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aging clay

updated fri 15 aug 03

 

mel jacobson on thu 14 aug 03


most of what i do with aging clay comes from
the cardew book...ages old.

he was of a mind that using a great deal of water
at all times was the key. (yes, this has been dealt
with on clayart a great deal.)

in the japanese traditional methods the clay was
floated in ponds...the water dried and the clay recovered.
they did not rush this process. nature took its course.
and, of course made great aged clay.

i remember a gal years ago that used an old bathtub
in her back yard. she would use a screen and (sift)
mixed dry clay into the tub, half filled with water. never stir, just
sift and let settle. (cm about 1960) she just left it out
there and the water dried off. she said it was perfect.
(a great method if you do not have a pug mill.) however,
dry mixing would be very essential. in fact, i saw a guy
once that used a law roller. he had cut a big door.
dumped in all the dry clay formula and pulled it behind
his jeep. he let it settle for and hour...no dust, and shoveled
it into his clay mixer.

cardew also claimed that a clay body was as well aged as
the newest addition. when you added anything to the mix it
took away the aging.

modern science seems to support the idea that clay will
age in about six weeks. after that, there is very little
more plasticity gained.

of course there is the two year rule....keep it for two years
and it is magic.

additions help....vinegar, milk, almost anything that is fertilizer
for the clay. some are better than others. it seems that stuff
grows and spreads the moisture. but, i think a great deal of that
is hocus pocus. urban legends abound in ceramics. some helps,
some is just fluff and tradition.

water works, age works, and of course a good plastic body always
works.
mel

From:
Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
web site: my.pclink.com/~melpots
or try: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
new/ http://www.rid-a-tick.com

Liz Willoughby on thu 14 aug 03


Hi Folks,
Harlan House used to say that he put all his dry ingredients in one
of those large garbage cans with a secure lid, and roll it down a
hill. I think he still does this, has made his own clay for a long
time now.

I found about 25 lbs. of some old English Porcelain, in my studio,
that Tuckers made at least 20 years ago. I had returned all but this
one bag then, as it was very thixotrophic, just couldn't throw with
it.
So, I soaked it in water, re-wedged it and made some some small
pieces with it. Threw like a dream, they have just been bisqued.
Liz from Grafton
p.s. anybody heard about Arti's biopsy?

Mel says,
> however,
>dry mixing would be very essential. in fact, i saw a guy
>once that used a law roller. he had cut a big door.
>dumped in all the dry clay formula and pulled it behind
>his jeep. he let it settle for and hour...no dust, and shoveled
>it into his clay mixer.

--
Liz Willoughby
RR #1
2903 Shelter Valley Rd.
Grafton, Ontario
Canada
K0K 2G0
905-349-3130

lizwill@phc.igs.net

Wood Jeanne on thu 14 aug 03


Greetings Mel,
Thanks for the post, there was some good information I
hadn't heard of previously.
For years I've heard of adding a little vinegar,
yeast, yoghurt, beer, etc. to clay to age the clay.
But wondered, as it seems like the yoghurt and vinegar
would work at cross purposes because vinegar prevents
mold/bacteria when used for pickles & as a
vinegar/water solution for washing down surfaces.

I've made vinegar using a "mother" from a natural
vinegar, but it's a very delicate substance, easily
destroyed. Stirring it in the clay would kill it.
Thanks
Jeanne W.
--- mel jacobson wrote:

>snip:
> additions help....vinegar, milk, almost anything
> that is fertilizer
> for the clay. some are better than others. it
> seems that stuff
> grows and spreads the moisture. but, i think a
> great deal of that
> is hocus pocus. urban legends abound in ceramics.
> some helps,
> some is just fluff and tradition.
>
> water works, age works, and of course a good plastic
> body always
> works.
> mel
>
> From:
> Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
> web site: my.pclink.com/~melpots
> or try: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
> new/ http://www.rid-a-tick.com
>

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Roger Korn on thu 14 aug 03


mel jacobson wrote:

> ...
> water works, age works, and of course a good plastic body always
> works.

Test, test, test, test...
Roger

> mel