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HC: Handyman | Ch. 74 - Tempered Clay
🕑 Added 2024-08-01 16:08:09 +0000 UTCThe only time Jack used the coiling method was when he was waiting for Amari, Horace, and Marie to return from their bug hunt. Back then, he had to come up with all sorts of techniques to create an even surface and then fire such a large pot. The process was much more straightforward in the comfort of the pottery association.
The floor was perfectly leveled, and every workstation contained a tray set on metal cylinders that could be rolled into the kilns, with large doors through which large ceramics could go through. Had Jack been required to start an assembly line, having to put only one pot into the kiln at the time would have been horrible, but thankfully, he didn’t need to make many [Pot Hives], at least just yet.
In case this item was as broken as it sounded, Jack imagined that there wasn’t a single beekeeper in the game who wouldn’t want to have one of these. There was still a lot of testing before starting to sell these. Firstly, could normal beekeepers use a pot hive, or did the item have some restrictions? He could determine the [Pot Hive’s] commercial value only after making a prototype.
Jack started by wedging a large piece of stoneware clay, ensuring it was free of air bubbles and evenly textured. With it, he formed the base of the pot, shaping it into a perfect circle. Next, Jack grabbed a mix of water and clay and smeared it along the contact point where the coil would meet the base. This slip would act as a glue, ensuring a strong bond between the pieces. He carefully placed the first coil of clay onto the base, then kneaded the edges, blending them seamlessly with his hands and a sculpting tool to ensure no weak spots.
With the first coil set, Jack grabbed a torch. He always carried a stack of torches in case he ended up on a dark map or needed it for crafting. It was a little frustrating that he had to buy these torches, even though he had the skills to make them himself, but that didn’t really matter now. Using the torch, he gently applied heat to the coil, causing it to firm up slightly and become a lighter shade.
Jack moved on to the second coil once the first one was set and slightly hardened. He repeated the process, applying slip, placing coils, and blending the edges. He worked methodically, ensuring each new coil was securely attached and smoothly integrated with the previous ones. As he built up the walls of the pot, the shape began to take form, growing taller and more defined.
Jack continued this process, coil after coil, each one bringing him closer to completing the large stoneware pot. He paid close attention to the symmetry and thickness of the walls, making sure the pot was even and balanced. He didn’t want to make a vase that tilted to either side. Finally, after an hour of careful work, the pot stood tall and sturdy before him.
You’ve molded a Stoneware Pot Hive.
+5000 Pottery XP
“Good XP!” Jack exclaimed. He stepped back to admire his creation.
Having the right setting and better tools for crafting made a difference. This pot looked much better than the tall coiled vases he’d made in the woods. He set the pot aside to let it dry. While the progress bar was filled, Jack decided to use the time to make a lid for the pot.
He began by rolling out another piece of clay, this time shaping it into a flat, circular slab. He applied the heat of the torch to it, ensuring it wouldn’t deform, and placed it over the top. It had come out too wide. He marked with a sharp tool where the lid was coming out of the rim of the pot, and brought the lid to the table, trimming any excess clay. Jack then created a small lip around the edge of the slab, which would help the lid sit securely on the pot. He used a combination of slip and gentle pressure to attach a coil to the outer edge of the lid, blending it smoothly with the surface.
To add a handle, Jack formed a small, rounded piece of clay and positioned it in the center of the lid. He used a slip to attach it, blending the edges to ensure it was securely fastened. With a few final touches to smooth out any imperfections, the lid was ready.
You’ve molded a Stoneware Pot Hive Lid.
+200 Pottery XP
When it took him to make the lid, the pot had reached the bone-dry stage. Jack grabbed a ruler and scored marks at specific intervals of the pot.
The description of the [Pot Hive] mentioned that the pot needed holes. These would serve as a place to mount the sticks, create air circulation in the hive, and serve as doors into and out of the colony. Jack had spent countless hours looking at bees, and he’d seen how each wooden box used as a hive had a series of gates at its bottom. The last thing he wanted was for his colony to deal with traffic jams or a stuffy colony.
