, it may be more appropriate to not trim, or to trim roughly. It all depends on the pot. To avoid trimming a foot simply for the sake of saving time or effort will only hinder both the design of the piece and your progress as an artist.

As for wiring, my general rule of thumb is to cut everything from the bat immediately after throwing, especially on non-porous bats. Depending on the clay, often the pot will not release from the bat as it dries, then it cracks on the bottom due to shrinkage. With plastic bats, a second wire cut is often needed after some drying. Porous wood/masonite/Medex bats may or may not need wiring. They release better than plastic, but sometimes the texture of the surface really makes them grip. Plaster bats never need a wire, which is good because running a wire across the bat could release plaster dust into your clay.

[Pres]

WUVIE, on 05 March 2012 - 09:32 AM, said:

Pres said:

I usually throw off of the hump, or off of the wheel head except when doing large bowls.

Hello Pres,

I've seen mention of this term a few times. Could you explain 'throwing off the hump'?

Many thanks!

Karen

To throw off of the hump is to start with a larger piece of clay than the piece you are going to make, and to be able to throw several of pieces from the one piece of clay. For me it is often one bag of clay wedged, and partly centered, and the top portion only gets centered for the pot being thrown. Once thrown, the pot gets separated by either a wire or other device/technque. For me this is usually an old butter knife slicing through the bottom as the wheel turns. I often use this technique when throwing the pieces for chalice/goblet bowls and their stems. At other times I use a wiggle wire to cut off evenly across the piece for clean up later. There are problems with the technique, as many people get "S" shaped cracks in their pieces. With practice even these problems can be overcome.