How to Fix Cracks in Bone Dry Clay

[@lynnenewell6812]

I have even added a totally new bottom to a bowl I have trimmed through using paper clay and you would never know! Putting the bowl in a plastic bag after repair and leaving it for a week then drying slowly with plastic draped over it and no cracking when fired. Perfect!

[@ThePotteryWheel]

Amazing, it's really good stuff!

[@lynnenewell6812]

@@ThePotteryWheel I’m Re-watching your videos on building a Raku kiln and making a list of all the stuff I will need. It’s mounting up in costs! We did a club fire but too many people and only got two pieces done so I want to do my own… love your detailed instructions Lesley.

[@ThePotteryWheel]

@@lynnenewell6812 Hi Lynne, yes the costs can mount up. If you are based in the UK I can give you a link to a place that makes raku kilns and they are very reasonably priced.... just let me know if you're interested

[@lynnenewell6812]

@@ThePotteryWheel sorry Lesley in New Zealand where everything is expensive!

[@ThePotteryWheel]

@@lynnenewell6812 Ah, yes, I don't think they would ship to New Zealand!

[@cookieridergirl]

Thank you. This gives me some hope to save my little air dry pumpkin i’m making. I don’t have a lot of extra clay so I think I’ll have to adjust the proportions to make a little at the time. Hopefully it will be enough to fix the crack. I should have looked into some drying techniques to prevent cracking first but i’m here now and would like to save my little craft project.

[@barbaraswanner7802]

Great video on repairs. Lana Wilson created magic water, which has been a staple in our classroom studio for years. Your demos were terrific in their clarity.

[@grafkimber]

awesome share. It would have been nice to see the finished bisqued piece. bisquing went well?

[@jutkafischer6978]

Excellent and helpful video. Thank you. Ive made paper clay only with water, but this looks much more effective.

[@kevinleong4467]

Trimmings are very useful to make slip

[@otomiartcraft9528]

Yeah

[@kimberlyc.2318]

Thank you so much for this! I was able to save a hand sculpted whale that I spent 8 hours on! 🥺💖

[@ketakiashtaputre3601]

Can you share before and after firing pictures of the same product?

[@Jahzaraccessories]

Can you also use apple cider vinegar?

[@guylamcgrady9125]

Thank you!!!

[@beyzak9039]

Can we use apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar while making paper clay slip?

[@cathyevans2755]

Thank you!

[@esterbeck880]

very good and useful, thanks!

[@jka4649]

Thanks for the tips. Will give it a shot. Fingers crossed.

[@jseal21]

You always have such helpful hints and tips, thank you! I have a question about grogged clay, I use Standard Raku clay and I can never get my fit and finish as nice as your because I can't use a wet chamois, what do you recommend for this type of clay to get a finer finish???

[@lynnenewell6812]

Use a rib when finished to compress the grog and get a smooth finish

[@jseal21]

@@lynnenewell6812 well yeah I rib it, she uses a wet chamois after ribbing but you can't do that with sandy clay so I'm looking for what she would do to achieve that finish without the chamois

[@ThePotteryWheel]

@@jseal21 I use a soft rubber rib on raku clay. one of those nice red kidneys...I find that gives sandy clay a smooth finish. Are you using a soft rib?

[@lynnenewell6812]

@@jseal21 you only use a damp chamois lightly on the rim which compresses and rounds the rim neatly, the rest is ribbed to compress the grog.

[@kevinleong4467]

I would try making terrasigilata painting that on and then burnishing the piece with a piece of plastic. You don’t have to use terra sig you can always just burnish with a piece of plastic or smooth pebble/rock but that’s what I’d do. 😅

[@jasminnielsen6866]

Can you use powder too? As in if you use sandpaper could you then use the powders clay ?

[@johndevilbiss6607]

Sorry to ask, but I have been raised in America (USA), where the pronunciation of English is different. I am not sure of the proportions of Soda Ash and Sodium Silicate for a 1 and a third pint of water... Is it 1/3 of a teaspoon of Soda Ash? Or is it 1/3 of a tablespoon?

[@ThePotteryWheel]

hello, sorry for the slow reply. You can find all the measurements in this guide here...thepotterywheel.com/fix-cracks-in-bone-dry-clay/ Hope that helps :-)

[@DonnaLombardi-q9q]

Can I use magic water in place of white vinegar and still use the paper clay filler ?

