| When you're building up your ceramics | | | | to hold together multi-pieced molds while |
| workshop you're going to need a litany of | | | | casting greenware. Cutting cross-sections out |
| tools including a wedging wire, wedging board | | | | of old, discarded innertubes should supply |
| and soft hair brushes for decorating your | | | | you with more than enough. |
| work. Though these tools are important, there | | | | |
| are other tools that will help you create | | | | Your studio should also have crocks or large |
| wonderful ceramics including plaster bats and | | | | glass jars for holding moist clay and slip. |
| banding wheels. | | | | The one-gallon jars used for packing pickles |
| | | | can be utilized for this purpose. |
| A plaster bat is much more desirable work | | | | |
| surface for beginners than an oilcloth. It | | | | A sieve is also among the much-used workshop |
| not only provides a sturdier support, but it | | | | implements. The obvious use of the sieve is |
| also keeps objects moist while you are | | | | to strain partially hardened lumps and |
| working on them. Unglazed biscuit tiles, 4x4 | | | | impurities from slip before pouring it into a |
| and 6x6 inches, are adequate for most | | | | mold. |
| projects. They may be purchased from a | | | | |
| ceramics supply house for a few cents apiece. | | | | Closely resembling the strainer is the |
| | | | scratch-box, which is used for a much |
| The plaster bat is a porous platform on which | | | | different purpose: to level the irregular |
| you can work. By sprinkling it with water as | | | | edges of pottery. A scratch-box can be |
| you work, you can keep the piece on which | | | | quickly made by nailing together four 18-inch |
| you're working in a moist, plastic state for | | | | boards to form a box. Across the top, tack |
| a long period of time. By the same token, a | | | | down a sheet of grit cloth. By holding a |
| bat can be used for the reverse purpose - to | | | | piece of greenware perpendicular to the cloth |
| dry a piece of clay, which is too moist for | | | | abrasive, and carefully rubbing it across the |
| immediate work. The porous surface will | | | | surface, you can even up the bottoms and tops |
| extract excess moisture from the clay. | | | | of pottery. |
| | | | |
| A whirler or banding wheel is also a sound | | | | If you want to get the most out of your |
| investment for the ceramist who has advanced | | | | tools, you should take good care of them. |
| far enough to furnish his own studio. | | | | Keep them clean. Don't leave them soaking in |
| Primarily such a wheel is used for decorating | | | | water but wipe them with a damp cloth and |
| pottery. The top turns freely and so makes it | | | | then dry them thoroughly. Metal tools should |
| possible for you to rotate your work | | | | periodically be wiped with an oil-soaked |
| constantly. By holding a paintbrush against | | | | cloth to prevent rusting. Plaster surfaces |
| the surface as it spins, you can paint | | | | such as bats and wedging boards should be |
| straight and even bands of color on such | | | | kept dry and clean. When you are through with |
| things as vases and mugs. A whirler can also | | | | them, you should wipe them dry with a damp |
| double as a small potter's wheel for forming | | | | sponge to remove clay particles. |
| pottery pieces and small ceramic figures. | | | | |
| | | | All tools deserve good treatment and any |
| After you have reached the stage where you | | | | ceramist worthy of the name has as much |
| have made or acquired your own molds, you | | | | respect for his tools as for the clay. |
| will need an assortment of heavy rubber bands | | | | |