Speed Dry Your Clay

Don’t throw trimmings into a plastic container and let them sit for a week or so to dry before reclaiming. Reclaiming works best when the clay is bone dry. Here is a simple technique to speed the drying process. Purchase a wastepaper container from an office supply store. It is made out of expanded metal so it contains many holes. This container is sprayed with black paint, so it does not rust but you can use a plastic bin as well, as long as it has mesh like sides. When you trim or carve your pieces, throw the scraps in the container to air dry. It will take half the time to dry and you can wash out the empty container with water to easily clean it.

Courtesy Ceramic Arts Network. Edit Ed Trost.