Ceramic Cylinder Clay Centering

Video Transcript

"The tools that we're going to be using today are a simple wooden stick with an angled edge to it; a sponge and a sponge on a stick. The sponge on a stick is to remove any excess water from the cylinder shape when we get to that stage. After we tap down the clay in the center of the bat we begin kicking in a counter clockwise direction. And at this point the faster the wheel goes the more control you will have in centering. Wet your hands and this part of your right hand goes in that part of the clay; this part of your left hand presses in and this part of your left hand rests lightly on the bat. So again with the wheel going as fast as possible; elbows close to your body, you're going to use equal pressure; down and in. This step might have to be repeated several times; wetting your hands each time. If you use equal pressure the clay will go in the center position exactly. One of the ways to check is to hold your finger and if it touches any one spot on the edge, it means it's not centered yet. Again wet your hands; equal pressure, down; equal pressure with your left hand pushing in."