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Recycling Clay - Turns Black And Stinky


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Rotting smells are common. Especially if you have added green ware to the slop bucket -- it brings in lots of air.

 

I like adding a touch of copper carbonate and then giving it a stir. I use less than a gram for my 20 gallons of slop. At this small percentage it doesn't change the color of anything. I only have to do this once in awhile.

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White vinegar would also help with the smell.

 

Except it is a flocculant so it's going to have an effect on the clay. I use a titch of bleach, stir it up and let it sit for a few days, most of the bleachy smell is gone by then.

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There are times when this gets to be extreme. I had problems with this when after aging some slop that I had slaked down at the HS. I usually slaked the dry/leather hard clay together, and then let it sit for a few weeks to completely dissolve or soften. Then run through the pug mill.  Digging through the slop I found a lot of black veins running through a clay that usually was fine. Pulled on vein out with my hands grasping it, finding that someone had pitched a piece of paper towel into the barrel. Came to realize that we had been making slab forms over rocks, cylinders, and other items using paper towel as a release liner. On finished pots no problem as it burned out. On recycled clay-too much organic material in the clay causing the smell and black veins. Is it possible you have gotten some organic material in the clay?

 

 

best,

Pres

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We use a lot of slip for handle attachments-the slip always gets funky smelling unless you put a dap of white vinegar in it. I keep a gallon in studio-this will fix your foul smelling clay. just a little goes a long ways.

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Is it possible you have gotten some organic material in the clay?

 

 

 

Paper towels are inorganic.  Most likely organic matter:  skin cells from the potters, sweat. 

 

 

Paper towels are organic. Paper is made from trees, unless of course you are talking about plastic trees :), then you are right.  :D

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Is it possible you have gotten some organic material in the clay?

 

 

 

Paper towels are inorganic.  Most likely organic matter:  skin cells from the potters, sweat. 

 

 

Paper towels are organic. Paper is made from trees, unless of course you are talking about plastic trees :), then you are right.  :D

 

 

Yep.  You and Pres are correct.  Which explains why I transferred out of chemistry before failing the course. 

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