Review by Pat Lindemann; 2007
The Extruder Book by Daryl E. Baird
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The Extruder Book is a delight to the clay craftsperson! Full of timely information and beautiful photographs, it brings into focus a tool that can be as valuable as the wheel or kiln.
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If you are like me, you may have viewed the extruder as one of those frills that my studio could do without. After all, I reasoned, I like to pull my own handles, and isn’t that what those extruders are for? Boy, was I wrong! The Extruder Book hooked me from the first chapter aptly entitled, “what is an extruder and why have one?”
As I went on to learn, the extruder has many uses, from architectural ceramics to dishes, bowls and cups. Baird does a wonderful job of showing a great bunch of ‘demonstrations’- step by step photos of projects made using an extruder. There are demonstrations of lidded boxes, trays, vases, even a footstool! He shows how to make tiles with an extruder and gives some time to using the extruder for sculpture.
There is a beautiful gallery chapter with awesome photographs of pots by known potters, all made with an extruder! Some of the potters featured are William Shinn, Bob Smith, Laurie Rolland, John Glick, Richard Burkett, and David Hendley, plus many more.
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The chapter on making your own dies details materials to be used, and methods to construct them. Making two part dies, hollow dies, and multi-part dies are also discussed. There is even a chapter on how to build your own extruder. Pros This is a great book on the subject of extruders. And by the way, my studio now features an extruder and selection of dies. |
©2007 by art books reviews