Lynna Caldwell on mon 3 mar 97
I have recently started working with clay (I sculpt with it) and was
wondering if anyone
knows of any way to keep mold from growing on my work and the stored clay.
Better
yet, should I even worry about this? With my work, I change the damp paper
towels
(that keep the piece workable between sittings) daily. This helps a little,
but not always.
Any suggestions on this would be appreciated. Thanks, Lynna.
Jonathan Blitz on mon 3 mar 97
Mold is really only a problem if you are allergic to it.
The bacterial and fungal gels produced by microbial growth in your clay
actually improve it's workability.
Jonathan Blitz
President
Applied Aluminosilicates, Ltd.
aal@inlink.com
http://www.iwc.com/krueger/aalhome.html
8153 Big Bend
St. Louis, MO 63119
314.963.0180
Jan Gleason on tue 4 mar 97
Lynna,
My personal experience with moldy clay is that it was the BEST clay I ever
worked with. Very elastic and easier to throw with. I don't worry about it
and even enjoy it (doesn't smell so great but such is life!).
Jan Gleason
Granby, CT - where we may even get a little snow tonight finally!
Fay & Ralph Loewenthal on tue 4 mar 97
Lynna, we wrap our work-in-progress in airtight plastic
bags, and I have never seen mould develop yet. This is
even after being wrapped for weeks. Hope this helps
Ralph
The Posedel's on sat 8 nov 97
Does anyone have a clue as to the "mold factor" in the tabletop fountains.
I have a customer that wants to buy one for her mother, but her mom is
highly allergic to molds and is afraid that mold may develop in the
fountain. I am clueless. Any Mold experts out there?
Cheri :-)
mudpie@cyberis.net
><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
June Perry on sun 9 nov 97
You may want to put a bit of clorox in it every week. That will help keep the
mold down.
Regards,
June
Bill Aycock on sun 9 nov 97
Cheri, cheri, The problem is a common one with aquaria, and the "pet fish"
departments have stuff to put in water based equipment to stop molds and
other noxious growths.
Bill- recovering from taking down the garden fences, on Persimmon Hill
At 05:24 PM 11/8/97 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Does anyone have a clue as to the "mold factor" in the tabletop fountains.
>I have a customer that wants to buy one for her mother, but her mom is
>highly allergic to molds and is afraid that mold may develop in the
>fountain. I am clueless. Any Mold experts out there?
>Cheri :-)
>mudpie@cyberis.net
>><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
>
>
Bill Aycock --- Persimmon Hill --- Woodville, Alabama, US 35776
--- (in the N.E. corner of the State) ---
W4BSG -- Grid EM64vr --
baycock@hiwaay.net
Jean Lehman on sun 9 nov 97
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Does anyone have a clue as to the "mold factor" in the tabletop fountains.
>I have a customer that wants to buy one for her mother, but her mom is
>highly allergic to molds and is afraid that mold may develop in the
>fountain. I am clueless. Any Mold experts out there?
>Cheri :-)
>mudpie@cyberis.net
>><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
Try a bit of bleach in the water, so the mold can't form.
Jean
---------------------->
Jean Lehman, in Lancaster, PA
j_lehman@acad.FandM.EDU (that's an _underscore_ not a hyphen)
http://www.art-craftpa.com/lehman.html
Check out the 1997 Strictly Functional Pottery National at:
http://www.art-craftpa.com/art-craftpa.html
Mark Sweany on sun 9 nov 97
I don't know what the "mold factor" for a fountain is, but I have delt
with water problems if you put a little copper sulfate in the water you
will never have to find out about mold. You can get big bottles of it
at the pool supply stores or you can get little bottles of it anywhere.
It's the blue stuff you treat your waterbed water with.
----
Mark Sweany
m_pswean@primenet.com
> Date: Sat, 8 Nov 1997 17:24:33 EST
> From: The Posedel's
> Subject: Mold
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Does anyone have a clue as to the "mold factor" in the tabletop fountains.
> I have a customer that wants to buy one for her mother, but her mom is
> highly allergic to molds and is afraid that mold may develop in the
> fountain. I am clueless. Any Mold experts out there?
> Cheri :-)
> mudpie@cyberis.net
> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
Ron or Sue Corl on mon 10 nov 97
The Posedel's wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Does anyone have a clue as to the "mold factor" in the tabletop fountains.
