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What's the best place to buy wet clay online? I'm looking for mid fire earthenware and stoneware. I have seen some places that charge for shipping two times what the clay costs. I prefer to not buy online, but we live far and away from anything. Nearest clay place is about 2 hours away.

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I think most places will have pretty steep shipping, I'm not sure if you live two hours from Wichita or Lawrence or maybe you live closer to Oklahoma City.  I know several people who live that far away and just make a day trip of if.  Most of the time they call their order in ahead of time and then shop at little more at the store.  They shop and run errands at stores that aren't usually available to them and have a nice dinner and head home. It's more fun to spend your freight money that way.   Denice  (Big City Girl in Kansas)

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I am another one who lives 2 hours from the nearest clay retailer, and it really is more cost effective to make the run.   I'm not a volume producer, so 300 to 500 pounds at a time every few months, the fuel charge is only about $40 in my toy pickup. (aka Ford Ranger) I usually plan a clay run for when I need to get out of this backwater and go shopping anyway!

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The best clay retailer online is your local retailer that is closest to you no matter where you are. I live 2-21/2 hrs. away from Pittsburgh where Standard is. A day trip in a van used to work, but I am best off when I buy a ton to have it shipped. It hurts, but then it is a larger amount than a van should carry.

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If you are looking for 25 pound amounts try an arts and crafts store.

You may be shocked to find delivery cost (ordered directly from your closest supplier) on a palet of clay to be reasonable.

The clay suppliers around here will drive 2 hours with a palet for $80.00, but then again I'm about 15 minutes from "The pottery capital of the world"

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If you are looking for 25 pound amounts try an arts and crafts store.

You may be shocked to find delivery cost (ordered directly from your closest supplier) on a palet of clay to be reasonable.

The clay suppliers around here will drive 2 hours with a palet for $80.00, but then again I'm about 15 minutes from "The pottery capital of the world"

which one? I have heard of a few places that claim that title.  :D

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Guest JBaymore

......................... but then again I'm about 15 minutes from "The pottery capital of the world"

 

Having been in Japan, Korea, and China....... I think that location is likely NOT anywhere in the USA. ;)

 

best,

 

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

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you might also check local commercial pottery studio.  The one i go to mixes there own stoneware and buys by the pallet.  You can purchase commercial clay for slightly more than his local mixed clay.   Depending on volume he is selling for between .5 and .75/lb

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I am another one who lives 2 hours from the nearest clay retailer, and it really is more cost effective to make the run. I'm not a volume producer, so 300 to 500 pounds at a time every few months, the fuel charge is only about $40 in my toy pickup. (aka Ford Ranger) I usually plan a clay run for when I need to get out of this backwater and go shopping anyway!

Same with us. We buy most of our clay from a place about an hour and a half a away. We just call ahead and place an order for about 300 pounds and make the trip every couple of months.

 

It's in the same area as Seagrove, so we make a day of it and visit different potteries before loading up and heading home.

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We have Pat Catan's and Michael's arts and crafts store around here, they carry 25# boxes of Amaco.

The Amaco clay is supposedly a universal clay, but I had some trouble with their under glazes washing out on thier clay at cone 6.

 

Hi John

 

............. but then again I'm about 15 minutes from "The pottery capital of the world"

 

It's on their welcome sign, East liverpool Ohio makes that claim.

 

In Chester WV, right across the river, They Have "The worlds largest Tea Pot"...I have the T-shirt

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Guest JBaymore

It's on their welcome sign, East liverpool Ohio makes that claim.

 

They don't get around much.  ;)

 

best,

 

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

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Ouch, John.

I don't want to get into a pissing contest, and of course many places can and do lay claim to being the so-and-so capital of the world with little or no foundation, but I'd suggest dissing East Liverpool and its role in the history of ceramics also suggests not getting around much.

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Guest JBaymore

Nope... guess I don't get around much. ;)

 

Being very serious about this now, I've been there (that area of Ohio).  It has a great amount of AMERICAN history, for sure. But to even come CLOSE to claiming that kind of "WORLD" title ........... shows a complete lack of understanding of the nature of the world.  If they are in any way serious, and it is not just pure 'marketing fluff' and they know it, then there is a significant bit of arrogance to that claim.   

 

Unless MAYBE such a claim is close enough to contest........ then it reflects a lack of broad understanding at the minimum. 

