Guest Posted May 7, 2017 Report Share Posted May 7, 2017 Has anybody have experience with this clay? I just opened a bag yesterday and it was the wettest, most fluid clay I've thrown. The first pot slumped while it was still on the wheel. I didn't think I was throwing that thin, no thinner than normal but I guess I was. After wedging and trying two more times, drying the clay more each time, I finally finished one. The next three lumps went better, but this clay has an attitude. Today I went to trim and found they were too wet. They sat overnight in a room with a dehumidifier, even though maybe it was all this rain. So I took a hair dryer to the pots to stiffen them up.When I got them on the wheel I found all four slumped a little while drying. Definitely fussy with an attitude. Extruded some handles with my new homemade handheld extruder. Clay almost wanted to fly out. I usually pull handles first before trimming so the can dry out a bit. I did the same even though I figured with no water from pulling that they should be ready sooner. A few hours later they were still wet (think cooked wet spaghetti limp) so I took a hair dryer to them What seemed like 30 seconds later the handles were to hard. I could see them cracking when I bend them so I sprayed a little water to the clay. Now they are too wet again. Fussy, annoying and an attitude. Is this normal for this clay? I can't imagine what porcelain is like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted May 7, 2017 Report Share Posted May 7, 2017 I got a 1000 lb last Fall, it is wet, so I use much less water. As I do have a tendency to throw pretty dry, this means even less so. Right now I am getting shop cleaned out so that I can use the 630 for a while. The clay I am using now is the other half of the ton. . . Hazelnut brown. Trying not to contaminate the two, especially the 630. Preliminary glaze tests look very promising using the glazes I used on the hazelnut. Am starting out with some candy dishes and some mugs and other items to get a further idea of how it works. keep in touch, I will post in gallery and reply more as I use it more. best, Pres Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 8, 2017 Report Share Posted May 8, 2017 Too funny, I just clean the studio from Standard 211 too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glazenerd Posted May 8, 2017 Report Share Posted May 8, 2017 Can only be one of two things: the obvious being way too much water when mixed. The other being a change in ball clay and or plasticizer. Certain smectites can hold more water than bentonites. Nerd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted May 8, 2017 Report Share Posted May 8, 2017 It's a great clay body, but they mixed a bunch way, way, way too wet recently. You may have gotten some if it. Cut it into slabs and dry it out and it'll work just fine. The most recent batch I got was on the soft side, but much better and useable. It's perfect for my kids classes, but a little soft for my adults. An hour of drying then wedging and it's perfect. I had lunch with the owner recently so they're aware of the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 8, 2017 Report Share Posted May 8, 2017 Thanks Neil I cut back on the water as Pres suggested today and see if it sags while drying Tomorrow I'll try as you suggest. How long ago was the wet batch on the market? I purchased this sometime last November Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
graybeard Posted May 8, 2017 Report Share Posted May 8, 2017 What Neil said. graybeard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted May 8, 2017 Report Share Posted May 8, 2017 Mine purchased about the same time Ron. Sat outside and froze, drove the water to the outside, will cut off part and wedge without the wet exterior of the clay. best, Pres Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted May 9, 2017 Report Share Posted May 9, 2017 Thanks Neil I cut back on the water as Pres suggested today and see if it sags while drying Tomorrow I'll try as you suggest. How long ago was the wet batch on the market? I purchased this sometime last November I don't remember for sure. I think I bought mine in January, which means it could have been a November batch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 9, 2017 Report Share Posted May 9, 2017 I trimmed the pots today that I threw dry. A whole lot better. 2 of the 4 I took a hair dyer to after throwing long enough to remove the sheen, the other two I didn't. The two that were blow dried didn't sag and only one of the two that I didn't sagged only a little bit. I didn't get to try Neil's method of slabbing and wedging today, it was the first time it didn't rain in a long time and the sun was shining... I had too much grass to cut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted May 9, 2017 Report Share Posted May 9, 2017 (I had too much grass to cut.) I can hear mine growing -I'm mowing an acre every week this time of year .65 inches of rain here now sun and 70 degrees==Mowing-mowing mowing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted May 9, 2017 Report Share Posted May 9, 2017 I mowed Friday, and again Monday. My back yard grows way too fast when there's rain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
graybeard Posted May 9, 2017 Report Share Posted May 9, 2017 my back yard turns into a rice paddy. Didn't like rice paddy in 1969, don't like rice paddy now. graybeard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curt Posted May 10, 2017 Report Share Posted May 10, 2017 My back yard is sand...grows very slowly.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted May 10, 2017 Report Share Posted May 10, 2017 No yard around myself, drive way and deck and the rest in concrete. LLC up in Mansfield, PA was too wet to mow this week, maybe this weekend, but more rain is on Sat. who knows. Still cleaning hazelnut from all the nooks and corners, will take a while. best, Pres Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 10, 2017 Report Share Posted May 10, 2017 Don't forget to clean the griffin grip. Don't ask how I know that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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