Re-moisten dry piece?

I threw a couple of pieces before I had to disappear on an
extended business trip. Unfortunatly, my pieces are all now
pretty completyly dry, and I still need to trim a plate and
add a handle to a mug. I lnow there is a way to wet the
clay again do I can do this, but can someone give me some
advice as to the proper technique?

Thanks!

I usually just use a paper towel or two moistened and placed inside a bag
with the item needing rewetting. Trashbags seem to sweat, since they don't
breath, so are good to use on rewetting an item.

Could try wrapping the pots in wet paper towels, and then wrapping them up
in plastic for a couple of daze.... Make sure that the board you are
standing them on is wet as well..... Works OK @ the college where i work,
just don't do it more than once....
Hugs
Eddie
ps leave them for a coup;e of daze so that the clay gets EVENLY moist.....
"gmccord" wrote in message
news:41981413.3bc.41@news2...
I threw a couple of pieces before I had to disappear on an
extended business trip. Unfortunatly, my pieces are all now
pretty completyly dry, and I still need to trim a plate and
add a handle to a mug. I lnow there is a way to wet the
clay again do I can do this, but can someone give me some
advice as to the proper technique?

Thanks!

wrap the pieces in plastic, along with wet towels. the humidity slowly gets
into the dry pieces. if you check after a while, and things are not quite
leather enough, wet the towels more & leave them alone longer. this truly
works, but be patient.

see ya

steve


Subject: Re-moisten dry piece?
From: "gmccord"
Date: 11/14/2004 5:25 AM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id: 41981413.3bc.41@news2

I threw a couple of pieces before I had to disappear on an
extended business trip. Unfortunatly, my pieces are all now
pretty completyly dry, and I still need to trim a plate and
add a handle to a mug. I lnow there is a way to wet the
clay again do I can do this, but can someone give me some
advice as to the proper technique?

Thanks!








steve graber

In article 41981413.3bc.41@news2, gmccord wrote:
I threw a couple of pieces before I had to disappear on an
extended business trip. Unfortunatly, my pieces are all now
pretty completyly dry, and I still need to trim a plate and
add a handle to a mug. I lnow there is a way to wet the
clay again do I can do this, but can someone give me some
advice as to the proper technique?

Thanks!

I'd give them a quick dunk in a bucket of water, then wrap them up in
plastic. Check them, and if they're still too dry, take a spray
bottle with water and spray them down, rewrap and let them sit for
awhile. Of course, I'd only do this if I really loved the pieces. If
I only felt so-so about them, I'd break them up to recycle them and
start again.

Deb R.

supremely good idea here too!



Of course, I'd only do this if I really loved the pieces. If I only felt so-so
about them, I'd break them up to recycle them and
start again.

ref:
Subject: Re-moisten dry piece?
From: (Deborah M Riel)
Date: 11/14/2004 5:44 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

In article 41981413.3bc.41@news2, gmccord wrote:
I threw a couple of pieces before I had to disappear on an
extended business trip. Unfortunatly, my pieces are all now
pretty completyly dry, and I still need to trim a plate and
add a handle to a mug. I lnow there is a way to wet the
clay again do I can do this, but can someone give me some
advice as to the proper technique?

Thanks!



I'd give them a quick dunk in a bucket of water, then wrap them up in
plastic. Check them, and if they're still too dry, take a spray
bottle with water and spray them down, rewrap and let them sit for
awhile. Of course, I'd only do this if I really loved the pieces. If
I only felt so-so about them, I'd break them up to recycle them and
start again.

Deb R.



steve graber

Just be careful you dont over-moisten them, or you could return to a soggy
pile of clay. I agree with the others, a damp towel and wrap in plastic
bags. But keep an eye on it and make sure it doesnt get over wet!

"gmccord" wrote in message
news:41981413.3bc.41@news2...
I threw a couple of pieces before I had to disappear on an
extended business trip. Unfortunatly, my pieces are all now
pretty completyly dry, and I still need to trim a plate and
add a handle to a mug. I lnow there is a way to wet the
clay again do I can do this, but can someone give me some
advice as to the proper technique?

Thanks!

It's a few days late, and a few other people replied to this, but I though
I could unlurk and put in my two cents. I teach ceramics and have had
a few students who "forgot" to wrap their work - needless to say, their
work dried out.

Over the years a few things have become clear - The Wonder That Is the
Wet Towel can revive a project just as easily as destroy it.

I only use a damp towel. Get the towel wet and then wring it out as well as
you can. If the towel is too wet, the piece can just collapse into little
broken bits.
This is the general rule of thumb, although some solid piece over the years
has survived a overly wet towel.

In this case, size also matters. Use a towel that won't swamp the thing. A
washcloth works well on small things, handtowels work on plates and bowls,
etc. The weight of a large wet towel can also damage a piece.

Once the piece is wrapped, it gets put in a plastic bag and is left to sit
until the
next class period. I teach block schedule, so I see the students every
other day.
I tell them to check it during lunch the next day, and about 50% of the
students
actually do.

You can put the piece on a board, but I wrap the board in plastic before I
put
the wet towel wrapped piece on it so the wood won't leach off the moisture.

I've never used the paper towels the same way so I can't say if that works
or not. The few times students have tried them, they didn't work as well as
the
towel.

Oh! Make sure it's a towel you will never ever use again for bathing.
Yard sales keep me supplied when I need extra.

Good luck.
Kate

Trying to re-moisten dried out work is a waste of time and effort in my
opinion. I would rather toss a dried out pot in the garbage and throw
another one then spend time trying to re-moisten it.

depends on what time has been put into that pot. for very detailed work, it
can make sense to re-moisten.

and if you are set up to re-moisten a piece this helps too.

ceramics monthly (or clay times?) this month had a simple box. buy one of
those larger storage boxes with a snap lid from wall mart or home depot or
other large stores supplying those type of boxes.

pour plaster into the bottom - make a plaster floor.

keep the plaster wet. put your piece inside & cap the lid. wait a few days &
check on it.

see ya

steve



Subject: Re-moisten dry piece?
From:
Date: 12/7/2004 12:00 AM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id: . com

Trying to re-moisten dried out work is a waste of time and effort in my
opinion. I would rather toss a dried out pot in the garbage and throw
another one then spend time trying to re-moisten it.









steve graber