Overworking and the resulting over saturation of the clay during centering erodes the strength of the clay, ultimately compromising the thrown form.
Once clay has been fired, the chemical composition has changed and the clay can no longer be recycled. But for those pots which didn't turn out quite how you wanted or for little pieces which dried, became overworked or were leftover, the clay can be recycled and made into new pots!
We place the wedged clay in heavy duty plastic bags and store about 25lbs in each bag. When you store clay in larger amounts it doesn't dry out as quickly giving longer shelf life. Additional Clay Recycling Information: There is no limit to how many times you can reclaim clay.
Sticking in Cutters – If your clay is sticky, it's too soft. Also, you should keep your clay stable by laying it on a glossy work surface. Then it won't stick in the cutters as much. Then you lift the clay with your blade (here's how).
If you overcook your clay the only way to fix it is to cover it up or sand it off. You can hide browning by adding another layer and rebaking or painting over it. Be warned, sometimes sanding doesn't work because the scorch can go all the way through. So getting baking right the first time is important.
There really is no limit to how thick your Clay should be.
If you don't fire slow and low, she will crack or even explode.
If polymer clay isn't baked at the right heat and for long enough, it will remain soft after baking. Preheat your oven before baking, get yourself an oven thermostat to confirm your oven temperature and then let your project cook for longer than the instructions, double the time is a good margin.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER IS, DO NOT OVER-FIRE!
If clay over-fires, it will first slump and bloat, and then will melt and potentially cause a lot of damage to your kiln. Therefore, the safest clay to have in your studio is Cone 10 clay because you will never risk over-firing it.
Most pottery is fired twice (or in some cases 3 or more time!). The first firing is called the bisque, then there is a second firing for the glaze.
Your natural Clay will last indefinitely. Even if it does dry out, you can rehydrate it. The only way your clay can go bad is if it gets contaminated and starts to break down.
Since clay is slightly alkaline, the acidity of vinegar makes it act like a glue for clay. Apply it to both surfaces and press the pieces directly together without slipping or scoring.
If you have larger pieces that have completely dried, or old unpainted projects you want to reuse, you can still revive the clay. Break the dried clay into smaller pieces. Soak the pieces in a container overnight. Drain the excess water and work the clay into a ball.
Thankfully, with a little time and water, you can rehydrate the clay quite effectively. Plastic clay generally has a water-content percentage in the low 20s and a difference of 1–2% can take a clay from firm to soft. For a 25–27 lb (12.5 kg) bag, this would mean adding 100–200 mL of water.
Overbaking will cause darkening of the clay, and burning can cause bubbling and darkening.
The main reason that pottery explodes in the kiln is residual moisture left in the clay body even when it appears bone dry. Once the kiln reaches 212F, the moisture starts to turn into steam. The steam expands very rapidly into any small air pockets in the clay and shatters the pottery.
It's often said that as a rule of thumb your pottery should be no thicker than your pinky finger. The reason for this guideline is that clay contains moisture. Even bone dry clay which looks and feels completely dry will still contain a little water.
Overbaking will cause darkening of the clay, and burning can cause bubbling and darkening.
As it is made from vinyl, polymer clay is flexible enough to bend if it is thin. If these thin pieces of Polymer clay are baked, it is very normal for it to bend and be flexible.
While “social media” often tells us that crumbly clay is partially cured in hot trucks, I have to say that's exceedingly rare. I've looked into this quite a bit and it's far more likely that the clay is older, unconditioned, or aged. All of these states are normal and can be saved.
The best way to use water to soften polymer clay is to put your hard clay into a zip lock bag, seal it to make it water-tight, then put the whole bag into warm water! You can use a few drops of water as an additive to mix into the clay, depending on the brand.