Making a Large Lamp Base on the pottery wheel

This video shows how I make a large, coil-built and thrown lamp base on the pottery wheel. This is the ASMR version of the video with ambient studio sounds.

First, wedge about 10 pounds of clay. Then, prepare 4 rings of clay by rolling out a thick coil and curving it into an even ring about 9 or 10 inches wide.

Then, center your wedged ball of clay and open it up about 10 inches wide. Flatten out the thick rim, and add a slight curve. This is where you will join the first ring of clay.

Score this curve, add slip, and join your first ring of clay. Using your hand, pat the clay, then join it, and if you have a wooden mallet, you can paddle your ring until it is well joined. Then add water and further join the ring.

After joining the first ring, flatten out the thick rim, add the curve, and score and slip to join the second ring. Repeat this process for the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th ring. At this point you will have a relatively tall but thick cylinder of clay.

After joining all the rings, you can begin pulling the cylinder taller and thinner. After achieving a cylinder that is somewhat higher than your desired height, you can begin opening up the cylinder to create a curved form. As you add width, your form will get shorter. It's a good idea to pull your cylinder about 6 inches higher than you'd like to end up, to accommodate for this change as you open up.

After opening, you may be able to shape the walls but if it is too wet, it's best to wait a day. Cover your form and wait.

When your form is a bit drier, you can shape it and then add a ring to make the top of your lamp base. If it is dry enough, you can also trim the top of the form or you may need to wait a day or so to trim the top. Then, wait a few more days as the covered form dries. When you can flip it, trim and clean up the bottom, and add a hole for the cord.

Then, your lamp base is ready to dry out. After it is completely dry, bisque fire, glaze it, and then it's ready to be wired up!

Good luck and have fun!

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