Tena Payne on tue 31 aug 99
I have garbage cans full of clay. Many garbage cans. Some of these
containers date back to 1984. I have great intentions, but not enough
uumph. I've pretty much decided these cans are a lost cause.
However....
Recently I've been saving my trimmings (dry) in a big shallow
container I got at Lowes. Today I put the shavings in a big bucket of
water and jiffy-mixed the hell out of it. Now I have (2 buckets) of
thick slurry.
I'm half-way there!
Now I ask you, what is the best (translate 'easiest') way to handle
this slurry? So far I've thot of:
1) line the original clay boxes with fabric or old pillow cases and
pour the stuff in to stiffen.
2) let it stiffen in the bucket (then I have more buckets of clay) not
my first choice, obviously.
3) make plaster bowls and pour in. Again, not a first choice.
4) get a great idea from one of you guys
So whaddaya say? Other than pay someone else to do it, can anybody ease
my pain?
Tena
B'ham
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com
Joanne Van Bezooyen on wed 1 sep 99
I pour the slurry out onto long tables outside and cover with sheets.
Occasionally I flip the clay over. When enough water has evaporated, I
bring the clay inside to wedge it. I live in a dry climate.
Joanne in Tucosn
Tena Payne wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>
> I have garbage cans full of clay. Many garbage cans. Some of these
> containers date back to 1984. I have great intentions, but not enough
> uumph. I've pretty much decided these cans are a lost cause.
> However....
>
> Recently I've been saving my trimmings (dry) in a big shallow
> container I got at Lowes. Today I put the shavings in a big bucket of
> water and jiffy-mixed the hell out of it. Now I have (2 buckets) of
> thick slurry.
>
> I'm half-way there!
>
> Now I ask you, what is the best (translate 'easiest') way to handle
> this slurry? So far I've thot of:
>
> 1) line the original clay boxes with fabric or old pillow cases and
> pour the stuff in to stiffen.
> 2) let it stiffen in the bucket (then I have more buckets of clay) not
> my first choice, obviously.
> 3) make plaster bowls and pour in. Again, not a first choice.
> 4) get a great idea from one of you guys
>
> So whaddaya say? Other than pay someone else to do it, can anybody ease
> my pain?
>
> Tena
> B'ham
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com
Leona Stonebridge Arthen on wed 1 sep 99
I save dried clay scraps in a bucket till it is full then I pour the
pre-rinse water from the bucket near the sink into it. There is always
lots of slurry in the bottom of that bucket. The clay soaks up into slurry
quickly and I keep adding dry clay until it gets thick enough to scoop out
onto a board which I let stand till it is set up enough to put through the
pug mill. I pug it a couple or three times and put it up into bags in
great working shape!
Leona
---
Leona Stonebridge Arthen
leona@javanet.com
Worthington, Massachusetts/USA
DONALD G. GOLDSOBEL on wed 1 sep 99
At 11:54 AM 08/31/1999 EDT, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>
>I have garbage cans full of clay. Many garbage cans. Some of these
>containers date back to 1984. I have great intentions, but not enough
>uumph. I've pretty much decided these cans are a lost cause.
>However....
>.
I have tried a number pof ways to recycle trimmings and such. The best way
so far, is to put it in cloth bags (pillow cases, canvas totes, etc.) close
them to keep out dirt, put them on a concrete floor and let the moisture
leave at its own pace. Eventually it is firm enough to wedge and put in
bags to firm some more or to use soft.
Good luck.
Donald in the San Fernando Valley where it is cooling off into the low
nineties.
Marvin Flowerman on wed 1 sep 99
Tena:
I'm sure others will tell you the same thing, but try this anyhow:
You need to make yourself a two to three inch thick plaster slab. (I make
mine about 22" x 33" using casting plaster, readily available from ceramic
supply or building supply sources.) I also reinforce mine by inserting steel
or preferably non-ferrous rods in the plaster as I'm pouring it into a wooden
form (plastic lined). When this slab has hardened and dried for a week or
so, you will be able to simply reach into your slurry buckets, lift out
handfuls of wet clay, spread this on the plaster slab to about 1/2 to 1 inch
thickness and simply leave it alone overnight.
