A working link is
http://opopots.blogspot.com/2009/06/using-microwaves-to-dry-clay.html
He says
"What Has Worked for Me
I have only microwaved simple bowls, or tiles. The objects have all had a fairly even wall thickness, and have not had handles or other added parts."
These would all be thin objects, probably 1/4" or less. IMHO anyone contemplating zapping mud should read the whole post to see how Peter does it without flying shrapnel.
spaceman All opinions expressed or implied are subject to change without notice upon receipt of new information. http://Starship-Enterprises.Net blog at http://Starship-Enterprises.Net/wordpress/
On 5/22/2011 8:36 AM, ashokchand2000 wrote:
Dear Pam, To my previous post I should add a warning that if not done properly, clay could explode in a microwave oven. To read how an artist has actually used the microwave with clay go to the link below http://opopots.blogspot.com/2009/06/using-microwave-to-dry-clay.html There are plenty of comments to the blog. Clearly microwave cannot be used to "fire" clay; it can used to "dry" clay. But that gives sufficient strength to the tiles that the blogger writes about. Regards Ashok --- In papercreters@yahoogroups.com, Pam Cole <honeyland12@...> wrote:I need something to make my Birdhouses light, hard, and safe from the weather. I guess I'll have to keep using the cement! ________________________________ From: Donald Miller <donald1miller@...> To: papercreters@yahoogroups.com Sent: Fri, May 20, 2011 7:31:38 AM Subject: Re: [papercreters] Re: Share your clay recipes There is a difference between experiments and actually making and usingpapercrete/paper adobe. I have stopped using cement long ago and only use clay for a binder in my blocks. I use cardboard for the pulp and it works very well indeed with clay. I don't even use much clay as I have found that very little is needed, perhaps one small shovelful per block. I too am not much on details but rather focus on results. I also make blocks with only cardboard pulp and they work very well and are of course lighter than the blocks made with clay. The idea that clay does not adhere to anything is rather ludicrous as it sticks to everything and is a pain to remove when it dries. It also expands when subjected to water, which is why basement and foundation walls in heavy clay soils benefit from a layer of gravel next to the concrete. --- On Fri, 5/20/11, ashokchand2000 <ashokchand2000@...> wrote:From: ashokchand2000 <ashokchand2000@...> Subject: [papercreters] Re: Share your clay recipes To: papercreters@yahoogroups.com Date: Friday, May 20, 2011, 12:12 AM Dear Pam, Consider the following thought experiment. In a papercrete mixer put the newsprint and water but do not put in the cement and run it. What will result? In my understanding, the mixer, working as a pulper alone, will shred the newsprint into wood fibre and mix air in the mix making it quite light and foamy. If you add cement to the mix, papercrete results. So what is different in the two experiments? Cement actually coats the shredded newsprint (wood fibre) with itself protecting the wood fibre from the environment so that it no longer decays. Also, to some extent,the cement expands and fills the voids created by the mixing. The long setting time of papercrete allows the voids to gather some strength. Clay has no natural affinity to anything. That includes wood fibre. It will not coat individual wood fibres but will mix between the wood fibres. It does not expand on coming in contact with water. This suggests that the resulting mix will have very poor strength and will decay with time. Regards Ashok --- In papercreters@yahoogroups.com, JUDITH WILLIAMS <williams_judith@> wrote:How about starting out by substituting clay for cement in the same amount then adjusting from there. Please share if you do this. I have been doing it and am having good results, but seem to think more clay than cement is required. I am serious about your sharing your results. Attention to detail is not my forte. "There are none happy in the world but being who enjoy freely a vast horizon." Damodora Follow progress on the new project at http://www.papercretebyjudith.com/blog More papercrete info at http://squidoo.com/papercretebyjudith To: papercreters@yahoogroups.com From: heerkitty@ Date: Thu, 5 May 2011 20:28:29 +0000 Subject: Re: [papercreters] Share your clay recipes I live in Alabama so red clay is abundant, I would think that the clay would have to be dried and sifted to use in papercrete? Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®From: "PamC" <honeyland12@> Sender: papercreters@yahoogroups.com Date: Thu, 05 May 2011 20:22:14 -0000To: <papercreters@yahoogroups.com>ReplyTo: papercreters@yahoogroups.com Subject: [papercreters] Share your clay recipes Hello everyone Pam here from east TN, I'm looking for a clay recipe so I can quit using cement in my papercrete, plz help Thanks Pam------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/papercreters/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/papercreters/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: papercreters-digest@yahoogroups.com papercreters-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: papercreters-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1375 / Virus Database: 1509/3653 - Release Date: 05/22/11
__._,_.___
