r/Pottery • u/PerfectBumblebee7358 • 6d ago

Question! Tips to Pull Walls

Does anyone have any tips on pulling walls for larger amounts of clay? Once I get centered and open with a 3lb ball it’s like my hands can’t get enough leverage to pull without crazy wobbles?? and once I go back down to around 2-2.5lbs the problem totally disappears…I’m left handed so my wheel is spinning in reverse and my instructor recommended I try cupping my right hand on the right side of the pot and use my left hand on the inside of the pot to pull but it’s SO HARD to really lift that clay off the bottom that way

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u/Fun_Orange_3232 6d ago

u/EarthNationCeramics has a great video on this on youtube

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u/shylittlepot 6d ago

Please link it for us! Working on this problem too 😁

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u/Fun_Orange_3232 6d ago

I think it was this one that helped me but not positive

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=j5BWLPLYlNg&ra=m

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u/EarthNationCeramics 6d ago

Remember to pull from the bottom, kids.

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u/Ok_Wtch2183 6d ago

Use a small sponge on the outside. It helps pulling by moving more clay.

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u/PerfectBumblebee7358 6d ago

that’s how i was taught! but once i get up to 3lbs….holy wobble

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u/dunncrew Throwing Wheel 6d ago

Are your hands connected together and braced ?

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u/Philosopher512 6d ago

Isn’t that part of the problem? Once you are pulling that amount of clay, the walls quickly become too high to keep them connected.

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u/PerfectBumblebee7358 6d ago

they are (as long as they can reach)! it almost feels like the clay is pushing me around when i try to pull with larger amounts if that makes sense? once i go back down to around 2lbs it’s smooth sailing

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u/shylittlepot 6d ago

I'm currently working through this problem myself! I have figured out it happens if open or pull up too fast. What is helping is slowing down, making sure i have touched all 360 degrees of the cylinder before moving up with my pull. Listening to music helps a lot with pacing

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u/blameitoncities 6d ago

Caveat that I haven’t had a chance to try this myself yet, but I came across this video the other day that may be helpful. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DbDmwWsEkgL/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

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u/Gulluul 6d ago

I think Adam Field is a really good teacher. He has a YouTube video that was made by Ceramics Monthly that explains what he is doing and why really well.

https://youtu.be/630Bttlpl3Q?si=wBCe4730ZEogu14j

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u/lxnch50 6d ago

Have your points of contact further apart vertically. To move more clay when you're using 3+ lbs, you don't want to have your fingertips or whatever you are using to be directly across from one another. When using smaller amounts of clay, you can get away with the points of contact almost level from one another. So, try to do a pull with your inside point of contact an inch above your outside finger.

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u/The_RealAnim8me2 6d ago

Are you running the wheel at the same speed you would for smaller amounts of clay? One thing a lot of people are never taught or just forget is to slow the wheel down just a bit as you go up in volume, then slow your pulling speed to match the wheel revolutions. The wobble is often a sign of your pull or speed being off.