how do you wedge clay step by step

^{Clay Wedging 101}

1. Hand Position
2. Wedging Motion. First, take your square of clay from the bag and drop down onto the wedging table a few times to help loosen the particles a bit ...
3. Roll a Cylinder. Once the clay feels like it is a good consistency, and the spiral shape on the sides is looking tight and uniform it is time ...
4. Roll a Point. DO NOT roll so hard that it creates a concave surface at the pointed end. ...
5. Create a Flat Sided Cylinder. Pick the right side of clay up with your right hand so the pointy side is down.
6. Roll a Point. With a very gentle pressure and quick rotating motion with your wrist roll a slight point onto the bottom of the clay.

How do you wedge clay step by step?

Wedging Clay the Stack and Slam Way -Step by Step

• Stack and Slam Wedging With a Hand Held Wire Cutter. ...
• Wedging Clay – Stack and Slam Wedging With a Mounted Wire Cutter. ...
• Another Way of Wedging Clay with Hand Held Wire: I’ve also seen potters use another method of wire wedging to mix two batches of soft and hard clay.
• Wedging Clay – Stack and Slam Wire Wedging for Agateware. ...

How can you make a wedge?

Step One: Mark the Wood Blocks

• Draw a straight line across the bottom and cut it off. ...
• Do this on the other block to make sure that both heels are exactly the same size. ...
• When you’re finished, the woodblock will have two matching sloped lines on both sides, a straight line marking the top edge of the slope and a straight line that marks ...

How to create a wedge?

Method

• To prepare and cook your potato wedges: Preheat your oven to 200˚C/400˚F/gas 6. Put a large pan of salted water on to boil.
• Scrub the potatoes clean and get rid of any gnarly bits. Cut the potatoes into chunky wedges. ...
• Transfer to a roasting tray and add a good lug of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. ...

How to make a wedge jig?

Supplies:

• 3/4″ scrap plywood
• 1×2 pine board scrap
• 2″ wood screws
• wood glue
• protractor
• pencil
• miter saw
• drill & drill bits

How do you need and wedge clay?

1:188:11A Guide to Wedging Clay: Tips, Skills, and Troubleshooting for PottersYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo you can combine clay if you need to say for instance if you have say like this this was Jarl justMoreSo you can combine clay if you need to say for instance if you have say like this this was Jarl just scrap clay that means to be wedged.

How do you wedge stiff clay?

2:263:26Easiest-Ever Trick to Rehydrate or Make A Hard or Stiff Block of Clay ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThis clay will become normal. And just a regular plasticity some of that extra moisture will dryMoreThis clay will become normal. And just a regular plasticity some of that extra moisture will dry from it and it'll be good for kids in like another hour.

How long does it take to wedge clay?

The Ram's Head Wedge took a little over 6 minutes and 200 wedges to blend the two colors together. It's good to know how long and how many wedges it takes to blend the clay.

What should I wedge my clay on?

Every potter needs a surface to wedge clay on, and there are many different types. The most common are plaster, plaster covered in canvas, and plywood covered in canvas. Other possibilities are concrete, granite, masonite, concrete board and hardibacker board. The simplest wedging surface is a piece of canvas.

Do you have to wedge clay?

If the clay that you're using is newly purchased, and moist, then wedging clay when you are hand building is not essential. However, if the clay has an inconsistent texture or moisture level or contains air pockets, it's best to wedge it. If the clay isn't wedged it can be hard to handbuild even smooth forms.

How do you wedge clay with one hand?

1:4416:43How To Wedge Clay - A Step by Step Beginners Guide - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBring the top towards you by moving your hands to the top and placing the lower tip or chin of theMoreBring the top towards you by moving your hands to the top and placing the lower tip or chin of the Rams head on the board and press in down and out towards the wall. In down and out towards the wall.

What kind of canvas do you use for wedging clay?

Amaco Canvas-Covered Board This is a thin canvas covered board that is great for wedging and rolling hard clay.

Why is my clay cracking when wedging?

