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If the clay is completely dry you would need to grind it into a powder and mix it with water. You can buy a pug mill which will do this or you can do it by hand but it is a lot of work and the dust is very hazardous for your lungs. If the clay is not completely dry you can do several things. If the clay is in a large block you can use an electric drill with a long bit attached and drill several holes through it. Put the clay in a airtight bag and put in a fair amount of water. Let the clay sit for several days, rotating it everyday to keep the water dispersed and make sure to add more water as it is absorbed. This will work eventually although it takes a while if you live in a dry climate. Another thing I found out by accident is that if you leave the clay outside in a cold environment for a few days it helps soften it up. I once left several blocks of clay in the trunk of my car for a few days in the middle of winter. When I took it out the clay was very soft; too soft to work with. I have since used this method for moderately dry clay.
Wiki User
∙ 15y ago
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoYou can start by adding a bit of heat and friction- some people chop it up in a food-processor that will only be used with clay. You can try getting a hammer and taking the still-wrapped clay outside and pounding it on the pavement- that will get it moving and usually works to soften it. If those methods don't work, You need to add something to it- a bit of mineral oil, a retail product especially for softening clay, or SuperElasticlay- which is sometimes marketed as Sculpey Moldmaker (they are the same thing)
Just be sure to put additives in a tiny bit at a time so you don't end up with the opposite problem of too-soft clay!
Wiki User
∙ 14y agomost people would put water on it but that will just stuff it play with it mush it through your fingers it will take a while but it will work
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How does plaster of Paris soften after it is hard?
There's no other way to make it soften you just have to start it over .
What is hard stony clay called?
Mudstone.
What happens if you leave clay in the freezer?
it gets hard as a rock
Is Clay Sediment from rock?
Clay is actually a description of sediment of a specific particle size. As such clay is not necessarily a rock. However when compacted and cemented clay forms claystone which is a sedimentary rock.
Which is harder limestone or clay?
Limestone would be potentially harder until the clay is fired. The problem we have here is that "clay" is an ambiguous term. There is no homogenous or standard formula for clay. However, clays can generally be formed and baked to become set and hard. This is called firing. Fired clay tends to be quite hard, and depending on the formula, might be harder than limestone.
How can a plastic clay be made porous?
clay could be made pourous if we add water to it to soften it and remove all hard parts of it
How do you soften a plastic that's gone hard?
To soften a plastic that has become hard, heat can be applied to gently soften the plastic. Softening clay like Play-Doh requires water. Softening acrylic paint will require water. Softening oil based paint will require paint thinner. To soften leather, water can be used and the leather stretched back into shape before it dries.
How do you soften clay fast?
You have to put water in it then roll it.
Can you soften modeling clay in a kitchen oven?
no your retarted thats how you make it harder
Restoring leather on a leather sofa - to clean and soften?
How to soften a new hard leather sofa?
How does plaster of Paris soften after it is hard?
There's no other way to make it soften you just have to start it over .
How do you soften hard soil for indoor planter?
pour water into it
Does a clay ball have bounce?
Hard and dry clay dose not
Can you put pottery clay in oven?
If you put "real" clay (not playdough or modeling clay) in a microwave, you'll succeed in doing two things. One is heating it, and the other is driving moisture out of it. The latter is counterproductive, as the "correct" way to soften clay is to work moisture into it. Think this through and it will make sense. In a better equipped studio or ceramic shoppe, you'll find what is called a pugmill. This is used to mix materials like clay, and it is often used to "revive" material that has dried out a bit too much to be effectively worked. A sculptor or a helper can run clay and a bit of water through the pugmill and soften it. Anyone who has ever worked a bit of moisture into clay by hand to change its consistency knows how labor intensive it is. Roll up your sleeves if you don't have a machine. If you are seeking to soften oil- or polymer-based clays, warming them a bit will help, but note that the polymer clays can end up thermosetting if you are not careful. Clay made at home based in paper or flour is best softened in the manner of the clays used in ceramics -- mix in a littlewater with lots of elbow grease.
When the clay stiffens but is not completely dry it is at what stage?
That is called "leather hard" clay
Is there a way to soften hard baguettes?
Keep it in an airtight container in the freezer until you want it.
How do you get superglue of your sink?
Soften it with Goof Off, then rub it hard and it will roll up.
