How to Make a Damp Box Easy | Keep Clay, Ceramics and Pottery Wet | Using Plaster with Measurements

How to make a damp box to keep your pottery, ceramics, clay wet and workable. A damp box is an invaluable tool for ceramic artists who need a little more time and flexibility in scheduling out their work with clay. By storing your work in a damp box, you can keep it damp and malleable for extended periods of time, giving you the time you need to add handles, work on sculptures or anything else! Directions, supplies list and measurements below! Please like my video and Subscribe to my channel for more fun art videos!

SUPPLIES LIST:
►No.1 Pottery Plaster (This is much cheaper if you can get it at your local ceramic supply shop:: https://amzn.to/3koocwH )
►*Cold Water (for my 24"x17" box at about 1.5" thick, I used 1.9 gallons)
►Container with a lid. (I used 24"x17"x 8" Hefty storage bin)
►**Mask (for when you are working with the powder, as you DO NOT want to breathe in plaster powder… das bad)
►Metal or rubber rib (for smoothing out the top)
►Spray bottle of rubbing alcohol (for breaking the bubbles at the surface of the plaster)
►Work space (a space you are willing to get pretty messy. I covered my table with a trash bag.)
►Bucket for mixing (I also lined my bucket with a trash bag for easy clean up)
►Gloves (so you can mix the plaster with your hands and clean up easier)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Prepare your work space and have your container ready. You don’t want to be setting stuff up while your plaster is setting, get all of that ready first.
2. Pre-measure your cold water and plaster mix in separate containers.
3. Add your plaster mix slowly to the cold water. (DO NOT add the water into the plaster mix, DRY GOES INTO WET)
4. Work the mix with an immersion blender or your hands to get all of the lumps out and ensure the mix is well mixed. (I just used my hands)
5. Pour the mix into the container.
6. Smooth the surface with your favorite rib tool. (or don't, I didn't, but it could be helpful or necessary depending on how you pour the plaster.)
7. Tap the sides of the mold to bring bubbles to the surface.
8. Spray the top with a couple mists of the rubbing alcohol to break the surface tension and pop the bubbles.
9. Check the plaster every 15mins, tapping the sides and respraying the alcohol until the mold is firm.
10. When the mold is solid (it will still feel a little damp), you are ready to go.
11. I used a damp towel to wipe off any thin bits of plaster that could potentially break off into my box/work.


REFERENCES:
►Plaster Mixing Chart (Use to find water/plater ratio for any size box):: https://www.aardvarkclay.com/pdf/tech...

1 quart of water + 2.75 lbs. of plaster makes 80 cubic inches of mixed plaster.
To calculate cubic inches, take container width x length x desired plaster thickness.
Example: my container is 24 x 17 x 1.5 = 612 cubic inches


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