At the end of the day

 Mark hangs his apron up on his cart.
For some reason this time it really has that forlorn look sitting on the empty cart.
The end of the day or the start of the next day?

I have posted some of Mark's tools in the past but you know that we both have those tools that you just can  not do without.
I remember how tools would just grab me when we first started making pots. I really think that as a new potter I thought I needed the perfect tool. If I had that tool I could make that perfect pot. Yea, I know.

Now the things I need most days are few.
This screwdriver, could not do without it.
That is the broken, sharpened head of a sheet-rock tool  that should be tossed out. I loveling keep it close at hand.

 The sponge on a stick.
I have 2 one that is this size and a very small cut down one.
How easy is this?
A dowel rod, sponge and a rubber band.

The tools below are my 4 favorite ones that I go to. There is one there that I would really hate to lose, it has magic powers for me.

I have mourned tools that have left me on their own time.

I have also bought tools that I used once, many discarded.

My stamps are another story....

M

Chuck how could you leave me?

One of these days I will quit expecting items that we had for over 25 years to magically be where I think they should be. The other day, after I had made the lids for the butter dishes, I wanted to trim the inside edge.
That right there is where the problems started.
Mark and I both had chucks we had made when we first opened the pottery.
They were all thrown on the wheel and then left to dry.
They were never fired and worked quit well for trimming and then would do doubled duty when I need to wax lids and other things when getting ready to glaze.
As I said, the day after making the two parts for the butter dishes, a plate and dome lid, I wanted to trim the lids- I just expect those chucks to still be around.
But we all know that fire and water are not kind to bone dry clay.
I really want to be that person who is not marked by the before or after.
But- somedays it is all about the before and after.
Didn't we use to have....
Where is ..........
With that said I started looking for something to use.
Well my fall back had been an assortment of plastic plumbing parts of different sizes.
Well, we all know what fire does to plastic.
I have two left from the fire one very small one and one bigger, but not deep.
Good grief, you think I would give it up and go to the plumbing supply place or throw some chucks.
But no- I like to drive myself  crazy by spending time trying to make something I have on hand work.
So in my search I came across the plastic parts Mark made for our extruder, which could be another post on how to use plastic plumbing parts and an old piston to made an extruder for lugs and handles.
Much to my delight I popped this on my trusty giffen grip and it worked great.
That and a lid from a jar to help hold it in place and I was able to trim the lids right up.
Now to write myself a note about throwing some chucks.

It is hard for me to complain about the weather since we had such a messy winter.
I am truly enjoying the warm weather and some dry warm weather is an added bonus.
But- 90 degrees tomorrow??!!
It is as if spring just gave it up and went straight into summer.
The frogs and bugs are making lots of racked all night long.
The other night I thought there were aliens landing in the yard.
The high pitch whine combined with some other noise had worked its way into my dreams.
There were spaceships coming down to take us all away.

The marathon glazing started today.
I spent the day waxing pots and Mark did the run on glazes.
Tomorrow a bisque to unload and more waxing for me.
Then things get pretty hot and heavy with lots of glazing going on.

One of my favorite trees.
Is it okay to have favorites?
This one has been opening the past week and today is putting out the end of the leaves with red.


 

 

Potters tools or where have all the plungers gone?

I know we all have those tools we find valuable to our job. I thought I would show you our favorite tools for keeping our glazes stirred while dipping pots.
It has become harder to find these plungers- now they are too fancy with an extra cuppy thingy at the bottom- these old fashion plain ones are better.
Wax the handles or put a sealer on them-paint works well too. Then drill some holes. They will keep your glaze nicely mixed.

And while we are at it- how about that long Allen wrench which you are not using? Works great for a test batch of glaze- and if you think this is great you should have seen my father- in-law use a cordless drill with a beaters to the mixer to mash potatoes one year when the mixer died- I will have to find those pictures....