Recycle Bone Dry Clay in 6 Easy Steps - Pottery Making For Beginners

[@PotteryCrafters]

⚡️What questions do you have about Making Pottery? Let me know! 👇 If you are struggling with technique, dont be shy. Let me know I may make a video helping you solve your problem. Need help Centering your Clay check this video out. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fXy2Znp_l5edbpY More Beginner Pottery Wheel Projects Here kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y3TCYWyFeNalfpY

[@ankesander-meyers3714]

Hi Marie, thank you for all your videos. I love them and I am learning so much. ❤️

[@PotteryCrafters]

You are so welcome! That is great to hear 💖

[@abbasrakhshani6139]

Marie, you are a gem. When I first saw one of your videos I felt like I was in a kindergarten class. But soon I got acclimated to your gentle and clear way of teaching. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and experience.

[@PotteryCrafters]

Thank you, Abbas and you are most welcome. I know there is so much to learn about pottery making, that one can quickly get lost. So I have to make it as easy to understand as I can. 😊

[@vickivanriel3082]

You are a really good teacher. You speak clearly and stay on topic love this video😊

[@PotteryCrafters]

Thank you, Vicki. I have always loved to teach. Good luck with your Recycling.👍🙂

[@goldpilot100]

I'm glad I accidently discovered your channel! You are a great teacher with great ideas. Thanks for sharing

[@PotteryCrafters]

Thanks so much! I could not stand recycling clay and had to find a better way because I did not want to waste all that clay. I do have a newer version if you didn't see it here the link for you. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qXm2pX-jlq90eq8 I also have over 100 videos for you to choose from on your pottery crafting journey www.youtube.com/@PotteryCrafters/videos

[@Guruc13]

Thanks! I'm stuck in Quarantine right now, and I don't have pottery plaster but I do have a lot of buckets

[@PotteryCrafters]

Glad I could help! 👍 I have saved so much clay doing it this way. Doing it in small amounts makes it so easy. Just make sure you check your clay often. They dry fast for me but I live in the desert 😄

[@bettytaylor9430]

Thank you so much for sharing this way to recycle clay. I have quite a bit to recycle and I was going to do it the messy way because I didn't know your method. Glad I didn't start it today. Now I am going to try your way. I live in Florida and it gets really hot during the day, but it's quite humid. It may take a little longer for it to dry out while hanging. I just need to get some old pillow cases.

[@PotteryCrafters]

Betty, thank you for watching. Your right it will take a little longer but you will be pleasantly surprised when you're finished. Keep Playing with that clay, my friend.

[@Celesteempowers]

Thank you so much. I was transferred to a new school this year and almost all of their clay was dried out. I was looking for a way to recycle it but the other processed were too much work. Your method seems easy and something my class can help with without it getting too messy :)

[@PotteryCrafters]

Thank you, Celeste. I'm glad you found the video useful, and cant wait for you to try it out. You will be happy with your results. If you have any other questions or a future video idea please let me know in the comment section. Good luck in your Pottery Making Journey, and keep Recycling. 🙂

[@DodieAinslie]

So glad I found this video... you saved me, was just about to get all set up to do it the other way... this I can definitely manage! Thanks!!!

[@PotteryCrafters]

That's great !!!! I also have another recycle video that may help. Here is the link kzbin.info/www/bejne/qXm2pX-jlq90eq8 😊

[@gargamelts]

Thank you this is great! I have a lot to wedge from slop I wasn't looking forward to. This looks like it'll be tons more manageable. Also I'm a huge fan! Thank you for all the content as well

[@PotteryCrafters]

That's great! 😍I have saved so much clay doing it this way. 😊 The only thing I noticed over time is my pillowcases get holes in them.

[@ThriveWorkingFromHome]

Thanks for sharing these awesome tips :-)

[@PotteryCrafters]

Thank you for watching. Very much appreciated :-)

[@MrsSofia777]

Hi Marie! Thank you for sharing your awesome work with us! What would you suggest for recycling and reusing the clay when it is still wet? have you made a video about it?

