Tar Paper Bats

[Tracy Shea]

I've been making alot of plates lately. I have a small studio and a small budget, so when I saw a posting on clayart several years ago about using tar paper for bats, I was all over it. They kept crinkling on me when they dried out, though, and were kind of a pain to reuse. That is, until I started keeping them soaking in a big pan. I just use a little slip to stick 'em to my plastic bats, and slide the finished plate onto a board. Later, the bat simply peels off- I pitch it back into the pan, and I add a foot to the plate ala David Henley. (I'm such a copycat!) Adding feet solves my serious problem with reclaiming scraps- call me lazy, but the less trimmings I have to deal with, the better!!

[Sharon Ivy]

Oh, I have a couple plastic bats!  I'll be trying this out again today!  Thanks!

[Tracy Shea]

Sharon- I have some plastic bats- http://www.sheffield-pottery.com/category-s/224.htm  that I bought at least 15 years ago....so glad I did, because it's jaw dropping how expensive they are now!! Anyway, it might be worth investing in a few of them, because 1) I still have them after 15 years, and 2) even if you only have one plastic bat, it easily lifts off the wheelhead to transfer the plate and tar paper bat to a board. It's easier than trying to maneuver the tar paper bat directly from the wheelhead to a drying board.

[Sharon Ivy]

Thanks so much, Tracy, for the hint on keeping the tar paper bats in water.  I bought a roll of tar paper several months ago after reading an Ellen Currans article about using it for bats.  I, too, found I didn't like reusing them after they dried.  I must go back and try them again, especially now that my wood bats are beginning to warp just enough to be aggravating.  I love the surface the tar paper leaves on the bottoms of my pieces.

[Casey Cheuvront]

Oh my, your plates are lovely! I also saw your note on the red v. brown glaze results based on cooling cycle - I can't wait to try that myself!

[DJ Brewer]

Cool idea -- tar paper bats. I'll try that.

[Tracy Shea]

Just a simple coil attached to the foot when the pot is dry enough to handle being turned over without caving in. It takes a little practice to figure out what is dry enough- too dry and the foot cracks at the join.

[Kitoi]

great idea! I have some leftover tar paper, will have to give a try.
can we see a photo of the attached foot?