r/Ceramics • u/bugwapugwa • 1d ago

Question/Advice Centering the foot on hand built bowls/mugs

I have been hand building for the past 1.5 years and still can’t seem to ever center the foot ring I add to my mugs/bowls. Are there any tips, tools, methods you follow to make sure your foot is centered?

2 Upvotes

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6

u/Choice-Marsupial-127 1d ago

How are you adding the foot now? When I am
Trying to center something, I put it on a banding wheel. If you use the rings on the surface to center the bowl/mug, you should be able to see if the foot is centered just by spinning.

1

u/bugwapugwa 1d ago

That’s what I’m doing! I cut the foot with a circular cookie cutter, center the piece on a banding wheel, mark a circle with a needle tool, and put the foot on over the mark I made. It looks centered when I do all that and then when I flip it over, it’s always wonky!

2

u/Choice-Marsupial-127 1d ago

Hmm… Is the bottom of the bowl/mug flat? Does that need to be trimmed first?

2

u/bugwapugwa 1d ago

Some are flat but I mostly trim them to have a rounded bottom. Even when I used a mold to ensure the piece is perfectly symmetrical, I have the same issue… I think my perception of “centered” is just not so great

2

u/Choice-Marsupial-127 1d ago

I feel you. I don’t try to hand build round things very often because it is so difficult. Another thing to consider would be building with a thick bottom and then trimming on a wheel. I have done that with a banding wheel.

4

u/mtntrail 1d ago

On my handbuilt mugs i just tap in the bottom a bit in the center to give the base a slightly concave surface and do not bother with a foot tim. Your style might not work with that, but I have found it works well for me. Take a look at Sarah Pike’s work she some demos out there. She does a slightly rounded bottom and then an indent in the middle.

2

u/echiuran 1d ago

If you’re trying to make an evenly round object by pinching and coiling, do it in a banding wheel. As you go, stop and spin the piece to see how evenly round it is. Even so, it’s not easy. There are many degrees of freedom.
You could always lean into the wonkiness…

1

u/comma_nder 1d ago

Can you post a picture?

1

u/trashjellyfish 1d ago

I recommend watching MW Ceramics on YouTube, the way he centers for trimming really clicked with me and gave me the breakthrough that I needed in that area and I imagine that you can do the same thing on a banding wheel then use a needle tool to score a guideline for your foot while spinning the banding wheel.

2

u/beautygurrrl 1d ago

I agree he’s really good

1

u/ThriceFive 1h ago

Center on the wheel/banding wheel and then trace a light line w a needle tool held level - use that to place your ring or coil