Check Your Tools

[MMB]

Sorry your clay got contaminated Chantay

 

Metal in recycled clay is a problem. My sad story is that I do metalworking in the same studio as where I throw clay. I was noticing ugly dark spots in some of my finished pieces and they turned out to be metal particles that were thrown out when I was cleaning up welds with a grinder. You would be surprised how far the grinder shaving fly... some right into my slop bucket!

 

I am more careful now and never aim the grinder anywhere near where the clay is being worked. I also have a fine mesh screen over the slop bucket. It slows down drying time but Keeps, at least the big chunks out. I also put a garbage bag over my wheel to keep stuff from getting into the wast tray.

Same thing for me that has had me spreading the two aspects of my studio to the far ends. Clay is on the far left, glass/wood in the middle, and metal on the far right. My angle grinder is my best friend on most days and I find that the dust can go the distance. Not to mention the wire brush pieces that fly off during use. I find them in my laundry. Ill be at work and wonder what is poking me on my shoulder...yep metal wire.

 

Chantay just use it as a test clay like the others have mentioned. Even for test glaze tiles, considering if there is a leeching of the metal after firing youll know it wasnt in the glaze. I have some old terra cotta that got plaster flakes in it that I use from time to time as throw away pieces. You could even use it to make supports for clay pieces during firing.

[HBLB229]

Oh man how do you get a big piece of metal like that in your piece without noticing it while throwing or trimming!

 

I too have worn through several trimming tools and I decided it's caused by a) cheap tools and trimming too dry. Since buying some good tools an being more careful about drying, I've seen leaps and bounds of improvement. It's really hard to trim with a dull tool and/dry clay. I thought I was just bad at that step, for the longest time! Now I don't have nearly as many problems.

 

I mostly use Laguna b-mix and I too have had problems with "stuff" in my clay! Most recently it was a length of plastic cord. Like fishing line but much thicker. Ruined a nice pot I was working on! :/

[Mark C.]

I checked my tools and they are still all in one piece.

I trim with a bison tool and metal will break it as will dropping it as its made from carbide.

Laguna clay has had lots of Stuff in it but most is not metal. Consideing how much clay they make its pretty low really as to contamination.

wood -rocks-caulk.

Mark

[ayjay]

Oh man how do you get a big piece of metal like that in your piece without noticing it while throwing or trimming!

 

 

The clay was a bit of a mish-mash of leftovers of various samples, I just threw a couple of mugs in a hurry  to get rid of it, I certainly never felt it whilst throwing and it wasn't visible after it had been trimmed, it just sort of popped out and appeared after it had been bisqued - I considered trying to pull it out - I considered just ditching it - in the end I just glazed it and fired it.

 

I've rubbed off any major protrusions with a diamond pad and am growing to like it, as do some others:  it's going on sale with some other bits at a small local sale in May, (same price as the other mugs). I'll point it out to anyone who attempts to buy it and let you know if it sells.