gwalker on sat 9 oct 99
G'day Claybuds,
Here's a little tip I was taught by a student over 25 years ago. Her
father had been a thrower of terracotta planters in the English
midlands way back. I could go straight to the tip, but just for a bit of
fun, try this before reading the ending:
Take a small piece of almost dry clay ... only just distortable (? is
that a newy???) when poked with maximum finger pressure. Push this piece
of clay into a mound of sugar of approximately the same volume (doesn't
matter what type of sugar, but castor sugar works more quickly). Keep
pushing/kneading this little lump into the sugar until something
miraculous happens. (You will see ... and FEEL ...)
You should finish up with a ball of quite soft clay within a few
minutes. The tip is that the resultant plastic clay can be used to fill
cracks in dry but unfired pots. Apparently the old potters used to use
this mix to fill "S" cracks and the like in large, thrown pots. I have
tried it on special pots over the years and it really works. Not really
worth the effort on run of the mill pots, but then they are the ones
that never crack, aren't they? ;-)
I have no idea of the chemistry behind this, but I have amazed some very
experienced potters over the years with this little party trick. Of
course, it is likely that this is not new to anyone on the list, but I
found no mention of it in the archives.
Hoping this is of some use to someone, or at least gives someone a
child-like delight ...
Magical clay ...
Ceoff. ... on the Gold Coast where today is yet another perfect day ...
we are often so blessed.
http://www.cronulla-pot.com.au/
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