: JLowes - Viewing Profile

It is my understanding that Yixing clay (zisha clay) unique to Yixing, and thus maybe the shine comes from the properties of that clay, rather than burnishing or terra sig. I think I read that it has iron, quartz and mica in the clay, and is running out. Get those teapots while you still can.

John

When I got started I used the Art Center's Plastibats, which had both holes worn into ovals. I was taught to stuff the holes woth paper towels to get them tight enough to throw on, which was a major waste of time. So the first bats I bought, and still have several years later, are the Creative Industries 7-1/2" square and 14-inch rounds. I took them with me and brought them home so the wear on them was only from my work. Those have now warped such that it will make the clay wobble while centering and pulling up, and the warping accelerated the pin hole wear, so they don't grip well either, making the walls and rim uneven, so I have quit using them in favor of working direct on the wheelhead.

I still take a class at the Art Center and have learned that putting three or four small pats of clay down and banging the Plastibat onto them will keep the bat in place, sometimes exceptionally well, but no stuffing holes with paper. I use them if I am throwing in sections, or otherwise use the wheelhead direct.

I made some ware boards from Hardi-Backer that was left over from a tiling project at my home. I use them either setting off when throwing on the wheelhead, or on a bat. I tried to see if the Hardi-Backer could be used as a bat, but it has two drawbacks; it is not smooth, and it is very absorbent. I overcame the absorbent issue by soaking it first, then mounting it to the wheelhead via a clay pad. It is okay to use this way, but only for work you plan to trim later (not my usual mode, I like the wiggle wire.) These act similarly to what I have heard plaster will do, which is absorb moisture from the base, so that after a time the clay will pop right off of them.

I have one Medex 20-inch bat that I bought recently solely for the purpose of trimming pieces larger than my 14-inch wheelhead. I am taking good care of it. I also have a 2-inch foam on Masonite bat and another with rubber shelf liner on Masonite (when you want more stability than the thick foam will give) that I made.

For the most part I use the wheelhead directly. It seems to me that bats will eventually cause you some problem, but are handy when you have something you want to maintain on center until you either assemble it, throw some more, or

John

I saw something similar to what you want to do at http://www.instructa...ramic-Wall-Art/ Basically, they used clay to make an imprint of a telephone pole texture they liked, made a silicon mold, then a plaster mold from that.

John

For me it is not one bowl, but three. I made a set of four soda fired cereal/soup bowls that were designed to stack in a cupboard nicely. When I was cleaning them up after firing, I had one drop to the floor a break into several pieces, making a set of three. Since they wer intended to be a set of four for sale, I adopted them into my own use.

John

I suspect that you have guessed correctly, that it is granular manganese in the clay body that is manifesting itself as spots through the glaze. That said, check out Mayco Stoneware glaze Sea Salt and see if it will give you what you seek.
http://maycocolors.c...uemart&Itemid=4

John