98. Throwing a 54 cm (21 in) Wide Bowl on the Pottery Wheel

In this video I will show you how I throw large and very wide bowls. My goal was to make a bowl as wide as my kiln will be able to fire - 54 cm (or 21 inches).
It is the biggest bowl I have ever made on the pottery wheel. And as it turned out there there was quite a few challenges with this. So I actually ended up throwing 2 bowls - not just one, and I will show you why ...
I will also show you how to trim such a big bowl and demonstrate a very special trimming tool - one that you can easily (and very cheap) get too, that is very good for trimming large pots.
INDEX:
00:00 Throwing big Bowls on the Pottery Wheel
01:03 Limitations of throwing a big bowl
02:10 How much clay to use for a big bowl
03:55 The best clay to use for throwing a big bowl
04:40 Throwing on bats
04:53 How to easily center clay balls on the pottery wheel
05:43 Centering the first part of the clay
06:29 Centering the second part of the clay
07:05 Centering the last part of the clay
09:44 Opening up the clay ball
13:05 Keeping a thick rim
13:25 Pulling the clay - and shaping the bowl
22:20 Expanding the bowl
25:58 Shaping the inside of the wide bowl
33:47 The next day
34:57 Trimming the bowl on the inside
37:45 Using a hacksaw blade for trimming the bowl
42:11 Trimming the outside of the bowl - upside up
44:41 Turning the big bowl upside down
47:50 Trimming outisde of the bowl
50:56 Trimming the foot
56:26 A great tip for the foot (for better glazing)
01:00:24 The second big bowl - even larger!
01:01:22 Why do big bowls shrink so much?
01:03:25 Hope to see you soon again ...

[@DunoonVanRijn-dx1hr]

I think this is a inspirational bowl

[@deMibPottery]

Thanks :-)

[@cuttygrass]

I just finished my introductory wheel class (my first experience with clay ever), and I can't get enough of this kind of video. I really appreciate you explaining how and why you include specific techniques, even if I can't imagine trying them yet. I look forward to what you will put out next! Best wishes from Aotearoa New Zealand

[@deMibPottery]

Thanks. Glad it is helpful! :-)

[@David-uv7hz]

I just love your videos! They are so encouraging and you have a wonderful natural manner. Hope op recovery goes well. And to anyone reading this comment I can also vouch for the stamp maker. I got a tiny stamp from her and it's incredibly crisp and accurate! Brilliant stamps.

[@deMibPottery]

Thank you so much! :-)

[@DunoonVanRijn-dx1hr]

I have been unwell. Watching this content makes me want to aspire to being more creative.

[@deMibPottery]

Good :-)

[@lucindadangles-ru5il]

for larger bowls I made a rib from plexiglass about 15 cm by 8 cm. flat on one long side and rounded on all other sides. It helps a lot. Also going down with the rib makes it wobbly and going up with the rib straitens it out. Don't forget a hole in the middle of the rib. On the larger bat I've seen some one put removable canvas on it for a plate and made 2 bats because they want to flip it over to trim.

[@deMibPottery]

There off course many ways to make plates. This has just proven to me to worl really well and with no problems at all

[@tanyapohlmann7606]

Sorry to hear you needed to have surgery and I hope all is healing well. It is good to see you back working-sharing with all of us.

[@deMibPottery]

Thanks a lot. It takes more than a bit of surgery to keep me away from pottery and all of you ❤️🙏

[@tanyapohlmann7606]

@@deMibPottery ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@pierluigicicinelli3361]

Sempre numero uno ! Grazie per i video che guardo con molto interesse per me che sono un hobbista agli inizi sono una fonte di ispirazione

[@deMibPottery]

Than you 🙏❤️

[@margotpenney8608]

Glad you are well enough to make this video!! Blessings fr South Africa 🇿🇦

[@deMibPottery]

Thank you so much 🙏❤️

[@jimmcdiarmid7308]

I loved this video. You explain so well

[@deMibPottery]

Thank you so much :-)

[@TheJmh19]

hello good brother! great video! I have been trying to make just this kind of pot and I find it difficult not for it to collapse.
will go into the studio today and try it this way, thanks for the vid. very helpful.👍

[@deMibPottery]

Ghanks. Go ahead :-)

[@ReapWhatYouSeauxLeJeune]

Nice work!!

[@deMibPottery]

Thanks :-)

[@pankajmakwana2300]

Thank you for another wonderful video. I am pleased you know a lot of carpentry,which you find useful.Sorry to hear about your eye and I will pray for your fast recovery. A few under 54 is good otherwise you may not have gap in kiln.

