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Standard's 630 White Stoneware?


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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.

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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

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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.

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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

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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.

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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. :(

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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

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