If you’re like me, recycling/reclaiming clay is always a hassle. However, I like to reuse all that clay that, if reclaimed, can save a lot of money and its also really great for the environment.
I generally save all bits and pieces of clay, slip, and throwing slop. I place it in a big rubber storage container out behind my pottery studio. I let it sit there until I’m ready for some heavy work, then scoop up the clay and put it in doubled bags that I have saved from purchased clay. It’s a mix of low fire white, white raku, and a brown cone 6 clay that I generally throw with. When it’s placed in the bags, it’s a big mix of those clays. It’s great for hand building, but not good for anything functional, as it is super groggy from the raku clay.
Sometimes I leave it in the bags too long and it becomes a big lump of very hard, rock-like clay. When it is like this, I wrap it in a sopping wet towel and put it in water-tight bags and wait a few days. After a few days, the clay reabsorbs the moisture and is ready to use.
Instead of wedging this clay, (lazy me) I simply use it as is. The following video shows how I slab roll this clay.
The video also shows how I use a LP record, cut in half, to make a wonderful tool for smoothing and compressing the clay.
Hopefully, this is helpful to you and if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!
Happy potting to you!
