This new toy arrived today - here's Matt checking it out. He's making floor tiles from the clay in the field for some work he's doing in his house.
So Matt, Marky Mark and I have been digging clay from the riverbank. I've been processing it by hand - digging out the worst of the stones and twigs, which are surprisingly few and far between, then lots of kneading.
It looks like this when it's dug out
And this is what it looks like when it's sliced................
.....and then kneaded.This weekend Matt's going to help get the blunger up and running. I have many tonnes of clay in a big pile in the field and the equipment that just needs installing. The blunger weighs over a tonne, so it's not all that straightforward, but Matt has a forklift which he's going to get running tomorrow, so if all goes to plan, I should be self sufficient in beautiful, plastic, musty, native clay, by the end of the summer. That will be amaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing!
Happy weekend all
10 comments:
That will be amazing Doug.I recently did up a bunch of native terra cotta and made garden pots. Great fun.I know you like traditional methods. Maybe just a big tub and several small children could stomp the clay into submission.Have fun.
I'd still like to find that kind of source around here on the Cape. Looks wonderful.
deal me in on the tile making- you are going to love the ease but there is a tad of a learning curve.
What a pleasure it will be walking on your floor tiles, can't wait to see how that clay fires up.
Luck you..hard work but amazing, as you already said!!
Take care
Jude
looks like good clay.
It will be a joy to walk on tiles made locally from that.
hi doug,
it's so cool to be able to get your clay that way... not that it's not a lot of work. they say kentucky is mostly clay but not sure where i could go digging in the city.
I'll be the bunch of kids stomping clay in a big bucket with pleasure!
you really are in the right spot fitchy.....and new toys love em :))
I'm a lucky boy for sure, I can't wait to be using this clay for all my pots - it's so much more responsive than the stuff I have to buy in. I favor Dennis' processing technique and plan to employ Hannah to do the job
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