Chilly Posted December 30, 2015 Report Share Posted December 30, 2015 I am just getting up to speed with my home clay studio. It has been slow going, but I am a veteran at reusing and labeling plastic containers. (much to my family's chagrin, many things don't stay in the recycle bin) because I am an active fiddler, fixer, putterer and absent minded artist type. Containers that hold things like yogurt and sour cream are often printed with an ink that is soluble to acetone. This can be bought in the hardware store, or a cheap bottle of nail polish remover will do the trick. The "cost" of washing/cleaning/removing labels plus the environmental and health costs (fumes/solvents) for recycling can often be more than buying new/better/clean containers in the first place. Which annoys me greatly. The same applies for recycling clay. OK if time is not factored in, but quite often time is the most expensive part of the whole process. No easy answer, except label, label, label. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugaboo Posted December 30, 2015 Report Share Posted December 30, 2015 For a cheap easy "lamination" print or write out what you need on plain paper cut it out the use clear packing tape over the front to cover the paper and leave a bit of overhang to stick it to the bucket. The tape is easy to remove and it will protect the words. I also use the clear projector sheets to store my vocabulary images of transfers and such. They would work as well and you could store the recipe and even copies of the invoices for the materials used, etc. I've actually been trying to spend some time each week reorganizing my studio and labeling bins and bottles has been a major part of the process. It's amazing how many shelves you need just to keep things on hand and easily accessible. T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted January 1, 2016 Report Share Posted January 1, 2016 Bailey sells all sizes of small containers with screw tops for little money if you cannot find local ones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted January 1, 2016 Report Share Posted January 1, 2016 sorry double entry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiselleNo5 Posted January 1, 2016 Report Share Posted January 1, 2016 Hey, everybody, I wanted to share this. I am dipping my toes in glaze ... that doesn't sound right ... What I mean is, last month I bought some dry glazes to try mixing them myself for the first time. I went to buy 2 gallon buckets to mix them in, only to find that the bucket with lid was a total of about $8 EACH. Well, I need 9 just for now, and I will end up with about 15 in the near future. That's over $100 just in buckets. I had a thought and went to the Dollar Tree website. If you have a branch locally they will ship your order right to the store for free so you can pick it up, I've done it before when they didn't have the mugs to complete a set of dishes I wanted for a friend's housewarming. (Don't smack me, it was before I started making pottery). Well, I found one quart, half gallon, and one gallon large mouth screw top transparent containers there. I bought a case of 24 one-gallon containers, which is enough to keep me in glaze for a really, really long time. I do most of my things where the inside is one color and the outside is another color so the fact that I can't fit my stuff into the containers isn't a problem. I can pour over instead of dipping and use a shallow container to catch the glaze. I don't know if I'm allowed to share the link to the containers I bought but if anybody is interested I will share it, just PM me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChenowethArts Posted January 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2016 I am dipping my toes in glaze ... that doesn't sound right ... What I mean is, last month I bought some dry glazes to try mixing them myself for the first time. I went to buy 2 gallon buckets to mix them in, only to find that the bucket with lid was a total of about $8 EACH. Well, I need 9 just for now, and I will end up with about 15 in the near future. That's over $100 just in buckets. I had a thought and went to the Dollar Tree website. If you have a branch locally they will ship your order right to the store for free so you can pick it up, I've done it before when they didn't have the mugs to complete a set of dishes I wanted for a friend's housewarming. (Don't smack me, it was before I started making pottery). Well, I found one quart, half gallon, and one gallon large mouth screw top transparent containers there. I bought a case of 24 one-gallon containers, which is enough to keep me in glaze for a really, really long time. I do most of my things where the inside is one color and the outside is another color so the fact that I can't fit my stuff into the containers isn't a problem. I can pour over instead of dipping and use a shallow container to catch the glaze. GiselleNo5, I think its great that you're sticking your toe into the glaze bucket...but you'll get a much better mix if you use one of those attachments for an electric drill. I have traveled down the cheap bucket road before and its a smooth ride for simple storage. If your buckets will get the abuse of mixing/re-mixing with anything that might bang against the inside of the bucket (like a jiffy mixer), low quality buckets may chip and eventually wear-through...and nobody wants that. OK...with your shiny new buckets for glazing, what system/process will you embrace for labeling them? Do you hold a top-secret toe dipping method (see what I did there)?? Happy New Year!, -Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Infinite Posted January 1, 2016 Report Share Posted January 1, 2016 I put all my glazes in glass jars and label them with a Dymo. The labels are easy to make, can take a little abuse and are easy to remove as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiselleNo5 Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 I am dipping my toes in glaze ... that doesn't sound right ... What I mean is, last month I bought some dry glazes to try mixing them myself for the first time. I went to buy 2 gallon buckets to mix them in, only to find that the bucket with lid was a total of about $8 EACH. Well, I need 9 just for now, and I will end up with about 15 in the near future. That's over $100 just in buckets. I had a thought and went to the Dollar Tree website. If you have a branch locally they will ship your order right to the store for free so you can pick it up, I've done it before when they didn't have the mugs to complete a set of dishes I wanted for a friend's housewarming. (Don't smack me, it was before I started making pottery). Well, I found one quart, half gallon, and one gallon large mouth screw top transparent containers there. I bought a case of 24 one-gallon containers, which is enough to keep me in glaze for a really, really long time. I do most of my things where the inside is one color and the outside is another color so the fact that I can't fit my stuff into the containers isn't a problem. I can pour over instead of dipping and use a shallow container to catch the glaze. GiselleNo5, I think its