AndreaB Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 Good morning everyone. My question for this week is what surface do you use for wedging? In the one studio I have been to, they use a wooden surface. In the other studio it's a canvas over wood. Following on with studio number 2 I set up a canvas over wood. The problem is the canvas has stretched and I can't make it smooth, also with all the wedging the wood is starting to rot and break up so I have lumps in the canvas. I was thinking of using a art canvas on a frame and filling the frame with plaster. Would this work? Any drawbacks? Or should I just go for the plaster. I need the surface area to be smallish because I have to move it off the table in order to decorate. Looking forward to your answers. Have a good week everyone. Andrea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcia Selsor Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 This has been discussed many times before but I am sure more people will chime in. I prefer plaster. I have a framed table with a 3" thick plaster slab. It is next to my wheel and I put my wet cuttings and rib sludge onto the plaster and re-wedge it when it is ready to go. I wash it off when I switch clay bodies. I go from porcelain to raku and back. I have had this table for 16 years. It has some worn dips and I may recast the plaster when I move it to Montana in the coming months. Some people like canvas. I don't. I think it was a huge dust maker in my class room for 25 years. I washed it regularly. The tables were cover with canvas. I had a plaster wedging table in my classroom. Marcia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 My favorite, which I unfortunately don't have in my studio, is smooth concrete. It's absorbent and very durable. Unlike plaster you can scrape it down without damaging it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEP Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 Hardieboard. Easy to sponge clean, so it's much less dusty than canvas. Seems to last forever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 Plaster for me-its over 4 inches thick.Lasted since 1971. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrim8 Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 I used to use either plaster or just my canvas covered table but I went to a talk by Sarah Pike and she used Hardieboard for her slab work as it takes water out quickly... so I've added this to my options and it helps reconstitute some of my wet clay into a wedge-able form in a timely fashion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnolia Mud Research Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 a 16 inch square smooth surface concrete patio stepping stone. Some times I cover it with a piece of cloth held on with a bungee cord. Most time just bare concrete. I use to have two, a white one for white clay and a red one for red clay. LT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronfire Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 2'x4' table with 4" concrete and covered with canvas. Table does not move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaSkipper Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 I use a 2'x3' slab of marble from an old countertop. I throw ^6 porcelain and the dried little bits scrape off easily and completely with a spackle knife. Then I have a dust free super smooth surface that works comfortably for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bciskepottery Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 3/4" plywood, 24" square. One for white clay; one for red/brown. Sponge down after use. I avoid canvass as it holds clay dust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nancylee Posted November 1, 2016 Report Share Posted November 1, 2016 I googled and came up with Hardie siding and hardy board. What is hardie board and where would I get it? I made a plaster wedging board and it's still wet after a month!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Beller Diesel Posted November 1, 2016 Report Share Posted November 1, 2016 Hardie is the brand name. It's cement board, usually used as wallboard behind tile work in bathrooms, because it doesn't rot like drywall. Building centres will carry it. And I have a canvas covered table. The canvas is now rotting after 10 years, and will be removed shortly, and I will likely switch to cement board. The surface under it is sealed wood. When I originally stretched the canvas, I pulled it tight, working from the centre outwards on each side. Like you're supposed to with stretching a painting canvas, or recovering a chair seat. After that, I washed down the cotton duck with the hottest water out of the tap, and that makes it shrink a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joy pots Posted November 1, 2016 Report Share Posted November 1, 2016 My wedging board is a removeable piece of plywood with canvas stretched on it & is over 20 years old no rips. I also have a board with plaster board attached so they can be switched. My husband built the wedging table with a backboard & put L shaped hardware that keeps the board in place & is easy to switch. Joy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayjay Posted November 1, 2016 Report Share Posted November 1, 2016 At class we had a concrete topped table, it was always OK wedging lengthways on the table until some divvy came along and started wedging across the table when the whole thing would wobble like a jelly! At home I wedge on top of a chest freezer, on a board covered in housewrap (canvassy type building material, but not as hard wearing), I also have a 2'0" x 3'0" limestone paving slab on my bench, which is where I would wedge if I could get at it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pyewackette Posted November 2, 2016 Report Share Posted November 2, 2016 Hardieboard. Easy to sponge clean, so it's much less dusty than canvas. Seems to last forever. I use this for lots of stuff. However the manager of a local co-op refused to allow me to bring my hardiboard to use there. He insists that the edges break down and you get junk in your clay. I'm sure this could happen given enough time, but its never happened to me. If I DID see the edges starting to break down and stuff was getting in my clay, I'd throw the board out and get a new one. The stuff is not expensive. Is this a reasonable concern? Honestly it sounds more like what happens to wallboard when people try to use that for drying boards and what not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alabama Posted November 2, 2016 Report Share Posted November 2, 2016 I usually drop by the thrift shop, buy a pillow case for 50 cents, lay it on a piece of used plywood and trace around it with a black sharpie, cut it out, then drop the plywood into the pillow case...and staple one end. PS, I don't care if it is some kind of Egyptian cotton with 1025 thread count, and the clay doesn't care either. Alabama Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JBaymore Posted November 2, 2016 Report Share Posted November 2, 2016 Plaster (my personal studio) or high density fiberboard (at the college). Sometimes a concrete floor....or whatever is available . best, ..............john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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