DIY Network

Trimming the Canisters Bill van Gilder is ready to trim the canisters and their lids. From "Throwing Clay" episode DTHC-111

Figure A

Master potter Bill Van Gilder is making a set of canisters. So far, he's thrown four canisters in graduated sizes. He created galleries at the top of each rim to hold the lids. He threw the three smallest lids off the hump, from the same lump of clay. The largest lid was thrown directly on the wheel. When he finished, he set the pieces aside to dry leather hard.

Now Bill's ready to trim the pots and lids (figure A).

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1. Bill trims the canisters on a pad of clay, also known as a chuck (figure B). A flat pad keeps the canister level for trimming. The pad also helps "grip" the canister to the wheel. He uses the following trick to give the pad a perfectly even surface: he wraps one end of the wire tool around his finger, centers his finger in the middle of the clay, stretching the wire from the center to the edge of the pad (figure C). He partially sinks the wire into the clay with the wheel turning. After several wheel rotations, a slice of the clay pad can be lifted away, leaving a smooth surface on the pad (figure D).

Figure B

Figure C

Figure D

2. To help visually center the canisters, Bill uses a wooden rib to make circles on the pad. When the first canister is centered upside down on the pad, he taps the bottom of the canister to further secure it in place.

3. He trims, using a medium wheel speed and keeping both hands connected to the canister as he removes just enough clay to round the edge of the form. This base is not thick, so he works carefully while removing exterior clay.

4. Next, he goes over the trimmed edge, first with a sponge, then burnishes the edge with a rubber rib, pushing all the aggregate, or sand, back into the clay. After smoothing the burnished edge with a sponge, Bill marks the base of the canister with his signature stamp, or chop (figure E).

5. After trimming the four canisters, he trims the lids (figure F). He removes the clay pad and throws a chuck, which is simply a short, fat clay cylinder. The chuck lets Bill invert the lids and trim them without damaging their knobs. This chuck has to be deep and have a dry rim; if he leaves water on the rim, it will act like glue, permanently sticking the lid to the chuck (figure G).

Figure E

Figure F

Figure G

6. He trims the lids with a loop trimming tool, cutting away rough edges. As he trims, he uses a fast wheel speed and a sharp trimming tool to keep the canisters uniform in appearance (figure H).

7. Next, he creates a wax line. This little ledge, approximately 1/2" from the rim, is a guide for applying wax-resist emulsion (figure I).

Figure H

Figure I

8. He burnishes the surfaces with a fingernail.

9. The underneath side of the knobs need to be hollowed out (figure J): if the clay went into the kiln as a solid lump, as the water in the clay heated up, the lid would eventually explode. Bill makes a hole in the underside of the knob with a teardrop shaped trimming tool. He places the point of the tool in the very center of the back of the lid and pushes it inward (figure K).

10. After opening a hole in the back of the lid, he deepens the opening with a hole cutter inserted down into the backside of the knob. He's careful not to pierce the front of the knob (figure L).

Figure J

Figure K

Figure L

11. Bill checks to see how the first lid fits before trimming the remaining lids. After trimming the largest lid, he realizes it doesn't fit the canister properly (figure M). He sets the lid aside to dry separately from the canister; when bone dry it should fit correctly. He dries the remaining three canisters with their lids in place. When the set is bone dry, it will go into the kiln for bisque firing. The kiln will heat for 10 to 12 hours, then cool for at least 24 hours before he can remove the set and begin the glazing process (figure N).

Figure M

Figure N

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