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wedging tables, waste water

updated mon 19 jan 04

 

lili krakowski on sun 18 jan 04


Wedging CAN be done, and many argue it SHOULD be done, kneeling on the =
floor! =20

You cover a piece of outdoor plywood with canvas. You either=20

make a "pillow case" or you cover one side, allowing a good overlap,make =
hospital or mitered corners and keep it in place on the other side using =
lath (wooden strips) attached with/by flat headed brass screws. The =
charm of these wedging boards is that it is easy to have one for each =
type clay one uses, they store easily, are easy to clean--and, yes, the =
side with the lath can be use, (I do) for rolling out slabs (see earlier =
posts this week.) A lumber yard may give you strips of=20

wood they have cut off on their saw for reducing 2x4s to a precise =
smaller width or depth. Flat headed is obvious; brass because it doesn't =
rust.

You put the board on your clean floor (or outside) put a thick piece of =
foam rubber, or a rolled up piece of cloth under your knees, and wedge.=20

This allows you to use your entire back, your thigh muscles etc.----



Dirty clay water: of course using as little water as possible is best.

But get a child's wading pool, or, better yet, a contractor's cement =
mixing pan. These are heavy black plastic, about 2 x 3 feet in size and =
cost about $20 at a Lowe's or Home Depot. (Check the price; they are not =
costly, but I bought my last one some years ago. They look a bit like =
the pans of wheelbarrows, and indeed a pan for a big wheelbarrow works =
ok, if there are no pre-drilled holes.

I do not need to tell you you can dig a hole and set these things at =
ground level so that you can plant around them and they look quite nice. =
Pour your slop in there. It will dry out. If you have too much, buy a =
handsyphon (sold for transferring kerosene from can to heater) for about =
$3 siphon off excess water, and let it evaporate or reuse in studio.=20

PLEASE if you get one of these pans--put a little float in it for mice =
and such like who get in. They then can float to safety! Also: I have =
two little frogs who return to the pan every year.

lili



Be of good courage