How I Reclaim and Recycle Porcelain Clay

[@Nono-hk3is]

This is a great illustration of how recycling and reuse are easy and efficient when they are planned for in your process

[@wmose3694]

the thing about this is this is not recycling as this is just re hydrating the clay it has not been changed into anything ells this is still raw clay this is more reclaiming rather than recycling and if you don't do this you are wasting money

[@misterrbl5156]

I absolutely loved the pottery classes I took in college. Unfortunately I never got to work with porcelain clay as the professor only allowed good old fashioned stoneware clay for undergraduate classes. We always saved our scraps and put them in a big garbage can and at the end of the semester we would help turn the scraps back into useful stoneware clay, on occasion the professor would add some fine sand to the mix to help with excess water. The coolest part though would be watching the professor make huge abstract vases from the reclaimed clay on average these pieces were 3ft to 4ft tall. The hard part was getting them in the kiln for the first firing but so worth the effort.

[@amashizaino]

I was lucky enough that the college I went to let us buy our own clay blocks. So I got like 1 stone and 1 porcelain. It was a delight getting to use it and that was hands down the BEST class I ever had. If I could just make pottery as a business for the rest of my life, it'd be a dream come true.

[@unusualcritter]

I really love your perspective on this process. I personally find it very calming and your demonstration just shows that being able to reclaim makes the most of your time and money. Thank you :D

[@Alexander666W]

Hey Florian after watching you and other KZbinrs now for many many hours and almost 2 years ... I finally bought myself a pottering wheel for Christmas. Also, I am going to take some lessons in January. Cant wait to finally start

[@Zeldur]

How has your ceramic journey been?

[@SmartMonkey45]

Still doing it?

[@imaytag]

I don't know anything about working with clay and I have no idea how I got here, but I gotta say seeing the smooth and uniform cross sections at the end was somehow really satisfying.

[@LyceenJPS]

God your voice is so soothing. I could listen to this for hours

[@ClownWhisper]

I fill a 5-gallon bucket with clear water and add clay scary on the fly. every day or two I clear out my wheel catch basin into the bucket. all scrap goes into the clear water as I go and 3 or 4 times per day I stir it with my paint stir. it always stays a fine slip and rarely gets any lumps.. when a bucket gets full I start a new one and let the first one thicken up for a matter of weeks until it will pile up. for example, if I take and scoop some out onto a board the second scoop-full will not smash down the pile very much. at this point I dry it as slow as I cab covering it up at night. it may take 2 weeks to firm up 50 lbs. i tend to cut the pile in quarters every day or two to even out drying. if I do have large pieces of scrap I will slake it down in its own bucket before adding it to the main slip bucket as to not screw up the fine consistency of the slip. so my reclaimed clay is always in the process but I never spend more than a few short minutes every day on any of it, some of the nicest clay that I have ever used was from mixing red clay with buff stoneware clay! i have no idea why

[@deemdoubleu]

Awesome. I was trying to wedge some recycled porcelain for my wife who is an amateur potter which had been stored in a bag in the garage over winter. I think, judging by what you have demonstrated, that it was still too wet as it smeared all over the plywood bench top. So I have left it to dry out. Hopefully it will be easier to manage tomorrow. Thanks for all your videos.

[@emmaanderson8083]

I just got my own wheel as I just graduated high school so now. I have to supply my self with all of the art equipment and this also includes normal paint. it’s a struggle of just getting money to buy everything for a somewhat decent pottery studio in my home. Like I don’t even have a table yet or even shelves and Im ready to cry. Lastly a kiln; that’s all my money in my savings account for a decent sized one. And don’t mention the electricity bill. But regardless of everything I’m going to find a way to get everything, and I’m just glad that my parents are here to help me. And with your simple recipe for the plaster batt makes my life a little easier, until I go to college to get my shit together with the help of the professors there.

[@TheCredibleHulk]

Not sure why KZbin thought that I, a programmer, who has never worked with clay in my life, would be interested in this video tutorial, but here we are..

