Wedge table

[ronfire]

I have a wedge table that is 4" of concrete and then covered with canvas. I was wondering if you can wedge directly on the  smooth concrete or will the clay stick to it?

 

[Magnolia Mud Research]

i wedge on the concrete without a problem.  Have used concrete floor,  concrete stepping stones, and cement blocks; rough surfaced, smooth, and polished.  polished annoyingly sticks to moist clay, smooth and rough does not.  

LT

[neilestrick]

Concrete should be a great wedging surface.

[liambesaw]

Ditch the canvas unless you're rolling slabs on it, it traps moisture and dust

[Pres]

I have been using concrete for years, covered with canvas. However, now I am wedging my second clay on a plywood cover over the concrete canvas wedging table. Works very well once you get used to the smoother surface. I will probably remove the canvas from my table when I go back to the Hazelnut brown clay.

 

best,

Pres

[liambesaw]

I love wedging on plywood!  But I would definitely use concrete if I had it.  Originally I had canvas on my wedging table but it would mold and I had to restretch it, and it was dusty, so I ripped it off and expected the clay to stick to the bare plywood but much to my amazement it pulled off less water and stuck less than the canvas so I was very happy.  Wish I would have known before.

[oldlady]

an easy way to have a concrete wedging surface is to buy one of the largest concrete patio blocks from a home building supply or garden center.  the largest i have is 18x18 inches.

[oldlady]

that might be true for the first day but if you wash the concrete with a strong stream of water, it will be just fine.   your clay ball will have tiny dimples but that is OK. 

 actually, a slice of slate is the best i have found.   the thick kind that is under the felt of a billiard table is totally smooth.   it washes off easily so you can change colors of clay, too.   if you have a billiard wholesaler or whatever in your area, you can ask for broken pieces whenever they occur.  promise to come get it as soon as you are called.     i got a beauty that had a chunk out of one corner.  a simple concrete saw  straightened it out nicely.

[JohnnyK]

On 8/17/2020 at 4:41 AM, oldlady said:

an easy way to have a concrete wedging surface is to buy one of the largest concrete patio blocks from a home building supply or garden center.  the largest i have is 18x18 inches.

You will probably find that if you turn these large pavers upside down that the bottom is relatively smooth...

[JohnnyK]

Another option to get a perfectly smooth concrete surface is to make your own slab as you would a plaster mold. Make a wood frame to the height of the slab you want (like cottle boards). Lay some smooth plastic on a flat work surface like a piece of plywood; place the frame on the plastic; mix up the amount of concrete you will need from a sack purchased at your local big box store...60lbs should be more than enough...and mix the concrete a little on the runny side preferably in a 5 gallon bucket. Pour the concrete into your form level with the top of the form and wait for it to set up. I would give it a day or two before removing the form boards. Set the new slab out in the sun to dry it out before you use it for wedging. The advantage of mixing in a 5 gallon bucket is any leftover concrete will set up in the bucket and will make a neat, round stepping stone. mixing the concrete on the slightly runny side will assure that the bottom of the mold (which will become the top of your slab) will be as smooth as the plastic you used for the bottom of the mold and the pebbles that are used in the store-bought sacks are pretty small and shouldn't be a problem...

JohnnyK

[Callie Beller Diesel]

I’ve got a smooth-for-concrete patio paver I use as a wedging surface. It was cheap and cheerful, and didn't involve building frames or mixing plaster.  It works fine and it’s easier to clean thoroughly than canvas by a wide margin. Sloppy reclaim still sticks, but then it sticks to everything. It doesn’t really dry clay out a lot, so if you’re looking for an absorbent surface, go with bare plaster.