What about a Pool supply store. Maybe they have something that will keep
mold from forming
RC
David Ruminski on mon 10 nov 97
If you put a little peroxide or rubbing alcohol in the water no mold should
form.
Dave Ruminski
Pittsburgh, PA.
Bill Edwards on thu 19 jul 01
Hi,
To clarify and move forth. The topic on mold was to
seek a method to enhance the growth that is already
present in the clay most times if not all times.
In no way should this have invoked a fear response in
people! Molds are available without a perscription and
over-the-counter from everywhere.
Yes - some can be nasty but that is not the subject
here. It never was in my statement.
I latter asked that one scientific fact be presented
where mold in potters clay has caused any toxic
reaction to concur the points you stated on its
dangers. None are found?
I repsect your opinion but I think the response was an
over-supply of information without details directly
relating to the topic its self. I say this with all
due respect.
Allergies and asthma are aggrivated by these things
and of course they are boundless, endless means to
other scenarios. But the questions was simple and
remains. "What would be the best method of growing
mold for MY clay that I use to increase the growth?"
Others said sugar. I was happy with that answer! I
didn't want to defend the statement. I don't think
getting sued over mold was ever intended. :)
William Edwards
__________________________________________________
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John Baymore on fri 20 jul 01
I'm with Mel on this one. I cannot believe that the normal mold growth i=
n
clay is any problem at all, unless one is hypersensitive to particular
molds, and I think that is a very rare thing. You do not want to put
anything in clay which will retard the growth of organic life, because it=
is
the organic life which ages the clay and makes it more plastic over time.=
That's why lots of old potters make a big supply of clay and age it for a=
year before using it. Some East Asian potters used to make clay and age =
it
for much longer.
Way to go, Vince. =
Gotta' add my vote to the "not too much to worry about" school of thought=
here on the "mold problem". Those that know me are well aware that I am=
a
strong advocate for taking health and safety issues seriously..... but th=
is
one is probably the LEAST of our worries as clayworkers.
To be concerned about health and saftey issues in ceramics is a very good=
thing. Too few clayworkers are. To be OVERLY concerned is not. For tho=
se
that require a 100 percent guarantee of complete safety in life..........=
..
there ain't none .
In going around doing consulting and workshops and visiting potters studi=
os
I see LOTS of stuff that makes seriously worrying about possible reaction=
s
to mold growth in clay seem pretty absurd. Hate to say it but ....... mo=
st
clay studios could simply do with a good wet cleaning to start with
(including mine right now ). And an active ventilation system (mine h=
as
local pickup at major dust sources, general dilution, and a HEPA ceiling
unit). Airborne free silica IS a reasonable thing to worry about. =
Yes.... if you have a history of serious allergic sensitivities....this
mold thing could be an issue for you. But that is quite the rare
individual. The rest of us can enjoy the increased plasticity that aging=
of clay imparts without undue worry.
Here's an unofficial, anecdotal, very unscientific "study": Over the pas=
t
30 years or so I have had experience with numerous ceramics
students...hundreds....lost track. I have never had anyone have any kind=
of catestrophic reaction to handling clay...... asthma attack, anaphalact=
ic
shock, etc.. I did have contact with one student (ceramics major at Mass=
.
College of Art) who had contact dermatitis from handling clay ....she sai=
d
her dermatoligist said that it was the molds in the clay. She had to wea=
r
surgeons gloves when working. So......... the incidence seems to be
pretty small based on my experiences, which correlates with Edouard's mor=
e
scientific data. I bet other ceramics faculty see similar low incidence =
of
problems too (please respond....I want to know).
So while I am scientifically aware that the potential problem with molds =
is
certainly real and COULD happen....... the magnitude of the risk seems to=
be pretty insignificant. The important thing is that we be AWARE that it=
could be an issue in certain very limited cases. That way we can respon=
d
appropriately if it BECOMES an issue. For example, if you get a student=
that has a compromised immune system...... you need to know that they
should be advised about the possible risks....and so on.
Best,
........................john
PS: You know...... what REALLY worries me is the current trend to add
"antibacterial materials" (antibiotics, etc) to every soap, cleaner,
plastic, and whatever else possible to capitalize on (ie- make money from=
)
the public's "fear of germs". By doing this, we (US society) are now
conducting an uncontrolled experiment on seeing how fast we can breed
antibiotic resistant bacteria in the open environment. There are already=
strains of serious bacteria that modern medicine now has trouble
controlling due to drug resistance. God help us if the simple "go to the=
Doc and get some antibiotics" thing that we take for granted ever stops
being effective.
