has anyone else started binging or used to binge these videos with no means or money to start potting but are obsessed with the idea of getting into it XD, i feel like ill definitely fall in love with it when i can afford to money/time wise but until then im living vicariously through all your videos hah, peace and love!
One of my pottery instructors was really big into making pottery tools versus purchasing them. The big one for him was a wire cutter. Instead of wire, you can use a heavy fishing line. Personally, I really like sturgeon fishing line. It is a rubber wrapped wire. You can even twist two pieces together to get different textures when you're wiring It off. He used everything from bits of fired clay to clothes pins to bolt nuts for handles. He had them in all sizes and lengths.
As a baker I can see that many of the tools you would use for cake decorating would be really useful as tools for ceramics, so it makes sense. Good tip too!
I live in a small town in South Australia. We have a small pottery group with a turn over of "new to clay" enthusiasts. All the older potters help the newbe's. We don't have a tutor except YOU. I recommend your site to everyone. You explain very well, your informative, share all of your knowledge. Most enjoyable is your sense of fun reminding all it's fun so enjoy. Thankyou. P.S. I'm 72. Madly in love with you BUT your too old for me😁
I feel like a FOOL, I completely forgot you could measure the base of your pot with the needle tool. I'm gonna level up now, I've been making my bases too thin
For my tools, I stapled a couple of plastic cups to the wall. I use one for ribs and sponges and the other for the stick type tools. Also, my cleanup sponge has a split in the middle and the slides over the edge of my water bowl. I got tired of loosing tools in the layer of clay at the bottom of my water bucket.
NO!! You did not just post this? 🤩 Thank you Sensei Donte. As always great advice.🙇♀ I have been searching for such a long time for a video about beginners guide to pottery tools. There are some great videos out there in YT but since I follow lots of your pottery tips, this video is very helpful. Thank you again for this awesome tutorial guide. I will love to see more tutorial about tools and what's the best way to use some of them.
Oh the shade! haha NGL I love my Diamond Core tools for trimming and carving, and I JUST ordered a bunch of the handle extruders that I haven't had a chance to play with yet. I'm a tool ho. But I'm with you on the Giffin Grip. Just learn to centre.
Thank you for a great video. Please, if you have time do a video about introduction to the clay for beginners. What type of clay is best for throwing pots, to make slab pottery, and for sculpting.
I can back up the beginner tool set quality bit. I got 2 sets and the pin tool in one of them broke after a few weeks. It didn't just bend, the pin part came out of the handle. Luckily it was when I was cleaning it and not while it was stuck in a bit of spinning clay.
Thank you so much for sharing this. I have been binge watching your videos since this morning on my TV, and I'm soaking up the knowledge my dude!! I literally went ham buying all kinds of supplies, when I decided that I wanted to learn and become one with clay. As a kid, I loved sculpting and my mom still has some of my stuff to this day!! Got my small skutt for Christmas to start, 3 bricks of clay, tools galore, some cheap some not so much. I have taken 1 class so far, and I'm about to sign up for the ladies 4 wks course. I KNOW DAAAAANG well, I won't be a pro by then, but hopefully between yourself and Ms. Bre, I'll be able to make a mug. I love mugs!!! I'm so excited. 😁 😄 welp, your next video has started so... Byeeeeeeee
I still like my Giffen Grip even though I am perfectly capable of trimming my pieces directly on the wheel head with lugs or a chuck either thrown or bisqued. The fact that I bought it from a friend barely used for $70 is definitely a bonus.
Awesome 👌 thank you! I plan on taking your advice into the studio... I already have a small low bucket 🪣 works great .. now to cut my sponges 🧽 😌 Aloha!
Thank you so much for this video. When I attended my art school, our "3D classes" as they were called (anything to do with sculpting) all had teachers that basically said "what do you need tools for? Just make your own." It was infuriating to attend a class where nobody taught me what tools were best for what jobs. As a very analytical mind, it drove me nuts. Your video has solved so much for me.
