[Clayart] Sand

[Michael Wendt]

I know of two "sand" sources in the Washington-Idaho area:
Lane Mountain Silica in Valley, Washington, north of Spokane which sells 
20-30 mesh, 70 mesh and 125 mesh often used for foundry sand.
It has a bit of iron blush which appears to be due to surface water 
percolation through iron bearing volcanic ash soils into the sand layer.
I used the 125 mesh in my clay body for many years until I went to the "baby 
poo" clay that Mel mentioned.
Wedron used to own the sand washing plant in Emmett, Idaho which now appears 
to belong to Unimin.
That sand was high in quartz and feldspar so it would actually sinter your 
pots to the kiln shelf at cone 10 if you tried to use it as setter sand.
Until they went to water washing, I bought the dust collector fines for my 
clay body and reduced amount of feldspar in the body that way.
Both are still in production it appears.
Michael Wendt