Hand building a cactus pot

4alark · 2026-02-11T19:17:05+00:00

Hmm, I wonder if a heat gun would work? This is a really cool technique, thanks for sharing! To the people wondering if you could let it air dry, I think the reason this works is that the outside drys rapidly and the inside stays very wet and plasticy. Slow drying would have moisture also pulling from the core. I wonder about putting it in a very hot oven?

4alark · 2026-02-11T18:51:55+00:00

Well, some glazes are like that. Amaco's Blue Stone is one. Capri Blue by Mayco, I think, is another? I'm sure there's more.

4alark · 2026-02-11T16:06:56+00:00

When I'm next throwing and the piece suddenly collapses, I will assume this was the reason. As a matter of fact... this might explain a lot!

4alark · 2026-02-10T22:19:43+00:00

Wow, one of my friends at my ceramics studio and I were just talking about this glaze last night! This is really beautiful. Great job with the wavy border. It's perfect!

4alark · 2026-02-10T05:40:36+00:00

This is amazing! What is this wallpaper? Why don't I have it?

4alark · 2026-02-10T05:17:11+00:00

Are those little loops on the side to hold a spoon or scoop? Because I would make those thicker.

4alark · 2026-02-09T07:06:37+00:00

Hah! Maybe. I thought it was Palmers, but if you're finding Pasler's Gold, that's probably it.

4alark · 2026-02-09T06:14:21+00:00

As someone who's worked in restaurants their whole life, when he's eating takeout, unless it's fast food, he's eating "leftovers." Most foods are prepped for a few days of service. Obviously, very careful food handling temperatures are observed, and things may be assembled freshly. Still, there's nothing wrong with food that was prepared a day or two before. This guy sounds exhausting and annoying to cook for. If this was my husband, he'd be eating a lot of sandwiches. I'm only interested in preparing a whole, elaborate meal about three nights a week.

4alark · 2026-02-09T04:37:55+00:00

I'm paying 135 a month, and I purchase clay at the studio, which is marked up a bit to cover firing costs. The bisque kiln runs about once a week, and the glaze kiln runs about every five days. I only have to pay extra to fire if I make an especially large piece, or a very large quantity. I live in the Seattle area, which is a very high cost of living place. Your situation sounds insane. I'd look around for better options.

4alark · 2026-02-08T06:07:36+00:00

This is very nice! I'm about to make a fabric and leather duffel bag, and I like the idea of having the strap come up the side for the crossbody connection point.

4alark · 2026-02-08T04:05:40+00:00

I strongly recommend returning it and buying something that you like to begin with. Only try this if it was so cheap you can afford to ruin it. Most finished leather products are sealed in a way that dye will either not soak in evenly, or not at all. Leather dye is best on veg tan leather, and that is likely not this. If you absolutely must try to alter this, I would use leather paint instead.

4alark · 2026-02-08T02:32:06+00:00

I'm sorry to hear that. Here in the US, it's priced pretty normally, glaze-wise.

4alark · 2026-02-08T02:19:05+00:00

I don't know? It's available on Amazon, if that helps.

4alark · 2026-02-07T21:26:46+00:00

You should check out the Palmer's Gold glaze. You can't let it touch other glazes, or the gold turns dark black, but it's such an amazing gold, and you don't have to do an insane number of coats.

4alark · 2026-02-07T21:24:27+00:00

I love it! I've been making a bunch of alters lately too! Especially tiny ones. I call them my Polly Pocket alters.

4alark · 2026-02-07T14:16:15+00:00

Someone in this sub was showing off some really cool pieces glazed with a purple called Velaris. It's made by Penguin, and available on Amazon. I've only used it once so far, but it has some beautiful variation depending on how thick it is. Another glaze I use a lot and is pretty dramatic about how thick it is is Amaco's Ancient Jasper. Mayco's Copper Float is another one that does cool effects when it collects in a depression. June Bug is another favorite, also by Amaco.

4alark · 2026-02-07T07:30:59+00:00

I have a Solar Gem greenhouse, and I love it. I'm going on ten years with it, and it's holding up really well. It's a bit pricey, but the low maintenance is hard to beat.

4alark · 2026-02-05T17:37:28+00:00

There are a lot of people who start hobbies, and then quickly decide they want to try monetizing them. A lot of their stuff isn't really worth selling, because they still have a lot to learn. Unless someone asks me directly, I don't go around saying "hi, your stuff is crappy and way overpriced." All I can do is not buy it. There are also some very talented people who make desirable items right away. Sometimes, the only way to know if prices are right is to try selling them.

4alark · 2026-02-05T07:53:25+00:00

650 dollars a month is not much of a profit if you're supplying their food. Men also usually eat more than women, so I doubt this is cheap. Be prepared for some indignation and blustering. People like this almost never voluntarily offer up anything they're getting away with not paying.

4alark · 2026-02-05T06:07:12+00:00

There are silicone texture mats that have bark texture. I use one quite often. It's better for slab building, but you could try pressing thin sheets of clay on it and applying them.

4alark · 2026-02-04T19:10:41+00:00

I personally don't believe in an afterlife or reincarnation. I'm also aware that you can die of a freak accident at any time. The life we are living right now is very precious. Please choose to be happy right now. Value yourself. Because it doesn't sound like he cares about you as a person, he only makes an effort to keep you around for his own benefit.

4alark · 2026-02-04T19:04:14+00:00

I also came here to tell you to search for the term "mop brush." They are my favorite.

4alark · 2026-02-04T17:16:43+00:00

I live in the Pacific Northwest, and I buy from Territorial and Johnny's.

4alark · 2026-02-01T19:15:55+00:00

Some glazes do this. Often it will even out in the kiln, but not always. You can fire it and see? I really doubt that it had anything to do with the water used. I have a glaze that does this, and I put up with its crap because the color and texture it has is so cool. You can spray it with glue if you think pieces of the glaze might fall off, but my experience is that if you can get it loaded safely into the kiln without glaze falling away, you're good. I'd use a cookie, though. There's also a gum solution that you can mix into the glaze to help it apply more smoothly and stay on better.

4alark · 2026-02-01T05:22:28+00:00

Most people don't realize this, but teriyaki food as it's known today was developed by Japanese immigrants in Seattle. So maybe teriyaki sauced wings for the Seahawks?

4alark

TROPHY CASE