[Mark C.]

I have been making these soap dishes for some time now. I extrude them in a 4 inch barrel extruder-I cut my own die.
The feet and soap groves come out well. I cut them at angles and trim some feet down with a wire mud tool-I hole up about 1/2 of them and turn the ends up slightly to keep the soap scuz from spilling off ends.They sell ok with a few bars of brightly colored bar soap to show folks what they are-In the galleries they sell better next to hand made soaps. These do not sell as good as spoon rests but are easy to make
I'll post some fired photos next week when they are done.Making a die is easy with a aluminum blank die and a jewelers saw.The compression makes these soap dishes very strong.
Mark

Attached File(s)

•  soapdish.jpg (54.48K)
  Number of downloads: 263

[earthquake]

Mark C., on 20 June 2012 - 11:08 PM, said:

I have been making these soap dishes for some time now. I extrude them in a 4 inch barrel extruder-I cut my own die.
The feet and soap groves come out well. I cut them at angles and trim some feet down with a wire mud tool-I hole up about 1/2 of them and turn the ends up slightly to keep the soap scuz from spilling off ends.They sell ok with a few bars of brightly colored bar soap to show folks what they are-In the galleries they sell better next to hand made soaps. These do not sell as good as spoon rests but are easy to make
I'll post some fired photos next week when they are done.Making a die is easy with a aluminum blank die and a jewelers saw.The compression makes these soap dishes very strong.
Mark

Mark, Since your shared !!!what is the thickness of your soap dish..the center part not including the feet and ridges..love the design. My husband did a similar die for my extruder, but we think it may be too thick. It is probably 1/2 inch thick. Also, how long is each dish..do you mind emailing me at becky60b@gmail.com

[Mark C.]

E-mail sent Bat woman-or it looks like a Batwoman avatar.
Mark

[INYA]

you are really nice to share!

[Dharsi]

I like these, very campy and I like to see myself as being on vacation year 'round. Do you have a glazed model?

[Mark C.]

Glazed ones will come next week-I'll take some photos as I need them for my 39th annual 4th of July show-man that makes you feel like you have been doing shows a long time,
Never had the 4th off in 39 years.
ain't clay fun
Mark

[DAY]

Mark C., on 24 June 2012 - 11:01 PM, said:

Glazed ones will come next week-I'll take some photos as I need them for my 39th annual 4th of July show-man that makes you feel like you have been doing shows a long time,
Never had the 4th off in 39 years.
ain't clay fun
Mark

Being self-employed is great- except the boss who makes you work on the 4Th is a pr*ck!


("Good artists work all the time- I mean, what else is there to do?" David Hockney)

[clay lover]

Thank you, Mark . Your posts are always helpful.
I bet these sell great.
Does the die pattern have a curve, or do you put that in after they are cut ? I'm wondering if the feet and the soap ridges are opposite each other, ie. thicker there.?

Do people like them with the holes? I would think that would have soap scuzz all over the place? But buyers are funny for sure.
I can never figure what will sell best from one show to the next, it seems to shift alot. Somethin I sell out of one time, doesn't move the next.

[Mark C.]

clay lover, on 25 June 2012 - 10:58 AM, said:

Thank you, Mark . Your posts are always helpful.
I bet these sell great.
Does the die pattern have a curve, or do you put that in after they are cut ? I'm wondering if the feet and the soap ridges are opposite each other, ie. thicker there.?

Do people like them with the holes? I would think that would have soap scuzz all over the place? But buyers are funny for sure.
I can never figure what will sell best from one show to the next, it seems to shift alot. Somethin I sell out of one time, doesn't move the next.

The dish is curved in the die itself and once I extrude them I lift the ends slightly as well . !/2 of them have drain holes say for inside showers-the other 1/2 do not=they sell about the same-people like choices. I like the non drainers next to our sink .Heres the die photo hopefully you will make your own style-this shows where ridges and the foot is. its 3 3/8 inch wide. I had to modify my Brent extruder head cap (cut some away) to use this die
Make as much of the cutaway profile details in the die as you can. The great thing about an old art degree is having all kinds of metal skills from Jewelry shop and casting classes.
Mark

Attached File(s)

•  die.jpg (635.59K)
  Number of downloads: 70

[Mark C.]

Dharsi, on 24 June 2012 - 06:59 PM, said:

I like these, very campy and I like to see myself as being on vacation year 'round. Do you have a glazed model?

