Orchard Valley Ceramics Arts Guild on thu 19 sep 02
I have a barrel full of clay "slop" I'd like to use somehow. It's
a mix of various clay bodies, including low fire clays, plus
probably a little glaze and other unidentified "gunk."
I had the idea of making decorative bricks or paving stones
by pouring this slop into wooden molds, letting it dry slowly,
and then firing the bricks when they are completely dry.
I realized I know nothing about the process of making bricks.
What are the optimum dimensions? What keeps them from
cracking as they dry? Seems to me I'd want to dry them slowly...
but then I see pictures of adobe bricks drying in the sun.
Any advice?
- Bob
Paul Herman on thu 19 sep 02
Hi Bob,
You wanna make bricks, eh?
I don't know what the optimum dimentions would be, but you want them to
dry out and fire, so not too thick! If they crack when drying perhaps
you could mix in some sand and/or straw. I bet they'd need a slow
firing, depending on thickness.
If you can get ahold of "Pioneer Pottery" by Michael Cardew, there is a
section on brickmaking included.
Good luck,
Paul Herman
Great Basin Pottery
423-725 Scott Road
Doyle, California 96109 US
potter@psln.com
----------
>From: Orchard Valley Ceramics Arts Guild
>To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
>Subject: making clay bricks
>Date: Thu, Sep 19, 2002, 9:49 AM
>
> I realized I know nothing about the process of making bricks.
> What are the optimum dimensions? What keeps them from
> cracking as they dry? Seems to me I'd want to dry them slowly...
> but then I see pictures of adobe bricks drying in the sun.
>
> Any advice?
>
> - Bob
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