[@ThePotteryWheel]

yes :-)

[@AleshaBraitenbach-ft4xk]

Hi there, thanks for the video, it was really informative and helpful! I have a greenware mug with a crack in the body, but it's also underglazed inside and outside. Would I be able to use this method to fix the crack?

[@ThePotteryWheel]

Hello, you could try to fix it. But you'd have to touch up the underglaze afterward. Is it a detailed underglaze design?

[@TheDanish_girl]

Hi :) thank you for the video 😊 maybe I missed if you said it in the video, but I want to understand when and for what you are using each method? Or is it for the same? And also, could the paper slip be used as a regular slip, when joining in the first place for a stronger hold? So I only need one slip on hand

[@ThePotteryWheel]

Hi, I like to use the paper slip if the gap is wider, as the paper bulks the crack out. And yes, I use paper clay slip to join handles on mugs all the time. It works really well.

[@TheDanish_girl]

Hi, Ive just made the paper clay slip a few hours ago, and it makes a lot of gas and bubbles like a sourdough starter. Is that normal?

[@ThePotteryWheel]

@@TheDanish_girl hi Donna, yes bubbles are normal, nothing to worry about - it will bubble and fizz for a while...

[@joyceradesca408]

Hi, very interesting video, thanks so much !

[@TheStugbit]

Miss, let me ask you. I'm making a nativity scene model out of clay, but a small part of the base I'm making the buildings and stuff has ripped off around a corner edge, it is small but still a significant part of it. And now this edge isn't properly symmetrical along with the rest of the base and doesn't look great. The piece is on the "bone stage" thing. I know this recipe of yours is meant for cracks and all, but in the case of adding new stuff to the bone stage, is it still possible? Making a new corner out of new fresh clay? I say this because the piece I'm doing isn't small. There are many Bethlehem buildings attached to it. It would take me a lot of time to make the whole thing again, and it would be costly as well because of all the clay involved. But if it isn't possible to fix it, I would have to build it again. I was wondering if I could leave somehow the structure tilted with the broken point submerged in a bowl of water so I could rehydrate only this broken side so I could glue back the new clay.

[@kevinleong4467]

I use magic water instead of white vinegar. Can use either but I prefer not to smell the vinegar all the time.

[@janeholeman684]

Can the same recipe be used to make paper clay slip for brown clay containing grog? BTW… I love your videos. Thank you so much.

[@kevinleong4467]

Yes it doesn’t matter what clay body you use it is the same process

[@nickcaruso]

can we see it after you fired it?

[@sorrysez]

Hii, thank you very much for the great video! I am thinking to apply the paper clay. Do you think it would work for bigger pieces like 18inch/46cm side table top. The crack is about 15inch/38cm. I have put so much effort that I would like to save it. The thickness of the clay is 0.5inch/13mm. I am planning to do the repairing from both sides (inside and outside). Do you think it would work? Thank you tons!

[@kevinleong4467]

It should work make sure you add vinegar to the piece to moisten it a little bit and then add the slip to it as she stated. It should work fine. If it doesn’t work you can always try again at the bisque stage and do the same thing. It doesn’t hurt to try if you spent all that time and effort

[@daivimata9526]

Great video ! May I ask which % the vinegar ? There is soo much available nowadays (4% up to 50%). Thanks !

[@deathfuntaxes]

Standard vinegar is 5%, so ai would imagine it would be that unless otherwise stated

[@kevinleong4467]

Regular ole cooking vinegar works just fine.

[@MadameMadHatter1]

Would this work on air dry clay as well or no?

[@ThePotteryWheel]

it depends what kind of air dry clay you are using. Is it natural pottery clay that has added fibres to strengthen it? If so, then yes it should work

[@max_ammo_]

Thank you! Also I keep thinking to myself how did anyone think of making that recipe with the vinegar and the TP for the first time hehe

[@lynnenewell6812]

Probably someone with a chemistry background looking for an acid which reacts with clay to turn it to a sticky compound?

[@max_ammo_]

@@lynnenewell6812 that makes a lot of sense

[@familycornell8866]

How is your arm doing? Hoping you will post soon.

[@ThePotteryWheel]

Hi there, my arm is so much better, thanks for asking :)

[@jsa-z1722]

🙏

[@rosemaried6272]

👍👏😊 thanks

[@otomiartcraft9528]

I didn't get other part One part clay One part white vinegar and one part what??

[@izabeau1953]

What is magic water ! Is it only for repairing clay …