[@GGorsty]

How the turns have tabled.

[@daranadine7711]

Data scientist here, not sure why I’m here either but I’m happy

[@SamuelSmithJirikiha]

SQL developer here, also not sure why but happy it was recommended.

[@emhamzahazeen]

Same 😅

[@emmaamos8039]

Come to a ceramics class. It’s marvelous 🥰

[@connor1471]

This was entirely entertaining, informative, and felt like an ASMR video. I have very little experience with clayworking, but even with it, I still gain an appreciation for artists such as yourself and it's just amazing to watch your videos.

[@Erhannis]

I appreciate that you explain what happens when you do things the wrong way.

[@RPRsChannel]

I remembered now I asked you a long time ago about recycling (porcelain) clay. Thank you for this video.

[@scytheria7]

I’m just a beginner but I’ve always wondered about this!! Thank you so much for sharing your process in depth once again! :)

[@floriangadsby]

Thanks for taking the time to watch, so glad it has been of some use!

[@garetkonigsfeld2]

Wow it's a lot more than just mixing water and clay. It must take years just to learn how to process the clay the way it will work for you. I'm sure every artist wants it a little different. Than you have to learn to use it. Much more than I ever thought went into it. Thanks for sharing 👍 very interesting.

[@brianmckay1256]

hi there. Im really enjoying your videos. I'm not a potter i just like watching what your doing. Your voice is very calm and relaxing, and i could listen to you all day!!

[@0FlowerPop0]

omg his voice is the best. i want to fall asleep but i want to finish the video!

[@floriangadsby]

😴

[@marachime]

i also don't know why but this was the information i wanted to know the moment i found your channel from Tom Scott's video. i think because i want to feel reassured that if i were to try pottery, none of what i had to throw out would be wasted.

[@nataliewalker3095]

There’s something about the way you wedge clay that is completely mesmerizing. And the sound. Are you this calm in your everyday life? Just curious. 🥰

[@Violaetor]

Never done it, never will. But it was a pleasure to watch and listen, thank you!

[@tarunis630]

So beautiful, your voice, the process- very calming too

[@juanQuedo]

The smooth texture of that wedged porcelain makes me want to bite it

[@floriangadsby]

me too.

[@juanQuedo]

@@floriangadsby 😆

[@krissp8712]

Forbidden marshmallows?

[@KdetJim]

During this reclamation process, especially when pulling trimmings from your wheel tray or dust off of your tools/wooden bats, do you have to worry about contamination or discoloration seeping into the porcelain reclaim? How do you mitigate this?

[@GreenDayFanMT]

You really communicate with your audience.

[@Sleepless_Chaos]

Thank you so much for showing this to us. Your voice is soothing, your method of explaining is straightforward but also elegant, and I love the way you produce your videos. The calm lighting, the perfect cuts, the way you frame the shots. I honestly can't wait to be done with school so I can learn the craft. Edit: Please do get a pug mill! I'd love to know more about them and I'd like to see your life made easier. I'm also curious if you'd deem it a "worthwhile" investment and for what reasons (ex. Time saved, ease of use, less workload, more opportunities for form and such).

[@JuanSanchez-cy7ey]

Almost a year since i've been watching your channel, thanks for all the vids!

[@floriangadsby]

Thanks so much Juan, that really means so much. I never thought KZbin would blow-up like it did, so I have all you early viewers to thank for that.

[@closetobegood1060]

I have never done pottery but I would watch this to fall asleep any day

[@peach9118]

It is so nice , this whole process is so satisfying .Hats off to your hard work 👏

[@JACK_TheAllSeeingEye]

Happy Solstice Florian! Cheers from Canada🍁

[@cheshirecat6554]

I love these videos! Theyre so calming 😌

[@Tangobutton]

