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XL Spiral Pro Mixing Paddle

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Of all of the tools I have contemplated adding to my studio, the XL mixer should have been sooner on the list. I take all my greenware scraps (pieces not yet fired in the kiln) in various states of dryness from trimming, failed throwing and other miscellaneous pieces I'm not happy with, for whatever reason, and throw them into a bucket with water (usually the remnants from throwing).  Once the clay has had a chance to reabsorb the water,  I use this tool to mix my reclaim into a buttery consistency before dolloping it out on plaster bats to dry out. Using a mixer means I have to add quite a bit of water and the reclaim has to sit out for longer to dry but I chose a mixer this size on a corded drill so that I would have more power. The paddle itself has too large of a circumference for most corded drills which meant I actually saved when I bought my corded drill instead of a battery operated one.  Using a mixer means significantly less wedging. It's also really helpful for...
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Old Forge Creations Foot Trimming Tool

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  A big part of how I've learned to make anything at all was through practice and YouTube videos. One of the first artists I found was  Jon the Potter . I binged watched all of his videos for hours and still do. He used this foot trimming tool from Old Forge Creations . Both of these artists are tremendous resources and I am so grateful there is content like this on the internet.   This tool is great for a number of reasons. It's made of stainless steel and is very durable, which is great for artists like me who end up with water everywhere all the time. When you're just getting started on the wheel centering is difficult and often many vessels have uneven rims or some kind of wobble which makes trimming more difficult. Using this tool allows you to finish the base and simply wire the pot off your wheel without any other finishing if you choose.  The second reason I like this finish is because of the grip I can get on my pots during the glazing process. The...
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Mudtools Polymer Rib

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  Compression is a key factor to successful pottery. The polymer ribs made by Mudtools are a great way to create compression without marking up a piece. I use this beauty when I am attaching handles to ensure a nice seamless fit and to really wedge my slip into tight places. It does a great job smoothing out the grainy texture sponges often create when the water wipes away the actual clay particles and leaves the sand (aka grog). It also works well to almost buff the bottoms of pots while trimming on the wheel.  I still prefer my metal rib for scraping the slip off pieces before removing them from the wheel, but this little gadget does that job just as nicely. One thing this softer edge does better than my metal rib is smoothing out flat bottom pieces such as larger vessels or plates. There is also significantly less danger of cutting yourself reaching into a bucket of water or reclaim and finding it somewhere on your journey to the bottom. 
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