Reclaiming Clay
Introduction
Reclaiming clay is the essential ‘art’ of gathering, storing, and using leftover clay scraps from throwing, trimming, hand-building, etc. However, not everybody has a pug mill to slash and swirl leftover clay into perfect logs, so we’ve constructed a beginners guide for reclaiming clay whether you are operating out of a home studio or a brick and mortar establishment.
Why Reclaim Clay?
To avoid waste! Clay is a potter’s currency, and throwing clay away is like throwing gold in a landfill. Maybe that’s not completely accurate, but you get the point – as resourceful potters, and artists, we avoid dismissing clay, and integrate the reclaiming process into daily operations. Additionally, discarding clay byproducts (clay/water solution) in sinks (or God forbid, toilets) damages plumbing and septic systems.
What to Store Scrap Material in?
We store our scrap clay in heavy-duty, 5-gallon Home Depot buckets, but any heavy-duty plastic bucket will do. The accumulation of scrap clay, and excess water can eventually cause these buckets to bear substantial weight, so we also recommend a bucket with a sturdy handle. Make sure your bucket can be covered with a lid to control the speed your reclaimed scrap dries.
Collection
I mentioned it before, but I’ll say it again (and again and again), used clay can be recycled until a piece is fired in the bisque (electric) kiln. So, go crazy until then! Toss a failed piece in the bucket after it collapses. Scrape the thin sheet of clay that stubbornly sticks to your wheel after cutting off a piece and throw that in the bucket. Excess clay from hand-building and slab-work, to the bucket! Dump trimmings in the bucket! That sludgy mess of water that builds in your wheel basin, dump it in the bucket! That piece that dried with an S-Crack, smash it in the bucket! As you can tell, we get very excited about this. Keep in mind the type of clay you are using – buckets should be labeled properly. Clay scrap should go with the corresponding clay bucket to avoid mixing dissimilar clay bodies.
*Pro Tip
Ensure your floors are free of tools or other contaminants before sweeping clay scrap off the floor and depositing them in your reclaim buckets.
Preparation
Consistency is key. After your buckets are full of clay water and clay scrap, bring them to a cool, dry place. The level of water in the bucket should be equal with the height of the clay scrap in the bucket. If your bucket doesn’t have enough water, use water from a hose or faucet to fill the remaining space. It doesn’t matter if this water is hot or cold. After you’ve done this, cover your scrap bucket with a lid. This will help retain moisture and in turn, help break down the clay. Usually this takes 2-3 days.
Check on your mixture daily. Once the resulting mixture in the bucket is soft and beginning to look like mud or slush, it’s time to mix the clay. By mixing the clay you are ensuring an even consistency. There is no need to go out and buy an expensive electric mixer to do this; we do it with our hands! Reach in the bucket to squeeze, swirl, and squish the clay mixture until your hand can move freely without meeting any lumps of stubborn clay. If there is still clay you can’t break down with your hands then it’s not ready to lay out.
Laying Clay Out to Dry
At this point wet scrap needs an absorbent surface where it can be laid out and left to dry. In our studio we use plaster slabs. For a guide to mixing and making plaster slabs/molds check out this guide by Guy Michael Davis on Ceramic Arts Network. HardieBacker Board – a moisture resistant cement board – is a solid option as well, and can be found in stores like Home Depot or Lowe’s. HardieBacker board will need to be set on a table for additional support.
Scoop the clay mixture onto the absorbent surface you are using. Firm scrap mixtures should be spread around the outside of the surface, acting as a wall. Soupier mixture should fill the space left in the middle. The height of the laid out clay should not exceed 2 1/2 inches. Too much clay can result in uneven drying and cause a delay in the reclaim process. When all the clay is laid out, smooth the surface with your hand.
When to Flip and Store
Check on your laid out clay daily. Once the edges of the clay start to rise off the table you can begin to flip the clay. Typically, clay on the outside dries faster and will need to be flipped first. To speed up the process you can angle a fan, blowing air directly on your laid out clay mixture. It takes practice to know when the mixture is done drying (to the perfect firmness level) and you may need to endure a few rounds of trial and error. The final slab of clay should be firm, but not so firm that you can’t squeeze it. The clay mixture shouldn’t stick to your hand and you should be able to indent the clay fairly easy with a single finger. Make sure the clay is at a firmness level YOU are comfortable working with!
Storage and Use
Once the laid-out clay has reached the correct firmness, you will need store it in an airtight bag. The bag should be sealed tight to prevent any moisture from being released to the air. After packing all of your clay into individual bags, it is best to store the bags in a large bucket – larger than the 5-gallon bucket used to hold the collected scrap.
When you are ready to use the reclaimed clay, take the covered bags out of the bucket, remove however much clay you want, and spiral wedge to remove any air bubbles. Congratulations! you are ready to throw using your reclaimed clay.
Written and Edited by: Cole Vincenzi