Reclaim It

A clay studio can be quite messy (mine included). Part of the reason is that occassionally (I'm not telling how often) a piece gets messed up while we are making it on the wheel or when the finishing touches are put on before letting it dry. The dilemma, especially for a small shop like mine, is what to do with it?

When I win the MegaMillions I can invest in a pugmill or a mixer, but until then, I have to make due with what I have. I use found/borrowed/claimed 5 gallon buckets and put all of the dry bits of clay in it, fill it with water and let the water do the work. The water breaks down the big chunks back into little particles. After it's broken down then I work on getting the water back out. Plaster is fabulous for this. It wicks up the moisture and leaves you with some fabulous clay. Of course, there are a few other steps you have to take to make sure it's a good working consistency, but you get the point. It's a great way too save on clay costs and to keep from just throwing it away.