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Low Shrink Clay








There are pottery clay bodies that can be made that have almost no shrinkage.
It is made from a large amount of talc mixed with a small percentage of standard clay.
The result of this mixture is not all clay, it will act like plastic clay to a certain extent and can be worked in much the same way.
Talc is magnesium silicate and when mixed with water has many of the properties of clay, but with little or no shrinkage.
It is also highly resistant to thermal shock and can be fired in minutes instead of the usual hours.

When mixing a low shrink body, you can use up to 90 percent talc.
If you use any more than this, the body will lose its workability and firing strength.
With the addition of 10 percent standard clay, the necessary chemistry for firing is retained.
Low shrink clay should only be fired at low temperatures because talc loses its density at 2110˚ F or 1100˚ C and will collapse.
When fired to a temperature of about 1900˚ F or 1040˚ C the clay will fuse and be almost as dense as porcelain.
When talc is used in small amounts in clay, the talc acts as a refractory ingredient, giving good resistance to heat and thermal shock and making it and ideal addition to ovenware pottery.

Clay with talc added are mainly used for commercial tile manufacturing because the clay can easily be rolled or pressed, will shrink little or not at all and will not warp when drying or firing.
Talc is also much cheaper than clay and its low expansion rate makes for a good craze free glaze fit.

We work so hard to keep our outside presentable when the inside is what matters.


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Have you ever come up with a good idea while working with your handmade pottery or ceramics and thought that you would like to share it with others? You have? Well, why not send it to us and we will add it to the tips page for all to see.

Handmade pottery can be a very gratifying hobby that produces fun and satisfying results. For many people it's an enjoyable release that is created by working an inanimate mound of clay into a beautiful work of art that you made through your artistic abilities.

The best way of starting out is to take a few lessons. You will probably waste quite a bit in materials when you first get started. Figuring out how to truly make handmade pottery correctly and shape into what you want it to be can be quite an ordeal. The different tools that a normal shop will have can be fun to try. You will soon see which ones you like to use the most and then when you are ready you will know which ones to buy.

With the help of the internet, you can now purchase most if not all of your ceramic and pottery tools and supplies online. We are located far from any well supplied dealers and yet working with reliable ceramic and pottery suppliers online has allowed us to recieve most of our orders within a timely manner.

When you get all set up, just enjoy the hobby and have fun at it. Some people get pretty serious and start selling their creations at craft fairs and small stores, but others just like to create items for themselves, relatives, and friends. Whichever kind of handmade pottery you desire to endeavor, enjoy the hobby and have fun doing it.

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