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Can I Let The Clay In The Mixer/pugmill Freeze Solid?


Tracy

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If in doubt...clean it out.  The cost(s) and time for repair will(would) definitely be more than the time to clean it out. 

 

I buy all my clay in the fall and purposely let it freeze in the winter as it seems to age the clay.  Although I have to wedge it all in the spring, I don't mind as the texture changes after the freeze.  The clay  also seems to change shape some in the bags so I would be afraid that the frreze/thaw cycle would damage your pugger in some way. 

 

Enjoy the warm weather!  4" of snow here, this AM, covered up our brown Christmas - if only the snow would learn to stay off the sidewalks and roads!!

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Hey,

My vote is no because the water in the clay will expand when it

freezes. To what extent the expansion is may not be worth the

chance. If you allowed the clay in the pugger to dry out, it

shouldn't be an issue. I think your best bet would to be to take

it apart and clean it out...

Good luck on whatever the final decision is.

Alabama

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I have one I got in Portland as a demo at NCECA and drove back to Montana. They told be not to let it freeze with the clay in it. I got up several times during the night at our hotel half way home and ran the heater. I also wrapped it up for it to stay warm. They are easy to clean. Just take it apart You can scrub it when you get back.It has a cast aluminum casing so not good to have the clay freeze inside of it.

Marcia

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Hey,

In theory any dried clay left inside will be pushed out with the new clay 5 months from now, then that

clay is soaked back down to be pugged later.  I think the reality is that there will be nodules of dry clay

coming out the first day, week, and maybe a few stragglers the next month.  I'd still go ahead, clean out

as much clay as you can, shine a light inside and look for scratches and loose parts, and spray some

WD-40 inside to keep the aluminum from oxidizing to that white powder.  Even though the WD means

water displacement it should do the job...40 means it was the 40th recipe.  Oh, don't forget to give  

the bearings a shot of grease... Its a little too late to quiet down a dry screaming bearing with a shot of

grease.  Your manual will tell you where and how many grease fittings there are.  ;>)

Are your plans to handbuilt for the next 4 months or visit southern art centers and use their facilities?

Later,

Alabama

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