The next day you should be able to scrape up what's on the plaster bat (using
a plastic scraper available in auto supply stores, so as not to scar the
plaster bat), roll up what you scrape off, wedge it as best you can, and then
mix (i.e. wedge) that material with fresh material. If what you scrape off
the plaster bat is too soft, slice it into one inch thick slabs and put them
back on the plaster bat usually for only an hour or so where they will firm
up quickly and then can be rewedged for use and or blending. With a little
experience all this will seem simple and work easily for you.
If you make the plaster bat carefully, it should last for many years, as mine
has.
Makes recycling simple and efficient. If you are unfamiliar with the method
of mixing plaster, I'll be glad to help.
Try it and if you care to, let me know how it worked for you.
All the best.
Marvin flowerman (marvpots@aol.com)
Chris Schafale on wed 1 sep 99
Hi Tena,
There were recently a couple of good suggestions about putting the
goop in either pillowcases or old pairs of jeans with the legs sewn
shut, and hanging them up to dry. I've also spread it out about an
inch or two thick on a sheet of plywood (covering the wood with a
piece of canvas first makes it easier to turn the clay over and
prevents getting splinters in the clay). After it's dried awhile,
turn it over and maybe remove the parts on the edges if they've dried
more than the middle.
What I actually do now is lazier than that. I have one of those big
shallow Rubbermaid containers, where I put my trimmings and let them
slake. When it's getting full, I just ignore it for a few weeks
until it dries some, then I pile the still-soft clay up into a steep
mound (so I can get at it easily, and to increase the drying area)
and ignore it some more until it's wedging consistency. When it's
ready, I cut slices off with a wire, wedge, and throw. I wedge by
the cut-and-slam method, which is easier on my wrists and helps to
get rid of the dog hair that somehow always gets in my reclaim.
Works for me.
Chris
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>
> I have garbage cans full of clay. Many garbage cans. Some of these
> containers date back to 1984. I have great intentions, but not enough
> uumph. I've pretty much decided these cans are a lost cause.
> However....
>
> Recently I've been saving my trimmings (dry) in a big shallow
> container I got at Lowes. Today I put the shavings in a big bucket of
> water and jiffy-mixed the hell out of it. Now I have (2 buckets) of
> thick slurry.
>
> I'm half-way there!
>
> Now I ask you, what is the best (translate 'easiest') way to handle
> this slurry? So far I've thot of:
>
> 1) line the original clay boxes with fabric or old pillow cases and
> pour the stuff in to stiffen.
> 2) let it stiffen in the bucket (then I have more buckets of clay) not
> my first choice, obviously.
> 3) make plaster bowls and pour in. Again, not a first choice.
> 4) get a great idea from one of you guys
>
> So whaddaya say? Other than pay someone else to do it, can anybody ease
> my pain?
>
> Tena
> B'ham
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com
>
>
Light One Candle Pottery
Fuquay-Varina, NC
candle@intrex.net
Marcia Selsor on wed 1 sep 99
Archie Bray is making recycling vats of plaster. They also sell a
heavier duty mixer than a jiffy mixer. First, smash the dry clay to bits
and slake it down, stirring with the mixer. . Then dry it out in the
vat.
I have used chesse cloth lined flower pots. Works well. Do 20-50/day.
Marcia in Montana
Tena Payne wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>
> I have garbage cans full of clay. Many garbage cans. Some of these
> containers date back to 1984. I have great intentions, but not enough
> uumph. I've pretty much decided these cans are a lost cause.
> However....
>
> Recently I've been saving my trimmings (dry) in a big shallow
> container I got at Lowes. Today I put the shavings in a big bucket of
> water and jiffy-mixed the hell out of it. Now I have (2 buckets) of
> thick slurry.
>
> I'm half-way there!
>
> Now I ask you, what is the best (translate 'easiest') way to handle
> this slurry? So far I've thot of:
>
> 1) line the original clay boxes with fabric or old pillow cases and
> pour the stuff in to stiffen.
> 2) let it stiffen in the bucket (then I have more buckets of clay) not
> my first choice, obviously.
> 3) make plaster bowls and pour in. Again, not a first choice.
> 4) get a great idea from one of you guys
>
> So whaddaya say? Other than pay someone else to do it, can anybody ease
> my pain?
