Arch

Form follow function, hence the similarity between the crafts. Clay
being a more flexible and available material had given potters the
ability to explore more forms. But we now have CA glue.

Juergen

Arch wrote:

For me, two recent books, "500" bowls" and "500 Wood" Bowls are not only
a pleasure to peruse and study, but also they force me into musing about
turners and potters and their use of wood or clay. I know that this is
old stuff and boring for many of you. Mistakes in understanding are
mine, but indulge this late bloomer in his new-found discovery of well
known verities. They were generated by these two books, blame them!

Potters and woodturners have a long and almost parallel history
beginning in antiqui ty.Downthroughtheyearstheydivergedalmost
imperceptibly in techniques, equipment and the objects made. I think
this separation owes much to the different qualities between wood and
clay, but kinships such as the advent of motorized equipment with
variable speed abound today.

To properly turn wood on a lathe or throw clay on a wheel; rotational
speed, stability, convenience, bearings, centering, stance, preparation
of the medium, and attitude are important to both workers. Both form
their work freehand with hand tools; One directly with thumbs and
fingers but sometimes paddles. The other interposes metal edged tools,
usually freehand but sometimes guided and assisted.

Lignin can be plastic when green or wet or heated. Defects can be filled
and contours built up with epoxy, plastic putty and such, but wood isn't
usually formed with the same techniques as clay. We may both start out
with a basic rough cylinder, but woodturners form by removing material
while potters can form their work by adding or removing. We cut and
scrape, potters do too, but they can slip, slab, compress, push, pull,
lift and pinch. Wow!

Oh well, whatever our limitations, we turners do love to form wood on a
lathe. Maybe it's the challenge and not the ease that addicts us.
Regardless, wood is more beautiful than clay any old day. Arch

Fortiter,


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