great that you're sticking your toe into the glaze bucket...but you'll get a much better mix if you use one of those attachments for an electric drill. I have traveled down the cheap bucket road before and its a smooth ride for simple storage. If your buckets will get the abuse of mixing/re-mixing with anything that might bang against the inside of the bucket (like a jiffy mixer), low quality buckets may chip and eventually wear-through...and nobody wants that. OK...with your shiny new buckets for glazing, what system/process will you embrace for labeling them? Do you hold a top-secret toe dipping method (see what I did there)?? Happy New Year!, -Paul Glaze is a fantastic skin treatment for your feet. You can go from dry and cracked to drier and splitting in no time. I know that in about a year I'll likely be upgrading the volume and type of glaze storage containers, though these will still work for glazes I use in lower quantities. Right now I'll be mixing them by 1/2 to 3/4 gallon and saving space is very important since my studio is only half-finished and my glaze shelving section isn't in yet. I plan to do all actual mixing in a thick two gallon plastic bucket and only use these for storage once they're mixed/sieved since they are brittle compared to heavy-duty paint buckets. As far as labeling goes, why, I dip my toes into some black paint and use a series of dots to form a mysterious code known only to me. Either that or I usually either write with Sharpie (always top and side both) or if I want more info I use the method of writing on an index card, then taping over the whole thing with good packing tape so it will last longer and be more visible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiselleNo5 Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 I put all my glazes in glass jars and label them with a Dymo. The labels are easy to make, can take a little abuse and are easy to remove as well. Oooh, I want to see what your "Blush Much" looks like!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S. Dean Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 <snip> I know that in about a year I'll likely be upgrading the volume and type of glaze storage containers, though these will still work for glazes I use in lower quantities. Right now I'll be mixing them by 1/2 to 3/4 gallon and saving space is very important since my studio is only half-finished and my glaze shelving section isn't in yet. I plan to do all actual mixing in a thick two gallon plastic bucket and only use these for storage once they're mixed/sieved since they are brittle compared to heavy-duty paint buckets. <snip> I've found a couple of good sources for free studio buckets. Smaller size containers can be obtained from the deli/bakery departments at the grocery store. Containers for icing work well and are heavy duty (although after you wash one out you will never want to eat icing on a store bought cake). I get bigger 4-5 gallon sized buckets from my dry cleaner that their powdered laundry soap comes in. These are the best because they are constantly the same size and ready to use with just a quick rinse. Buy a lid opener for 5 gallon buckets - these are available in the paint section of the home improvement stores. At the bakery/deli, I just usually ask each time I'm in there if they have any buckets that they are throwing out that day. Sometimes they may agree to hold them for you, but most places will not. If they agree to hold them, pick them up when you say you will and don't be surprised/upset if all the employees don't get the message and your saved buckets got thrown out. If they help you, put in a nice word (letter is better) with the grocery store manager. So, although these items are "free" they require effort & time to obtain/get ready for studio use. For labeling, right now I use a sharpie on colored duct tape on both the lid and side of the bucket. It's quick and works well enough even though it may not be the most elegant solution. -SD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
46South Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 I am interested in the comments on re-using food containers. To the folk who say 'just go and buy purpose made ones' I offer this. It is not about how much money (which is an artificial concept) you spend but about what you remove from the landfill chain. If you think globally and trace your container back to the production of the container, it's shipping, printing, filling, transportation marketing and eventual retail, plus your transportation of it, you have a huge footprint on the planet. If you do not re-use it but dump it, the footprint grows and in some cases (plastic bottle tops) takes many years to cease affecting our atmosphere. In my studio I have at least two hundred plastic containers of sizes from 21 litre pails to 50gm medicine bottles. Less than twenty of these were purchased for the pottery and then only as part of the purchase of glaze materials. Many were recovered from our local waste station after being dumped by others. I believe that if all of us minimised our use of new containers we would have a meaningful impact on pollution of all kinds. What do others think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
What? Posted January 3, 2016 Report Share Posted January 3, 2016 Repurposing is awesome and eco friendly. I do it all the time. I like the large pool chorine buckets for rinse buckets and reclaimed clay. For the business or teaching setting it is a liability. I have seen the same stuff stored in the same food containers for years at schools. Instead of someone saying I need the red iron oxide they say grab me that coffee can over there with a stained nearly illegible piece of tape from 1982. In a communal environment this can lead to overconfidence based on visual recognition of the container not the label or the contents of the material stored inside. This can lead to a contamination or reaction hazard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldlady Posted January 3, 2016 Report Share Posted January 3, 2016 i hope nobody thinks i throw out containers right and left. i do not BUY things that come in those containers so i do not have a supply of new ones on hand. most of the things i use came from stores which would have thrown out the empty containers once they had used the contents. the restaurant supply store sees me only once a year or so for a sleeve of 25 quart size tubs and lids. once i make a glaze, i might give it away in that container so i do run out of them. BUT i have half gallon tubs that i bought from the grocery store deli department during the 1990s still holding materials i use often. that manufacturer has been bought by someone else and i regret that i cannot get any more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted January 3, 2016 Report Share Posted January 3, 2016 I originally got all my containers from restaurants and house painters back in the 70s I have never bought a 5 gallon buctpket but own say 30 of them so they are out there for free if you are resourceful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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