Hi Donte, thank you, good video, I'll share with my students. One thing: at about 25:58 during the Rib discussion, you have a description of a Pin Tool. No big deal but thought you'd want to know. Thanks again, Cheers...
Awesome video. Never comment on videos, but this one was insanely helpful, easy to follow, and super funny. Thanks and I’ll check out your other videos. Just got a wheel, do you ever do video chat tutorials?
Many thanks for this video! May I ask you to make a video focused on more "specific" trimming tools? I'm still learning, and I can't find any decent tools in any ecommerce in Italy, except for the classic trimming tools (like the "pear" trimming tool). I want something more durable and effective, and I can only find them in Uk or Us ecommerce, such as the Mud tool do all, or the carbide tools, or any other tool with a strange form. Before I spend dozens or hundreds of euros (the shipping costs are huge from Us/Uk to Italy..), i would like to know more, and see some videos on what are the specific use and mayeb a review on thse tools. If you have any, I'd love to see a review/instructional video from you. Thanks!
I know... I know... this is not Randy's Red you're talking about here, but I am kind of obsessed lately on getting Randy's Red right. Got the right spec grav, the right thickness, dipped 2.5 sec., right ingredients, but I can't get anything else than this shiny blueish black boring... on porcelain. I am thinking that my firing schedule is the culprit. Cone 6, 20 min soaking at max temperature and going down slowly at 150 Farenheit until 1850 degrees... Something is off. I will understand if you prefer not to share your firing schedule, but I am giving it a try.... Love your videos.
Your discussion of using bats was interesting. At my community studio, the nuts are always left on, and everyone exclusively throws on bats. We only put our pieces directly on the wheel head when trimming. Its good to learn the broader etiquette.
Me watching this video "Wait, the metal cylinders poking out of the wheel are supposed to come OFF?" You can tell I was also taught to always throw on bats.
The sponge thing is so crazy for me!! I have bought soo many dang sponges trying to find one that doesn’t fall apart and leave bits of itself on my pots after very few uses! I have tried the mud tools sponges but they are just weird! I would pay good money for a good sponge but I can NOT find one!!
Have you tried a construction sponge? My father was a tile contractor and the sponge can be cut to various depths to support handles until they’re secured to the side…
I do have a question... So story to my question, my sister is moving out in a year and i wanted to gift her a dinnerware set for the new house, and im stuck at the utensils with the glazing process, i havent made them yet, because im afraid if i glaze them, like ladles and serving spoons; how do i put them in the kiln once glazed, without them sticking to the kiln shelf? Is it okay to not have the bottom glazes or do i have to glaze the whole thing but idk how to not have it stick to something...
Great video as always, question, any way you can share a way to find those more shallow buckets please? Cause I have been looking for over a year for something like what you have and am clearly lookin in all the wrong places! lol.
@@EarthNationCeramics lol tried that, but in case anyone else is looking, what did work was searching for utility pan or livestock feeding bucket... odd right? Lol. Thank you. :-)
Hi, I know its been a while since this video was posted and I hope someone can help... I've seen individuals use some sort of stilt, like a plaster cone or something to hold up pottery to help trim, but I cant find it because I have no name to identify it... can anyone tell me some items I can use for that? And to also trim the entire mug or bowl without tapping method or clay holds... im struggling getting a hand at that as well. Thank you so much.
I’m a beginner but just got this figured out in class yesterday. One part is that I use too much water. But the main issue for me was that I was opening the pieces too much/wide, and I was starting the (wall) pulls a bit too high. My pulls started with the inside hand at the junction between the base and the sides, so when I applied some pressure there, it would create a thin, weak point at the base of the walls. My outside hand started at the same point, so instead of drawing the clay up from the base (where there’s plenty of it), I was further thinning and weakening that same point. You’ll want to open your piece to the same width as the base for now. There’s time to play with that as your skills improve. Then, take your outer hand and make contact from the wheel and pull from the very bottom of the clay. The walls should be slightly thicker at the bottom than at the top. While pulling, after every 1-2 pulls, gently place your fingers inside and outside, and glide them up to feel where the thin and thick spots are. It’s easier if you close your eyes. Then, you’ll want to focus on evening out those thicknesses. Again, I find this part easier with my eyes closed. That was really long but I hope it helps! I’ve been making the exact same mistakes on almost all my pieces for months and I know how good it felt to get it right. Good luck.
