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 :-/.
