I try to throw on bats as little as possible. Between us, Jeff and I have a large number of bats both big and small. The problem with bats is that when you throw on them they take up a lot of room. Small bats are a pain because there is the extra step of throwing a pad of clay to adhere them to. A couple of months ago Jeff bought a set of bats with a remove-able center. We have both been giving a them a go.
The bats are really thick and I hope that will prevent warping in the future. Only time will tell. The space saving feature is a big plus. I am not thrilled with the way I can feel the "finger" notches when I am centering. While it bothers me, Jeff doesn't mind it. If they hold up, we will invest in some more center pieces.
I haven't done a whole lot of studio work in the past week, it seems paperwork, and shipping have been at the top of the "must do" list. What little wheel work I have done has been in porcelain. Bowls, plates, and mugs. Stamped with flowers and destined for black underglaze and finished with celadon.
Geesh, do I hate pulling handles with porcelain. The constant battle with cracking :-/.
porcelain is so beautiful. what porcelain do yo use? when I was firing cone 10 I tried some windsor porcelain by Laguna which I really liked good for hand building and throwing and little to no cracking; hope the new bats work out
ReplyDeleteThis is Helios from Highwater, which is new to me. I have also used their P10 which is a little less expensive. I think the P10 is easier to throw. I personally prefer Laguna B-mix. It's not a true porcelain but it's white, easier to throw, and less prone to cracking.
DeleteI equate porcelain to that person that makes you need therapy, it only remembers anything bad that has happened to it and none of the good. However, it is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteLana Wilson sings the praises of paperclay porcelain, it throws beautifully and doesn’t crack. Have you ever tried that?
I haven't tried paperclay porcelain. Some of my handles did crack while drying. I filled them in with slip... we shall see what happens! Like I said to Linda, I prefer B-mix. You get the look of porcelain without as many problems. It's just hard to purchase at a good price around here.
DeleteI have those bats. When I was throwing a lot, I really enjoyed them. Definitely a space saver!
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