Pottery Tips & Tricks - Bats

[@donnagrammas7584]

I've been making pottery 9 years in my retirement. This is the first time watching your videos. I make my own masonite bats. Yep, they go fuzzy but 8 years still usable in a pinch. And I got tired of losing what I sign with. I dug out a 16 penny nail in the tool chest. I reccomend it to my students, too. I also figured out early to not waste time and energy sanding before finished glazing. I however flip my pots when they can hold their weight to promote drying and pop off the bat. I hardly ever trim. I throw thin so no trimming is necessary. Our local young college grad instructors instruct to throw thick and then trim to thin. What a waste of time and materials. I like your style and will watch more. Thank you for your instruction.

[@sagstar]

It saves time but not every one is at that level yet, plus sometimes you can get more stability with certain shapes by throwing thicker. Trimmings are normally recycled so it's not really a waste.

[@SallyRoperPottery]

Thanks Matt for this video, you answered all my questions. So right after your last video, on a square tempered bat, I made the ribbed bowl and let it dry under plastic for day and a half. Holding it upright, it would not budge or release (maybe needed to dry just a bit longer) but when I rested it upside down on the rim the bat popped off with no effort. Go figure. Foot was clean and no damage to my bat. Success ! I did wire my bowl in half to inspect my throwing prowess and found thickness at the edge of the foot but the bowl sides were perfect. A small tweak to make foot smaller and I am good to go. I think. Thumbs UP.

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

Yes most likely the pot just needed to dry a bit more before releasing. Well done. Glad I could help.

[@itsclearasmud7718]

I treat my batts. I use a mix of wax resist, 50/ 50 with water. It soaks into a clean dry batt and can even be heated with a blow dryer. Very effective making batts last and perform well. I treat at least once a year.

[@wwpetko-6760]

Omg-BRILLIANT!

[@loveandlight4875]

@@wwpetko-6760 where did you buy the masonite bats?

[@kennethdante]

Thank you for the tip i was considering some type of treatment!

[@AL-og4sp]

Masonite is a variation on the idea of particle board, sawdust and resin. Wood based products are something I avoid in the ceramic studio. Wood tends to swell and distort when exposed to water, and promotes the growth of mold. My preferred alternative is a plastic sheet material sold under the name 'Marine board' or 'Sea board.' They are intended for use on boats and thus impervious to water or UV light, dimensionally stable (they do flex slightly) and come in a variety of colors and thinknesses. The cost per sheet is 10x higher than Masonite, but will last decades. Mine are 14 years old and look almost new. The material is also ideal for extruder dies, templates & making your own stiff rib tools. Hydrostone bats are great if you want a bit of absorption in your throwing bats. I make my own using cast rubber grommets to hold onto the bat pins.

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

You should make a video about your bats

[@kennethdante]

Are you able to leave them on this material to somewhat dry leather hard and pop them off?

[@annelythgoe1616]

Thanks, Matt. I enjoyed the tips, especially putting a little slip on the wheel to grasp a loose bat. Makes sense to me.

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

You’re welcome. I hope it helps!

[@marksullivan3303]

A few ideas Matt: - how you manage water and slip? You are very ‘clean’ in that you always remove your slip from your hands. - square vs round bats? Storage space I’m assuming. - wheel height and ergonomics? You have both a standing and sitting station. This video gave me an idea of how high yours is based on the cinder block etc under one leg. My hamstrings are notoriously tight after sitting. - amount of clay for mugs, bowls, etc? Thx Mark

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

Thanks so much for the ideas. I actually tried to buy the led system from Axner for my Pacifica wheel but they didn’t have any and they make them. Haha

[@BrokenArrowPottery]

Thanks Matthew! I hope that in one of your videos you will consider showing the whole "tree" you have your throwing gauge clamped to. I like that yours seems to be independent of your wheel. ♥

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

Yes I have on my list of tips and tricks ideas to talk about gauging while throwing

[@BrokenArrowPottery]

Thanks! ♥ Will look forward to that too!

[@marksullivan3303]

Thx. Look forward to that. I see expensive ones that flip and others using stick w clay ball.

