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peter pugger/clay recipe request

updated thu 4 nov 99

 

Cindy Strnad, Earthen Vessels Pottery on tue 2 nov 99

------------------
Hi, Folks.

I recently acquired a new pottery tool--a vacuum de-airing Peter Pugger, and
wanted everyone to know how pleased I am with it. The only complaint I can =
think
of is that it took so-o-o long to arrive. I ordered it because my elbows =
were
beginning to hurt too much from wedging clay, and that problem has almost
completely cleared up, now. I can throw the clay straight from the pugger, =
and
with very minimum problems with any air bubbles. Less, really, than when I =
was
kneading it by hand.

The pugger is also supposed to be able to mix clay from scratch. Because =
it's a
sealed system, the only problem with powder in the air comes during actually
pouring the ingredients into the mixing/pugging chamber. It doesn't have to =
be
cleaned, as long as you don't go from mixing dark clay to mixing light clay.

Thus far, I've only used it to get prepared clay ready to use, and to =
recycle
scrap, but I'd like to try mixing my own clay with it. As I'm down to around
1000 lbs of clay, I expect I'd better get a move on.

I'd like a few recipes to try, and any advice I can get. The clay I'm =
currently
using is a =5E6 medium brown with grog, and I'm generally satisfied with it.=
It
has minimum cracking, shrinks about 12.5=25, and is easy to throw. Problem =
is, I
have to have it shipped from around 500 miles away, and that's the closest
source.

The manufacturer recommends mixing batches of 25-30 lbs at a time. Can =
anyone
tell me around how much dry matter and how much water that's likely to =
amount
to? And any recommended recipes for a groggy =5E6 brown oxidation body will =
be
greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much,

Cindy Strnad
Earthen Vessels Pottery
Custer, SD

Dannon Rhudy on wed 3 nov 99

....>The pugger is also supposed to be able to mix clay from scratch. .>.
.>manufacturer recommends mixing batches of 25-30 lbs at a time. Can anyone
>tell me around how much dry matter and how much water.....

Cindy, water weighs 8 pounds to the gallon and is roughly 30% of a
new-mixed batch of clay. So, you could go with 16 lbs of clay, give
or take a bit, and a gallon of water, to start it off. Then, adjust to
however you want your clay to be.

Regards,

Dannon Rhudy
potter@koyote.com

John K Dellow on wed 3 nov 99

Just an obseration from an old thrower . If you switch to a pug
then do some warm up exercises before throwing , and of course do
some warm down exercises after .Stretching limbering up kind .
Jacka

"Cindy Strnad, Earthen Vessels Pottery" wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> ------------------
> Hi, Folks.
>
> I recently acquired a new pottery tool--a vacuum de-airing Peter Pugger, and
> wanted everyone to know how pleased I am with it. The only complaint I can thi
> of is that it took so-o-o long to arrive. I ordered it because my elbows were
> beginning to hurt too much from wedging clay, and that problem has almost
> completely cleared up, now. I can throw the clay straight from the pugger, and
> with very minimum problems with any air bubbles. Less, really, than when I was
> kneading it by hand.
>
> The pugger is also supposed to be able to mix clay from scratch. Because it's
> sealed system, the only problem with powder in the air comes during actually
> pouring the ingredients into the mixing/pugging chamber. It doesn't have to be
> cleaned, as long as you don't go from mixing dark clay to mixing light clay.
>
> Thus far, I've only used it to get prepared clay ready to use, and to recycle
> scrap, but I'd like to try mixing my own clay with it. As I'm down to around
> 1000 lbs of clay, I expect I'd better get a move on.
>
> I'd like a few recipes to try, and any advice I can get. The clay I'm currentl
> using is a ^6 medium brown with grog, and I'm generally satisfied with it. It
> has minimum cracking, shrinks about 12.5%, and is easy to throw. Problem is, I
> have to have it shipped from around 500 miles away, and that's the closest
> source.
>
> The manufacturer recommends mixing batches of 25-30 lbs at a time. Can anyone
> tell me around how much dry matter and how much water that's likely to amount
> to? And any recommended recipes for a groggy ^6 brown oxidation body will be
> greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks so much,
>
> Cindy Strnad
> Earthen Vessels Pottery
> Custer, SD

--

John Dellow "the flower pot man"