>
> Tena
> B'ham
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com
--
Marcia Selsor
selsor@imt.net
http://www.imt.net/~mjbmls
http://www.imt.net/~mjbmls/spain99.html
http://www.silverhawk.com/ex99/selsor/welcome.html
Katie Cordrey on wed 1 sep 99
I pour mine onto an old sheet on a concrete floor and move it around as it
dries out (so the concrete under helps draw out the moisture. Sometimes, I
make a sling out of the sheet and suspend it between two trees in my yard.
When it's right, I wedge it up a little at a time, put it in plastic bags
and put the bags in empty drywall buckets with lids... keeps a long while
there...still is lots of work.
-----Original Message-----
From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU]On Behalf
Of Tena Payne
Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 1999 8:55 AM
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Subject: how do _you_ recycle clay?
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
I have garbage cans full of clay. Many garbage cans. Some of these
containers date back to 1984. I have great intentions, but not enough
uumph. I've pretty much decided these cans are a lost cause.
However....
Recently I've been saving my trimmings (dry) in a big shallow
container I got at Lowes. Today I put the shavings in a big bucket of
water and jiffy-mixed the hell out of it. Now I have (2 buckets) of
thick slurry.
I'm half-way there!
Now I ask you, what is the best (translate 'easiest') way to handle
this slurry? So far I've thot of:
1) line the original clay boxes with fabric or old pillow cases and
pour the stuff in to stiffen.
2) let it stiffen in the bucket (then I have more buckets of clay) not
my first choice, obviously.
3) make plaster bowls and pour in. Again, not a first choice.
4) get a great idea from one of you guys
So whaddaya say? Other than pay someone else to do it, can anybody ease
my pain?
Tena
B'ham
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com
Alex Wilson on thu 2 sep 99
Hello, hmmm; could you not just split it up between the recycling
buckets/bins you already have amassed? Alternatively, make a little trough of
brick (any kind will do), line with canvas or duck and just pour your slurry
in there to stiffen up. If you can, look at Cardew's 'Pioneer Pottery', page
85, fig. 6.5 - Dewatering Tray.
Maybe someone out there could surreptitiously scan you a piccie.
Good Luck, now,
Alex
Eric Rowe on thu 2 sep 99
------------------
=3C=3CRecently I've been saving my trimmings (dry) in a big shallow
container I got at Lowes. Today I put the shavings in a big bucket of
water and jiffy-mixed the hell out of it. Now I have (2 buckets) of
thick slurry.=3E=3E
No, you're NOT halfway there, Tena=21
Try this:
Get clay Really dry. Break it up as small as you can. 3/4 Fill the largest
of your (plastic?) garbage cans with water. Slowly add dry clay until can
full. Leave to soak awhile. Stir like hell. Pass THIN slip through 30mesh
into next garbage can. DON'T rub but return any lumps to first GC. Go on,
fill another if you want. Leave all to settle a day or 2. Siphon off water
back to GC 1. Always keep the water unless you have earthenware with
calcium content. Pour thick slip into boxes made of luted porous bricks or
earthenware chimney liners if you can get them. Cover. Leave until clay
thick enough to stay between porous tiles in multiple sandwich. Put away
in damp place for as long as you can and now, if you've done your work
well, you have a better clay than you started with=21=21
Eric with his first contribution to this list :-)
NakedClay@aol.com on thu 2 sep 99
Hi Tena!
You might recruit a bunch of ceramic students from the local community
college, or some hardy high-schoolers, and throw a clay recycling party. Be
sure to offer each person a bag of finished clay, as an incentive!
The stuff in the trash barrels probably isn't a lost cause. You'll need lots
of water and patience.
Here's what I recommend, for the large amount of clay you have:
To dry-out clay that's just been slaked, pour or place the wet stuff on a
concrete slab in a sunny location outside. Check the clay from time to time.
Once the clay is dry enough, begin the hand-pugging, or use a pug mill, to
get the air out of the clay.
Be sure to have "tons" of plastic bags and twisties available, to wrap around
your finished product! Your helpers probably have extra plastic grocers' bags
to use, for this purpose.
A quck method, for those wanting to use recycled clay to make something after
slaking, is to add dry Lincoln Fireclay to the wet clay, and work the
fireclay in by hand-kneading, or by mixing in a pug mill. Continue to add dry
fireclay to the wet clay, until a workable consistency is reached. This
assumes that the slaked clay is high-fire.