[@clifforddalton3067]

very useful info Matthew, thank you.

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

You're welcome!

[@victoriamiskolczy6336]

Very helpful, thanks!

[@robertcole1098]

Very informative, I'm not sure if I can get Masonite bats in the uk, but I will definitely try, thanks. I like your signature, it looks a bit like a dragonfly, nice. Cheers Bob 🇬🇧

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

You're not the first to mention that it's like a dragonfly. I definitely spent my share of time working on a signature that was short and artistic. Good luck finding masonite bats.

[@possummanrld]

Awesome video Matthew! But you need to work on messing up a bit, and looking like you are working harder at it, so we don't get the idea it is as easy as you make it look! :) Joking aside, My question is, do the pottery wheels come with the pins in them, or do I need to take the wheel off of mine and make a visit to my drill press? And is there a standard distance between the pins from the center of the wheel? Thanks a ton for the great video!

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

The Brent wheels I have used and the Pacifica I have now all came with bat pins. But you can drill the wheel head and add some.

[@shelleydoxtdator753]

Thanks for the bat info 👍

[@carolgage7614]

Great instructional video! Tks!!!

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

You’re welcome

[@zarouszz]

Wobbly bats and loose pins/holes can be fixed with a 'Xiem Batmate'. I use mine all the time as extra insurance, even on plastic bats. No affiliation, I just really like it. Get it good and wet when you put down your bat and you're good to go.

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

Never heard of it. I’ll have to see what’s it’s all about. Thanks.

[@BB007]

At the beginning of the video you talked about plastic bats used for plates briefly. I have tried making plates on a plastic bat as shown but they have not released without wiring. Maybe I am not letting them dry enough? How long do you leave your plates to dry before they pop off the plastic bat? I am in a dry climate and am afraid of cracking if I don't cover the plate with plastic while drying.

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

I agree you probably should cover the plates while drying on a very dry climate. They should pop off when the plate is dry enough. I’ve done it thousands of times. It’s hard to tell how long with them being covered.

[@lisbethsriis3376]

I am watching from Denmark 😊. Great video Matthew🤝. How thick is the masonite plate?

[@mxquattro]

Thanks for a great video, I enjoyed this.

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

You’re welcome!

[@danielajohnson177]

Hi Matthew, thank you so much! Any idea where to buy tempered Masonite bats? Thank you!!!!!!!

[@donnatrueblood6226]

Roofing felt works well for plates...you wire under the felt to release from the wheel then peel off the bottom of the plate or large pot. Reusable as well.

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

Hmm. Never heard of it but makes sense that it would work. There’s so many different ways to do all of this it’s amazing.

[@donnatrueblood6226]

@@MatthewKellyPottery it's what keeps it so interesting...never gets old. ; )

[@alexfinn7989]

Do you not wire off the pot from the bat? Thank you for great videos.

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

Most of them I do not. I have a video about that also

[@alexfinn7989]

@@MatthewKellyPottery Thank you! I just started pottery and was thinking this is weird to do this every time; causes a lot of rework and problems that you have to fix while trimming. Here is the video he did for anyone else interested: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g3SWfmaDormSnNk

[@lydiabosley9152]

Hi Matt, Thanks for the clear explanation, I will always look for TEMPERED masonite if I make my own bats. I was waiting for some chat about the plastic bats... wondering if those are better for flat-bottomed pieces like plates, since the clay will stick longer and that will result in slower drying / less cracking (right?). I'll continue to look through your videos for remarks on that, left the question on another video too. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience!

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

I did finally answer your question on your previous comment. Apologies for the delay

[@alexforget]

Do you think that coating regular masonite with linsed oil would help? I can’t find tempered masonite. Thanks for your contend, I really like the efficiency of your methods.

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

I’m sure you could coat them with polyurethane but that would have to be done every so often depending on how much you throw.

[@DanO7052]

Were your Masonite bats homemade? I’ve never known there was a difference, tempered vice non- tempered. Is it labeled as such?

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

They were homemade but not by me. The masonite used to be labeled as tempered. I haven’t looked for any lately.

