Ceramic - Pottery Dictionary

by Susan Mussi

LIDS (d) Throwing with a cone in pottery.

ca: TAPES (d) Tornejades amb un con en ceràmica.

es: TAPAS (d) Torneadas con un cono en cerámica.

LIDS: Using a cone the lid and the knob can be made in one piece or separately.

LID CONE - shaping and forming

a) Center the clay and make a cone to the size you need.
b) Support and squeeze in the clay with the left hand to make a neck between the cone and lid and at the same time with the thumb of the right hand indent the center.

c) With the left hand, support the outside and gradually put pressure on the inside with the thumb to form a space in the centre. Press outwards to make the space bigger, leaving enough clay round the edge to make the lip and flange. At the same time shape the underneath part of the lid, narrowing it but leaving enough clay to support it while the lid lip and flange are made.
d) With the first finger of the left hand inside and the first finger of the right outside, the clay is pushed up to form a wall at 90º which is known as the flange of the lid. The diameter of the outside of the flange should be measured with calipers to make sure it fits correctly inside the neck of the jar.

LID - Turning

e) Shows the cone with the lid formed.
f) A small, flat tile is placed on top.
g) Start to separate the lid from the cone, leaving enough clay for the knob, by squeezing it on each side with the thumb and index finger of both hands.
h) With one hand put pressure on the tile and with the other separate it from the cone and turn it the right way up, the tile acts as a tray.

LID CONE - Separated from the cone - knob turning

i) Make a bat to hold the lid. Center a small piece of clay; make it low, so it is not higher than the lip of the lid that it is being made to hold. With calipers measure the diameter of the inside of the lid and lock them. Then with a pointed steel turning tool go round the outer edge of the bat taking off all the excess clay until it is the right size to fit into the lid and check the size with the calipers. Round and smooth off the top part.
j) Put the lid on top and for safety, connect the lid with a coil of clay to the wheel so it does not move when being turned. Turning the wheel, the surplus clay is formed into a knob.
k) The lid finished.

Note: These are links to all the sections on throwing in alphabetical order.
Bowl Throwing / Cylinder Throwing / Jars Throwing / Lids (c) Throwing / Lids (d) Throwing Cones / Lids Knobs (f) Attached / Plate Throwing / Stack – Throwing / Teapot (a) Body / Throwing – with a tube

The next section; Lids knobs (e) Throwing on a cone en pottery