[@PotteryCrafters]

Thank you Sofia 😊 No haven't yet. I always let the clay dry out because it's much easier to rehydrate the clay more evenly. I do have another updated video on recycling where I have modified my method. Here is the link for you. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qXm2pX-jlq90eq8 😊

[@soulak6332]

Cool thank you!!

[@PotteryCrafters]

You are most welcome 😊

[@glogyorfi5709]

Can you wash pillow cases in washing machine after ?

[@PotteryCrafters]

That is a very good question. 😊 No, you should wash the clay out with a drain that has a clay trap or outside. The clay will clog your washing machine drain. Not right away but over time, so it's best to wash the clay off any cloth before putting in your washing machine😊

[@mariamorera12]

Hi! I’m not sure I understand why you used a bit of clay at first and then let it dry to break, would you mind explaining me the reason? Thanks! :)

[@PotteryCrafters]

Hi Maria. Yes. That was just for demonstration purposes. Here is another video I did on recycling that I think is a bit better kzbin.info/www/bejne/qXm2pX-jlq90eq8 😊👍

[@Celloitskassie]

Hi Marie! I see some using a blender, what do you think about that?

[@PotteryCrafters]

Hi 😊 I only use a blender to make slip but not for recycling clay. Here is another video I think you will like. here is the link for you. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qXm2pX-jlq90eq8

[@JennaDanelle]

This seems so doable! Do you have to have the wear board for the first step? What does that do?

[@PotteryCrafters]

Good question Jenna. No, you don't. You can use any type of board or just leave it on the table to dry. I use the ware board so I can put the pillowcase around it to keep the dust and other partial off the clay while it dries. Also, I'm able to spread out the wet clay to dry. And I can move it around the studio or take it outside. I have saved so much clay doing it this way. 😀👍

[@emilyransdell2330]

Marie, I have started using this method for bone-dry clay and it works wonderfully! Thank you! What would you recommend for the slop from the splash pan? I have been dumping that plus my throwing water into a 5 gal bucket, and as the clay settles, I am skimming off the water. If I stop adding more slop, it will thicken over time. Would it work to line a new bucket with a pillow case and pour the stuff in, then let it drain like you do the bone-dry clay? What do you do with throwing water and slop from your splsh pan? I haven't seen you talk about that. Thank you.

[@PotteryCrafters]

That's great Emily. Very good question 😊 I do the same thing with my slop from throwing. I hate to waste any clay. I tried the pillowcase method but it didn't turn out the way I wanted. Too much clay seeped through over time and it was too messy. So now after I have built up a few inches of clay. I place a pillowcase over the top so dust and debris don't fall in. Then I remove any excess water on the top and just let it dry out and recycle it. The clay shrinks and pops right out of the bucket. I use several buckets and just switch them out when I build up enough clay. I don't let it build up too much because then it takes too long to dry out. So far it works pretty well until I can think of any other way😍

[@pashaveres4629]

Have always wondered about skimming the water this way - is there anything dissolved in it that I'd like to stay with the clay? Will the remaining clay be deficient in anything? Have no clue, just wondering. For that reason I've tended to wait for (ever!) the water to evaporate.

[@PotteryCrafters]

Great question. Nothing is dissolved in it. My clay will actually grow a bit of mold while drying which makes the clay more workable. I skim the water off so the clay dries faster so much mold doesn't grow. Sometimes I can smell a little mold but it's not too bad. I just add a little vinegar. 😊

[@pamelakjamieson4212]

I have a box of Plans man clay that dried out can I apply your method?

[@PotteryCrafters]

Yes you can 😊

[@LambentLark]

I almost threw out a bunch of old pillow cases a couple weeks ago but, I didn't. I don't know if you realize what an unprecedented anomaly this is for me. I am always the one that says, "damn, I just tossed a bunch of those out. Maybe the tide is turning.

[@PotteryCrafters]

Yes, the tide is turning. That is wonderful. I didn't like recycling the other ways. I had to think of another way and share it with other potters. 😍

[@LambentLark]

@@PotteryCrafters As a person that only hates a messy work space more than cleaning, I thank you.

[@PotteryCrafters]

Sorry about the delay. I just received this comment today from you tube. Me too 😀

[@lauradavenport8199]

What material is your ware board made from?