Hers what they look like glazed and also loaded in kiln today-I'll shoot them when they come out on the 2nd when finished.
Mark

Attached File(s)

•  soaps11.jpg (22.87K)
  Number of downloads: 98
•  soaps111.jpg (25.58K)
  Number of downloads: 93

[Mark C.]

Unloaded the extruded soap dishes today along with 35 cubic feet of other stuff.
Heres what they look like -Porcelain cone 11 glazed with my glazes. They are going to a few outlets in am then the rest of the little piggies are going to market on the 4th of July my 39th annual show on the 4th.
Mark

Attached File(s)

•  soaps3.jpg (76.2K)
  Number of downloads: 103

[teardrop]

I love your approach, mark. Realizing that there are folks who want to take something home with them other than an expensive item seems to have treated you well over the years.

These are what I came up with to make outta the scraps/leftovers from cutting out my pitcher peices. Probably won't call them "ashtrays" because of the PC world we live in... so "table trays" or...stealing an idea from someone else here..."anything" or "Whatever" trays may be the tag we use to try to move em out....

fun to make....and since I have yet to use test tiles....they are basically "test tiles" as well....

as always...thanks for sharing

teardrop

Attached File(s)

•  pitchers 155 Large e-mail view.jpg (151.19K)
  Number of downloads: 116
•  pitchers 156 Large e-mail view.jpg (148.21K)
  Number of downloads: 113

[yedrow]

You have a nice eye for shaping Teardrop.

[Lucille Oka]

Mark C., on 26 June 2012 - 11:23 AM, said:

The great thing about an old art degree is having all kinds of metal skills from Jewelry shop and casting classes.
Mark

Yes it is so true.
I add to my ceramics, woodworking, metalworking, photography and design I, II, & III. And I thank and Praise the Lord, for having such a vital mix of information and skills!

This post has been edited by Lucille Oka: 05 July 2012 - 06:11 AM

[Pres]

Lucille Oka, on 05 July 2012 - 03:02 AM, said:

Mark C., on 26 June 2012 - 11:23 AM, said:

The great thing about an old art degree is having all kinds of metal skills from Jewelry shop and casting classes.
Mark

Yes it is so true.
I add to my ceramics, woodworking, metalworking, photography and design I, II, & III. And I thank and Praise the Lord, for having such a vital mix of information and skills!

Over the years that art ed degree has done me well. Plumbers who thought the plumbing in the house had the best soldered joints he had ever seen, carpenters that couldn't believe how I had constructed the deck. However, during the years of teaching it was very useful in odd ways-making my own tools from extruder dies to templates and all sorts of props for pots and hand tools. Set construction and design for the Drama club. Photographing my work and student work. List goes on and on, a basic background with a wide variety of media and techniques can bleed into all aspects of our lives. I too feel truly blessed to have these experiences to fall back on.

[teardrop]

yedrow, on 04 July 2012 - 08:40 PM, said:

You have a nice eye for shaping Teardrop.

Thanks yedrow! I know it's only "klunk"...but it's fun klunk...

[LilyT]

Mark C., on 02 July 2012 - 09:15 PM, said:

Unloaded the extruded soap dishes today along with 35 cubic feet of other stuff.
Heres what they look like -Porcelain cone 11 glazed with my glazes. They are going to a few outlets in am then the rest of the little piggies are going to market on the 4th of July my 39th annual show on the 4th.
Mark

Nice

[Lucille Oka]

Pres, on 05 July 2012 - 03:39 AM, said:

Lucille Oka, on 05 July 2012 - 03:02 AM, said:

Mark C., on 26 June 2012 - 11:23 AM, said:

The great thing about an old art degree is having all kinds of metal skills from Jewelry shop and casting classes.
Mark

Yes it is so true.
I add to my ceramics, woodworking, metalworking, photography and design I, II, & III. And I thank and Praise the Lord, for having such a vital mix of information and skills!

Over the years that art ed degree has done me well. Plumbers who thought the plumbing in the house had the best soldered joints he had ever seen, carpenters that couldn't believe how I had constructed the deck. However, during the years of teaching it was very useful in odd ways-making my own tools from extruder dies to templates and all sorts of props for pots and hand tools. Set construction and design for the Drama club. Photographing my work and student work. List goes on and on, a basic background with a wide variety of media and techniques can bleed into all aspects of our lives. I too feel truly blessed to have these experiences to fall back on.

Hello Pres, nice to see your post.

Having these skills makes designing new vessels and ware a lot easier to execute. I really believe any design that comes to my mind is possible to me. I can draw on techniques from other crafts and skills when I need it.