Oh, there is no sense of getting a pug mill if you want the workout. :-) A recent experience I had in using my small hand-sized cubes of porcelain (that are the result of my no-machine recycling process which is pretty similar to yours- and the best shape for me to use in my small tiles and animal jewelry) is that a common stink bug had somehow gotten into my scrap container on my worktable and then into my slop bucket! Imagine my face when pulling out bug body part from a small Swedish Vallhund piece I had made for a customer's order. A bit of patching and he was good as new and fired fine. No bug parts explosion in the kiln, which was my fear. All these years of sharing my work space with the odd stinkie, ladybug or wasp and this is the first time it has happened. For my reclaiming, I hand mix the slurry (up to my elbows) and used to scoop up piles up thick sludge and pat it into a yule log shape on a bandana-covered piece of drywall. I would let that firm up for about a week, cut it into smaller slices and wedge those into my hand-sized cubes and bag them up. Those bags are allowed to sit under my work table and the porcelain will turn green and be nice and workable after a few months. I like some of your ideas and will try them.

[@lapatron555]

THANK YOU!!! Honestly love your channel so much.

[@GoingtoHecq]

I wish I could reuse my sawdust like this.

[@Nono-hk3is]

Check out New Yorkshire Workshop channel. He just unveiled a sawdust pelleting machine which lets him heat the workshop (in a furnace he enveiled earlier this year). Not the same thing as reclaiming, but similarly satisfying.

[@MrKahrum]

add glue, make a board. cant use it for the same things, but particle board is definitely a thing :)

[@HaroonKhan-ix3xs]

I found it very satisfying 🥰

[@roopareddy7332]

Thanks a lot for these amazing videos. I always look forward to your posts and videos, they're simply soothing! :)

[@HORSEGUARDCANADA]

Thank you so much for your amazing, nice and generous videos.

[@txikitofandango]

What an unusual material clay is

[@jpm80]

i just love watching potters reclaim clay haha

[@War-Jac]

Have you considered using a dehumidifier at some point during this process? I feel like it might speed up dry time if you've got a container big enough to house the machine and your drying blocks.

[@mintatatatataa]

Was waiting for this 🦋

[@afrinariya4785]

Another soothing video...😍😍

[@mdouglaswray]

Great video on the technique! Thanks!

[@yemmi1385]

Such wonderful advice over all, that came be applied to many other crafts

[@peterscherschligt3260]

Please make a video about making the walled plaster bats for porcelain!

[@Spin1Particle]

Wow, I love your Work.

[@stevegladstone-barrett4816]

Hi and thanks for sharing uou amazing skills. As a new potter I want to reclaim and wondered how much water you use for your plaster slab recipe. I assume you mix the 2 dry ingredients before adding to the water. Thanks

[@MjuMeli]

I came here thinking I get a guide to recycling broken teacups etc. Guess this was interesting as well since I watched the whole thing :D

[@JoseHernandez-tc1kl]

Wow that awesome no wast that how you really save money.

[@Mikedartagnan]

When I have clay that's too hard, I make holes in it with a knife, pour water over it and leave it in a plastic bag overnight, and then wedge it. If it's still too hard I repeat the process.

[@Alucard_Seven]

I always fine this stuff interesting. Wish I could afford to do stuff like this.

[@rechubcire5362]

Love the vids

[@txikitofandango]

Do you ever dry out clay with stuff like magnesium oxide? You make it by baking magnesium salts, its used for dehydrating food

[@nsrvtqc]

I have no use for this information but I enjoy it regardless. 👊

[@unnecessarydelivery5549]

Ooooooo that cracking sound! Ugh hoping for an asmr ver knowing there wont be one HAHAHA

[@Lapantouflemagic0]

i didn't know i wanted to know that. 2022 starts weird, who would have guessed ?

[@Jerisa]

Great video. Thanks so much.

[@chrismatheson4367]

Beautiful!!

[@violetsands]

I think i must be old skool because i have tried pugmills and spiral wedging - in fact i have tried it all but i always revert back to spiral wedging and i prefer it and prefer using the clay treated in this manner. However saying that, if you do have a lot of reclaim then a pugmill is a very handy tool.

[@nuwayyer]

Hard worker ma'shaa Allah..

[@saxplayingcompnerd]

you should use an industrial baking mixer.

