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Using A Plastic Bin And Plaster To Reclaim Clay.... Anyone Do It?


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I found this post on CAD here and I already use plastic bins and plaster as damp boxes but am wondering if and how well they work for reclaiming clay? Anyone doing reclaim this way? If so any pointers? Such as how wet the clay can be, how long it takes to do, etc.

 

http://ceramicartsdaily.org/clay-tools/making-clay-tools/plaster-and-plastic-storage-bins-essential-tools-for-the-clay-studio/

 

Oh and I want to try this since the last time I tried using my concrete porch floor I ended up cleaning little sticky Pugs up for hours. Who by the way thought reclaiming clay on cement was a most excellent project. I have done the pillow case method but don't really have a strong tree branch or clothes line I can use easily.

 

Thanks for your help!

 

T

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Terry, I had wondered about the effectiveness of this as well. I'd like to use something like this in my classroom. I thought of lining a 5-gallon bucket with plaster, and filling that. And to improve surface area in contact with the plaster, a solid plaster cylinder could be submerged in the middle of the bucket.

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terry, it works.  use rubbermaid if possible, that imitation sterilite is too brittle and will crack.  the larger the plaster surface the better.  the best is to put it on wheels, harbor freight sells small movers squares that will fit under a rubbermaid tub and allow you to move it around easily.  it is easy to locate it near your worktable while you handbuild and roll it out of the way when you are finished.  wet stuff and dry stuff mixed will be there ready when you are able to get to it.  if too wet, take off the lid overnight, if too dry, add water and wait overnight. 

 

then wedge.

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For a 'wet box':
I use a 5 gallon lidded bucket with a terra cotta flower pot saucer turned upside down in the bottom and a hole in the saucer to keep it from floating. I pour water into the bucket to almost cover the saucer.  Set the clay on the saucer and put the lid on the bucket.  It will stay moist for a looooooonnnnnnngggggg time, (unless you forget to seal the lid) Kept a pot wet for 2 years. 

Reclaim:
I have reclaimed wet clay using large bisque bowls or large flowerpot saucers.  I don't like plaster, it is too heavy, does not dry well, and is too soft to scrape with a rib.  The flower pot saucers clean up easy with a water hose and brush, dry quick, and can do double duty as slump molds for platters. White clay, and porcelain has not picked up iron from the red saucers.  I use a wood rib to remove the clay.

 

LT

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Love the idea of the terra cotta saucers, I have been working on coiled pots, I usually work on two at the same time.  If I'm not finished with them I have been wrapping them in plastic but they are still drying faster than I want.  I have a drying cabinet,  I use it for finished work.  I have some saucers in my  garden shed and lots of buckets,  I'm going to give it a try.    Denice

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I have a tendency to be much more simple. I use a plastic bucket, 1-1.5 gallon with a clay bag in it. throwing scrap, trimming scrap, slurry, go in the bucket. When full, twist the bag closed, and turn the bag upside down on the twist. Many days later, I take the mix and cut and slash with a new bag and wedge it together. Right now the heat has helped to dry out most of the clay that I just rewedge it.

 

best,

Pres

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I recycle my slop and trimmings on a plaster slab - works just fine. Scrunch it all up, tip it out, ease in the edges so it doesn't run off, roughly level it out to an even depth and leave for a few hours (depends on air temperature). When it looks and feels about 'right' I roll it up and knead it and it's good to go!

The only disadvantage of using a slab in a plastic tub would be the time it takes to dry out the slab ready for the next batch (if you don't want to risk tipping the slab out to dry that is). That may not be an issue in a warmer climate than we have here!!!

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An issue to deal with reclaiming clay slurry on plaster is the the ability of the plaster slab itself to dry out during and between reclaimings. The plaster can only absorb so much water, after which you might as well just dump the reclaim into a solid plastic bin and hope for it to dry by evaporation on it's own. We use large plaster slabs on wheeled dollies at both studios I work with, and the plaster is exposed on all sides so it will be drying out from underneath at the same time it is sucking moisture out of the clay on top. At the school studio, when the plaster slabs have thoroughly dried out between semesters, it only takes 2 days for 5 gallons of slop to dry to wedge-able consistency. As the semester draws on, it takes longer and longer, and the last batch of the semester takes about 2 weeks.

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Dick you are spot on as plaster in the bottom a plastic tub only has one top surface to dry out-Its a poor choice for drying clay scraps or reclaim.Its a great choice for keeping things wet.

Instead as mention in above post use a slab of plaster that has all sides exposed to air-way better results.

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I saw a plaster slab that was made with a well in the centre.  A bit like a rectangular casserole dish, 2 inch thick plaster on base and all four

sides.  More like a slip casting mould.  Anyway, the sides stopped the slurry from running off, and provided extra drying area.

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