No, generally, air dry clay is not recommended for throwing on a pottery wheel.
While the provided reference briefly mentions testing air-dry clay on a wheel, the overarching consensus and practicality suggest it's not a suitable material for this process. Air dry clay lacks the plasticity and structural integrity needed to withstand the forces involved in wheel throwing.
Here's why:
-
Lack of Plasticity: Air dry clay doesn't have the same level of plasticity as traditional ceramic clay. Plasticity is the ability to be molded and retain its shape without cracking or breaking. Wheel throwing requires a highly plastic material.
-
Quick Drying: Air dry clay, as the name suggests, dries quickly when exposed to air. On a pottery wheel, where the clay is constantly being manipulated and exposed, it will dry out too rapidly, leading to cracking and structural failure.
-
No Firing: Air dry clay hardens through air drying rather than firing in a kiln. This means it never undergoes the vitrification process that makes traditional ceramic pieces strong and durable. Even if you could successfully throw it, the final piece would be fragile.
-
Water Absorption: Air dry clay is porous and absorbs water easily. The constant wetting required during wheel throwing would cause it to become overly saturated and lose its form.
In summary, while some experimentation might be possible with specific types of air dry clay and very careful technique, air dry clay is fundamentally unsuited for throwing on a pottery wheel. It's designed for hand-building techniques where its quick-drying and non-firing properties are advantageous.
