ball.opening.02.html

This is a fundamental step. After wetting the wheel head, slap or hit the clay ball with both hands as the wheel slowly turns. Slap with equal force from both hands. It should sound like you are clapping your hands. You want to flare the ball out at the bottom and narrow the top. This is “pre -centering.” It may take two minutes.
Ocassionally, spin the wheel faster to see if it is centering.
It should begin to look like a cone. Done properly, this can save a lot of clay that may be lost due to trimming; after the ball is opened.


	SLURRY		WET BALL

Next, scoop up a hand full of slurry
Briefly, this is a bowl of liquid clay. Scraps from throwing are mixed with distilled vinegar; instead of water.
[ Look at the SLURRY tutorial for an in depth explination. ]
Lubricate the ball.
You may want to hold a wet sponge in your right hand the first hundred times you do this.


	PULLING UP		HIGHER

Turn the wheel slowly, at first.
You want to begin forcing the lumps on the exterior of the ball in; towards the center.
Once the exterior is fairly even, slowly excellorate to full speed.
HOLD ON !! PULL up to a cone.
HIGHER.

	NOTE
	My wheel is mounted on three cinder blocks. about 16 inches [ 41 cm ] tall. After my second hernia opperation, it was obvius that working in a sitting position was killing me, litterally. 15 pounds [ 6 kilos ] of clay turning at hundreds of RPMs is a lot of force for the lower abdomen to counter balance. Try working at a standing position. It will not take long to adapt. When standing, you can lean on the clay to control and center it. You can brace your back by extending your right leg behind you. This takes the stress off the the middle of your body in the sitting position.