Thank you for the video, but OMG! at 28:35 I legit thought you cut yourself with the camera change and it made me squirm so much! (still love the minecraft sounds and things. completely love that and makes my day!)
has anyone else started binging or used to binge these videos with no means or money to start potting but are obsessed with the idea of getting into it XD, i feel like ill definitely fall in love with it when i can afford to money/time wise but until then im living vicariously through all your videos hah, peace and love!
One of my pottery instructors was really big into making pottery tools versus purchasing them. The big one for him was a wire cutter. Instead of wire, you can use a heavy fishing line. Personally, I really like sturgeon fishing line. It is a rubber wrapped wire. You can even twist two pieces together to get different textures when you're wiring It off. He used everything from bits of fired clay to clothes pins to bolt nuts for handles. He had them in all sizes and lengths.
As a baker I can see that many of the tools you would use for cake decorating would be really useful as tools for ceramics, so it makes sense. Good tip too!
I live in a small town in South Australia. We have a small pottery group with a turn over of "new to clay" enthusiasts. All the older potters help the newbe's. We don't have a tutor except YOU. I recommend your site to everyone. You explain very well, your informative, share all of your knowledge. Most enjoyable is your sense of fun reminding all it's fun so enjoy. Thankyou. P.S. I'm 72. Madly in love with you BUT your too old for me😁
Can you do more for hand builders? Specially tool wise? But this was still super useful.
This video was absolutely wonderful and you’re funny. 😂
I feel like a FOOL, I completely forgot you could measure the base of your pot with the needle tool. I'm gonna level up now, I've been making my bases too thin
For my tools, I stapled a couple of plastic cups to the wall. I use one for ribs and sponges and the other for the stick type tools. Also, my cleanup sponge has a split in the middle and the slides over the edge of my water bowl. I got tired of loosing tools in the layer of clay at the bottom of my water bucket.
NO!! You did not just post this? 🤩
Thank you Sensei Donte. As always great advice.🙇♀
I have been searching for such a long time for a video about beginners guide to pottery tools. There are some great videos out there in YT but since I follow lots of your pottery tips, this video is very helpful. Thank you again for this awesome tutorial guide. I will love to see more tutorial about tools and what's the best way to use some of them.
Thank you Donte, very informative and as always entertaining!
Oh the shade! haha
NGL I love my Diamond Core tools for trimming and carving, and I JUST ordered a bunch of the handle extruders that I haven't had a chance to play with yet. I'm a tool ho.
But I'm with you on the Giffin Grip. Just learn to centre.
Thank you for a great video. Please, if you have time do a video about introduction to the clay for beginners. What type of clay is best for throwing pots, to make slab pottery, and for sculpting.
Yes please!
You have a one of a kind channel about pottery. Love it!
Thank you!! i needed that asI am currently working on my own set of tools.
Thank you so much for your videos. I’m doing my homework and binging your videos. I’m learning so much and I can’t wait to get a wheel and start.
I can back up the beginner tool set quality bit. I got 2 sets and the pin tool in one of them broke after a few weeks. It didn't just bend, the pin part came out of the handle. Luckily it was when I was cleaning it and not while it was stuck in a bit of spinning clay.
That was very helpful. Thank you!
Thankyou, this video made so much sense to me now. :) I just started my pottery journey and and this helped me alot. Greetings from Latvia.
