Force Dry

John Benn firming up a pot during a demo at Shoreline Community College.

Using a heat gun, torch or other method to heat and dry soft clay in order to quickly stiffen it to a desired workability. When throwing or coiling pieces, the softness of the clay may not be able to support continued shaping or the addition of more material; a wait period may be necessary to let the work air-dry until it has firmed up, or the potter may attempt to force-dry the piece somewhat in order to continue working. Force-drying clay can cause stresses in the clay that lead to cracking, and should be done sparingly, evenly and with care.

Beginning potters, bursting with enthusiasm (or trying to meet a deadline at the last minute), may think to take a wet, just-thrown piece from the wheel and dry it until it is leather hard and ready to trim. No. No, really - no; it takes more time and energy than it's worth, leaves the clay stressed and too hard on the outside/too soft on the inside, and if the piece is on a (especially plastic) bat, the bat will get burned and warp. If it's your bat, I don't care. If it's mine . . . The best thing to do is find a well-ventilated area and let the piece sit for at least a few hours, flipping it over when the rim is firm enough so that the bottom can dry out.

An example of John's finished work, wood-fired in his kiln. See more here.