[ThisIsMelissa]

So, until this week, I didn't really understand the hubbub about having tools for different clay body colors.
But now I'm starting to understand why.
I can see how you could have a whole complete studio set up for different clay colors: canvases, bats, wheel, trimming tools, etc.
But really, what is necessary?

Sponges, buckets and wires come to mind. As do bats--at least the non-plastic ones.
Anything else?

I've also come to the conclusion that if I'm going to work with different clays, I should probably clean out my splash pan more often. Or, should I just keep slop buckets for the different colors?

It seems like this could get to be kinda space prohibitive.

Help?

[scoobydoozie]

Hi, Melissa,

I have a cheap dishdrainer from Walmart I use to clean my tools and dry them in and a separate area of my wedging board reserved for brown clay. Since I only use two different colored clay bodies, its not too bad, but yes, it becomes a bit more complicated with more colors. I don't feel the need to have separate tools, just a good cleaning between switches and separate buckets for scraps and separate areas on the wedging board. I use cloth covered dry wall attached with quick clamps, so it wouldn't be a big deal for me to swap out mutiple boards with each use for a different colored clay. They don't take a lot of room to store. I use plastic bats, so no issue with multiple bats.

[OffCenter]

ThisIsMelissa, on 25 March 2012 - 08:56 PM, said:

So, until this week, I didn't really understand the hubbub about having tools for different clay body colors.
But now I'm starting to understand why.
I can see how you could have a whole complete studio set up for different clay colors: canvases, bats, wheel, trimming tools, etc.
But really, what is necessary?

Sponges, buckets and wires come to mind. As do bats--at least the non-plastic ones.
Anything else?

I've also come to the conclusion that if I'm going to work with different clays, I should probably clean out my splash pan more often. Or, should I just keep slop buckets for the different colors?

It seems like this could get to be kinda space prohibitive.

Help?

I don't understand why anyone would go to all that trouble and waste of space. I use 5 different clays and experiment with others. Some pieces are made of more than one kind of clay (see gallery section of my profile). Often, I work with porcelain and Lizella Red (a coarse, iron-rich clay -- the very opposite of the smooth, bright white porcelain) switching back and forth. I simply take 10 or so minutes to thoroughly clean tools and work space when switching clays. I do keep one side of my wedging table for dark clay and one for light. The hardest thing to clean was my splash pan. I recently stopped using a splash pan by replacing it with a large thick sponge between the wheel head and bowl of water, which not only makes clean up a snap but gets a big, bulky splash pan (My main wheel is a Brent EX) out of my way.

Jim

[Denice]

I try to stay with one color for a while before I change, I just clean up my tools before I do, the one thing I do have is a canvas for my slab roller for colored clay and one for white clay body. Then I only have to wash them when them get really loaded up with clay. Denice

[Riorose]

to my dismay, at present, I am using porcelain and other studio users are using black stoneware. We work hard to keep everything immaculate that touches the clays. I remember a black piece I made that had a fog of white over it after firing. Ever since then I have tried my best and everyone does their part.

[Jeri]

I too have duplicates of many of my tools, but I don't keep them separate for different types of clays. I just do my best to make sure that they are clean after each use.
If I find something I missed when I was cleaning up, I clean it before starting anything. Space is quite an issue for me, so I have no choice really but to 'share' my tools
between clay types/colors.

Jeri Lynne

[Christine]

ThisIsMelissa, on 26 March 2012 - 12:56 AM, said:

So, until this week, I didn't really understand the hubbub about having tools for different clay body colors.
But now I'm starting to understand why.
I can see how you could have a whole complete studio set up for different clay colors: canvases, bats, wheel, trimming tools, etc.
But really, what is necessary?

Sponges, buckets and wires come to mind. As do bats--at least the non-plastic ones.
Anything else?

I've also come to the conclusion that if I'm going to work with different clays, I should probably clean out my splash pan more often. Or, should I just keep slop buckets for the different colors?

It seems like this could get to be kinda space prohibitive.

Help?

I do mostly handbuilding and slab work so I too have two canvases for my slab roller. I also have dedicated plaster bats (cut from domestic plasterboard ... do you say drywall?) for white and terracotta, and separate bins for recycling ... but as for the rest - I just clean everything after each session

Christine