Wedging The Clay? Necessary?

[JoLinDesigns]

I am reading lots of different answers concerning this. I am using a slab roller to roll out a 14" slab of clay 3/4" thick. I cut off a slab from the 25 pound block of clay. This is to make my 12" tiles. My question is... Do i need to wedge it before rolling it? Is it a necessary step or can i just take it right from the block and roll it out. I thought that wedging was needed when you are reusing/ rolling from scraps. Thank you.

[Mark C.]

No wedging necessary from new clay cut from pugs for slab rolling.

Mark

[Bob Coyle]

Just make sure you flip your slab over and turn 90 degrees with each roll so the clay doesn't shrink more in one direction in drying and firing.

[JoLinDesigns]

Thanks. Do i need to turn it over even of its between 2 rollers and rolls evenly?

[Bob Coyle]

I think it would be best if you do. In hand building I always flip it over and at 90 degrees from the last roll, but since I don't do much tile work, I would let more experience people weigh in on this.

[JoLinDesigns]

I think it would be best if you do. In hand building I always flip it over and at 90 degrees from the last roll, but since I don't do much tile work, I would let more experience people weigh in on this.

Okay. Thank you!!!!

 

Linda

[Pugaboo]

I have done a few tiles, a currently bisquing 14 6x6 tiles but am getting ready to put 20 4x4 tiles through their final glaze firing. I've done other 4x4 tiles and haven't really had any issue with warping. When I roll I always flip and rotate 90 degrees each time through the slab roller. I then cut to size, place on drywall, drop on floor, stack up, leave for a day then unstack but leave on the board to trim back to squareness if needed. Don't pull up on edges! Just use a square to check each piece and trim off any non square edges. (when dropped the square tiles can misshape somewhat) then just re stack the boards one on top of the other and leave for about a week. The tiles should be nearly bone or all the way bone dry at this point. I remove from the drywall boards and place on an open wire shelf to do any little bit drying that remains. I clean the edges and bisque.

 

Terry

[Pres]

I wedge all of my clay, as I have said before. Big  reason here is that my clay sits outside under tarp, so it freezes in the winter leaving wet outside drier inside. Slash and slam the sides reversing inside, then cutting into portions for wedging is about the only way to go with it. Like this afternoon, I wedged 4#, 6#, 8# balls for canisters and in 2 hours had 2 sets with lids thrown. Trim tomorrow and throw some more.

[Karen B]

I have done a few tiles, a currently bisquing 14 6x6 tiles but am getting ready to put 20 4x4 tiles through their final glaze firing. I've done other 4x4 tiles and haven't really had any issue with warping. When I roll I always flip and rotate 90 degrees each time through the slab roller. I then cut to size, place on drywall, drop on floor, stack up, leave for a day then unstack but leave on the board to trim back to squareness if needed. Don't pull up on edges! Just use a square to check each piece and trim off any non square edges. (when dropped the square tiles can misshape somewhat) then just re stack the boards one on top of the other and leave for about a week. The tiles should be nearly bone or all the way bone dry at this point. I remove from the drywall boards and place on an open wire shelf to do any little bit drying that remains. I clean the edges and bisque.

 

Terry

 

 

Terry, I remember you writing about this before and find it very interesting. What clay do you use?

Thanks,

Karen