[@ajepink]

About the plastic bats - what weight do you put on them? I find this type usable only for a small amount of clay. If not, it starts dancing and wants to jump from the pins

[@kennethdante]

I had one get away once! Pulling I literally pulled it off! That woke me up in a hurry. Poof it was on the floor 6 feet away.

[@lindatortorice9356]

Do you cover your pieces with plastic while drying? Would you do a clip about final finishing steps, like sanding the bottoms of pieces. Doesn’t sanding remove the signature from the bottom?

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

I usually don’t cover pieces while drying unless the air is very dry or I have the heat on in my shop. But even then I would only cover things that need handles or very wide or large pieces. Yea I can show the finishing steps in a video.

[@denisebooker6130]

Hi which is best square or round. Is square easy on the eyes when going round.

[@arvolina]

What do you suggest if there are no bat pins on the wheel?

[@judgetoogood1033]

Where can I buy Masonite bats

[@nameralashun]

Any way to straighten out warped ones?

[@baileyever8134]

I was wondering how I could remove bats from the wheel because legit it’s stuck on those pins after their covered in water idk how I can take em off cause I ain’t got no nails AT ALL

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

I use a flat head screw driver

[@eddiespottery8439]

I'v made the Masonite round bats before and its not easy to make them look perfect but I never made square one's. Did you make all of yours ? I think I might start doing that instead. thanks for the idea.

[@donnagrammas7584]

I cut up a half sheet of masonite into 8x8 inches. I got 24 squares. Be careful when drilling holes. If they get messed up, you have 1 more try at getting them correct. Mine are 8 y old and fuzzy but I cut the pot off opposed to letting it pop off.

[@Trinitysnana]

Great video! Just wondering how you store your batts? Vertically or horizontally.

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

horizontal. They stack much better that way. Don't know of any advantage to stacking them any other way. I never wash my bats though and I know some that do. I leave them very clean when I am done throwing to avoid having to wash them.

[@donnagrammas7584]

Vertical!!!

[@sziluchannel]

I use rounded stale sheets, this is completely waterproof.

[@shirleycirio6897]

Please be advised that sanding at any stage without a respirator is a health hazard. It is time for potters, (both professional and hobbyists) to learn more about health and safety in their craft. Silica dust is now considered to be on the hazard level with lead and asbestos. The construction industry has lowered acceptable levels of silica dust to 1/16 of what it had been for years. Be safe.......

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

Thank you. That is why i don’t sand until it’s glaze fired. That way it’s only sanded once and yes I wear a mask while sanding.

[@AL-og4sp]

Wet sand!

[@robertspicer421]

do you turn your bowls upside down after coming off the bat to dry them evenly

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

Not usually. By the time the dry enough to release from the bat there’s not much need to dry them upside down.

[@Daveyrips]

what are the measurments on your square bats? id prefer the square for storage as opposed to the round purchased ones.

[@kennethdante]

9.5 in sq seems to be about the perfect size. Pins are drilled at opposite corners

[@loveandlight4875]

Where did you buy the masonite bats ? I have been looking for them

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

That material is hard to come by. These days it’s called tempered hardboard. It needs to be 1/4” and smooth on both sides.

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

I’m pretty sure I’m the Midwest it is carried by Menards

[@KellyAnn1997]

So do you use a tool to put the foot on it when you threw it?

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

I normally use the rib and my fingers to make a foot on a pot. Haven’t watched this one back to see what you’re referring to. I cover the foot on a bowl in more detail on the how to throw a bowl video. Thanks for watching

[@hot_pony_unicorn]

Why don't you trim the pot on the wheel? I get that it saves you time at the beginning but then you wouldn't have to sand the pot after the glaze. Ive never sanded a pot after the glaze before. Can you explain a little more about why you do it that way? Of course im not a production potter im a hobby potter but ive been doing pottery for 25 years and never heard of anyone sanding the pot after the glaze unless the glaze ran. Can you show that process im very interested to see how you do it!!! Thanks so much for thr video it was GREAT!!!

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

I definitely will show the process in another video of handling the pots after a glaze firing. Thanks for the questions.

