Backyard Red Stoneware
This clay comes from the banks of our red clay ditch that started out as a cattle trail 50 or so years ago. It’s what I call my “non-sandy” deposit. It’s still sandy, just not …
Tag: local clay
Moon Clay (Moon Community)
I did not have to put this clay in the dewatering tub. It settled enough on its own that it didn’t need it. I only rough screened this clay (window screen). It dewaters extremely fast …
Playing with Plasticity (ie varying sand amounts)
You know how you’re trying to solve a problem and finally come to a solution and think wow, that’s so simple, I should have thought of that ages ago?? My clays are sandy. Recently I’ve …
Test Results for Nepheline Syenite Additions to Sandstone Clay
For the previous post on this clay https://daylenes.com/2021/07/27/test-the-sandstone-clay/ I tested each batch only once. For better accuracy, do multiple tests. However, this tells me that I need to add more Neph Sye than I like. …
More Testing on the Sandstone Clay
The Sandstone clay is a sandy Clay that I dig right next to my house. Previous tests have shown that I need 14-15% added Nepheline Syenite to flux it down to cone 6. That’s more …
Testing the Sandstone Clay
This is a clay that is right next to my house. Super easy to access and easy to process. I first located this clay last year and did some initial tests then got side tracked …
Settling Clay that Doesn’t Want to Settle.
This is my lightest colored clay. After processing and sieving, it can stay in suspension for months. I generally add something to help it settle (because waiting months to work a clay just sucks). I …
Test Bowls
A couple of test bowls. Both of these had 6.5% added Neph Sye to flux the body down to cone 6. The one on the left is my newest dig location with some of the …
Wild/Local Clay Tests
I goofed with this load of bisque. I didn’t make sure my thermocouple was completely inserted (it wasn’t even all the way though the kiln wall). The load was badly overfired (for bisque). The test …
Dewatering Processed Clay Slurry
This is how I remove excess water from processed dug/local clay slurries. Some clays will dewater quickly and some take more time but this does speed up the processes.