Cleaning Out a Pug Mill
Pug mill cleaning is an important task for any potter, as it helps to maintain the machine and prevent any unwanted contaminants from being mixed into the clay. One common technique for cleaning a pug mill involves using bread as a cleaning tool.
To clean a pug mill with bread, the potter first removes any remaining clay from the machine, making sure to scrape off as much as possible with a metal scraper or spatula. Then, they tear a loaf of bread into small pieces (or use bread slices) and feed it through the pug mill, just as they would with clay.
As the bread moves through the pug mill, it picks up any remaining clay and other debris, effectively cleaning out the machine. The bread should be fed through the machine until it comes out clean and free of any clay residue.