Hi all. I'm gearing up to rebuilding my clay supplies and wondered if it's better to buy it in powdered form. I've never bought it as a powder before. Does anyone know what weight of power you'd need to fill a large bucket with thick, ( able to scoop up a handful), clay?
Hey Buddy! I buy powdered clay in 50 pound bags here in Texas. It's cheaper in that large size (under $20), but is also available in 25 pound and even smaller sizes. If you can find it, go ahead and get the big bag and it should make 2-3 big thick buckets for ya! It resists molding and bacterial growth, so you can reuse it as long as you keep human fluids out of the part you save.
You can get the bags at a Pottery Supply store. Don't get anything with Grog in it.
I find I like the texture of the FC Kaolin over the EPK Kaolin and the Red Clay, but I prefer the color of the Red Clay, so I go with one bag of FC and one bag of Red clay. You'll need about 15 pounds of dry clay for a 5 gallon bucket.
As muddyguy says, wear a good mask for working with the powder to keep it out of your lungs.
MuddyMcMudd said: Hey Buddy! I buy powdered clay in 50 pound bags here in Texas. It's cheaper in that large size (under $20), but is also available in 25 pound and even smaller sizes. If you can find it, go ahead and get the big bag and it should make 2-3 big thick buckets for ya! It resists molding and bacterial growth, so you can reuse it as long as you keep human fluids out of the part you save.
DuncanEdwards said: You can buy it at any art or ceramic supply store. If powdered clay is dangerous then I'm a dead man. Two or three 20kg bags will fill a bath tub.
Do a little research on "Potter's Rot" or silicosis - if you work with powdered clay on a regular basis, it's something you should know so you can make a more informed decision about PPE. It is the most common occupational lung disease.
As the OP is new to clay, I'll also offer a warning against bathtubs, or more specifically, drains. Clay will ruin drains. It collects in the trap, and then hardens. That's why potters create their own special bucket-based sink traps to capture the clay.
DuncanEdwards said: You can buy it at any art or ceramic supply store. If powdered clay is dangerous then I'm a dead man. Two or three 20kg bags will fill a bath tub.
Do a little research on "Potter's Rot" or silicosis - if you work with powdered clay on a regular basis, it's something you should know so you can make a more informed decision about PPE. It is the most common occupational lung disease.
As the OP is new to clay, I'll also offer a warning against bathtubs, or more specifically, drains. Clay will ruin drains. It collects in the trap, and then hardens. That's why potters create their own special bucket-based sink traps to capture the clay.
Just referring to quantity. I would never use an actual bathtub in my house for a lot of reasons. Regarding the maladies you mentioned they might be a concern if you are in this stuff every day making a living with it. Infrequent use by anyone here is extremely unlikely to present any problems.
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