Bslt wishes. I have recycled clay envy!
Milton NakedClay@AOL.COM
It's a cool, dry evening in the Mojave Desert tonight. Sure helps the
productivity!
WHew536674@cs.com on thu 2 sep 99
Tena,
I don't have a clay mixer or pug mill at home or at school. I got into the
habit of having different trash cans (plastic) for different clays. If a
piece gets smashed, it goes into the can, if clay dries out before I use it,
I let it dry out totally, put it on some canvas, smash it with a hammer, take
out my frustrations then, and put it into the can. It has water in it and
when the can is about full, or when I am about to run out of clay, dry it out
on my wedging table, or at school a drying table. Made them out of wood,
poured about 2-3 inches of plaster on top. I put the sloppy clay on it over
night. Come back the next day, wedge it up and ready to start up again. The
secret is to keep on top of it. I keep the can by my wheel when I am
trimming, and drop the trimmings in. I use the wedging table to dry clay,
wedge, dry the bottoms of pots, so the day spent making it is worth it in the
end. I prefer to dry it on the plaster table as opposed to drying it on
canvas. Or, if you don't want to go to the trouble of building a table, get
some plywood, frame it, pour plaster in, and just leave it on the floor, or
when not in use, prop it up against the wall. That works too.
Joyce A
Vicki Ferris on thu 2 sep 99
Tena,
When I get a 5 gal. bucket full of slurry, I scoop it into a king size pillow
case and tie a knot on the end. I hang it from a tree for 3 days in summer
and 1-2 weeks in winter, until it has firmed up. Then it's ready to wedge and
use again. I have learned not to put large chunks in there as it remains a
harder chunk when trying to throw. I only use trimmings for recycling. The
trick is to recycle often and not let it build up. Good luck!
Vicki
Beth Compton on thu 2 sep 99
Have you tried pouring your clay onto plaster slabs? That dries the
clay fairly quickly.
Curt Lacross on thu 2 sep 99
Hello All,
One way I found that works extremely well is mixing clay with your feet.
This summer I taught a class of about 17 children. The class was about
an hour and a half long. I began by placing slop on a large plastic
tarp. I spread it out evenly then I covered it with dry materials. next,
I sprayed the dry materials with a little water to keep the dust down.
By this time the kiddies showed up. They took off there shoes and socks,
and we put on some good dance tunes then proceded to shake our booty.
When the clay started to get to the right consistency we took the edges
of the tarp and folded it over and stepped on the tarp forcing the clay
into the center of the tarp. The class made about five hundred pounds of
clay in about an hour and a half. and everyone had a blast.
regards,
Curt
Rick Hugel on thu 2 sep 99
Tina,
Like you, I kept looking for an easy way to recycle clay. In the mean time
- about 9 years worth of time - I had clay trimmings all over the place.
Finally, after I could hardly move for all the buckets and plastic bags of
the stuff, I gave up and spend a day or two making plaster buckets. It
turned out to be easier to do than I thought. Now, after a year of slaking
one or two garbage cans of trimmings at a time, I have just about gotten
through the stuff. And I have kind of gotten into a habit of going through
a couple of garbage cans of trimmings a month finding that it isn't such a
task after all - just part of the normal work routine. One really big plus
is that I reduced my clay purchase bill considerably over the past year.
Oh, and I might add that if you use more than one type of clay, keep them
separate unless you know what the mixture will come out like.
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I pour the slurry out onto long tables outside and cover with sheets.
>Occasionally I flip the clay over. When enough water has evaporated, I
>bring the clay inside to wedge it. I live in a dry climate.
>Joanne in Tucosn
>
>Tena Payne wrote:
>
>> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>>
>> I have garbage cans full of clay. Many garbage cans. Some of these
>> containers date back to 1984. I have great intentions, but not enough
>> uumph. I've pretty much decided these cans are a lost cause.
>> However....
>>
>> Recently I've been saving my trimmings (dry) in a big shallow
>> container I got at Lowes. Today I put the shavings in a big bucket of
>> water and jiffy-mixed the hell out of it. Now I have (2 buckets) of
>> thick slurry.
>>
>> I'm half-way there!
