This is the place to ask beginner and simple questions. Some examples include: - Soap, scent, or gear recommendations - Favorite scents, bases, etc - Where to buy certain items - Identification of a razor you just bought - Troubleshooting…

  • sgrdddy
    3·
    1 year ago

    Well boys, I’m disappointed. And commiseration is the first reason for this post.

    I have spent years refining my specs for my attempt at a perfect-for-me ceramic lather bowl.

    I love the Symmetrical Pottery Sheet Metal design with what seems like just the right amount of bumps. I gave them my specs, in an interior height and width range, and they said they could do it. So I refined the other preferences, like the base color, the thumb ring, etc and paid them for the custom bowl.

    But after waiting over 15 weeks, a torturous time period to wait for some cool shave gear ;-), They showed me the final bowl and it turns out they weren’t able to hit my spec range for internal dimensions.

    So… no joy in Mudville tonight.

    They were prompt to issue a refund, though, so at least there’s that. They’ll be able to sell the bowl on their site I’m sure.

    So the second reason for the post here… is to ask about finding a local potter to do the custom bowl for me.

    • Does anyone know of an organization with some kind of directory that I could search for local potters?

    • I thought maybe contacting some trade schools that offer pottery classes, to maybe find a student who could do the work, or maybe a reference from a teacher.

    • Obviously, I could go to the yellow pages/web and search for local pottery people and just start calling and asking questions.

    Any other ideas?

    • gcgallant
      3·
      1 year ago

      Other than commiseration, I’ve got nothin’. However, in NC there’s an awful lot of crafting going on (in addition to moonshine-making). I would think in places like Boone or Ashville, where there’s a high percentage of people in the arts, you could find a potter who could meet your needs.

    • PorkButtsNTaters666OP
      3·
      1 year ago

      Take my commiseration! I don’t think I can help though, and I 'm also wondering how narrow your tolerance is with respect to deviation from your measurements: ceramics is probably more difficult to get precisely than plastic.

      Just a vague idea: some people are 3D printing their houses in mud, so I wonder if you could do the same thing for your bowl.

      Edit: 3D printing ceramics is indeed a thing (e.g., https://all3dp.com/2/ceramic-3d-printing-clay-simply-explained/), and services seem to be available.

      • sgrdddy
        2·
        1 year ago

        The interior depth and height, I initially alowed for a 1/4" range/variation. They said they could hit it, so I didn’t bother scoping out more leeway. I’m certain I could work with a 3/8" variation as well.

        I realize that clay shrinks in the process. But I figured that they’d be able to predict it well enough to hit that range.

        • PorkButtsNTaters666OP
          2·
          1 year ago

          Yeah, you would assume that a professional potter can estimate how much clay will shrink…