By the end of the week, I was getting more volume with less clay. My throwing skills are returning. That’s not to say I got more done. There were many distractions competing for my attention. Still, progress was made.
The ‘fresh’ boxes of porcelain I purchased have the same 2015 date as those I already had. Too stiff to wedge without being soaked in water for a couple of days. That gets old pretty fast, especially when you have a pug mill sitting idle.
To get the pug mill ready, I had to clean out the solid block of porcelain that now occupied the interior space. That’s what happens when you don’t use it for two or thee years. It’s awkward to work around the blades with a knife and sponges to get at the stubborn bits of clay stuck to the inner surfaces. You begin to wonder if it is worth the effort.
Once the machine is bolted back together and ready to use, you quickly forget the hassle it was getting there. I ran a couple bags of that stiff porcelain through with a bit of water and ended up with extrusions of the right consistency. As long as more clay is pushed through it every week or two, it shouldn’t need further cleaning.
Planning to do more throwing this week.
