These are two available machines from Muddy Elbow Manufacturing.
Soldner Clay Mixers in both Studio and Professional sizes.
Both Range in Price from $4,500 to $7,000
Both mixers claim to do the same amount of work.
Step 1: Pour water into mixer, close lid and turn to "ON" position
Step 2: Add raw (dry) materials into machine while it is spinning
Step 3: repeat step two until clay is at desired consistency
Step 4: Turn to "OFF" position and done.
However what Muddy Elbow Manufacturing withholds, is the work involved to remove and transport 150-300 lbs of clay before cleaning the machine for future use. If you have experience with these types of machines in a college, university of studio setting, then you have first hand perspective about the following details.
Yes, Muddy Elbow Manufacturing in correct. If you complete steps 1-4 you will indeed have completed all necessary steps to make a batch of clay that will be light, malleable and ready for use with much less conditioning that "store bought" clay.
But once you've made 150-300 lbs of clay, how do you get it out?!
That's right, this multi-thousand dollar machine requires you to scoop, scrape and pull the clay off of the mixer walls and in between the bars that mix the clay. This process is called "hell" to many potters alike, mostly because you spend 15-20 minutes bent over while STILL wasting many pounds of clay that are just impossible to reach.
Where do you put 150-300 lbs of clay?
Well that depends, the best case scenario would allow you to put the clay, handful by handful onto a cart, then wheel to your studio space and placed into bags to age before kneading. If you are unable to have a table on wheels, then you will more than likely have a small plastic tub that you will fill and make multiple trips to your studio space until all the clay has been transported. Do not attempt to put all of the clay into the tub for efficiency. You will not be able to lift, move or even scoot the tub more than 3 inches-- even if you attempt to kick the tub with your converse.
What a Mess!
By now, you are feeling pretty proud of yourself. Not only have you mixed 150-300 lbs worth of clay, you have moved it to your studio space while your imagination wanders to the pieces of pottery and sculpture it will make in the future. Those pipe dreams quickly lose their luster as you find the muddy-dusty mess that awaits you from inside the mixer.
The studio-preferred way of dealing with this atrocity would be to grab a hose, (yes a hose that will be conveniently attached to the nearest sink with a squeeze trigger nozzle).
TIP!
The trick is to use the least amount of water, at the highest velocity to spray mud off of the hardest to reach crevices of the clay mixer arms. This is because the clay mixers are not equipped with an efficient way to drain excess water out of the machine. So if you like sucking of garden hoses, yes you are able to siphon water out of the mixer back into a sink or clay recycling bin. But for most, you are left to find every sponge in the studio to "sop" up the water into the nearest bucket-- most of which will fall onto your clay dusty jeans, turning into a slippery mud.
Now You're Done!
Then you leave clay mixing room, with muddy battle wounds as you give an empathetic nod, to the potter next in line to make an excessive amount of clay with an excessive machine, to do an excessive amount of work.
My next post will outline my alternative to such an extravagance involving:
- 1 mudbucket
- 1 stick
- 1 plaster bat
- Time, Air and a little Patience
Stay Tuned Folks!
Amanda