While pottery dries it shrinks. If the pottery dries in one section quicker than another, it also shrinks in that section more quickly than the other. This imbalance results in stress on the ceramic body. Stress often equals pottery cracking while drying.

How to wedge clay?

There are a few ways to wedge clay. The one you will learn today is called Rams Head wedging. The general idea includes throwing down the clay and rolling it into a tight spiral with a sort of kneading method. Wedging makes the clay more pliable, ensures a uniform consistency, and removes air pockets as well as small hard spots in ...

How to roll clay back towards belly button?

Using your left hand on the left side of the clay slowly roll the clay back towards your belly button. You are looking to form a slight point on the left side. DO NOT roll so hard that it creates a concave surface at the pointed end.

How to remove nose from clay?

Move your clay to the center of the table and roll it towards your belly button. This will remove the remainder of the nose. It is important to continue rolling everything in the same tightening direction as the spiral you have formed within the clay.

How to throw a bat with a clay ball?

Place your palm on the top of the clay. With a very gentle pressure and quick rotating motion with your wrist roll a slight point onto the bottom of the clay. This will be the side you attach down onto the bat when you throw. Ask Question.

Can you add air to clay?

In the beginning it is very common to actually add air to the clay instead of remove it. Don't be frustrated it will just take practice and repetition (as with most things in ceramics) to get the clay into the perfect consistency and shape. Ask Question.

How to wedging clay?

There are two ways of wedging clay using the wire wedge method. One employs a handheld wire cutter tool. The other involves a mounted wire. I will describe both, starting with the handheld wire cutter method.

How to cut clay with a wire cutter?

With a mounted wire cutter, you simply pull the clay through the wire to slice it in half. The process is then exactly the same as the wedging clay with a handheld wire cutter. The only difference is that you are cutting the clay by drawing it through a mounted wire.

What is stack and slam wedging?

Stack and slam wedging is great for blending different clay bodies . If you have different types of clay, you can mix them together provided they fire at the same temperature.

Why do potters end up with bags and buckets of clay?

Reason 1. Often when potters work, they will end up with bags and buckets of clay with different consistencies. My workspace is full of different bags of clay. Some of it is soft and mushy and some of it is a bit too dry to use. Wedging clay together with very different consistencies is difficult.

Can you use wire wedging on agateware?

This method of wire wedging gives you distinct layers in your clay. So it’s good if you want to experiment with agateware. However, if you want to blend your clay completely, you just carry one wedging until the layers are not visible.

Can you wedge clay?

You may want to wedge a scrap of one clay with a larger amount of another. However, it’s a little easier to get started if they are somewhat similar in size. You can wedge small quantities together. However, stack and slam is also really good for wedging clay of quite large quantities.

Can you wedging clay before mixing?

If you are blending clay that is two different colors, you can stop wedging before the clay is completely blended. This will give you a marbled effect when you are throwing the clay. This is one of the techniques used for agateware.

How to cut a lump of clay?

Use a clay cutter to slice the lump of clay in half. Layer the clay. Slap one cut half of clay forcefully on top of the other. Press the top half of clay into the bottom half. Ensure that you do not leave space where air may get caught between the two halves.

How to make a clay kneading surface?

Press the clay. Throw the clay down forcefully onto the kneading surface. Bear down on the clay using the weight of your upper body. Do not flatten the clay completely. Push the clay down about halfway to the kneading surface. Draw the clay towards you. Pull the clay up into a pile.

How to get air bubbles out of clay?

Aligning the halves of clay will help free the clay of air bubbles. Cutting the clay and rearranging the layers ensures that all parts of the clay mix together evenly. Alternate kneading the clay with cutting and layering it until you have kneaded the clay between 50 and 60 times. Check the clay's readiness.

How to make a clay sandbox?

Layer the clay. Slap one cut half of clay forcefully on top of the other. Press the top half of clay into the bottom half. Ensure that you do not leave space where air may get caught between the two halves. Arrange the halves so that their cut edges are both facing out to the left or right side when pressed together.