[@jhasaelcalle7683]

Im so sorry for being late to the vid either way good vid

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

No worries. Welcome back. Haha

[@paulwhelan8334]

Hey Mathew I tried making them using tempered hardboard (masonite) and the surface went all rough when I left a piece to dry. Do you do some treatment to the boards?

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

I hate that happened. I do not treat mine but I also don’t know where is a good place to buy the product anymore.

[@donnagrammas7584]

Try something like Thompsons water sealer like for decks.

[@coldfire05]

Hello Matt, thanks again for your video's bud!! Can you tell me what the dimensions are of the Masonite bats? Thickness and the size square you cut them to? Many Mahalo's for your sharing sir!

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

I didn’t cut my own but I can get you dimension when I’m back home. Out of town at the moment.

[@coldfire05]

@@MatthewKellyPottery Thank you Matt, I greatly appreciate it!

[@coldfire05]

@@MatthewKellyPottery did you ever get a chance to get this dimensions on those bats for me? Thanks in advance Matthew!

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

Sorry I totally forgot about that. I’ll measure them in a few min and comment again.

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

The square bats are roughly 9” square and drilled for 10” bat pins. They are 1/4” thick tempered masonite. Let me know if you find a resource for the 1/4” tempered masonite.

[@paulwhelan8334]

Do you wire off your plastic bats?

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

No, I let pieces dry on the bat no matter what type of bat.

[@lindenjenesse5078]

Matt~ Thanks so much for sharing your insights! I was wondering, when you talk about sanding, what measures do you take to protect yourself from the silica dust created by that process? And, in general, how do you abate the dust, again containing silica, that circulates around a studio in general? I don't wish to be panic-driven, but I do want to be careful over the long term. Have you covered this in a previous vid? Or perhaps you might discuss it in an upcoming one. Thanks! PS- I don't care what they say... Your lovely wife must see *something* in you! (And those adorable kiddos got it from somewhere, right?) JK, I think you're great!

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

Now that you asked I may make a short video on handling the pots coming out of the kiln. How I sand them and why, etc. One of the reasons I decide not to sand until they are out of the glaze firing is to reduce the amount of clay dust in the area, reducing the chance for the silica dust.

[@jeffccr3620]

Why not just seal the pours ones

[@elizabethmeerendonk7555]

Hello I have a large bat about18 in. wide circular .I wanted to through a large round platter when I was almost done I noticed that the site where pins set my bat were sinking into the bat hole openings .? (maybe bat thicker than surface )so it left a indentation between bat and pin in clay base of plate.Any sugestions on what to put in this empty space so clay dose not sink into bat pin openings?

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

You could fill those holes with clay before throwing the platter. You just have to make sure you wire under the platter before it dries so that it doesn’t crack where the bat pin holes are.

[@elizabethmeerendonk7555]

Thanks Mat.I just learned that a underglaze can be brushed on a leather hard pot.Dose that also mean I skip bisque fire ? And go right to the glaze fire temp.?

[@elizabethmeerendonk7555]

@@MatthewKellyPottery Thanks for all your help!

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

@@elizabethmeerendonk7555 it is possible to single fire. There are several factors that go into whether that's possible or effective in each situation. You may have to test it out on a piece or two and see how it goes.

[@BurgardPottery]

Usually when you underglaze on leather hard or greenware it goes thru a bisque fire, then you add any glaze and glaze fire.

[@willowmoon7173]

Anyone know if MDF board is good for bats?

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

I don’t think it would be. I think it would swell when I got wet.

[@jhasaelcalle7683]

Also i have to report you because.... Your vids are to good😃😃😃

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

You're too kind. But plz don't report me. haha

[@jhasaelcalle7683]

@@MatthewKellyPottery im just playing

[@BEAMNGSurvival]

like

[@genearnold3252]

Good job! Lots of knowledge being shared, thanks. Now if we could figure out a way to make you cute.😆😆

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

Sorry no hope for me but I did marry a cute one and have three cute kids that help to hide this mess.

[@hojoinhisarcher]

mon sep 19 22

[@booboomodestmaiden]

Nice, where did you get your hardboard at? I see some for sale around me here in Oklahoma, but it's 1/8"

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

I have not found any lately either. If I do I will let you all know.