How to throw 12 different mugs.

[@suzannewhite9777]

My first time on a wheel was in 1973 too. I was visiting Alfred University in New York, and went to the studio with her. The students were very helpful helping me get started and I loved it! Unfortunately, I didn't touch clay again until 2000. I just a hobby potter now.😊

[@kevinmencer3782]

I love the simplicity of the second mug. Seems like something you'd find in an old inn where function of everything is more important than form.

[@ruthpallek5202]

WOW...1973...50 yrs. Just celebrated our G.W.A. of 50. Where has the time gone ? Love your work and the studio on the ocean adds very special charm.

[@donnastrohmeier8739]

Thank you so much for your wonderful tutorial. I'm just starting pottery. I dont think I have seen a more informative video. Great explanation of every step to making mugs. I know i will be coming back to this video time and again. Thanks for sharing 🙏

[@susyward581]

Greetings from Cornwall, 22c and gloriously sunny. I am wrapping and packing ready to set up over the weekend for the Stithians Show on Monday. 1st time the show has been on in three years oh joy! 😎

[@Vsmithpots]

Hope you did well.

[@susyward581]

@@Vsmithpots I did thank you Vaughan. It was a real scorcher of a day which meant several ice cream breaks, lots of sales but never the ones you think will go, commissions and requests for workshops. Just back in my studio. I leave the unpacking for tomorrow ☀️

[@thepotterycorner]

The potato peeler is genius! I wondered how you did your lovely flutes. Thanks for the tips as always Vaughan. Greetings from West Sussex in the sunshine 🌞

[@Vsmithpots]

Thanks.

[@jenna9156]

I love how you do your explanation on making mugs, I can’t wait to get better at my mug making 😊

[@maryjeanallen6189]

Thank you SO much, as always, for your fantastically informative, friendly teaching and sharing of your talents and experience!

[@Vsmithpots]

Thanks again.

[@isalean]

I greatly enjoy your videos. Very informative, and no annoying music in the background like so many other pottery videos. Your setting is idyllic. I wish I had my own studio, near the water no less. I'm in a 55+ community in South Carolina and we have pottery/ceramic studio, It's great, but too many old cackling women there every day. I wish I had my own place....LOL

[@Vsmithpots]

Thanks and good luck with your pottery colleagues.

[@granywonder57]

Wow so many shapes. Loved the video. Hope to see them glazed. Thanks

[@Vsmithpots]

Soon Wanda.

[@CarolsGrandAdventure]

Great work! Thanks so much for this instructional video. Have been a potter for many years, took some time off the wheel and am back at it again. Time to practice throwing cylinders again! Very informative.

[@Vsmithpots]

Thanks and good luck

[@wackyjackievideoproduction3417]

This video is so inspiring. Thank you for sharing your talent and expertise. What a wonderful teacher you are. ❤from Maryland, USA

[@Vsmithpots]

Thanks, glad to be of help.

[@EmiEmi-is3ui]

Thank you so much for sharing this. 21:34 - what a beautiful cottage style mug! Could we please see the glazing process again, please?

[@Vsmithpots]

I will be glazing this week.

[@kellydiver]

That was probably me that called it a “tankard lip.” That’s my favorite style mug, and I call it a coffee tankard. If it were taller, it could be a beer tankard. (Though I suppose any tankard could be a beer tankard if you put beer in it, just like any glass containing wine is a wine glass.) 😂

[@Vsmithpots]

Beer tankards for coffee= bathroom all day.

[@kellydiver]

@@Vsmithpots 😂😂😂

[@susanvalleauderby2934]

So many ideas! I really like the cross-hatch on the last mug, looks like a crystal glass. Looking forward (down the road) to seeing these ones glazed.

[@Vsmithpots]

Should be fired in a week or so. Thanks Susan

[@stuartrudrum779]

Love this, just bought a wheel and clay. Starting tomorrow, wish me luck. fantastic videos. I have subscribed. Thanks Stuart

[@Vsmithpots]

Thanks and good luck, you just have to do it every day.

[@PamelaRoss-qh6jh]

Vaughan--- I've been playing with clay since HS--- It's always enjoyable as well as SMART to watch others craft their wares. Our generations are the same---- same way of doing things.

[@Vsmithpots]

Thanks, hopefully we can help the next generation through KZbin.

[@TheHouseboat1]

Fantastic, I love everyone of your mugs 🤩

[@Vsmithpots]

Thanks.

[@florinstephan4357]

Hallo Vaughan, for me, you`ve got the best centering method in the world! Thank you very much! I´Ve try several methods, wich i saw on KZbin, but youre`s , is the best... for me! You are such a great personality, man, Thanks a lot! i`m Florin, from Germany. I like your style very much!

[@Vsmithpots]

Thanks a lot, I love making it easier for others to learn quickly.

[@neilahalter9663]

Loved your carving of cup and mugs .

[@Stan-c4d]

THE BEST!!!!

[@Vsmithpots]

Thanks.

[@lynnwilson359]

So pretty; the water and the shore...