Really enjoyed the video.💕🍀
Thank you so much for sharing this. I have been binge watching your videos since this morning on my TV, and I'm soaking up the knowledge my dude!! I literally went ham buying all kinds of supplies, when I decided that I wanted to learn and become one with clay. As a kid, I loved sculpting and my mom still has some of my stuff to this day!! Got my small skutt for Christmas to start, 3 bricks of clay, tools galore, some cheap some not so much. I have taken 1 class so far, and I'm about to sign up for the ladies 4 wks course. I KNOW DAAAAANG well, I won't be a pro by then, but hopefully between yourself and Ms. Bre, I'll be able to make a mug. I love mugs!!! I'm so excited. 😁 😄 welp, your next video has started so... Byeeeeeeee
I still like my Giffen Grip even though I am perfectly capable of trimming my pieces directly on the wheel head with lugs or a chuck either thrown or bisqued. The fact that I bought it from a friend barely used for $70 is definitely a bonus.
this is awesome - thanks!
Awesome 👌 thank you!
I plan on taking your advice into the studio... I already have a small low bucket 🪣 works great .. now to cut my sponges 🧽 😌 Aloha!
Thank you so much for this video. When I attended my art school, our "3D classes" as they were called (anything to do with sculpting) all had teachers that basically said "what do you need tools for? Just make your own." It was infuriating to attend a class where nobody taught me what tools were best for what jobs. As a very analytical mind, it drove me nuts. Your video has solved so much for me.
Thank you, awesome info! Im going to try evening the tops of my mugs with a pin tool today!
Hi Donte, thank you, good video, I'll share with my students. One thing: at about 25:58 during the Rib discussion, you have a description of a Pin Tool. No big deal but thought you'd want to know. Thanks again, Cheers...
I use the griffin grip not to center but only on pieces with a small lip to have an extra support while trimming.
😆 thank you for the introduction to tools.
Awesome video. Never comment on videos, but this one was insanely helpful, easy to follow, and super funny. Thanks and I’ll check out your other videos. Just got a wheel, do you ever do video chat tutorials?
I love rubber rib for throwing and metal rib for trimming.
Many thanks for this video! May I ask you to make a video focused on more "specific" trimming tools? I'm still learning, and I can't find any decent tools in any ecommerce in Italy, except for the classic trimming tools (like the "pear" trimming tool). I want something more durable and effective, and I can only find them in Uk or Us ecommerce, such as the Mud tool do all, or the carbide tools, or any other tool with a strange form. Before I spend dozens or hundreds of euros (the shipping costs are huge from Us/Uk to Italy..), i would like to know more, and see some videos on what are the specific use and mayeb a review on thse tools. If you have any, I'd love to see a review/instructional video from you. Thanks!
Great Vid Dude.
Lol jargo. Hi
I know... I know... this is not Randy's Red you're talking about here, but I am kind of obsessed lately on getting Randy's Red right. Got the right spec grav, the right thickness, dipped 2.5 sec., right ingredients, but I can't get anything else than this shiny blueish black boring... on porcelain. I am thinking that my firing schedule is the culprit. Cone 6, 20 min soaking at max temperature and going down slowly at 150 Farenheit until 1850 degrees... Something is off. I will understand if you prefer not to share your firing schedule, but I am giving it a try.... Love your videos.
Your discussion of using bats was interesting. At my community studio, the nuts are always left on, and everyone exclusively throws on bats. We only put our pieces directly on the wheel head when trimming. Its good to learn the broader etiquette.
Me watching this video "Wait, the metal cylinders poking out of the wheel are supposed to come OFF?" You can tell I was also taught to always throw on bats.
The sponge thing is so crazy for me!! I have bought soo many dang sponges trying to find one that doesn’t fall apart and leave bits of itself on my pots after very few uses! I have tried the mud tools sponges but they are just weird! I would pay good money for a good sponge but I can NOT find one!!
