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Recycling clay - use an old plastic lidded bucket. Put dry clay scraps, wheel slop and water in and allow to soak. Pour water off then stir by hand to a thick goo, then scoop into thick (at least 2cm) bisque fired bowls about 20cm diam.

Richard has 3 of these bowls which is sufficient to recycle his clay. In a couple of days the clay is hard enough to be taken out and block wedged for reuse.
Wheel with recycling bucket and clay ready for throwing
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The big kiln

Kiln
 
Richard Baxter uses an Olympic oval top-loader electric kiln about 12 cu ft in capacity

A smaller Kilns and Furnaces round top-loader is used for porcelain. The big kiln is 20 years old and cannot reach these higher temperatures.

The wheel is a Super Europa electric.

A selection of Richard's tools Perfect joints

Hairy slip is the solution to virtually all clay joining. This gains the benefits of paper clay without making large batches of the stuff.

Richard makes about 1cm of wet paper pulp in a small bowl to which he adds about 3cm of thick slip/slurry and stirs well. This is used the same as ordinary slip for joining, but you really do not need to cut and score surfaces - just a slight roughening with an old bit of hacksaw blade to give a key.

Paper clay slip shrinks far less than normal slip and binds about a million times better, so slabs do not split and handles stay put without hairline cracks.

The workshop with drying pots

Richard Baxter uses the following clays:

Earthenware pots are made using Valentine's standard grogged red clay bisqued to 950c and glaze fired to 1074c.

White earthenware fishware pots are thrown in potterycrafts LT25 bisqued to 1120c then glazed at 1074c.

Porcelain bowls and vases are thrown in Limoges porcelain bisqued to 950c and glazed to 1240c.
 
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:: Richard Baxter pottery studio and gallery is based in the picturesque fishing village of Leigh on Sea, Essex ::
:: Old Leigh Studios, 61 High Street, The Old Town, Leigh on Sea, Essex SS9 2EP 2EP :: Tel : 01702 470 490 ::