How to Lift Pots Off the Wheel - A Beginner's Guide

Part four of my how to throw, 'Beginner's Guide', series. This time the film focuses on how to remove pots from the wheel after they've been thrown. There's many topics discussed here, so if you'd like to jump to certain points there are time stamps below. Thanks so much for watching and I hope this video is insightful, let me know what you thought in the comments.
If you'd like to watch the other parts of this series, which demonstrate how to make a pot, you can find them here:
Part 1: How to centre the clay: • How to Center Clay - A...
Part 2: How to open up and form the base: • How to Open Up Centred...
Part 3: How to pull up the walls: • How to Pull Up The Wal...
My how to wedge clay video: • How to Spiral Wedge Clay
Timecodes:
0:00 - Introduction
1:10 - Fixing the rim of the pot
1:50 - Removing the 'skirt' of clay
2:09 - Sponging out the leftover water
2:32 - Scraping away the slip on the outside wall
3:32 - A cross section of scraping the outer walls
3:40 - Discussing the grog in the clay
4:12 - HOW TO REMOVE A POT FROM THE WHEEL
4:27 - Scraping slip off my hands
4:52 - The ideal type of wire
6:32 - An example of removing a too soft pot
6:55 - A cross section showing the supportive base
10:35 - Discussing the strength of the clay
11:10 - Using a piece of paper to 'brace' the rim
11:45 - Hydroplaning a pot off the wheel
12:40 - Using a heat gun to remove a pot from the wheel
13:10 - Using batts to throw on - why and how
17:44 - Don't be too precious
18:35 - Tidy up tips
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Website - www.floriangads...

[@jasperp128]

What is the wire you’re using in this video? I haven’t been able to find something with the same twisted wire and often run into the issue you mention about smoother wires.

[@floriangadsby]

This is the stuff I use: www.bathpotters.co.uk/shell-wire/p974 I make my own pottery wires with it by cutting short strands of it and attaching it to two wooden dowels.

[@michelegraybeal]

@@floriangadsby Thank you, Jasper, for asking and Florian for the answer. I was just going around in circles trying to locate this type of wire myself. Hopefully, I can find it here in the States. (a very informative video, too. Thank you!)

[@jasperp128]

Thank you!

[@beaniebutt47]

I find you videos very informative and for some reason everything you say sticks with me I’m American but I watch a lot of British television and before Harry Potter I’m talking about the old doctor strange from the 80s and other good bits😅 any way maybe because I have to listen harder I don’t why but I remember what you say very well.

[@jessemarkus4084]

As a novice potter, these videos are very helpful. Sharing this amount of knowledge is generous of you!

[@donna-mariestewart9789]

Thank you so much for your beginners series. It’s so comprehensive and provides fantastic explanation about how the clay behaves, what to do and what not to do. This series has really lifted my confidence in throwing.

[@dfleck9210]

This is not relevant to me at all. I don't do pottery although I kind of did once, and I don't see it in my foreseeable future. But I stumbled onto your channel and I am fascinated. It's calming, interesting and I love watching you throw pots and explaining everything in great detail! One thing I particularly like is your emphasis on patience and not being too hard on oneself. That's not something I expect from a youtube tutorial. So thank you!

[@hankkingsley9183]

Man, your instructional videos are invaluable, free and exceedingly well made and easy to follow. Excellent stuff.

[@dianab2428]

started ceramics class 6 months ago, making sculptures at first and getting familiar with the clay. Then i got a bit bored and decided to try the wheel; it's SUCH a different experience, the first three classes i barely got anything done because i always messed up at some point. Now i have 4 bowls and want to make many more, and i have to say, watching your videos has helped immensely. Great work, and thank you!

[@0o0Butterflyo0o]

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge, this beginners guide series has helped me a lot to improve! I usually use a bat system as I have been struggling to take my pieces off the wheel without ruining them, this video will help me trying a different way.

[@meravt6734]

Your explanations are clear and in depth. They really answer all the questions one might have about the process. Thank you!

[@AnkitaKumari-rd7vr]

This is a very detailed video, Florian. Appreciate all the planning you do for these videos. The water from the bucket can also be reused for the wheel instead of throwing it away.

[@Barbagitana]

Thank you so much!! I'm addicted to your videos. The way you teach is perfect for me, I get more tips here than in my courses.

