color coding clay?

[Prissy Lou]

I have a dilemma. I have two kinds of clay in my "studio".(I use the term loosely. Its really just a room in my basement where I do pottery. I don't even have a kiln!) I have my practice clay (low fire earthenware) and my good clay(high fire stoneware). My problem is they are both white clay bodies and I am not the most organised of potters. I try keep them separate by storing them on opposite sides of the room but that doesn't always work out. I find myself leaving lumps of clay on my worktable intending to use them the next day, but I am a full-time college student and sometimes the next day come a month or two later. Then I'll enter my studio and find odd lumps of clay everywhere and I can't remember which clay it is. I can usually tell by the way it feels because my stoneware has grog in it. But I would love to be able to tell just by looking at it.

 

What I would like to know is: Is there a way to color code my clay so that I can tell them apart? Maybe some kind of dye that will burn out in the kiln? I still want my clay to fire white.

 

If any one could give me some suggestions I would greatly appreciate it! Thanx!

[Mark C.]

I have a dilemma. I have two kinds of clay in my "studio".(I use the term loosely. Its really just a room in my basement where I do pottery. I don't even have a kiln!) I have my practice clay (low fire earthenware) and my good clay(high fire stoneware). My problem is they are both white clay bodies and I am not the most organised of potters. I try keep them separate by storing them on opposite sides of the room but that doesn't always work out. I find myself leaving lumps of clay on my worktable intending to use them the next day, but I am a full-time college student and sometimes the next day come a month or two later. Then I'll enter my studio and find odd lumps of clay everywhere and I can't remember which clay it is. I can usually tell by the way it feels because my stoneware has grog in it. But I would love to be able to tell just by looking at it.

 

What I would like to know is: Is there a way to color code my clay so that I can tell them apart? Maybe some kind of dye that will burn out in the kiln? I still want my clay to fire white.

 

If any one could give me some suggestions I would greatly appreciate it! Thanx!

 

 

I suppose one could add some food color and or some dye to it-there would be no harm as it would burn away no worries.

 

 

The usual thing is mark the bags and keep all clay in bags as soon as you are done with it. and as you have done keep them apart.

This also usually adds up to sometime in the future having a big melt down in the kiln

 

I long ago rid myself of having two types around as I fire cone 10 and mistakes will happen (they have) It may be years away but still.

I also only fire clay I have supplied which cured all woes

Many places (schools and private shops will not allow the mix)

Some do and mistakes do happen

 

I'm sure those working in low fire and high fire will have some super idea for solving this for you .Lets see what pops up.

Mark

[Lucille Oka]

You can try keeping a work log. Something simple noting what you worked on, the type of clay used and the date. the last entry will show the last clay used.

-Also after working fold up the bag use a different color twist tie for each clay body and just plop it back on top of the same clay's storage area.

-Or as soon as you get your clay from the supplier use a Sharpie marker and put the clay number or cone maturation number on the bag.

Hope these ideas are helpful.

[Darla]

When I take classes, they use high fire.... here at home, I use cone 6. I mark each bag, but I also use little scrapbooking stamps. A small heart = high fire, and a small butterfly = mid fire. I BARELY press the stamp in, so it can be seen on wedged pieces, greenware, and bisqueware, but can be filled in and NOT seen on glazed ware. (Also attended a raku day recently and used a tiny cupcake for raku fire.) I made sure I marked the stamps themselves.... I leave the stamp IN the bag of clay... and never use multiple clays in one session.... so I don't get confused.

[TJR]

Prissy Lou;

This is a disaster waiting to happen. I yhad a small studio-200 square ft. I had stoneware, earthenware and Cone 6 white. The earthenware was a red terracotta- easy to keep separated. The cone six was white, the stoneware was white. I got them mixed up ONE TIME! and fired the 6 at stoneware in my friend's kiln It slumped on the shelves. Had to buy him two new shelves at $75.00 a pop. He didn't ask, I just replaced the shelves. We are both advanced potters. Any time he needs new shelves, he says; "Tom ,do you have any Cone six you want to fire?'[ insert malicious laugh here.]

Needless to say, I got rid of the Cone six clay. I still do Majolica , but I keep both clays far away from each other, and I mark my bags with permanent marker. I have no solution for keeping two white clays separate.I hope I didn't scare you.

TJR.

[Jeri]

I have a dilemma. I have two kinds of clay in my "studio".(I use the term loosely. Its really just a room in my basement where I do pottery. I don't even have a kiln!) I have my practice clay (low fire earthenware) and my good clay(high fire stoneware). My problem is they are both white clay bodies and I am not the most organised of potters. I try keep them separate by storing them on opposite sides of the room but that doesn't always work out. I find myself leaving lumps of clay on my worktable intending to use them the next day, but I am a full-time college student and sometimes the next day come a month or two later. Then I'll enter my studio and find odd lumps of clay everywhere and I can't remember which clay it is. I can usually tell by the way it feels because my stoneware has grog in it. But I would love to be able to tell just by looking at it.

 

What I would like to know is: Is there a way to color code my clay so that I can tell them apart? Maybe some kind of dye that will burn out in the kiln? I still want my clay to fire white.

 

If any one could give me some suggestions I would greatly appreciate it! Thanx!

 

 

I use several different types of clay, and have settled on stoneware, and some of them are the same colors. Regardless, of the color, I label each bag with they clay type, and the cone. The only time I use low fire is if I'm doing something as an experiment. Each clay has a different bucket for throwing water, also labeled. This way, I have little to no chance of getting them confused or mixed together.

 

I have very little space in my home studio, so I have to keep all my clay and buckets together in the same small area, so marking things down really helps.

 

I also keep a 'project' log that I created for myself quite a few years back for tracking the type of clay and so on. I also, mark the clay on the bottom with a code that I know for the type of clay (SWBmix = stoneware b mix) along with the date. Okay, I know, it's a little OCD of me, but it sure helps me when I want to see what I've done and what I used.

 

I've attached a capture of the sheet I use for tracking... I'm more than happy to share if anyone else might fine it useful, they sure do at the community studio I rent at.

[Prokopp]

Food coloring would work, but would be a bother to wedge into all your clay.

[SShirley]

You might try getting two different color plastic tubs (one for each clay) with lids and train yourself to put the clay in it's appropriate tub when not in use. I did that with earthenware clay and cone 6 stoneware and it worked pretty well. It seemed easier to toss it in a tub than back in the bag.

 

Sylvia