Leaving Centered Clay on Bat Overnight

[Kim Ton]

My arms got tired after trying to center about a 7lb piece of stiff clay which is pretty large for me. My arms got tired and it’s getting late in the night. I was wondering if anyone has any info about leaving a 7lb piece of centered clay on a masonite bat overnight. Will it warp my bat, cause moisture issues,etc? 

[Hulk]

I've covered work in progress with an inverted container without issue; I've several two quart, gallon, two gallon, and five gallon buckets stacked up in the studio for just that purpose.
Should loss of moisture be at issue, a shot or two or three from a mister loaded with water, as necessary, does the job.

As for your Masonite bat, yrmv - my powderboard bats are 1/2" and 3/4" thick, and although they haven't warped yet, the finish is wearing off, so I don't leave work sitting on them any longer than necessary. I've enough material to make another twenty bats; when they're done, I can refinish the worn ones. I've given them a good soak with oil stain, allowed to fully dry, then finished with varnish, which holds up for a year or so, then begins to fail. Perhaps I'll try a different finish next time.

[GEP]

Masonite will start to disintegrate if it stays wet too long. But if you leave wet clay on it overnight one time, it’s probably fine. If you’re going to do this on a regular basis, I would recommend getting some different batts that can withstand moisture better, such as plastic. 

[Callie Beller Diesel]

I know it’s kinda late now, so this is more of a “for next time” comment.

When learning to centre larger pieces of clay than what you’re used to, having it a bit on the soft side will save a lot of wear and tear on your body. If your arms are getting tired in the centering, I’d suggest you try bracing your arms more and using your body weight. Muscling it in is a fast way to hurt yourself.