For 11 years I have made do with wobbly seats and unstable surfaces in my workshop. This week I stripped out my rickety throwing benches and prepared for an invasion.
Dan and Brian came to reconstruct the area. I thought that they would simply use bigger screws and replace my bits of wood and wire. However, they had other plans. My only job was to stand and admire the speed and skill with which they carried out a first class operation. To me, a non-starter when it comes to carpentry and the like, it seemed like surgery.
They actually used a laser beam - accuracy to the millimetre! The benches are solid oak and the supports are bolted to the brick floor.
Two throwing bays have been installed.
Between them I have a banding wheel on a fixed pillar for handling, altering or just playing with pots. The empty space will be filled by a second wheel next week.
As soon as Dan and Brian had packed up and gone I was able to throw a few pots in perfect comfort.
The pug mill, which used to stand where the second wheel will be, is now housed under the slab roller. I never use both at the same time so much space has been saved. When I need to pug clay, I simply lift the apron of the roller. Both work perfectly well in their new positions.
I would never have believed, when I first set up my workshop 11 years ago, that I would be able to fit all my machinery into 25 sq metres and still have room for a sink, racking, wedging and work tables and a damp cupboard.
Thank you for making this splendid atelier possible, Dan and Brian. You have worked miracles. Sorry I laughed at one of the posts being 2 mm out!
Wow!