How to keep clay from sticking to table?

Canvas will keep the clay from sticking to tables and other surfaces. Ensure that the surface is clean, and is at a height that will allow you to be comfortable when pressing down on the clay. Press the clay. Throw the clay down forcefully onto the kneading surface.

How to make a clay sanding machine?

Pull the clay up into a pile. Push down on the clay until you have flattened it halfway. Ensure that you do not press the clay past the middle section of the lump. Flattening the clay completely may result in air bubbles being trapped in the clay. Continue to draw and press the clay ten times more.

Why is kneading clay important?

Kneading clay properly will make it easier to work with and will eliminate air bubbles. Upper body strength and strong hands are helpful when kneading clay. Use these tips to knead clay.

How long does it take for clay to settle?

How long it takes the clay to settle varies greatly depending on the qualities of the clay, some clay will settle out in just an hour while others will take days.

What is the best way to remove junk from clay?

If the clay you have found has a lot of junk in it like rocks and sand or sticks, then the wet process will do a better job at removing those.

Why do I add 20% sand to my clay?

This is done to promote more even drying, clay shrinks when it dries so uneven drying puts stress on a pot as some areas shrink faster than others. Putting your damp pot in the direct sun or wind to dry will cause it to crack for the same reasons.

How long can you keep clay in plastic?

Now the the clay is finished it can be used right away, although aging the clay for a few days or weeks can improve the quality. Wrapped up in plastic or sealed in an airtight container the clay can remain usable indefinitely and the longer it ages the more plastic and workable it may become.

Why does my clay crack?

Putting your damp pot in the direct sun or wind to dry will cause it to crack for the same reasons. Pure clay is dense and does not let water move through the clay body, adding course material to clay opens it up and allows moisture to move out of the clay more easily and therefore promotes even drying.

How long does it take to get good clay?

Time. The wet process takes more time, using it will result in good usable clay in about a week. The dry process is fast, using it can give you good usable clay on the same day if your clay is already dry.

Can you knead clay?

When your clay is plastic enough to knead, take it out of the pillowcase. Some parts of the clay mass will be drier than others so some kneading will be necessary to form a consistent mass. Any parts that have dried too much to be kneaded will need to be put aside to be reprocessed later.

How to make clay less hard?

Slice your clay in sections, spray some water on it, and wedge it really good. That should moisten your clay. If your clay is still a bit hard, you can wheel wedge (Wet your clay, cone it up on the wheel, and press it down.) This can be done several times to introduce more water into your clay. 3.

How to keep clay in a bag?

Another way is to keep your clay in a thick plastic bag and keep it sealed tight. When you are ready to use your clay, cut a piece off and wedge it well. If your clay is hard, poke a few holes in it and pour water in the holes. Wait a while and wedge it well.

What is centering your clay?

Centering your clay is one of the most important parts of throwing pottery on the wheel. You want the walls of your pottery to have the same thickness, and you don’t want to struggle for what. seems like forever to get your clay centered. Every new potter and even some who have been around for many years will struggle or encounter some kind ...

What happens when you speed up a clay wheel?

When your wheel is going too slow, you will find your clay is moving you around more than you are moving the clay. When you speed up the wheel, you will find you have better control over centering the clay. You want to speed the wheel up to med-high or all the way to high. I found the highest speed works best for me.

How to avoid air pockets in clay?

First is to make sure you wedge properly, if you don’t you can actually put air pockets in your clay instead of taking them out. Second is to make sure the clay you put on the wheel is rounded and not flat on the bottom.

How to seal clay?

Seal your clay to your wheel or bat. This trick will prevent air or extra water from getting under your clay while centering. After you throw your clay on the wheel or bat, push it as close to the center as you can, then seal the bottom by using the ball of clay and pressing down around it.

How to make clay look like a mushroom?

If it starts to look like a mushroom you want to cone up your clay, then push down like a karate chop on the side and keep your anchor hand firm, so you don’t form a mushroom. Volcano – If your clay starts to look like a volcano, air and slip can get trapped on the top.