>>
>> Now I ask you, what is the best (translate 'easiest') way to handle
>> this slurry? So far I've thot of:
>>
>> 1) line the original clay boxes with fabric or old pillow cases and
>> pour the stuff in to stiffen.
>> 2) let it stiffen in the bucket (then I have more buckets of clay) not
>> my first choice, obviously.
>> 3) make plaster bowls and pour in. Again, not a first choice.
>> 4) get a great idea from one of you guys
>>
>> So whaddaya say? Other than pay someone else to do it, can anybody ease
>> my pain?
>>
>> Tena
>> B'ham
>> __________________________________________________
>> Do You Yahoo!?
>> Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com
Martin Howard on fri 3 sep 99
Tena, have you ever made large bisqued bowls with S cracks in the bottom
and wondered what to do with them? You might repair them ... OR accept
them as they are.
They are ideal for drying out the slop clay, on the floor of the
pottery, on the terrace, anywhere. When the clay is dry enough, just
wedge or pug. Put them in a position where you often walk past them and
can just touch to see what stage they are at.
When wedging or pugging, mix that slop/recycled clay with some from a
new bag. Mix some that is more sloppy with some that is a little too
hard. That way you get perfect throwing clay.
Then you find out that you are needing a firmer supply for slabbing and
you start all over again.
Martin Howard
Webbs Cottage Pottery and Press
Woolpits Road, Great Saling
BRAINTREE
Essex CM7 5DZ
01371 850 423
araneajo@gn.apc.org
bowen dickson on fri 3 sep 99
One thing to add that works very well for me : cover the
plaster bat with a piece of old sheet first. No reason to have to scrape
off the bat and risk plaster contamination...just lift off the cloth to
the wedging table.
Regards,B Dickson/Heron's Marsh Pottery
Kingston,Washington
On Wed, 1 Sep 1999, Marvin Flowerman wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Tena:
> I'm sure others will tell you the same thing, but try this anyhow:
> You need to make yourself a two to three inch thick plaster slab. (I make
> mine about 22" x 33" using casting plaster, readily available from ceramic
> supply or building supply sources.) I also reinforce mine by inserting steel
> or preferably non-ferrous rods in the plaster as I'm pouring it into a wooden
> form (plastic lined). When this slab has hardened and dried for a week or
> so, you will be able to simply reach into your slurry buckets, lift out
> handfuls of wet clay, spread this on the plaster slab to about 1/2 to 1 inch
> thickness and simply leave it alone overnight.
> The next day you should be able to scrape up what's on the plaster bat (using
> a plastic scraper available in auto supply stores, so as not to scar the
> plaster bat), roll up what you scrape off, wedge it as best you can, and then
> mix (i.e. wedge) that material with fresh material. If what you scrape off
> the plaster bat is too soft, slice it into one inch thick slabs and put them
> back on the plaster bat usually for only an hour or so where they will firm
> up quickly and then can be rewedged for use and or blending. With a little
> experience all this will seem simple and work easily for you.
>
> If you make the plaster bat carefully, it should last for many years, as mine
> has.
> Makes recycling simple and efficient. If you are unfamiliar with the method
> of mixing plaster, I'll be glad to help.
>
> Try it and if you care to, let me know how it worked for you.
>
> All the best.
>
> Marvin flowerman (marvpots@aol.com)
>
Dale A. Neese on fri 3 sep 99
Hey now,
I used to use a large garbage can to put my slip and trimmings in. Then when
that was full, I went looking for another one, then another, because I
didn't like to spend the time to recycle clay. Now after having a long talk
with myself, I only use a 5 gallon bucket next to the wedging table. Before
long that 5 gallon bucket is near the top. I have a homemade mixer on a
drill that I mix the clay until consistent. Dump the clay out into a wooden
form (bottom is hardware cloth) covered with some sheets of weed block cloth
(doesn't rot). It will set for a couple of days or more outside in the south
Texas climate before piling it onto a large plaster block. Keep turning and
wedging a little at a time, slice the clay and put it through the de-airing
Bluebird studio pugmill. (best piece of studio time saving equipment I have
purchased). Bag it and put into one of the plastic garbage cans I now have
with some water in the bottom to preserve moisture. After about a month it
is the best clay to throw with.
If you have a phobia about recycling clay, get a grip on it now before it's
too late.
Dale Tex
| |
|
