Trimming without lugs

 Caution: pottery nerd post!

One step in the rather lengthy process of turning a blob of clay into a finished bowl is trimming. You put a leather hard piece back on the pottery wheel and trim away the excess clay. I kinda like this part of the process, it’s when the final shape of the piece takes form. I think I also like it because it’s when I have a chance to overcome a cr*ppy throwing job.

I’ve developed a process for trimming that doesn’t involve using clay lugs to stick the piece down to the wheel. I have a sheet of squishy stuff that I use under my piece to give it traction, I’ve even found I can tap center with the squishy stuff in place (most of the time, sometimes the tap centering goddess vexes me). Using this method saves me time, and lets me trim the piece all the way down to the wheel head.

I also put a bubble level on top of the piece, it gives me a nice wide smooth area to push down while I trim the outsides of the piece, so I can apply lots of downward pressure without distorting the bottom of the piece. 

When trimming the foot of the piece, I actually start with a tiny carving tool and trim out a spiral, I do this to have a controlled way to get rid of the bulk of the clay inside the foot, then I grab my usual trimmer to tidy up and finish the foot. The carving tool is front and center at the bottom of the photo.

The photo also shows my beloved chatter tool for quickly adding texture to the outside of a bowl. I’m a sucker for chattering, I’ve alway been a pattern freak, and I think I also like that chattering can be a bit random. I never quite know how it’s gonna turn out.