[@junkabella6324]

Fascinating! :)

[@kingstonpotato1791]

Thank you for your sharing

[@timothymccarthy7747]

A piece of plywood with canvas tied or stapled to it makes a good reclaim or even hand building station, as plaster is great for that but kind of expensive.

[@vina4880]

Hi Florian, I'm interested in placing porcelain slabs in my bathroom as a grout less application, but I can't seem to find any videos on high-end porcelain. How is porcelain's quality graded? I intend to place it in a way in where the slabs could be reclaimed, so in case I ever need to do any repairs or want to change the decoration in the bathroom, the porcelain would not be wasted. Porcelain functionally stands out above all other options, but I'm also interested in the potential value it could bring to my home as an investment: marble, for example, could improve my home's value by 25% of the retail value of the marble in the home. All that said, I really do appreciate porcelain and don't want to hide it by giving it an image of marble: I want people to know its porcelain and a high-end porcelain at that. What can I do to help really make the value of high-quality porcelain stand out?

[@vina4880]

Hi Florian, happy 4th! Wanted to follow-up with my question and get your thoughts. Looking forward to hearing back!

[@ddtuss2585]

If you make new recycle bats you should definitely make a video

[@nottelling6598]

So, any timeframe on a video of making those newly-redesigned bats?

[@jamessantiagovsky1882]

very helpful video!

[@jjazzbel]

Thank you for the plaster recipe. 2 questions, 1) I cant find herculite plaster, is there a common name for that? 2) what are the dimensions of the plaster bats? For this 10400 gm recipe? It looks like about 4x12x18 inches.... or maybe 4x18x24 inches. Am I close?

[@liwiathan]

I will have to try this with my air dry clay

[@theceramicrepairstudio]

Great Vidro. 🍀

[@pavlentos]

Thx for this video!

[@unnatimishra7222]

I have college tomorrow but here I am at 1am Watching this idk why

[@calicomist9213]

Thanks for sharing!

[@hannaflores8592]

Amazing

[@preiti808]

Love the video, thank you!

[@avishagsaal9757]

Hi Florian, I saw in your other video you found a rubber in your recycled porcelain. Maybe you can pass it through a sieve before drying it. (no experience in it, just an idea).

[@jessarsenstudios]

So you deal with "short" clay by letting it let's say "ferment"? Do you add anything else? I've been dealing with this for months with a lot of my porcelain clay. I haven't used porcelain for 8 years and got back into it a little over 2 years ago. So I've been reclaiming a lot in the last few months and have had issues with short clay. Thank you ☺️

[@CynicalLight]

You can rock tumble porcelain and if it has beautiful color it makes great rocks for mosaics, garden features and fish tanks.

[@pebblenapkins]

I heard pouring off the excess water is what makes it short. Theres supposedly important things dissolved in the water

[@floriangadsby]

You’ll be fine pouring it away. Overworking the clay and recycling it time and time again is what makes it short. After that, it needs to be reclaimed and allowed to sit for a while, to age. Edit: sometimes it can be the case with some glazes though! As certain ingredients will dissolve in the water, but again it’s only some glazes that do this. My one, for instance, works fine when the water is decanted, or more is added.

[@gregh378]

How do you think your brand* will be affected by moving from red stoneware to porcelain? (*Sorry, I can't think of a better word)

[@floriangadsby]

I haven't left the red stoneware behind, just been on a short porcelain interlude. Lots more stoneware in the future!