[@deMibPottery]

Thank you very much! I will try a bit larger next time hehe :-)

[@pankajmakwana2300]

I will send you some drawings soon, just been going crazy lately at work with no fixed times. Woodwork and metalwork will help you a lot to build different items like the ball mill and you can make some hardened ceramic balls or metal balls to crush the glaze materials. The tumbler can be a paint tin with a closeable lid which rotates at a slower speed on two rollers driven by a pulley on one roller and connected to a pulley on a motor with a belt or chain. Rollers can be mounted on pillow block bearings and you will need 2 pairs. Easy rollers can be made from wooden broomsticks mounted on wooden base and once you are happy you can improvise. Items are available cheaply on internet. Take care and hope you get well soon.

[@glennr9913]

I really appreciate the skill involved in achieving that form. I'm just a beginner at pottery, but was a glassblower for many years. Toward the end of my glass career, I began producing large wide bowls, similar to yours, for making vessel sinks. They required about 20 lbs (9 kg) of glass & a helper to make. Getting just the right form was tricky. The bottoms had to remain thick, for drilling, and the rims also had to be thick and sturdy. My kiln measured 24"x24", so I never tried to make anything larger.
Thanks for sharing your work with us. 👍

[@deMibPottery]

Thanks.
Next door to the other workshop I work in - where we only do porcelain, there is one of Denmarks best glass blowers. So I see some of the many challenges he have with that material. I am amazed by the skills it takes

[@curiousamiba]

I was holding my breath when you were expanding that top. Cheering all the way. Im gonna try to throw a big bowl. Not 22lbs but ill keep ya posted lol.
Your work came out beautiful

[@deMibPottery]

Thank you so much. I was also nervous on the way hehe

[@kirstinu9743]

Hi fra Los Angeles! Jeg nyder og har lært så meget fra dine videoer … mange tak for at du er så gavmild med din viden.

[@deMibPottery]

Tusind tak :-)

[@cactusbaboon321]

I subscribed because you are a very talented potter. I especially like your ability to innovate as you go along, and you don't shy away from new challenges. You make creative shapes with artfully applied glazes. Thank you for sharing your skills.

[@deMibPottery]

Thank you so much. That is very kind of you to say ❤️🤣

[@georgesampson4714]

Part way through the video I thought "Why am I spending time watching this instead of throwing my own bowl?" Well,
1) I might learn a valuable new trick or two, which I did, and
2) I have a terrible time with fear of failure and I can't fail if I am just watching. (Or by watching instead of making have I already failed? Hmmm?)
So I watched till the end and now I am hoping a future video will at least show the finished bowl out of the glaze firing. It is looking great so far.
May the Devil of Cracks not look your way.

[@deMibPottery]

Thank you so much :-)
Don't be afraid of failure. We all fail now and then. But we also succeed .
I will follow up with a video about glazing the two big bowls but essentially I will use the same technique as I used on the bowls in this video: ruclips.net/video/lE-TKjwF5RA/видео.html

[@Natalieleu]

I think it's perfect ❤

[@deMibPottery]

Thanks :-)

[@edelgyn2699]

Good effort!

[@deMibPottery]

Thanks :-)

[@augustatkinsonillustration5341]

Excellent

[@deMibPottery]

Thank you so much 😀

[@augustatkinsonillustration5341]

@@deMibPottery you're welcome!

[@melrussell7830]

Well done Mikkel 👏 I thoroughly enjoyed that video, lovely bowls, plus achieving when your face must of been sore 😊 I’m looking forward to seeing you glaze the bowls and have you had any ideas on the glaze and oxides ?

[@deMibPottery]

Thank you so much :-)
I am planning to glaze them much like I glazed the bowls in this video: ruclips.net/video/lE-TKjwF5RA/видео.html But I will follow up with a video about that

[@nancybaker3572]

Beautiful! What kind of potters wheel do you have and does the kind of clay you use make a difference? If so, what kind do you use? Thank you so much for this video....inspiring for a newbie for sure!

[@deMibPottery]

Thanks :-)
I use a RK 3E Shimpo. And yes, the clay is important. I mostly use stoneware from G&S in Germany

[@carolgoodwin2052]

I am wondering how thick the walls are at the 23 minute mark on the video? I want to understand the structure needed at the half way point in the throwing.

[@deMibPottery]

I don’t know. I just throw it :-)

[@bonnieanderson586]

You never mentioned what your firing temp for FB, White and Tmko , cone 4, 5 or 6?

[@deMibPottery]

I very often mention it in videos where I do glaze fire. This video is only about throwing :-)
I do all my stoneware glaze fires at cone 6. Only cone 6

[@user-eo1fj3lx4f]

원더풀

[@deMibPottery]

Thanks :-)