Review by Pat Lindemann; 2007

Wheel Thrown Pottery; DIY Network by Bill Van Gilder

	Wheel Thrown Pottery; DIY Network by Bill Van Gilder Bill Van Gilder, the host of DIY Network’s Throwing Clay, introduces you to key techniques and skill building projects. Simple easy to follow photos Projects with basic explanation Tool lists, tips and glaze recipes

Bill Van Gilder, the host of DIY Network’s Throwing Clay, introduces you to key techniques and skill building projects.

Simple easy to follow photos
Projects with basic explanation
Tool lists, tips and glaze recipes

What a great book for people beginning to throw pots! This book is a compilation of projects, each with its own tool list and photos, demonstrating the throwing process, as well as the additions like handles and knobs. Bill even gives glaze combinations that would complement the piece.

Baking dishes, butter dishes, plates and garlic jars are just a few of the eleven projects that Bill shows how to complete. From throwing techniques like how to throw a low flat disk for plates or a high tall cylinder for pitchers, to putting feet on a candy dish, nothing is left out. All forming techniques in thrown ware are discussed.

All glaze recipes in the book are cone 6 oxidation, a good stoneware range. Bill describes these glazes as “tried and true”, meaning he has used them and knows that they work. Pros I love books that pick a topic within a broad range and do a comprehensive job of tackling it. This is such a book. It doesn’t promise anything that it does not deliver, and in fine form! If you want to begin to throw with confidence and have function for the pieces that you create, this is your book! Cons The only thing that disappointed me was the focus on only Cone 6 oxidation glazes. I would have liked to see some cone 10 recipes…but that is purely personal. This is a fine book with the gift of adding function to the skill of throwing pots!

All glaze recipes in the book are cone 6 oxidation, a good stoneware range. Bill describes these glazes as “tried and true”, meaning he has used them and knows that they work.

Pros
I love books that pick a topic within a broad range and do a comprehensive job of tackling it. This is such a book. It doesn’t promise anything that it does not deliver, and in fine form! If you want to begin to throw with confidence and have function for the pieces that you create, this is your book!

Cons
The only thing that disappointed me was the focus on only Cone 6 oxidation glazes. I would have liked to see some cone 10 recipes…but that is purely personal.

This is a fine book with the gift of adding function to the skill of throwing pots!

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Wheel Thrown Pottery; DIY Network by Bill Van Gilder