As much as I would love to buy this sturdy, simple wedging table from Bailey Ceramic Supply, I don't have $770 to shell out. I don't even have $50, but I would at least be willing to put $50 on my credit card to make something right now. I'm always afraid I'll piss off the neighbors or even my roommates when I'm making a racket slamming clay onto the unsturdy, loud table I have, and the wire wedging process would go so much smoother if I had a wire attached to the table.
I'm thinking of building one from 100% wood, thinking that will be the cheapest and easiest, but honestly I haven't a clue. I would prefer to not have one made with plaster because I would hate to have small bits of plaster come off into the clay over time. Any advice is welcome. What do you use for a wedging table?
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I know several people who have built wedging tables with a concrete surface rather than plaster. Same good properties without the plaster chipping.
I am also too cheap to buy a good table, so I wedge on a mat on the floor ;] At my school they used wedging tables that were wood covered in canvas, and that worked well.
to cheap here as well, built one and stretched canvas over it, i think you can always do better but it works and certainly don't have 700 buck... wow! anyway if you built it with wood edges sticking up and then poured the plaster into it, i don't think you'd have many problems with the plaster chipping... of course you'd have to mix the plaster properly and if you have no experience that could be a problem.
We built a plaster one at my old studio and it worked really well. It's soooo heavy to move though. It's still there. So, until we can move it, I've been using hardee board. It's cheap and portable for a temporary solution. Just lay the board on the floor when it's time to wedge and go at it.
I always wedge clay on canvas and if you built a wooden table you could just stretch the canvas over the top and staple it to the sides. It seems to be the best material to use that clay won't stick to.
Thanks for all your advice! I have used concrete in the past at both the university & the community college and it worked well. I might go with that if I can afford it.
Hi Erin. I used a concrete table for the last 10 years or so, but recently made one for my new studio using plywood as my surface. So far so good. I use a wire and slam clay as I wedge. Some of the plywood gets jammed as I scrape with an 8" drywall knife to clean up. I don't like canvas.
I hope that's useful. I believe in making my own tools and tables, etc. whenever I can.
I'm glad I found your blog! (through Ang!)
Indeed that is useful. Thank you, Michael! Glad you found my blog :)
sweet!
Since people have had success with cement, why not use that cement backer board as a table surface -- this is the stuff you put on the wall before you install tile in your shower.
@claybabe I think the stuff isn't stable. Seems crumbly to me. Worth a try though.
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