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Tips to Identify the Right Type of Clay

To make perfect and beautiful Ceramic it is very important to used right type of clay. The quality of ceramic depends on the quality of clay used. This article will help you know the right type of clay to make ceramic.

Closely resembling the strainer is the scratch-box, which is used for a much different purpose: to level the irregular edges of pottery. A scratch-box can be quickly made by nailing together four 18-inch boards to form a box. Across the top, tack down a sheet of grit cloth. By holding a piece of greenware perpendicular to the cloth abrasive, and carefully rubbing it across the surface, you can even up the bottoms and tops of pottery.

If you want to get the most out of your tools, you should take good care of them. Keep them clean. Don't leave them soaking in water but wipe them with a damp cloth and then dry thoroughly. Metal tools should periodically be wiped with an oil-soaked cloth to prevent rusting. Plaster surfaces such as bats and wedging boards should be kept dry and clean. When you are through with them, you should wipe them dry with a damp sponge to remove clay particles.

All tools deserve good treatment and any ceramist worthy of the name has as much respect for his tools as for the clay.

Clays
Success in ceramic depends on your using the right clay I the right time. Clay is among the most abundant of earth's natural resources, as well as one of the cheapest and most useful.

There are many different kinds of clays, natural and synthetic, used for different purposes in ceramic work. Before you begin shaping your first piece of pottery, you should know certain facts about the properties of the various clays you will use. To begin with, you should always make sure that you have chosen the right clay for each project. Needless to say, it is quite discouraging to find a piece ruined in the kiln because you used the wrong kind of clay.

Some purists suggest that you dig and prepare your own clay. Although this might be fascinating fun, it certainly is not for the beginner. Also, it is unnecessary work, since you can buy prepared clay for only a few cents a pound. If you plan to use the clay for modeling, you can purchase it already mixed and seasoned, ready for use. If you plan to use the clay for casting, that also can be bought already prepared, but since it is liquid and sold by weight, it may seem extravagant to pay for so much water.

Modeling clay is called plastic; clay used for casting, or pouring into molds, is referred to as slip. How you plan to use the clay will determine which you purchase, although one type can actually serve both purposes, the main difference being in the mixing and preparation. When you buy clay, always be sure to ask the dealer about its firing range. Some clay does not mature unless they are fired at very high temperatures, while others will disintegrate if fired too high. The same dealer who sells you the clay can also advise you about which types of glaze to use on it.

Clays are of many kinds. It is the most abundant of earth's natural resources. It is available everywhere. But good quality clay can be found in some particular place only. Depends on the type of ceramic you want to make, according to its quality clay can be chosen.