Start Here
The drop lid is the entry point for lid making. It is a shallow, flat disc with a flange (a downward-facing rim) that drops into the pot opening and rests there. Simple, clean, and functional.
What You Are Throwing
Picture a small shallow dish turned upside down. The flat top is the lid surface visible from above. The flange (the short turned-down edge) is what sits inside the pot opening to locate the lid and stop it sliding off.
The Throwing Sequence
Center a small amount of clay (150–250g depending on the pot size). Open it wide and flat, as you would a plate, leaving a thin floor.
- Create the flat disc: Open the clay fully, making a wide, flat form about the diameter of your caliper measurement. Keep the walls very low, just 1–2cm high.
- Form the flange: Pull the outer wall downward and slightly inward to create the flange. The flange should be about 1–1.5cm deep.
- Check with the caliper: The inner diameter of the flange should match your caliper measurement (plus 1–2mm tolerance).
- Compress the top surface: A flat lid needs a very well-compressed top; S-cracks are common here just as with plates.
- Add a knob (optional): Leave a small boss of clay in the center and pull it upward into a knob after forming the lid.
Drop Lid Build Checklist
Before removing from wheel:
- Flange depth is consistent all around
- Top surface is fully compressed
- Lid sits true without warping
Consistency here is the difference between snug and frustrating fit.
Down the Rabbit Hole
The drop lid's flat top surface is prone to the same S-crack problems as plates, because the clay particles left from opening can pull apart during drying if not thoroughly compressed. The flange that locates the lid inside the pot is a concept borrowed from engineering, where flanged joints connect pipes and fittings. Raku ware tea caddies often feature elegant drop lids where the flange fit is deliberately loose, allowing the lid to be lifted easily during the tea ceremony.
