Vince Pitelka on sat 31 mar 07
Judy Smith wrote:
"Recently someone mentioned a way to process
reclaimed clay scraps and slip using fabric and terracotta pots. This
sounds very interesting. Could someone please give me the details on
how to do this?"
Dear Judy -
You are right there in Nashville, only 60 miles west of the Appalachian
Center for Craft. Check out our websites (links below) and look at the
summer workshop offerings. Use us as a resource. Come up and visit. It's a
great day trip.
Terracotta flower pots are very porous, and thus allow the moisture to wick
out and evaporate from all surfaces. The fabric lining keeps the clay from
sticking to the pot, making for easy removal once the clay has reached
plastic consistency. This is one of the best techniques for stiffening
recycle. You can put all your dry scraps in five-gallon buckets, fill with
water above the scraps, let sit overnight to slake down, remove standing
water on top of the recycle, and then blend the slurry thoroughly with a
drill-mounted impeller-mixer. Use a plug-in drill rather than a cordless
model. The corded models develop the higher speeds needed for thorough
blending. Regarding the impeller-mixer, stainless steel Jiffy Mixers are
available from clay suppliers, or you can buy less-expensive non-stainless
versions from your Lowe's or Home Depot. Once well-blended, place in the
fabric-lined flower pots and leave to stiffen.
Good luck -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Technological University
Smithville TN 37166, 615/597-6801 x111
vpitelka@dtccom.net, wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/
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