[@PotteryCrafters]

Very good question Laura. Drywall. Here is the video where I make them. They are easy to make and last a long time. Here is the link for you kzbin.info/www/bejne/o2rUdWB6iLOAkM0 😊

[@hanajang1]

I want to try this but it’s the winter. Will the cold affect the process? Other than having to wait longer for it to dry?

[@PotteryCrafters]

That's a great question 😊The cold will not affect the quality of your clay. But depending on the temperature outside (like below freezing) the clay will just freeze. You can hook your clay on something over a bucket inside. Or you can keep your clay bone dry until spring.😍

[@pashaveres4629]

Overwintered 100# raku clay (4 x 25) in the back of my pickup, as an experiment. There were repeated freezings and thawings. Used it in that summer's raku class - IT WAS THE BEST!! It felt, somehow, like... porcelain?? But nicer. It was the loveliest clay ever to work with. EVER. May have been Soldate? Didn't feel at all scratchy even though it had grog in it.

[@PotteryCrafters]

That is fantastic 😃 I have dug up clay in Wisconsin which goes through thawing and freezing many times. Now I wonder if that is what made the clay so smooth. Thanks for sharing that.

[@tiffanyinman3476]

Is tap water ok?

[@PotteryCrafters]

Hi Tiffany. Good question. Yes, you can because it's clay. It's the glaze I use purified or distilled water. I think you may also like this revised version for recycling clay. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qXm2pX-jlq90eq8

[@weldmaster80]

So what I learned here is recycled clay grows on trees. Lol

[@PotteryCrafters]

I wish 😆Lol

[@PotteryCrafters]

I thought of you yesturday and had to laugh when I had four small pillowcases of clay hocked in my tree. Thinking, yes clay does grow on trees😄😆

[@weldmaster80]

@@PotteryCrafters awwwwww thank you

[@roserwld7130]

Thank you so much! Do you have Instagram?

[@PotteryCrafters]

Not at this time. Thank you Rose. It works so well for me I wanted to share it with others. I didn't want to waste and thought there has to be an easier, less messy way to recycle. Glad it helps 💖

[@sylviefeys744]

RIP snoopy

[@PotteryCrafters]

😀😂😀

[@annejohnson6814]

Not sure why but I can’t hear you. I can hear the music and the birds twittering but sadly not you:(

[@PotteryCrafters]

So sorry to hear that Anne. I just checked the video. I have no music on it. It's just me talking and the beautiful birds. 😊 I do have CC if that helps.

[@SuperJanusz2]

@@PotteryCrafters Anna must hear the right channel only. Check the video on the headphones - the voice is in the left channel.

[@PotteryCrafters]

That's good to know. Thank you for letting me know😍

[@lauradavenport8199]

Is there a reason why you dried your clay completely out and rehydrated it instead of just letting it dry until it was wedgable again?

[@PotteryCrafters]

Always nice hearing from you. That's a really good question too. If you can catch it in time yes you can. I rarely do so I just let the clay dry out completely because it absorbs water faster than wet clay. It is always great to hear how others successfully reclaim their clay. It's a shame to waste. 😊

[@lauradavenport8199]

@@PotteryCrafters I reclaim my clay outside in a covered area. I spread it on dry wall with a sheet over it and then I lay the rest of the sheet over the top to keep debris out of it. Every few days I’ll go out and squish up the clay to see how it’s drying. When it doesn’t stick to the sheet anymore I start mixing it using the sheet to compress the parts that are still too wet to wedge. This helps it dry evenly. Once it’s wedgeable I bring it inside and start wedging 🙂

[@PotteryCrafters]

That's a good one too. Thanks for sharing Laura. I'm in the desert, and my clay dries super fast. That can be good and bad 😊

[@lauradavenport8199]

@@PotteryCrafters I wish mine would dry out fast. I live in South Carolina where the weather is very unpredictable. I kind of have to babysit my clay when it’s drying but it’s worth it. I’m just recycling for my daughter and myself so it’s not a ton but it does save a bunch of money

[@PotteryCrafters]

Smart. 😍👍