SIMON LEACH - Moisturising hardish clay tip !

[asep51]

Good method if you need to get out some aggression with that smashing and plunging, don´t you think? Just like a woodoo doll.

[joealanouf]

rock n roll simon!

[joealanouf]

or should i say . clay n spin

[PaisleyPlace]

Would using a wooden &/or rubber mallet serve the same purpose as using a fist? I ask because I bruise easily, have horrible arthritis, and with the degree of osteoporosis, I'd likely break a bone(s) in my hand if I were to attempt to do this by hand. I've only known of the osteoporosis for about 2yrs. Dasray: Thx for the info about your student w/RA. I have lupus/Sjogren's, & probable Fibromyalgia. If you have other suggestions, I'm all ears.

[sullicorbitt]

What a terrific tip, I can really use this! thanks Simon

[RakuBlue]

Thanks again Simon, what if you used hot water for all of us in the cold (uk)!!

Would it work its magic faster?

[sleachpots]

Good idea , why not ! Keep a couple packs of clay in the house not in your cold studio , so they are not a freezing lump. Just the ones you envisage using that morning for example . SL

[DASRAY]

Speaking of old arthor,

One of my students has RA, and she got a cramp the other day, her Doc say's to keep up the pottery as it's good to keep her finger muscles limber. I've heard about potter's using warm water to throw with and even some who put a heating pad under clay. How about some tips and tricks on this?

[ChumleyWhiplash]

Interesting about the heating pad - when I bring home clay from the store in the summer (arizona) I love throwing with it that same night while its warm from riding around in the trunk all day - it moves so much better, seems to take less water and is easier to wedge (well seems like it anyway)

I often used hot water in the winter to throw because the cold water tap is just too chilly (yes, even in AZ the water pipes get cold in Dec/Jan!) and makes my fingers ache.

[DASRAY]

I once thought that the high school teachers here in town were very lucky to have a pugmill, well I found out last year that the model they have is so small, 2" nozzel, that it seems to be a real waiste of time for me.

I can mix and wedge faster and better.I really believe students should learn the

process from scratch. It takes intirely to much time to clean the pug and

it takes up a good chunk of storage space. The hopper is so small that it wldn't make a good extruder either.

DebraRay

[DASRAY]

As time goes by I've seen the manufactures use lighter and lighter weight bags.

I use a fridge for a damp box for saving work, as my students only come once a week. In the bottom of the fridge the space is to small for bats but large enough for some bags of clay. At school there is a

transformer in the storage closet,

it's drying out the clay to fast, even packed bags & boxes, so we now store it on the bottom shelves of damp closets. An old chest freezer works well, less in landfill too!

[sleachpots]

Thanks Debra - some useful tips there . SL

[roz3273]

Try keeping you clay in a styrofoam cooler, it stays soft longer.

[sleachpots]

Do you mean one of those cool boxes with a lid that one puts those freezer packs in ? SL

[roz3273]

yes exactly, the ones made of styrofoam

[pensandcalls]

Now that is just plain scary!!! I just reconstituted a block of clay exactly the same way!! Great minds work together!!! I was actually thinking of making a video of it but you do it so much better anyway. Thanks!!!

[fransvdb]

Hi Simon: Why don't you use a (dough)kneading machine and a (vacuum)pugmill?

Spares time,gives excelent clay plus you can make your own recepies.

BTW: here is the weather cold and raining... i'm in Holland...:-(

[sleachpots]

Thanks , well yes I would like a pugmill & a dough mixer - hey any of you guys got one for sale !!! They are big & heavy thats the problem ,if I saw one nearby I could get my hands on I would get one. SL

[pensandcalls]

Wouldn't we all love a pugmill? I wonder why they don't make a smaller version for the home/hobbyist potter!!!

[claymoma]

Here in the states pugmills and clay mixers run in the thousands of dollars - way out of reach for the average potter. I would love to have both as I have arthritis in my hands but I prefer to mix my own clay from scratch and make it like heavy slip. I put a pillow case on a plaster bat and then spread the clay on it. When the clay is a consistancy that I can handle I can cut it up into 1 lb. pieces, work it into a ball and then bag it. I know, to much work but I get smooth beautiful clay!!!

[ChumleyWhiplash]

Hi Simon, I've found plastic has different "breathe" rate depending on the type and thickness. although the thickness doesnt seem to necessarily be the key. I've had some things stay wet forever, and others that dry so fast it I might as well left the plastic off all together. I have a variety of bags I used over and over again and I can pretty well gauge the drying rate with them now.

[sleachpots]

Thanks thats informative - I did't know about those breathe rates ! SL

[leeuw666]

thx voor the tip! Gerda

BTW: here is the weather cold and raining... i'm in Belguim...:-(

[sleachpots]

...Hi Gerda .welcome ..then come to Spain !! SL