In the end, Jack decided to score the vase on four sides. He made ten holes on each face of the vase, totaling 40. It was much less stressful to drill holes in a pot hive where it didn’t make much difference where they went, as opposed to when making ocarinas. Now that Jack thought about it, the [Pot Hive] resembled a huge ocarina. A giant with large enough fingers and a good pair of lungs could blow into this pot and create music. The giant would probably get his tongue stung if he did so while the pot was full of bees.
Jack inserted the first stick through a hole and guided it through the pot and into a hole on the other side. Just as he was about to place the second one, he slapped his forehead. “Stupid! If you fire the pot with sticks in them, they will be burnt to a crisp!”
Shaking his head at the obvious mistake, Jack removed the stick and rolled the tray to the kiln. He had to push with all his strength. This thing was really heavy! Was he supposed to carry it on his back? Maybe it was the wheels of the tray that needed greasing.
Jack opened the kiln, feeling the blistering heat hit him on the face, and pushed the tray into the flames. He watched through the glass as the fire licked the pot, removing the remaining moisture, helping the minerals align, and hardening the stoneware clay.
You’ve bisque-fired a Stoneware Pot Hive.
+500 Pottery XP
Once the firing cycle was complete, Jack opened the kiln, and carefully removed the tray, bringing it back to his workstation. The pot was now a dull gray. It was time to glaze it. Given how much surface area this pot had, Jack prepared a whole bucket of turmeric slip. Using a brush, he began to smear the pot, making sure to cover it evenly.
You’ve glazed a Stoneware Pot Hive.
+500 Pottery XP
With the pot fully covered in yellow glaze, Jack rolled the tray back to the kiln. Closing the door, he set the kiln to the appropriate temperature for glaze-firing. Jack watched through the glass as the kiln heated up, the glaze melting and forming a glass-like surface on the pot.
You’ve glazed-fired a Stoneware Pot Hive.
+500 Pottery XP
Once the glaze-firing was complete, Jack retrieved the pot, admiring the glossy, vibrant surface as it cooled. The item wasn’t yet marked as completed. He grabbed the sticks and ran them through the pot. These would serve as rafters and pillars for the bees to build on, serving as the structural support for their honeycombs.
After putting the last stick through, Jack finally received a notification marking his work as done.
You’ve crafted a Stoneware Pot Hive.
+4200 Pottery XP
[Pride of the Innovator] kicks in and improves the rating of your creation. D- ＞D
Congratulations! You've crafted [Stoneware Pot Hive].
Crafting grade: D
Description: A heavy, large stoneware-lidded pot that can house a honey bee colony.
Durability: 41
Artistry: 2
Debuff: -30% movement speed
Crafting grade debuff: -50% movement speed
The grade was disappointing. Jack had thought he would get a better result. Jack circled it, trying to determine why the rating of the barrel-sized pot was so low. He tried putting the lid on and off, and it fit just fine. The glaze covered the pot evenly, and the coils blended seamlessly. Where had he gone wrong?
Jack decided to wear this heavy backpack to test its practicality. He grabbed the ropes, looking for a place to tie them, and frowned. Mistake number one. He had forgotten to add something to tie the ropes to. “No biggie. I’ll just use four of the holes.”
Jack ran each rope through two holes and tied the knot inside, fastening the ropes and creating shoulder straps. He put his arms through them and tried lifting the pot.
“Aaaargh!” Jack groaned as he raised the pot with his back. He tried walking, but his speed was painstakingly slow. “Oh my goodness! This thing makes me slower than a snail! How am I supposed to move around with this thing?”
He decided to put the backpack down. As he did so, two sticks dislodged from their mounting holes and fell inside the pot. Jack’s movements had set the sticks loose.
