I was planning a session with this next week but reading the benefits I might use it all week, great for my hair as well what's not to love !
Anyone used it ? I want a smooth pourable consistency with good coverage Cinq.
Something that doesn't seem to get mentioned here much nowadays, but back in the 1990s on-line wam forums were full of information for people who wanted to build their own indoor or outdoor mudpits to wallow in, and as I remember it bentonite clay was one of the types of clay often recommended, along with ball clay. In the US at least you can buy it in large quantities as powder which you then mix with water to get the desired consistency. Always wear a dust mask when mixing it if bought dry, as you don't want the (very fine) powder in your lungs.
Yes - don't breathe the dust! It can give you long-term lung disease such as pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis which is similar to the silicosis suffered by miners but caused by using the volcanic ash rather than silica dust. Use a dust mask while mixing.
Bentonite alone doesn't give great coverage, well it kinda does at first but then wipes off easily. I mix it with paint and other powdered clay to make it messier. Bentonite absorbs 5x its own weight in water so is good as a base. I get it from a foundry that does delivery in 25kg sacks and other powdered clays from a pottery place in stoke that does delivery. 25kg bentonite will be enough for 100 litres water (so I use 3 plus sone other bits and bobs in my 400l deep high sided pool)
Def need a good grade face mask to avoid breathing in (its fine once its all wet though)
ooh I will add actually if you want it very very smooth and that is an absolute dealbreaker, then mix up small amounts at a time with a hand mixer (or maybe a bucket at a time if you have a larger mixer)
I usually recommend doing it in a pool and then getting in to mix it with your body and hands but it is time consuming and you still get small lumps. Bentonite takes a bit of time to fully absorb the water and it's easier to get lumps out when it's been standing for a while at least roughly mixed. Like 24 hours. So rough mix, leave for a day, go back and use the most industrial tools you have
Yes I find much the same with modelling clay (though that's already in clay form rather than just powder). I break it up into small fist-sized lumps and leave them to soak in a bucket of water overnight, if possible. Then I use a paint stirring paddle in the electric drill to mix to a lovely thick creamy pourable consistency.
It can be done straight from the packet but it's easier if it's absorbed more water for a few hours first.
Oh yes - it's also worth considering getting one of those deep buckets used by plasterers. It helps to keep all the clay in there while you're mixing, rather than it flailing about all over the room, leaving less to play with after you've mixed it!
Both of these items are very useful. Mixing takes minutes. The bucket has a lid and is airtight so great for storing after play.
I tend to mix with hot Water to make the session more comfortable. I too mix from a 25kg bag, for a pottery shop that sells it for £30. I too use a mask with filters to stop inhaling the powder.
Used in the bath, after play I remove as much as I can by hand then shower off with the bath plug to water down the remains.
Such a great experience when it's mixed Correctly.
It was messy today but not as good as real solid clay I have bought and soaked till its pourable. The bentonite was easily wiped of skin but took a while to get out of my hair. It has a weird consistency when it starts to dry more jellyish lumpy. If that is even a description lol. I wouldn't buy it again I would just buy a block of models clay. I like the cling of real clay. This seems to just fall off with the weight.
Love you, too
