Clay Pigeon Throwers – Characteristic of Clays
Clay Pigeon Throwers – Characteristic of Clays. Whether you already enjoy shooting clay or you are new to the sport, it is important to know about best clay pigeon throwers and the characteristics required for a clay body to perform well for throwing.
Throwing clays must have a high degree of plasticity, they cannot absorb too much water when thrown, and must be strong enough to hold their shape while working.
A very important characteristic of all clays used for throwing is plasticity.
Without a very high degree of flexibility, the clay will not work on the wheels.
Even a fairly small amount of plastic clay can reduce the load on the potter’s hand and wrist, because of the force and pressure required to make the clay movements.
Clay sleeves are very plastic and are often used to remove clay.
However, this is a trade-off. The more plastic the clay, the more it will shrink, and the greater the tendency to warp as it dries.
Plasticity must be kept in balance with the characteristics of other clay bodies.
3 characteristic of clays
- Power.
The throwing plate must be very plastic, but also have sufficient strength to stand upright when thrown into a thin, high-walled shape.
For this purpose, cast clay bodies contain some coarse particles to give them strength.
Throwing clay bodies tend to contain fire clay, fine sand, grog, or a combination of both.
When grog is used in the body of the thrower, it is best if the size passes through a 30 mesh screen, but not through an 80 mesh screen.
These “30-80” lumps allowed. More force was needed to be thrown, without being so violent that it hurt the potter’s hand.
In general, a throwing clay body should contain no more than 8% to 10% coarse particulate matter. - Water Absorption.
Clay absorbs water while it is being formed on the potter wheel, therefore the longer the clay works at the steering wheel, the softer it becomes.
Water absorption, then, can be a problem.
Plastic clay that is on the stiff side when squeezed will absorb less water while on the wheel. Unfortunately, this also means that the clay is more difficult to work with and laborious for the potter.
Working with stiff clay can also injure muscles and joints.
Plastic clay absorbs less water than… Coarser materials such as fire clay or frogs, which expose the body of the clay.
gain, a good throw has to be a balance between plasticity, strength, and water absorption. - Effects of Aging.
Aging imparts better workability to clay bodies.
Foraged clays, they are left exposed to the air for a day or two after mixing and before being covered.
This allows microscopic organisms to move onto the clay and grow.
Finding the right clay for you is very important. Some clays are basically untouched, even by the best scaffolding.
It is a real tragedy when someone underestimates their own skills simply because they are working with unsuitable clay.
In the above framework of what makes a good clay body to throw, it is up to you to determine what temperature range and coloring you are looking for in your perfect body of throwing clay.
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