[@allenfitz1]

Love watching your videos. Im vacationing in schlet B.C. over looking Van couver island watchin this video with a cup of coffee. Thank you for the ideas

[@Vsmithpots]

You are welcome, have a cookie with the coffee.

[@theabsolutetruth2024]

Great video. Thank you for sharing.

[@brianwheeler3583]

Great video with some awesome ideas and techniques in it. Too much to take in all in one sitting!

[@Prairiebirdpottery]

Thank you so much, this was so informative and such a wonderfully done video!

[@Vsmithpots]

Thanks.

[@مدرسةالأمامالمهديعجياأباصالح]

What amazing talent. This is AWESOME

[@TheUltimateAcresllc]

Great video. Love the explanations and techniques. You make it seem so simple. #Keepupthegreatwork

[@Vsmithpots]

Thank you

[@brendasad6231]

Acabo de encontrarte en KZbin, me encantó el video, me gusta como explicas, gracias por tu generosidad. Saludos desde Argentina 🇦🇷

[@Vsmithpots]

Gracias Brenda, hay muchos de mis videos si quieres pasar un rato viéndolos. Que tengas un invierno seguro.

[@keds2183]

Thank you so much! Now to put all I’ve learned into practice ! 😬

[@qcgiftsca]

Fantastic video! Thx you so much

[@dawnmunro644]

Hello, thank you for sharing. I love watching you working. How many millilitres do these mugs hold please?

[@Vsmithpots]

They vary, most hold 12-16 ozs

[@carolynadkins1662]

Quick question…do you regularly glaze the bottom of the mugs? I usually wax the bottombut it does take time. Is there a benefit to glazing the bottom? Also, do the pins leave prong marks that require grinding? Thanks for providing these wonderful videos. I always learn more every time I watch.

[@Vsmithpots]

I always glaze the bottoms and use a glaze that is applied thinly to allow easy removal with just light sanding needed. Thanks.

[@vickiefmorgan]

Lovely work. Thank you

[@RBCharger]

A few questions. 1.Do you put wax resist on your bat to make it hydrophobic like that? 2. Did the person who brought back the mug with the broken handle expect a replacement or just advice on how to fix it? 3. What glue is best for fixing a broken handle?

[@Vsmithpots]

No wax on the bat. The mug was 4 years old and they wanted it replaced. I glued it with Epoxy which is the best glue for ceramic repairs. I have also had pieces returned with obvious dinging causing hair line cracks. Some people think pottery should last forever. I try to replace pieces with others that I have found flaws in, that way I can send them away happy. Although I have had one customer who is making this an annual event. I think I need to give them a pot that is 4x heavier and explain this what they should purchase for the pottery abuse they seem to inflict on pots.

[@maurad5378]

Amazing!

[@jerrymccormick9673]

Thank you, this was very helpful.

[@installer18yrs]

I started pottery in 1971, stopped in 1984 raising a family. I started again last year, rebuilding my original kiln.

[@Vsmithpots]

I started in 1973, got distracted by art school and teaching, started again in 1983. Glad you are back potting.

[@janettewilson5368]

I’m sure you have told us before but what is the red tool with rubber band called? What a super video showing all the different shapes in one! Thank you for sharing your tips and tricks!🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@Vsmithpots]

I made one in wood and one of my subscribers Freddie Moretti made it using a 3d printer. Freddie has a couple of videos on youtube.

[@debragraham2032]

Another very informative video!! Loved the variety. You make everything look so easy! Can you share the height of your mugs? I use about a lb. and 1/4 and my mugs are about 5 1/2". I think I am throwing too thick.

[@Vsmithpots]

That is not a bad height, is it before or after firing.

[@PunchbuggyBlue]

14:19 My favorite!

[@suebielecki473]

What clay are you using? Also is it right out of the bag? I am new to this, and I find that I make my clay too wet.

[@Vsmithpots]

Recycled clay in this video, a mix of speckle 455, smooth white 516 and B-mix5.

[@PennyRitz]

If you pop an air bubble, should you be filling that hole as well with the same technique as the seed? Thanks for all these mug ideas, can't wait to get up in the shop later on today to try them! Also, I'd love to try printing your rubber band tool if it is available, do you remember what it is called, so I can search on thingiverse to find it?

[@Vsmithpots]

Yes to filling the air bubble. Freddie Moretti wrote the program to print it, he is one of my subscribers and makes comments a lot.

[@suebielecki473]

Could you please tell me how you made the balls of clay you had done so beautifully? Did you have a mold? Do you wedge your clay right out of the bag? I need to know more about preparation. Can you help me? Thank you

[@Vsmithpots]

I have a pug mill that extrudes those sausages which get cut at the appropriate point/weight. I do not wedge clay that is new, just bang it into balls for ease of centering. Thanks.

[@suebielecki473]

One more comment. Today I had bad luck. All my clay collapsed on pulling up. It is also very wet. How to I know what clay should feel like when getting ready to throw. well maybe a second Q. How do recycle clay that “failed” on wheel. Thank you so much. Lock your informative videos. Love Nova Scotia. We are in Arizona.

