Everyone says you need a 5mm thickness for a basic tumbler, but I've been making them at 3mm for years

I keep seeing new folks at the studio in Asheville get told they'll get cracks if they go under 5mm, but that's just not true if you know how to manage your heat. I've sold over 200 pieces at 3mm and only had one come back, and that was from a drop. The extra weight just isn't needed for most daily use pieces. Has anyone else found they can go thinner without issues if they're careful?

2 comments

2 Comments

umaadams9h ago

Remember my friend who tried to go super thin right away? She cracked a whole batch because she rushed the cooling. Sandra_black nailed it, it's all about watching the heat. Now she makes beautiful thin mugs, just had to learn the pace.

sandra_black12h ago

Honestly, that 5mm rule sounds like something they tell people to avoid getting calls from folks who just crank the kiln up to high and walk away. My early stuff was so thick you could probably use it as a doorstop, so maybe I overcorrected. But you're right, heat control is the whole game, isn't it? Thinner pieces just mean you have to pay more attention, not that they're doomed to fail.