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Trader Tom's Ceramic Projects |
Trader Tom
Grand Member (7 years) 
Joined: Jan 26, 2006
Posts: 802
From: Hillsboro, OR
|  Posted: 2012-07-20 10:08 am Permalink
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On 2012-07-20 07:09, danlovestikis wrote:
Your bowls and mug are coming along great. I for one hope you will be able to join the swap.
Question grasshopper are you going to carve out the clay in the girls elbow areas on the mug version? Wendy
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Thanks, Wendy! I do too. I'm eager to take them in next Thursday or so to get fired. I might get these pieces done by the end of the month with a little luck.
I had to trim quite a bit around each Hula Girl and I was tempted to try trimming the inner elbow area at the same time but the clay was too wet/plastic and I was worried about destroying the arms. I may let it dry a bit more and then give it a shot. But, yes, I think it would look better with that area carved out.
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danlovestikis
Grand Member (6 years) 
Joined: Jun 17, 2002
Posts: 4486 | Posted: 2012-07-20 3:43 pm Permalink
When I made the Missionary's Downfall bowls I had 50% of the girls break when I sanded them. Dry clay is super brittle.
After losing those I let the slip sit longer in the mold to make the cast thicker thinking that they would survive sanding better. Well that made some hidden air pockets. The casts that sanded well blew up in the kiln.
I'm wishing you lots of luck. I think your two pieces look terrific. Wendy
_________________
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Big Kahuna
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 11, 2007
Posts: 2193
From: SoMass
| Posted: 2012-07-23 1:32 pm Permalink
Wow! Nice work, Tom.
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Trader Tom
Grand Member (7 years)
Joined: Jan 26, 2006
Posts: 802
From: Hillsboro, OR
| Posted: 2012-07-26 1:55 pm Permalink
I sure hope things don't blow up on me in the kiln, Wendy. Those are SCARY pics!
However, I'm trying to let things dry slowly before I do a first firing.
Thanks, Big Kahuna!
In the meantime, I did a father/son project today.
I made a slab cylinder and then Joseph told me what he wanted and helped me make the features.
He plans on giving it to a friend of his if it makes it through the firing process.
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Trader Tom
Grand Member (7 years)
Joined: Jan 26, 2006
Posts: 802
From: Hillsboro, OR
| Posted: 2012-08-09 3:50 pm Permalink
Here's one of the bowls all glazed but waiting to be glaze fired. It should turn out a dry rust brown with some color variance on exterior, eggshell white girls, gloss black volcano with satin red lava spilling over and collecting in bowl. We'll see how it turns out...
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MadDogMike
Grand Member (6 years)
Joined: Mar 30, 2008
Posts: 7075
From: The Anvil of the Sun
| Posted: 2012-08-09 7:25 pm Permalink
Looks great Tom, those ivory gals should really stand out against the brown bowl.
_________________
When you hurry through life, you just get to the end faster.
Pirate Ship Tree House
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danlovestikis
Grand Member (6 years)
Joined: Jun 17, 2002
Posts: 4486 | Posted: 2012-08-09 9:17 pm Permalink
This is going to be a beautiful bowl, Wendy
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geedavee
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 22, 2007
Posts: 201
From: South Pasadena, CA
| Posted: 2012-08-13 5:36 pm Permalink
Nice work Tom. I'm glad you found a way to keep on doing your ceramics.
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Trader Tom
Grand Member (7 years)
Joined: Jan 26, 2006
Posts: 802
From: Hillsboro, OR
| Posted: 2012-08-22 7:33 pm Permalink
Here's pics of the first bowl and two mugs back from their glaze firing. I'm pretty happy with them. I will have to do more soon!
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MadDogMike
Grand Member (6 years)
Joined: Mar 30, 2008
Posts: 7075
From: The Anvil of the Sun
| Posted: 2012-08-22 10:24 pm Permalink
Great results Tom. The black lava texture turned out cool and I really love that yellow/brown exterior glaze!
_________________
When you hurry through life, you just get to the end faster.
Pirate Ship Tree House
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Beachbumz
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: Jan 09, 2008
Posts: 1008
From: Kihei, Maui
| Posted: 2012-08-23 12:37 am Permalink
Those came out Great Tom! The bowl with the lava flowing really came out great. I wanna try making a volcano bowl someday as well, I wish I had a bigger kiln at times..
How did your Son's Tiki come out btw??
Aloha
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Jürka
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Aug 15, 2012
Posts: 77
From: Estland
| Posted: 2012-08-23 04:52 am Permalink
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On 2012-07-20 00:51, Trader Tom wrote:
...but Joseph (4 & 1/2) was "helping" me. I had to answer a lot of questions about these pieces, particularly about why the hula girls were in their birthday suits...
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What did you answer? I'm interested too!
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danlovestikis
Grand Member (6 years)
Joined: Jun 17, 2002
Posts: 4486 | Posted: 2012-08-23 08:09 am Permalink
Good job. I like your glazes, they make your mugs and bowls look vintage. Wendy
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Trader Tom
Grand Member (7 years)
Joined: Jan 26, 2006
Posts: 802
From: Hillsboro, OR
| Posted: 2012-08-23 08:24 am Permalink
Thanks, everyone!
Joseph's Tiki mug is at the kiln for glaze firing and should be ready in a few days. I haven't finished the square bowl but need to do that next.
I told Joseph that the hula girls' clothes burned off because they got a little too close to the volcano. 
I think I will do some more matching mugs so I have a set. That, and make a hand-built Tiki mug of my own.
My folks are visiting from Illinois, so I'll probably get my hands back in the mud next week when I have time.
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Jürka
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Aug 15, 2012
Posts: 77
From: Estland
| Posted: 2012-08-23 3:54 pm Permalink
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I told Joseph that the hula girls' clothes burned off because they got a little too close to the volcano.
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"But... But... But... Daddy, why didn't they go away from volcano when they felt too hot???" :smiley with two big puppy eyes:
Ok, I'll help you out... Cause hula girls like it hot!
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