Latest posts

  • How to Make a Damp Box For Clay

    How to Make a Damp Box For Clay

    Life is busy and having somewhere to store half-finished pottery for a week or a few days is handy.  You may have heard about a helpful piece of pottery kit called a damp box and wondered what it is.  In this article, I will go through what it is and how to make a damp…

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  • What Height Should My Potter’s Wheel Be?

    What Height Should My Potter’s Wheel Be?

    My first pottery wheel was a budget wheel with short legs and was quite low to the ground.  I was surprised by how much lower it was than the wheels I’d used in class.  It got me thinking about what height a potter’s wheel should be.  Wheel height is a matter of personal preference, and…

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  • 12 Reasons Why Clay Goes Off-Center When Opening

    12 Reasons Why Clay Goes Off-Center When Opening

    We have all been when we are learning to throw.  We are sure that the clay is centered. It’s looking good and it feels smooth and even.   Then moments later your pottery is wonky and bumping around beneath your fingers.  So, what is going on?  Why does clay go off-center? and what can you…

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  • How Long Does it Take for Pottery Clay to Dry?

    How Long Does it Take for Pottery Clay to Dry?

    When you’ve worked hard on a piece of pottery, you want it to survive the drying process.  You may have been told to dry your pots slowly so they don’t crack or warp.  But how slow should you go? And how long does it take for pottery clay to dry? Pottery clay usually takes about…

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  • What is Grog in Pottery?

    What is Grog in Pottery?

    You may have noticed that some clay bodies contain something called grog.  But what is grog in clay and why is it important when we make pottery? Grog is a gritty material that gives the clay strength which can make it easier to throw and hand build.  It reduces clay shrinkage and cracking which makes…

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  • How To Recycle Clay – Easy Ways to Reclaim Clay Scraps

    How To Recycle Clay – Easy Ways to Reclaim Clay Scraps

    Whether you hand build with clay or wheel throw, you are going to generate some clay scraps.  But is clay recyclable?  The answer is yes, clay scraps can be recycled and do not need to go to waste.  Here is a step-by-step guide on how to recycle clay.  There are lots of different ways of…

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  • How to Prepare Clay for Pottery

    How to Prepare Clay for Pottery

    Learning how to prepare your clay for pottery will make your life as a potter much easier.  A few simple steps to get your clay ready can save you hours of frustration going forward. Preparing clay for pottery involves making sure the clay is moist but not too wet and sticky.  You also need to…

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  • Why does Pottery Explode in The Kiln? – Avoid Explosions

    Why does Pottery Explode in The Kiln? – Avoid Explosions

    Lots of things can go wrong when you fire pottery.  Glaze can run, plates can warp, and clay can crack.  One of the most dramatic and disappointing things that can happen is that pottery can explode in the kiln.  It helps to understand what makes clay explode in the kiln to prevent it from happening.…

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