The Extruder

Creative use of a potter's tool. The extruder allows us to create non-round shapes repetitively. Extruders have been used by potters for a long time. They are handy for handles and coils, edges for slab pots and feet of bowls. We have a number of these from 1.5cm barrel up to 10cm barrels. We have used some of them so much that they have been totally replaced while others have been repaired many times. Then there was this happy coincidence. We managed to acquire a 25cm diameter hydraulic extruder and loaded it with very stiff clay (as prepared for our hydraulic press) and, “voila”, we could extrude huge tubes in a “ready to use” state. Vases, teapots, bowls and lidded jar emerged. The only limitation was our strength, carrying around the extrusions or rolling them over or glazing them. Now we will often use two or more extruders in combination, the big one for the basic body and the smaller ones for tubular or solid appendages along with the slab roller for various endings.

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