 

But the difference between that area of America (ANY ceramic center in America) and places like Yixing and Jingdejen in the People's Republic of China is SO far "out of whack" that it is absurd.  Whether you measure it by influence on world ceramic activities, number of ceramics facilities per capita, overall volume of wares produced, diversity of types of wares produced, dollar volume, etc. ...... there is no comparison by a huge magnitude difference. 

 

If you've not been to China... you have NO idea what it is over there.  I know that I certainly didn't.... and I had been studying cer amics for 40+ years.  It was an eye opener, for sure.  Places in Japan and Korea have HUGE historical impacts and could lay some claim to that kind of title reasonably........ but they pale in comparison to China.

 

There is no way to justify that East Liverpool claim in the remotest sense on the overall world stage.  So in that  sense....... they must not get around much.  I'll stand by that assesment. 

 

If it was Yixing and Jingdejen arguing over it.... that is more of a debate.

 

best,

 

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

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What's the best place to buy wet clay online? I'm looking for mid fire earthenware and stoneware. I have seen some places that charge for shipping two times what the clay costs. I prefer to not buy online, but we live far and away from anything. Nearest clay place is about 2 hours away.

If you're in eastern KS, Brackers in Lawrence is great.

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I was simply trying to say we have clay suppiers making delivery's to our area. $80.00 shipping for a palet of clay is reasonable to me. In Kansas they may not have a pottery close, and it may cost more.

 

Living in this area I can say East liverpool is a hole in the wall, but they have a lovely pottery museum, and I feel it is worth a visit if your worldly travels ever bring you here. Traveling the world generally has a humbiling effect on most people. I am shocked ,and supprised that this upset you.

 

Historically referred to as the "Pottery Capital of the World" (I believe this is a misinterpritation, it should actually read  "Pottery Capital of the USA" I think we can agree that this would be Historically 100% accurate)

 

I would wager the Tea Pot in Chester West Virgina...is not in fact the worlds largest, but I will still continue to wear the t-shirt.

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Guest JBaymore

It didn't upset me... I was originally poking light fun at the absurdity of the kinda' pretentious title. But Amy headed off into more "serious" territory.... and educationally..... I had to respond.

Yeah... "Pottery Capital of the USA" might be more appropriate.... but Trenton, New Jersey might want to give that one a run for its money too. But that is a FAR closer "tie" if it is a tie.

(My personal family history is in the Mercer and Cook potteries in the Trenton area back into the mid 1800's. I'm from New Jersey. -please... no "what exit" jokes ;))

 World travel certainly does change your perspective on your own 'view of how life is and the world works'.

best,

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

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Seeing that Mug is from northeastern Ohio made it pretty easy to guess which "pottery capital" (in quotes, as Mug put it) was being referred to. My point wasn't to argue the legitimacy of the self-proclaimed title but rather to acknowledge and show respect for the town's history, including the fact that the town called itself that and was known - including popularly, beyond pottery and ceramic circles - by that title.
 
John - to me your first comment came across as maybe a little funny. Your second comment a little less so. I might not have said anything if you hadn't posted your second comment.

Mug - I like what you said about traveling having a humbling effect. I've never been to East Liverpool but hope to make it there someday.
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   I searched high and low to find the place to buy online, and like you ran into super steep shipping rates. I finally called a somewhat local (50 miles away) to get a quote. She told me she charged $1 a pound (doesnt matter what clay), plus approx. $30 for shipping, also, you have to buy at least 50lbs. So I was looking at $80 to buy from her, plus an hour commute both directions to get it. Well, after asking her about what sort of mid-high fire clays she had, she told me she needed to call her distributor to find out. She called back and was over whelmed, so she gave me their website so I could see what they had (then told me I HAD to buy from her, could not buy from them).

   Moral of this story, I went to aardvarkclay.com to see what they had. Every clay listed had different prices, along with an "add to cart" option. I found a good stoneware for $9 per 25lb bag which was cheaper than I had seen anywhere else. They also offer flat rate shipping via usps. It cost me $15.38 to ship 50lbs of clay. I spent a total of $38.06 which saved me almost $50 along with a commute to pick it up.

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A 2 hour drive would be nice! I'm 4-5 hours from the nearest place (Runyan pottery, and a Standard Clay distributor). I can sometimes get a friend from the nearby area to pick up an order for me if they're coming up here for something, but I would think the gas for a 2 hour drive to buy good clay would be better than paying freight. Plus you get out of the house.

 

What clays do they have on Amazon?

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