I threw a couple of pieces before I had to disappear on an extended business trip. Unfortunatly, my pieces are all now pretty completyly dry, and I still need to trim a plate and add a handle to a mug. I lnow there is a way to wet the clay again do I can do this, but can someone give me some advice as to the proper technique?
Thanks!
I usually just use a paper towel or two moistened and placed inside a bag with the item needing rewetting. Trashbags seem to sweat, since they don't breath, so are good to use on rewetting an item.
wrap the pieces in plastic, along with wet towels. the humidity slowly gets into the dry pieces. if you check after a while, and things are not quite leather enough, wet the towels more & leave them alone longer. this truly works, but be patient.
see ya
steve
steve graber
I'd give them a quick dunk in a bucket of water, then wrap them up in plastic. Check them, and if they're still too dry, take a spray bottle with water and spray them down, rewrap and let them sit for awhile. Of course, I'd only do this if I really loved the pieces. If I only felt so-so about them, I'd break them up to recycle them and start again.
Deb R.
supremely good idea here too!
Of course, I'd only do this if I really loved the pieces. If I only felt so-so about them, I'd break them up to recycle them and start again.
ref: Subject: Re: Re-moisten dry piece? From: snipped-for-privacy@wpi.edu (Deborah M Riel) Date: 11/14/2004 5:44 PM Pacific Standard Time Message-id:
I'd give them a quick dunk in a bucket of water, then wrap them up in plastic. Check them, and if they're still too dry, take a spray bottle with water and spray them down, rewrap and let them sit for awhile. Of course, I'd only do this if I really loved the pieces. If I only felt so-so about them, I'd break them up to recycle them and start again.
Deb R.
steve graber
Just be careful you dont over-moisten them, or you could return to a soggy pile of clay. I agree with the others, a damp towel and wrap in plastic bags. But keep an eye on it and make sure it doesnt get over wet!
It's a few days late, and a few other people replied to this, but I though I could unlurk and put in my two cents. I teach ceramics and have had a few students who "forgot" to wrap their work - needless to say, their work dried out.
Over the years a few things have become clear - The Wonder That Is the Wet Towel can revive a project just as easily as destroy it.
I only use a damp towel. Get the towel wet and then wring it out as well as you can. If the towel is too wet, the piece can just collapse into little broken bits. This is the general rule of thumb, although some solid piece over the years has survived a overly wet towel.
In this case, size also matters. Use a towel that won't swamp the thing. A washcloth works well on small things, handtowels work on plates and bowls, etc. The weight of a large wet towel can also damage a piece.
Once the piece is wrapped, it gets put in a plastic bag and is left to sit until the next class period. I teach block schedule, so I see the students every other day. I tell them to check it during lunch the next day, and about 50% of the students actually do.
You can put the piece on a board, but I wrap the board in plastic before I put the wet towel wrapped piece on it so the wood won't leach off the moisture.
I've never used the paper towels the same way so I can't say if that works or not. The few times students have tried them, they didn't work as well as the towel.
Oh! Make sure it's a towel you will never ever use again for bathing. Yard sales keep me supplied when I need extra.
Good luck. Kate
Trying to re-moisten dried out work is a waste of time and effort in my opinion. I would rather toss a dried out pot in the garbage and throw another one then spend time trying to re-moisten it.
depends on what time has been put into that pot. for very detailed work, it can make sense to re-moisten.
and if you are set up to re-moisten a piece this helps too.
ceramics monthly (or clay times?) this month had a simple box. buy one of those larger storage boxes with a snap lid from wall mart or home depot or other large stores supplying those type of boxes.
pour plaster into the bottom - make a plaster floor.
keep the plaster wet. put your piece inside & cap the lid. wait a few days & check on it.
see ya
steve
steve graber
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