[@Vsmithpots]

@@suebielecki473 Wedge/ knead the clay thoroughly. Try throwing the clay a little stiffer, let it dry out more before wedging.

[@suebielecki473]

@@Vsmithpots what I was using was bmix with grog and I had it in a bag wrapped in a damp towel, believe it was too wet when I started. I also tried b mix without grog same thing, so I am letting it dry out tonight. I will wedge it like crazy tomorrow, thank you so much for taking the time to answer me. Wish me luck.

[@Vsmithpots]

@@suebielecki473 Soft clay is easier to center but collapses sooner, harder clay is harder to center but can stand longer and make thinner pieces. Good luck.

[@keithlightminder3005]

1. Gentle taper in, 2. Cylinder, 3. Poppy belly, 4. Flaring trumpet form, 5. Bellied taper in, 6. Taller flange (ball with tuna can atop) A-handles on the above B-trimming on a griffin grip C-carving the mugs

[@karinagilbert791]

Hi! I have always trimmed a mug, then added the handle. Why do you add the handle first?

[@Vsmithpots]

I do not have to score and scratch, then add slip. I also throw thin so I don't have to trim the wall, just the foot. Thanks for asking.

[@jackiehopkins76]

Hello Vaughn , i watch your videos every day while walking on my treadmill. Whenever I try to cut a mug or bowl off the wheel or bat. I always seem to cut right through the bottom. I do leave my bottoms fairly thick to avoid this problem, but to no avail. So i bought a bunch of tiles and i throw on the tile and then leave it on the tile without cutting it free. However sometimes when the mug dries i get an S crack even though i have covered the top section of the mug. Do you have any ideas.

[@Vsmithpots]

Hi Jackie, you still need to cut through the bottom. You should invest in one of the harps that I use in my videos. You can make one easily with a piece of 32inch Rebar, just bend it 8inch from the ends and have it drilled so you can stretch a guitar string tightly across the gap. Use a thin single strand guitar string. You should also use your finger to compress the base, watch my beginner videos on throwing. Good luck.

[@jackiehopkins76]

Thank you.

[@tammyfreyberg3640]

For your recycled clay you mentioned it’s 3rd generation, do you put anything in the clay to help keep it elastic?

[@Vsmithpots]

You can add OM4 ball clay but I have never needed to.

[@tallibarr815]

I love your videos, they got me back to the wheel. How do you avoid having extra clay in the foot, since you don’t trim it.

[@Vsmithpots]

Thanks. Throwing thin will come with practice.

[@jayneburke326]

Hi Vaughan, great video so helpful. I was just wondering what is roughly the best height to aim for with a pound of clay when forming mug's? Thanks so much for all your knowledge.😊 🇦🇺

[@Vsmithpots]

I find people are asking for taller mugs rather than wider. So 1lb will give about a 4 1/2 to 4 3/4 tall mug. I can get 5 inches out of a 1lb but that is getting quite thin walled. Remember not to thin your base too much.

[@jayneburke326]

Thank you so much for your reply I really appreciate it.

[@gerard4870]

So good 16:37 .

[@ronniepayne378]

Mr Smith, I’ve been making pottery for about twenty five years. Your pottery making is very similar to mine. One question where did you get the pad for your Giffin Grip rods?

[@Vsmithpots]

They came with my first Giffin Grip, over 20 years ago.

[@ronniepayne378]

@@Vsmithpots Thank you for the quick response.

[@diannehussey1334]

I have been working with pottery for 4 years. However, I never learned how to pull the walls up very well. When I pull up, the clay forms a band that comes off at the top. I don't know what I am doing wrong, and in all of the videos I've watched I have not been able to find this addressed. As a result, I've been mostly hand building with clay. Have you come across this in your work? Also, do you glaze your bottoms and put the mugs on stilts?

[@Vsmithpots]

I think you are pressing too deep into the wall, try pressing less hard. or may be you have finger nails cutting into the clay. I do fire on stilts. Thanks.

[@diannehussey1334]

@@Vsmithpots Thank you so much! I will definitely try not pressing so hard. I love your videos!

[@sandrahoward7364]

Just curious, while reclaiming clay, I’ve occasionally wedged in fresh clay. No real purpose intended, just consolidating what I have sitting around. What are your thoughts on this, any advantages or disadvantages?

[@Vsmithpots]

Sounds fine, I do the same with clay I have lying around the studio.

[@pamelakeuter7503]

What clay do you use for these mugs?

[@Vsmithpots]

I use 455 and 516 from PSH in Toronto.

[@ritalayman9396]

When you throw, it looks like butter. When I throw, if feels like I’m wrestling a boulder.

[@kb3239]

Can you put some wd40 on the wheel

[@Vsmithpots]

I stopped using this wheel for videos, I tried lubricating but it did not work, both Brent wheels I have are old and do this.

[@Elisa-d7n7r]

A que horas vai começar o inglês?

[@charlottesmom]

Do I hear doves in the background? ❤

[@Vsmithpots]

Pigeons.