[@FFSS60]

Thank you for the poignant tip of reclaiming clean-up clay! We truly appreciate all your detailed instruction!

[@samanthasobchuk1836]

I didn't expect this to be an interesting topic but the way you taught it proved me wrong! Thanks for your careful tutorials!

[@dlbonanno64]

Very good teaching. Just learning to throw. Head knowledge and application are two different things...

[@FilbieTron]

Thank you so much Florian. You are an excellent teacher and give very in depth but digestible instructions.

[@jeanrutka4517]

Thank you for so much detail. Especially the cut pot showing the walls.

[@beccaturner8834]

Absolutely incredible. Thank you so much from one beginner potter to a master 🙌

[@vickiefmorgan]

You are a wonderful teacher. Very thorough and thoughtful

[@relaxpoo]

Amazing techniques I learn from your detailed videos! Thankyou so much ❤

[@jeanrutka4517]

Another incredibly detailed video. Thank you.

[@nikkiSolomon]

I always wished you would do this video as I usually ruin what I throw at this stage, thank you so much!

[@anupamsircar111]

Going into the minutest of details, you are a rare breed of teachers who can turn apprentices into master potters.

[@r.duroucher225]

Another fine video, thank you. You are very generous indeed in sharing your expertise.

[@mariaaltilia2559]

Thank you for these videos! I’ve learned so much.

[@floriangadsby]

You are so welcome!

[@josephlaverty4303]

This information is incredibly helpful. Thank you!

[@larrylass4268]

I throw a soft porcelain and found this trick works for removing pots. Pre-finish base by compressing with the round end of throwing stick to cut a rounded groove. Cut pot off with wire and use fingers and thumb to lift pot using the groove as contact area. The pot does not warp when lifting.

[@heinix55]

Danke!

[@salishahaynes]

Thank you ❤

[@newreast3904]

thank you florian!

[@aylaandleahtwinunicornpowe1556]

Thanks❤

[@jackdani7443]

Beautiful

[@user-ij2um2oj7g]

Thanks!! 😀

[@plwashakhann521]

Ur videos are amazing....👍👍

[@timothea5807]

thank you for your video!

[@sylviacapel2064]

Dank u wel voor de goede video's

[@dianaoyerinde4431]

Thank you for another super useful video! Do you have in plan to create a video showining how you tap center your pots for trimming? I seem to struggling with that part and often get and uneven bottom of the pot... not sure is this related to the centering...all in all seems to he quite a difficult part for me. Thank you so much for sharing your knowlage ♡

[@ragnkja]

He already has a video on tap centring :)

[@dianaoyerinde4431]

@@ragnkja thank you! Found it!

[@jeanriggs5044]

Thank you for this video. I use a smooth clay with almost no grog and every time I lift it up with dry hands, it becomes an oval shape. The alternative methods may work for me.

[@crystalfox8520]

This is going to probably sound really strange, but do you think you could make skme videos with some background music? Like not super loud, but just present. You videos help me sleep but having the background music would help even more. (I love them either way though, i watch them in the daytime all the time and love learning more about pottery. Your voice is just too calming and my brain says sleep at night. Which for my chronic insomia, is a blessing. I understand if youd rather now have any music though.)

[@suide3275]

One of the parts I dislike most about throwing... Taking it of the wheel. So I'm always impressed by your gentle touch. I also have a question; would it be better for a starting potter to create an Instagram page, so you have a central page for your "progress" and possibly getting some "attention". A bit like a potters diary? Im not that comfortable with Social media so would be a big step for me

[@floriangadsby]

Thanks for watching! That’s a good idea, you never know how it might grow and it may help to sustain your business further down the road. It doesn’t need to be super polished but even just as a place to document ideas is can be very useful.

[@jessemarkus4084]

It's what I started doing :) I feel like an idiot but I think I'm going to like looking back at my content to see how much I've grown!

[@chrisdotdash5154]

This is an incredibly useful skill which I think is not talked about enough in the pottery world. Thank you for sharing your expertise! Also, do you have a link to the twisted wire tool that you use?

[@floriangadsby]

Thanks so much for watching Chris, means a lot!

[@jackdani7443]

Relaxes

[@smilen8253]

👍good

[@treksez]

it looks like you're quiet rough on your hands Florian, do you ever run into issues with dry hands or irritated skin at all?

