Retro Cane Slab

This month, we're showing you how to make a retro cane with your extruder that you can use for all kinds of projects!

This easy-to-do cane slab is really brining back some retro vibes! You can use this slab to cover glass containers, make jewelry, or anything else your heart desires. The colors are up to you!

What you'll need:

• Clay machine 
• Black clay (3/4 block)
• Silver clay (1/2 block)
  
• Tissue blade
  
• Clay extruder
  
• Extruder disk (with 1 circle/hole)
• 1/4" - 1/2" circle cutter

Directions:

1. Condition 1/2 block of your black clay until soft with the final pass through the machine on the largest setting. Place your conditioned clay flat on your work surface.  

2. Condition the remaining 1/4 block of your black clay until soft with the final pass through the machine on the 3rd largest setting. Place your conditioned clay to the side.

3. Condition 1/2 block of your silver clay until soft with the final pass through the machine on the largest setting. Place your conditioned clay flat on your work surface.

4. Using your circle cutter, cut as many circles out of each color clay—we got approximately 20 circles of each (black and silver).

5. Alternating colors, stack clay circles until you have a log roughly the length of your extruder (not longer). 

Note: you many want to gently press the circles together once in a while to help prevent air bubbles between the layers.

6. Load into the extruder and insert the extruder disk that has one circle cut out in the middle. 

  

7. Extrude the entire amount of clay. Cut off with tissue blade when you've reached the end of the clay. 

 

8. You should now have a clay rope. Cut this rope evenly until you have 16 small sections of the same length.

 

9. Stack the clay ropes 4 across and 4 high—gently press them together to ensure they adhere, but not so hard that they become distorted.

 

10. Gently press/roll your 4x4 cane into either a rectangle or cylinder—your choice—we created a rectangle. 

 

11. Using your tissue blade, slice your cane to reveal the retro pattern. 

12. Bring your conditioned black clay (that has been off to the side) to your work space. This will be the backing to your slab.

13. Arrange your cane slices on the backing clay so that you don't have gaps or spaces between (as much as possible).

14. Once you have covered the backing clay, you may choose to roll your slab through the clay machine to help ensure all the pieces have adhered and the slab is flat and smooth.  

Note: We recommend running it through on the thickest setting horizontally and then vertically to help maintain the shape and reduce the amount of distortion.

15. Now your slab is ready for any project you wish! We're making pendants and earrings!

 

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