Have you tried a construction sponge? My father was a tile contractor and the sponge can be cut to various depths to support handles until they’re secured to the side…
Yeah I think those are tiling sponges. Look at the hardware store by tiles
Thanks for sharing God Bless
Where’s the link for the pottery tool kit..? It’s not in the description
Please, what is the sense in setting the TIME of firring on sitter kiln if it stops as soon as temperature reaches the CONE LIMIT?
i've been using a paper clip and spoon for months didnt know how cheap these are
Will you be addressing hand-builds? That’s what I’m doing right now
Please make a studio set up video.
I keep liquid bandaid in my cubby at the art school because of my metal rib in my water bucket. Cut myself good a few times
Where do you get your clay?
I do have a question... So story to my question, my sister is moving out in a year and i wanted to gift her a dinnerware set for the new house, and im stuck at the utensils with the glazing process, i havent made them yet, because im afraid if i glaze them, like ladles and serving spoons; how do i put them in the kiln once glazed, without them sticking to the kiln shelf? Is it okay to not have the bottom glazes or do i have to glaze the whole thing but idk how to not have it stick to something...
Great video as always, question, any way you can share a way to find those more shallow buckets please? Cause I have been looking for over a year for something like what you have and am clearly lookin in all the wrong places! lol.
I got mine from home Depot but I suggest going to Lowe's.
I believe if you type in blue shallow bucket (Google) it'll also pop up.
@@EarthNationCeramics lol tried that, but in case anyone else is looking, what did work was searching for utility pan or livestock feeding bucket... odd right? Lol. Thank you. :-)
I know it is a specialty item but nothing you mentioned can really do chattering.
Hi, I know its been a while since this video was posted and I hope someone can help... I've seen individuals use some sort of stilt, like a plaster cone or something to hold up pottery to help trim, but I cant find it because I have no name to identify it... can anyone tell me some items I can use for that? And to also trim the entire mug or bowl without tapping method or clay holds... im struggling getting a hand at that as well. Thank you so much.
please explain a spinner tool because idk man
Water bucket is based in what?
Please help a small part of my wall when I make a bowl always falls
I’m a beginner but just got this figured out in class yesterday. One part is that I use too much water. But the main issue for me was that I was opening the pieces too much/wide, and I was starting the (wall) pulls a bit too high. My pulls started with the inside hand at the junction between the base and the sides, so when I applied some pressure there, it would create a thin, weak point at the base of the walls. My outside hand started at the same point, so instead of drawing the clay up from the base (where there’s plenty of it), I was further thinning and weakening that same point.
You’ll want to open your piece to the same width as the base for now. There’s time to play with that as your skills improve. Then, take your outer hand and make contact from the wheel and pull from the very bottom of the clay. The walls should be slightly thicker at the bottom than at the top.
While pulling, after every 1-2 pulls, gently place your fingers inside and outside, and glide them up to feel where the thin and thick spots are. It’s easier if you close your eyes. Then, you’ll want to focus on evening out those thicknesses. Again, I find this part easier with my eyes closed.
That was really long but I hope it helps! I’ve been making the exact same mistakes on almost all my pieces for months and I know how good it felt to get it right. Good luck.
The basic Giffin Grip won't center a pot that is not round.. so it frustrates beginners
Direct video
You need more lighting
Yeah, I have always felt a handle making tool is a money grabbing tool....
What, you didn't mention the Mud Tools Do All. Do you guys get a divorce or something.
I believe 3 sponges I mentioned in the video are mud tools brand sponges. The colored ones?
@@EarthNationCeramics I was meaning the Do All trim tool. I thought you were married to it. ;)
th-cam.com/video/Vm519O2Ser8/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for the video, but OMG! at 28:35 I legit thought you cut yourself with the camera change and it made me squirm so much! (still love the minecraft sounds and things. completely love that and makes my day!)
I did.......
@@EarthNationCeramics *whimpers and whine* No hurting youself!
@@faynastalwart just a little bit, makes me remember I'm alive :)