I too have seen the reports of studies that say some exposure to "grems" =
is
good. Helps develop the immune system. Let's keep the mold in
clay......... so that we don't become the "victims" of molds in clay.
John Baymore
River Bend Pottery
22 Riverbend Way
Wilton, NH 03086 USA
603-654-2752 (s)
800-900-1110 (s)
JohnBaymore.com
JBaymore@compuserve.com
John.Baymore@GSD-CO.com
"Earth, Water, and Fire Noborigama Woodfiring Workshop August 17-26,
2001"
Dannon Rhudy on fri 20 jul 01
John said:
....>Here's an unofficial, anecdotal, very unscientific "study": Over the
past
>30 years or so I have had experience with ....
>students...hundreds....lost track. I have never had anyone have any kind
>of catestrophic reaction to handling clay...... did have contact with one
student .....who had contact dermatitis from handling clay ....
(please respond....I want to know).......
I've not had that much experience, John, but I've probably had
a few hundred students. Only one had any problem, contact dermatitis.
She wore gloves for a while, but eventually dropped the class.
I've had more students who had allergies to drawing and painting
materials - again, almost always contact dermatitis.
I wear disposable gloves for glazing, because some glazes
irritate my skin. But it's not the mold.
regards
Dannon Rhudy
Edouard Bastarache Inc. on tue 2 aug 05
I used to have beer added into my clay when Miami Clay mixed my clay.. I
paid for the
beer ,,
"Cheap supplier"
Later,
"Ils sont fous ces quebecois"
"They are insane these quebekers"
"Están locos estos quebequeses"
Edouard Bastarache
Irreductible Quebecois
Indomitable Quebeker
Sorel-Tracy
Quebec
edouardb@sorel-tracy.qc.ca
www.sorel-tracy.qc.ca/~edouardb/Welcome.html
http://www.ceramique.blogspot.com/
http://retrodemonstration.blogspot.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/potier/
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/smart2000/index.htm
http://www.digitalfire.com/education/toxicity/
Beth Christensen on tue 2 aug 05
I found a bag of stoneware clay out on the porch and the end is covered
with really icky black mold and some green spots. I know that some mold
is a good thing but I am thinking this is too gross to use? Thanks!
Also, just to update, working on the wheel is going so well, thanks in a
huge part to fellow potters who sent me so much good info and
encouragement..Elizabeth Priddy, James Norton, and Mud Bucket pottery man
particularly!
joethepotter1948 on tue 2 aug 05
--- In clayart@yahoogroups.com, Beth Christensen
wrote:
> I found a bag of stoneware clay out on the porch and the end is
covered
> with really icky black mold and some green spots. I know that
some mold
> is a good thing but I am thinking this is too gross to use?
I've had that happen, too. Although mold may make the clay more
plastic, and many potters just wedge the mold in and go right on
making things with that clay, there is at least one other
consideration... allergies. Being allergic to a lot of things
myself, with molds definitely on the list, I scrape off the moldy
layer and toss it, losing little of the total amount of clay I had
before skimming off the moldy layer. I just use a metal scraper and
shave off a little of the clay beyond the mold. The mold doesn't go
very deep so you won't lose much clay. I don't like the smell of
molds anyway, so even if I didn't have any allergies to it I'd still
skim it off. I have always found that the remaining clay works just
fine. If it's too slimy to handle, let it dry just a little bit,
out of the bag, before scraping it; then use a clean bag to re-bag
it into.
Joe
Mark Issenberg on tue 2 aug 05
As far as mold on clay , me id just wedge it in and go make pots,, I used to
have beer added into my clay when Miami Clay mixed my clay.. I paid for the
beer ,, really wanted to get mold to grow and also liked the beer smell when i
was throwing...
Hummmm, thinking now, if i wasnt drinking coffee now id go have a beer,,Its
beer thirty somewhere
Mark on a sunny day on the Mtn
Beth Christensen on sun 7 aug 05
Thanks for the ideas guys..
I don't have allergies so I took your advice and mixed it right in and
went on...I chose to DRINK the beer however, rather than mix that in
too. :-)
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