DIY Network

Building the Basket Building the Basket From "Throwing Clay" episode DTHC-106

Figure A

Master potter Bill Van Gilder is making a basket based on the design of a traditional fruit basket. So far, he has thrown and bisque fired a mold, made from five pounds. of clay. He made it narrow at the base and wide at the top and put a ledge inside the rim so it can be lifted out of the finished basket (figure A ).

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Next, he used the extruder and specially made dies to make the components of the basket. A 28" long L-shaped section of clay is used for the rim, six 18" flat clay pieces make up the slats and a 16" clay strip will be used for the handles. With all the parts extruded, it's time to build the base of the basket (figure B ).

1. Bill lays two sticks on the table, places a small piece of clay between them and, using a rolling pin, rolls the clay into a slab about the same thickness as the extruded parts, ensuring the clay sections won't crack and will shrink and dry at the same rate once assembled (figure C ).

Figure B

Figure C

2. He prepares to build the basket, placing a small piece of clean board on a banding wheel; the wheel will let him turn the basket as he works (figure D).

3. He trims away extra clay with a fettling knife. To trim the edge even tighter, he uses a tool he made from bamboo, with a wire stretched between both ends. Strapping steel could also work in the construction of this trimming tool. It cuts cleanly and leaves a neat seam where the slats attach to the base (figure E).

Figure D

Figure E

4. Water works like glue on clay. Bill wets the top area of the slab and lets the water soak in, creating a tacky surface. Next, he dampens the inside corner of the rim, where it will hold the straps (figure F).

5. Attaching the straps is probably the most difficult part of the project. The first strap is laid against the form at its base and excess clay is removed.

6. He uses the fettling knife to cut both ends of the rim clay at an angle, ensuring a smooth seam when they meet. He wets one end and taps the two pieces together (figure G).

7. There has to be enough space at the rim to insert the slats. Bill pulls the rim away from the mold and runs a finger between the rim and the mold, creating an equal distance around the form (figure H).

Figure F

Figure G

Figure H

8. Next he cuts 9" slats. He wets the end of the first slat where it will touch the rim, then slides it under the rim, making sure it sits snugly on top of the rims L-shaped lip so there won't be a gap when he removes the mold (figure I).

9. The next slat goes directly opposite the first. Bill continues adding slats around the basket, making sure the wet side of the slat is against the rim and not the mold. If the mold becomes wet, it won't slide out of the basket (figure J).

Figure I

Figure J

10. When the slats are in place, they are trimmed and compressed down on the slab, with a short-nap painter's trim roller. The porous mold has already begun to draw water out of the slats, so Bill works methodically, making sure the slats are in contact with the basket; if the slats aren't in contact, when the mold is removed, the basket will be lopsided (figure K) (figure L).

Figure K

Figure L

11. He makes sure the rim is securely in contact with the top of the slats, again using the paint roller to pressure the rim clay tightly to the slats (figure M).

12. To flatten the bottom of the basket, Bill puts a board on top of the basket and mold and taps it lightly.

13. Baskets are often stapled together. This basket is strengthened and decorated with mock rivets, created by the end of a chopstick indenting the clay where the rim connects to the slats. Bill leaves the areas where the handles will attach blank (figure N).

Figure M

Figure N

14. With the basket nearly leather hard, he inverts it and touches up the rim joints with a damp sponge. Next, he softens the rim where the handles will be attached.

15. Each handle is 4" to 5" long. Bill cuts the first one and uses it as a guide to cut the second handle. He bends the handle, giving it a soft curve before bending it inward on the ends. He places it against the rim and presses it in place with his thumbs. To make sure the handles stay firmly attached, he attaches them over slats and rolls a section of dowel rod against the ends, further securing them to the clay rim (figure O) (figure P).

Figure O

Figure P

16. As a final decorative touch on the handles, Bill adds two mock rivets to each handle (figure Q).

17. Before lifting the clay form out of the basket, he checks to see whether the basket clay is still wet. If it is, it can be placed in front of a fan for five to 10 minutes to help it dry. The time must be carefully monitored; it doesn't take long for the clay to dry and crack. When the bowl is bone dry, it's ready for the bisque firing (figure R).

Figure Q

Figure R

RESOURCES :

Kilns
L & L Kilns
Website: www.hotkilns.com

Clay
Highwater Clays
Website: www.highwaterclays.com

Extruders
American Art Clay Co. Inc. (AMACO)
Website: www.amaco.com