[TheForge] a blacksmithing question and a ceramic/pottery question

[Jim Poulimas]

I just meant that it would have been helpful if you had referenced what the
part was a part of. (I'm friendly, by the way. I don't do email flame wars
or any of that nonsense. I wasn't try to be divisive.) If it was lost wax
or powder metal tech and you can't do either, then it's a moot point.
That's all I meant. Also, There are some extremely intelligent people in
the metalworking community and I wouldn't surprised if  there was someone
who was familiar with powder metal technology.

*the part in question was either manufactured by lost-wax casting or
powder metal technology. lost-wax casting is not possible at the
moment. powder metal technology is beyond anyone's experience.

*As for the clay... it may be cheaper to buy them. Even at $24 a piece. A
lot of people who do things on the cheap end up spending more money than if
they had bought the products outright. When I calculate whether I should
buy as opposed to making something it, a few things I factor in are gas
prices, shipping costs, the amount of hours I have to physically and
mentally spend, the availability of the required parts... often it is
cheaper to buy them.

I fall into the "headaches are expensive" category. And that's a big factor
as well. Eventually I'll buy a press to punch holes in hammer blanks. I
could make one more cheaply but at the end of the day that's not what I
want to be working on. I'd rather wait a little longer and pay a little
more for convenience. I am not a ceramist, but I live with one. It's a
beautiful craft and may be an amazing journey.


On Thu, Jan 5, 2012 at 10:52 AM, Ries Niemi <ries at riesniemi.com> wrote:

> I would add that being a potter, like being a blacksmith, is not as cheap
> and easy as everybody seems to think. There is experience and learning
> involved, equipment and supplies. What is a "reasonable" cost for custom
> thrown and decorated mugs? A "reasonable" hourly for a potter?
> I know that I used to hit the craft fairs with a guy who was a throwing
> machine- he cranked out coffee mugs like nobodies business. And he got a
> flat twenty bucks apiece for em, way back in the early 90's. That was based
> on throwing, glazing, and firing several hundred a week.
>
> Of course mass produced coffee mugs are only a couple of bucks apiece-
> when you buy em by the container load. Onsies of anything, you are paying
> setup charges for the first couple hundred parts.
>
> ries
>
>
>
> On Jan 5, 2012, at 4:57 AM, Andrew Vida wrote:
>
> >
> >
> >
> > Making them is not a big deal, but firing them can be a problem if you
> > have no kiln.  A wheel is not required, but is very handy for throwing
> > the form, sans handle.  All you need it to make one master pattern, from
> > which you make a 2-piece plaster mold and from that you make slip
> > castings, as many as you want.
> >>
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> Ries Niemi
> Industrial Artist
> www.riesniemi.com
>
>
>
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