[@avishagsaal9757]

I went through your beginner guide and other videos, they are just phenomenal! Every bit of it. Do you have a beginner depth trimming guide as well? (I could find only asmr version). It would be great if you can put your attention to how to maintain the right clay hydration for beginners who attend a course once a week (which is probably most beginners), and how to distinguish different firmness of the clay. Thanks a lot!

[@John-jl4fu]

Thanks for the video. Not sure if you will see this but why don’t you use the bats that have holes in them that can fit directly onto pegs in the wheel? I’m doing a class just now and exclusively throwing on bats attached like this.

[@NoUser789]

What is the type of clay you use? I wanna make pottery and your type of clay looks amazing!

[@floriangadsby]

It’s a high iron stoneware clay body but it’ll only fire like my clay does if it’s reduction fired in a gas kiln.

[@Mel-dl4rp]

I can find the twisted cutting wire. Where did you get yours? Love your videos.

[@user-ec7iz1tw4t]

الله اكبر 🥰 مشاء الله

[@Alex_0Z]

in my schools studio we have pot lifters (i’m not sure what else to call them) that are an angled piece of metal that you can slide underneath pots, is there a disadvantage in using them?

[@floriangadsby]

I guess it’s sort of like using stabilisers or those ramps that throw bowling balls for you. If you can do it without then you’ll inherently be a bit more skilled as you don’t have to rely on a tool to do the job for you, but maybe that’s an old fashioned way of looking at it. What I would say is that I can’t think of any professional potters I know who use them but if they work for you don’t let me dissuade you!

[@-succulentplant-joan]

👍👍👍🤩🤩🤩

[@chameleon1]

VERY COOL VIDEO, 💯 LIKES FROM ME✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️

[@brokenredflag]

👍👏👌💪😎🔥

[@tombraun7235]

This is evil magic to me. I've been throwing for nearly four years now but I've never managed to lift a pot off the wheel without distorting it to Picassoesque shapes. Somehow, I've given up on it but every now and then I try it again with a success rate of around 0%. I've already started saving up for paying you to come to Germany some day and teach it to me in person ;-) Thankfully someone invented throwing bats. Otherwise I'd be lost.

[@destinyrichmond6110]

What kind of clay do you use? I love it’s color

[@CookbooksonRepeat]

This is amazing! Florian, how do you wash towels with clay in them? I keep a hand towel on my leg as I throw to wipe my hands. Haven’t washed it yet… 😆. I’ve only taken community classes.

[@Deliciousobsessions]

I take mine out in the yard and wash them, rather than sending clay through my washing machine. A bucket with some laundry soap and water works well and then I rinse and let them dry outside.

[@CookbooksonRepeat]

@@Deliciousobsessions thanks you!

[@loganmussell]

So I was successfully able to lift the pot off of the head without warping my pot but with dry hands my fingers left an impression in the edges of my piece. Should I have waited a little longer for the outside to dry? In the video it seemed like you removed it almost immediately but now I have a marred surface from my hands. Not sure how to compensate for this.

[@gruberaj]

16:29 - speaking of soft clay, is there a way to soften/wet new clay out of a bag without simply wetting the outside surfaces? My latest bag of stoneware clay is much harder than usual and wedging it alone is a work out, and then centring and coning are noticeably different.

[@Nicky-fi6jy]

cut your block of clay into smaller sections, and poke holes in the clay. Put water in those holes, and the clay should soften up a bit!

[@gruberaj]

@@Nicky-fi6jy thanks for the tip Nicky! I'll give this a go next time 🙂

[@GitikaMandloi]

Which kind of clay you are using here?

[@zechibeats13]

High Iron Stoneware Clay body

[@emlylunar]

where can i get that kind of cutting wire ? ☹️

[@floriangadsby]

www.bathpotters.co.uk/shell-wire/p974

[@tatianamacia1419]

Tá Bonito onde estranhou cara que tem muita pessoa querendo minha máquina dessa para fazer coisas e não tá fazendo isso mas está bonita tu não gosta de quebrar coisa bonita

[@FatemaFatema-ok1bv]

Est-ce que vous pouvez me faire les vidéos en français merci beaucoup

[@JulieHiltbrunner]

Just when I think I know what I’m doing i find out I don’t know much at all.