The Stack'n Stoneware project is an excellent way to share your work with friends. In a collaborative effort, members of the group each build a six-foot stack of pottery on a pole. Each member creates pieces to exchange with the other participating artists so the finished poles contain a variety of unique work.

Class photo at North Carolina State University Craft Center

The Clayworks Potters Guild in North Carolina decided to take on this project after hearing about a similar effort used by Julie Olson as a fundraiser for the North Carolina State University Craft Center. The group constructed an extra pole to sell in a raffle and then donated the proceeds to the Craft Center.

Kick off the project with a group meeting. Talk about a theme or special requirements for the project. Discuss how to divide the work. The tasks are purchasing supplies, making beads and spacers, creating the top and bottom pieces, assembling the base and finally, building the pole. Each person in our group was responsible for making beads to share plus the top, bottom and spacers for their own pole.

The supplies include: Clay Threaded pipe Floor flange Wooden base Screws Screwdriver Optional: Paint, glue, hacksaw, pipe insulation

The supplies for this project are easy to obtain. The pipe and floor flange are available in the plumbing section of most hardware stores. Use galvanized steel hardware and treated wood if the completed pole will be displayed in a garden or other outdoor location. Black iron pipes tend to be less expensive and can be used for poles kept indoors.

The pipe size is 3/4 x 72 inches. It is important to realize the pipe's interior diameter is specified when stating the pipe size. Pipes come in various diameters and heights, so the project may be scaled down if desired. Some hardware stores will cut and thread the pipe for a small fee.

The base shown in the photograph is a 15-inch diameter circle cut from 3/4 inch chipboard. It has a smaller circle of 3/4 inch plywood glued on top to increase the wood thickness for the floor flange screws.

The bottom piece should be larger and thicker than all the other pieces to help balance the design and support the weight. It covers the floor flange, which holds the pipe to the base. A ten-inch wide inverted bowl or cone shape with an open bottom and a hole in the top works well.

The pipe screws into the flange, which is attached to the base.	The bottom piece covers the base hardware.

The majority of pieces for this project are simply large beads. Each bead is hollow and has a hole in both the top and bottom. The holes must be wide enough to string the beads on the pipe. The outside pipe diameter is slightly larger than one inch so the holes in the finished beads must be at least 1.25 inches wide. When making a bead, remember to cut the holes wider to allow for clay shrinkage.

Each piece is like a large bead.

Each bead should be approximately 5" x 5" x 5", but not bigger than 8 inches in any direction.

The beads can be any shape, but keeping all dimensions between four and eight inches works best for a six-foot pole. Have each person in the group make fifteen beads, so there will be plenty for everyone. If there are not enough pieces, use a hacksaw to shorten the pipe. When making a bead, think about how it will be glazed. Pieces near the top of the pole may be viewed from underneath. Use a foot ring to minimize the unglazed area and keep the bottom flat so the bead will stand in the kiln.

Use any method to make the beads. Throw them, coil them, build them out of slabs, be creative and have fun! An easy way to make the beads is by joining two bowls at the rim.

Join two pieces together to create a bead.	Throw and alter pieces to make a variety of bead shapes.	This bead was made with colored clay.

Spacers separate the pieces and are an important design element. They provide a flat base under each piece to keep the pieces level. Make them from slabs, coils, extrusions, or something other than clay.

Because the spacers are flat and may be viewed from above or below, glazing them may be tricky. Glue wadding or small balls of clay to a waxed spot on the bottom to maximize the amount of glaze and keep the piece off the kiln shelf.

Spacers

Make the finial, or top piece, in a similar way as the beads but only put a hole in the bottom. The finial can be a small ornamental piece or an elaborate terminal feature at the top of the pole.

Sample finial

The best part of this project is building the poles. It is fun to see the talent and creativity of everyone in the group.

To build the poles:
Assemble the base. Paint, if desired. Center the pipe floor flange on the 12 inch wooden base. Drill 4 pilot holes so the larger screws don't split your wood. Mount the flange in place with 4 #12 screws. Screw the pipe into the flange. Distribute the pieces. Stack the pieces on the pipe. Pad the pieces with pipe insulation for a tight fit.	First, attach the flange to the base. Then screw the pipe to the flange.

	For easy distribution, lay out the beads in a grid. Place the beads in rows, working left to right, top to bottom until all of them have been positioned. To get the maximum number of beads from other people, take the beads one column to the left of where you started. Stack the pieces on your pole and enjoy the memories of this fun project for many years to come.
Distribute the pieces by placing them in a grid.