The Basics of Using a Strong Arm Centering Tool on the Potter's Wheel
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- Опубліковано 23 чер 2024
- My journey to using a Strong Arm Pottery tool began with repetitive injury to my shoulder and wrists, which makes centering stiff or large pieces of clay sometimes painful and prone to prolonging healing. I took a little spill and broke a couple of bones in my wrist about a year ago, and I don’t know how I would have been able to get back into throwing as quickly as I did without it! I had heard about the tools for years, and kept it in the back of my mind… only to think about it more and more after my injury. I reached out to Marc from Strong Arm tools… and well… the rest is history. These tools can help people to enjoy wheel throwing if they have strength issues, injury, or maybe they are just a healthy and strong production potter and want to avoid injury due to overuse! People- this is a game changer!
Marc Geiger of Strong Arm Pottery Tools is the amazing designer and engineer behind this wonderful invention. I thank him for sending me this tool for being able to share this with all of you. The Strong Arm Pottery Tool is not a miracle centering tool for those who don’t know how to center, but it can be a miracle centering tool for people who understand the principles applied in centering and just want a little force assistance. Please check out his website, www.strongarmpotterytools.com/ and if you end up buying one, tell him I sent you!! (I’m not getting a comission or anything- I’m just happy to share this with you all!)
I am using the LEG MOUNT for the Strong Arm Pottery tool, while, throwing on my Skutt classic wheel.
Please subscribe to my channel to get the latest updates on this video series, AND, subscribe to my NEW wheel throwing playlist too! (I am keeping it as a separate list from the old wheel throwing playlist!) Here is a direct link to the new playlist! • NEW Wheel Throwing Pla...
Check out your local pottery suppliers- I love my favorite local supplier- Cornell Studio Supply in Dayton… give them a call, they’re super helpful! (And tell them I sent you!) cornellstudiosupply.com/
For the great tools, materials, and suppliers I recommend check out this link to a live searchable (control F) Googledoc I continually update with lots of my favorite tools on Amazon using my associate links! docs.google.com/document/d/1X...
I made this video for my Ceramics II, III, and independent study students at Mason High School. I am a public high school ceramics teacher at William Mason High School in Mason, Ohio. (Mason is currently the largest high school in Ohio!) As a potter, I have been working in clay for over 35 years, and I have been teaching for over 33 years, over the past 27 have been specifically teaching high school ceramics.
I love what I do! I have my own studio in my home basement, where I work on my personal pottery for my Etsy site; www.etsy.com/shop/KaransPotsA...
I started my UA-cam channel a few years ago, to make videos to help my students if they are absent and miss a demo, or if they would like to explore more advanced techniques independently. I have been amazed to reach such a wider audience than my own students!
Please subscribe to my channel if you would like to receive channel updates, or would like to learn more about clay and studio processes! Follow me on all social media under KaransPotsAndGlass!
I love my strong arm!!
I might give this a try. I had to stop using my wheel due to my Rheumatoid Arthritis 😢.
It’s spectacular for helping people to stay throwing when life throws nasty curveballs of injury or disability!
You will love it. I have arthritis in my hands. Using the strong arm, my joints don’t ache.
When you use the “plunger” does it compress the bottom or do you need to do that manually?
I use something similar to open and have never had an issue with plates (no S cracks). Some of that is due to the drying of the center of the plate with a protected rim I'm sure, but I have not recompressed the bottoms after opening with a similar tool.
I don’t recompress the bottoms! Maybe tidy if needed!
Seems like a big pain
Well, for anyone that has PAIN- this can be a relief to keep throwing! 😉