[@oculusangelicus8978]

I live in Alberta Canada, and reclaiming clay on Bats like your takes on a a couple of hours, and if you have to leave it, you MUST cover it to prevent it from drying out completely because it is so dry here, and in Winder time the dryness is even worse. I can use a heat gun on something I just threw on the wheel and it's leather hards and ready to trim is short order, leaving it to dry over night requires it be covered with plastic otherwise you wind up with a piece that has to be reclaimed. I have such an issue with my cody being worn out from far too many years of hard labor, I wish I had gone into pottery as a youth, then I might be a lot more capable than I am right now, so if I were to start a full time pottery studio, I would absolutely need a Pug Mill. SO I know all about wanting one, and if you have the money to get yourself one, why are you holding back? I urge you to get one because the less work you make your body do now, the longer you will hold off the physical limitations that will come with getting older. Please take my word as truth, your body never forgives you for labor that causes wear and tear. I have such pervasive Osteoarthritis in all of the most essential joints in my upper body that I am essentially handicapped and am forced to live on disability income from the Government in my country. Don't wear out your body thinking that there won't be consequences as you get into your later years, I am constantly on powerful painkillers just to make it through every day, working is out of the question, even a desk job is out of the questions due to the complications I suffer from. Listen to me when I say that if there is something that will reduce the physical exertions you go through, BUY IT! it will make your life easier when you get to my age. SOme people can do hard labor until they are almost in the grave, but that is a rarity in my experience. Take it from a fool who thought your body would simply heal from hard labor, do not take your health for granted and do not abuse your body. buy a pug mill my friend, it will extend the time in which you can do the work.

[@SeekingTheLoveThatGodMeans7648]

Electric power has virtues, to be sure.

[@link12313]

I wonder how well a paper shredder could grind reclaim clay into a powder to speed up the hydrating process? It does not even need to have sharp blades. A broken shredder too dull to cut paper would work fine.

[@isaackay8622]

Maybe dumb idea, I've dabbled in ceramics before, but a idea just occured to me. What if you used a cheese grater to make the large chunks/dried out blocks smaller so they dry quicker? They would be able to be reconstituted with less exerted effort.

[@Ren505nm]

I just use a hammer.

[@markmercier568]

Awesome

[@mobeingmo]

Nice

[@lauratae]

Yo nose mucho ingles pero con el tiempo ya estoy entendiendo más palabras, y hay veces que pongo los subtitulos ya que con eso puedo entender más lo que dice pero trato de hacerlo sin ellos :D

[@anzr3645]

Can you tell about the red clay used in other videos.please 😊😁

[@clementclarisseclemen3d708]

Hi, i just discover your work right now, so you may had already done a video about it, but i'll ask you anyway : Did you know if i can turn floor-powdered clay stuffs (like pots, tiles or bricks) into pottery clay again by mixing it with some water ?

[@MariekaJackson]

I’m a little confused by your wording. Do you leave all your reclaim to sit for 6 months? Or only if the clay is short?

[@DunoonVanRijn-dx1hr]

We live in similar weather. Winter is my favourite time because people go into hybernation mode

[@shuvalassaf]

Pugmill !!! get a twin auger pugmill, it's the best.

[@kennydixon7694]

Hi! Just a question: the wall you are building, is that with clay or porcelaine ?

[@kendalandmarycarr4835]

Omg how many box’s do you have now

[@manolitosanchez]

I have a question: is it possible to reclaim and recycle clay once it has been fired?

[@floriangadsby]

Not like this and not in the same way. You’d have to grind it to a very fine powder and add it back to fresh clay.

[@manolitosanchez]

@@floriangadsby thank you so much. Love your content, all the best!

[@winter8263]

Seeing him kneading the clay makes my wrists sore…

[@ClownWhisper]

doing it does too

[@martin11844]

is it possible to reclaim fired clay?

[@petrescuework-difficultcas6581]

I don't plaster myself. Still very interesting 👍

[@DaveHefty]

I’m confused, you first dried the leathery clay before submerging because you said it would take weeks to sludge instead of minutes. But then after putting everything under water in the sludge bucket… you said it’s then put away for 6 months. Did I miss something?

[@floriangadsby]

I only store clay away for six months or more if it's 'short', this means it breaks and crumbles when bent in a small coil. If it doesn't break it doesn't need resting. But clay, if recycled too much, will weaken overtime. Resting it restores it's plasticity.

[@scottpeterson8591]

This man's voice reminds me of Saladfingers. But soothing.

[@kaylahall1219]

@10:50 I live in Utah, USA. Very dry here