[claclana]

Hello All!

It'squite an efford to "vent" the tiles I am working to let them dry slowly,

I reverse the plastic bag (full of condensation inside the plastic) let air dry for 2-5 minutes and back to be closed for several hours, this many many times.

is there some way to make this more fluid, I read somebody putting clothe on top or should I build a big closed-shelved box?

how do you work this out?


thanks!!

[Marcia Selsor]

I have seen tile factories stand tiles on edge in herring bone patterns to dry them. For my large slabs for raku, I wax about 2-3" in from the edge to avoid warping.
I dry them on a ware rack that is wrapped loosely in plastic. Forgot to mention...these are face down on sheetrock with taped edges. I have attached nobs to the back so they can only have the sheetrock on one side.

Marcia

[Mark C.]

If they are flat I suggest putting cut sheet rock between them . Stack the up and put a few bricks on top. I also like Marcis idea of waxed edges.
I have dried tile for years as I described piled 6-8 high.
I do not live where its very dry or hot in summer-todays high 63 with fog all day-
PS thats why I live here
Mark

[Chris Campbell]

A method invented by Elizabeth Priddy in Beaufort, NC ...works perfectly for me, but your results may vary.

The best 'trick' to non warping tiles lies in the way you make them more than how you dry them.

If you roll them out on a slab roller, make sure to roll across the grain then let it rest for a few minutes. I always have a piece of old bed sheet between the canvas and the clay in my slab roller. This way I can slide the clay horizontally rather than pick it up when I have to move it. Always slide the clay horizontally ... even if you are moving a single tile, slide it.

Cut the tiles leaving a border unused as the edges of your slab are most likely to have been moved.

Once you have them ready to dry, slide them onto a board ( I slide mine on pages from old phone books) and drop that board to the floor from waist high. Then leave them alone ... Do not touch, move, slide, test ... Nothing til they are leather hard.
You can even put them outside in the breeze and sun and they won't warp.
It works every time for me and I hope it works for others too.