May 2026: We are continuing a major code rewrite. Please contact us if you find issues. Thank you.
It took more than a week for this small sample to dry. To make this thick gel I propeller-mixed a slurry as thick as I could make it and then let it sit for two weeks to evaporate off water. It would be very difficult to make it into a plastic material, but if I did the drying shrinkage would likely be 30% (typical plastic forming clays are around 5-8%!).
| Materials |
Bentonite
Bentonite can make a clay body instantly plastic, only 2-3% can have a big effect. It also suspends slurries so they don't settle out and slows down drying. |
![]() PayPal | No tracking, No ads, No paywall, No transient content! Just organized, concise information constantly updated and improved. Was this helpful? Consider supporting me. |
Buy me a coffee and we can talk