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White Clay Body Advice


Chris Campbell

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I need a white clay body that is readily available in Canada and the USA ... I am looking for Cone 5-6 that not only fires white, but is white in the wet stage. Need it to be pretty forgiving for workshop situations as well as cost effective. Any ideas from those who use the larger suppliers is most welcome. Thanks!

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Chris;

Contact Frank Tucker at Tucker Ceramic Supply. They are in Oakville, Ontario, which is a suburb of Toronto. He's a good guy. Might even comp you the clay for your work shop.

I don't fire to that temp, so can't recomend anything.We also use Plainsman clays out of Red Deer, Alberta. M340 is pretty good. Not exactly white, though.

TJR.

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Guest JBaymore

I also believe that Tuckers mixes to full wet with a blunger and then uses a filter press for their clays......... which makes a world of difference in the handling of the finished product.  Not sure if that is for ALL bodies.

 

I don't think any US manufacturer does this.

 

Almost all in Japan do this.

 

best,

 

................john

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I also believe that Tuckers mixes to full wet with a blunger and then uses a filter press for their clays......... which makes a world of difference in the handling of the finished product.  Not sure if that is for ALL bodies.

 

I don't think any US manufacturer does this.

 

Almost all in Japan do this.

 

best,

 

................john

 

Some do, Matt and Dave's clay, Rovin ceramics in Ann Arbor, MI.

I'm surprised it isn't more common though.

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I use B-Mix 5 and like it a lot. It seems pretty reliable, and although it isn't porcelain-white in the wet stage, it is light enough so that when I was doing surface designs in colored slip on I could get a feel for the finished effect. It might be a little pricey, though.

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I also believe that Tuckers mixes to full wet with a blunger and then uses a filter press for their clays......... which makes a world of difference in the handling of the finished product.  Not sure if that is for ALL bodies.

 

I don't think any US manufacturer does this.

 

Almost all in Japan do this.

 

best,

 

................john

John

These guys filter press all thier clay and always have since 1941-small family run company

I used their clays for about 20 years-stopped in the early 90s when some body issues came up.

Not many know about this clay operation especially on this board as its a local middle California gold mining area in the hills .

As folks should know filter pressed clay is the best made clay as all the particles get wet.

I also know another potter (Alfred 60's graduate) Dale Roush who has his own filter press and blunger set up-its more a one man shop set up.

 

Mark

http://quylekilns.com/clay_products

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I'm a huge fan of Standard's 551 porcelain. It's really white, throws well, and doesn't seem to be particularly prone to warping. It's happy to be thrown thin, tall, collars in well, and doesn't collapse easily like when you're making large wide bowls. I've colored it with mason stains which also worked. It's a bit more expensive than highwater's little loafers which I've also used and liked. The two of them are almost identical in terms of whiteness at all stages. I prefer 551 for throwing (by just a tiny bit), but the cost difference may not be worth it for you. Hope this helped some.

 

Deborah

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Guest JBaymore

Last time I heard about Rovin... was in the 60's I think. They are still around, huh. And Mat and Dave I never heard about.... small place?

 

best,

 

............john

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Last time I heard about Rovin... was in the 60's I think. They are still around, huh. And Mat and Dave I never heard about.... small place?

 

best,

 

............john

Oh boy, now your in trouble ^_^

 

Matt from Matt and Dave's clay is Matt Katz, who moderated clay and glaze technical before you. They’ve only been around a few years, still working on expanding I presume.

Rovin opened in 1957 and is on its third set of owners. They've stayed fairly local.

 

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  • 8 months later...

Medecine Hat Alberta Canada

 

White stoneware clay #370 Cone 5-6

 

Go to their site. I' m using that clay since 15 years

The company name is Plainsman's Clay, out of Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada.

TJR.

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Last time I heard about Rovin... was in the 60's I think. They are still around, huh. And Mat and Dave I never heard about.... small place?

 

best,

 

............john

Oh boy, now your in trouble ^_^

 

Matt from Matt and Dave's clay is Matt Katz, who moderated clay and glaze technical before you. They’ve only been around a few years, still working on expanding I presume.

Rovin opened in 1957 and is on its third set of owners. They've stayed fairly local.

 

I think they went out of business, unfortunately.    http://www.mattanddavesclays.com/

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Many of the clays listed above EXCEPT the Plainsman numbers and the B-mix from Laguna are unavailable here in Western Canada. Even the Tucker's. Freight and Duty make a lot of things like heavy clay cost prohibitive. Ceramics Canada in Calgary does bring in Frost and b-mix 401 from Laguna, as well as some paper clays from Seattle. Give them a call or an email; Trudy and Mike and the gang are all awesome! www.ceramicscanada.net, if you want to have a gander at their catalogue. You will have to contact them for prices, though.

Cal

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