Too much weight and loose sticks were problems number 2 and 3 in an ever-increasing list of bugs. Jack also noticed that ten holes were next to useless for ventilation or an entry or exit point for the bees since his back covered them.
That wasn’t all. Now that he thought about it, painting the pot yellow wasn’t smart. Wasn’t his moss suit built for stealth? How would he stay stealthy if he wore something bright yellow tied around his back? It was the same thing as wearing a target on his back! Dinosaurs would see him from a mile away.
This [Pot Hive] had several problems that needed fixing. Sighing, Jack set his first experiment aside. It was time to try again.
*
“[Pot Hive], take two!”
After collecting more materials and making some preparations, Jack began the process from scratch. To address the weight problem, Jack resorted to a skill he hadn’t experimented with yet.
Clay Tempering
Description: You add non-plastic material to clay to prevent it from cracking when it dries, making it stronger and lighter.
Effects:
You can mix clay and dry grass.
Increases the durability of crafted items.
The skill description mentioned that this technique helped make the final piece lighter. Jack grabbed bits of dry grass, and as he made new coils for his second pot hive, he generously added it to the clay, kneading the fibers with the minerals. This would reduce the amount of clay needed for the coils.
You’ve molded a Stoneware Pot Hive.
+5000 Pottery XP
Jack recreated a lid while he waited for the pot to become bone-dry. The lid had turned out perfect the first time, so he didn’t see the need to change anything in this part of the process. Once the pot was dry, Jack grabbed a small drill and started making holes. He drilled four columns of ten holes like before and then four other holes in between those columns. The latter would serve as mounting points to tie the ropes later. By putting them at this angle, the four columns of holes would stay in contact with air and allow for better ventilation and accessibility.
As Jack dragged the tall pot into the kiln, he immediately noticed a difference in the effort required to push the tray. It was much easier! Jack pushed the tray into the kiln.
You’ve bisque-fired a Stoneware Pot Hive.
+500 Pottery XP
Jack grabbed a bucket with forest green glaze. To make this glaze, one needed copper oxide, a by-product of mining and smithing activities.
Forest Green Glaze
Ingredients: [Slip], [Cuprite], [Ash].
Recipe: Use a pestle and mortar to grind a few pieces of cuprite together. The smaller the grains, the better. Add the ash and the slip and mix them.
Jack bought it from the XP store at the entrance of the pottery association. Hopefully, this color would help him blend in with the surrounding environment more easily and help him avoid the attention of predators.
After coating the pot with the new glaze, he fired it again. It was Jack’s first time seeing this color in pottery, and it looked beautiful. The glaze had a dark, vibrant green that transmitted a sense of peace. Hopefully, the bees would like it, too.
To conclude the hive, Jack ran sticks through the holes, and to avoid them becoming wobbly or dislodged from the holes, he covered the contact points with resin he’d bought from the market and let them dry. The system finished calculating the crafting grade and he received much better marks this time.
You’ve crafted a Stoneware Pot Hive.
+8600 Pottery XP
Congratulations! You've crafted [Stoneware Pot Hive].
Crafting grade: B-.
Description: A heavy, large stoneware-lidded pot that can house a honey bee colony.
Durability: 73
Artistry: 2
Debuff: -30% +10% movement speed
B grade buff: Speed debuff is slightly alleviated.
The durability was off the charts! Was it because he tempered the clay? Jack put his arms through the shoulder straps and tried walking. He could move much more comfortably. Even though his speed was still reduced, it was much more manageable than his first attempt. Now, all he needed was inhabitants for the hive. With the giant green pot on his back and the moss suit covering the rest of his body, Jack headed toward the entomology department at the zoo. It was time to go get his bee colony.
Comments
Coleman
Stealth bees sounds like the start of a war crime. Let’s just blame Canada and add it to the Geneva Convention.
Cássio Ferreira
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Harley Dalton Jr.
Tyftc
