# How do you measure 10-15% clay for MTS?



## fischig (Nov 3, 2018)

I made my first batch of MTS. The MTS is loose. It's almost airy. It looks wonderful.

I bought Mexican pottery clay to add to the MTS. The clay is packed as a moistened block weighing 5 lbs and is 4"x4"x5" in size. The clay is as dense as anything. 

It does not seem that 1 cup of each, for example, would result in a 50/50 mixture due to the the different densities. 

Would making two slurries produce an apples-to-apples measurement that I could trust for the 10-15%? Or, would drying out and pulverizing the clay work well? Is there a better way to get the proportions correct?

It may be that I am over thinking this. But, I have no experience to draw on. I hope to benefit from the thoughts and experiences of APC members. Thanks in advance, folks.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

I found it very hard to mix in wet clay when I did a batch of MTS. I let some of it dry out, but it was so hard it was difficult to break it up, let alone make a powder of it. One time I just soaked it in water, so it was easy to stir it up to make a slurry. That was the easiest way I found. The percentage of clay is not critical, so you might as well just estimate it. Or you could weigh the soil, then chop off about one tenth of that of clay, and mix that in. Also, some people just put small pieces of the clay in the bottom part of the soil, guessing about what percentage it is.


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## fischig (Nov 3, 2018)

Thanks, hoppycalif. In a way, I am glad it is not straightforward. I thought I might have been missing something obvious.

I appreciate the advice. I, too, tried to dry it out It's really hard. I am not sure how I can crush it without it shooting out everywhere.


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