Clay Extruder

Please ask the workshop manager before using this machine.

The Big Blue Extruder is a professional-grade clay extrusion machine. Its core capability lies in its robust 15 × 15 × 30 cm aluminum barrel that holds up to 11 kg of clay, enabling continuous extrusion work. The machine supports full customization by letting you fabricate your own die plates, so you can produce any unique form or pattern you need. Suitable for diverse ceramic materials, these extrusions can be air-dried for modeling or fired and glazed for durability. Timing is crucial: if your pieces are intended for firing, you must allow a minimum of two weeks for drying to prevent cracking or kiln explosions. For air-dried projects without firing, a stabilization period of at least one week is necessary.

1. crank
2. container
3. die
4. screw
5. safety pin

Manual

Turn the press head upwards using the crank (1)
Release the safety pin (5)
Remove the container (2)
Loosen the two screws (4) next to the die (3)
Place the die (3) in the extruder and screw it back on
Fill the container (2) with clay
Insert it into the machine
Replace the safety pin (5)
Now crank the press head downwards. Be careful not to do this too quickly to avoid damaging your die.

How to make my own die

Download the Template: Start by downloading the die template to ensure your design fits the extruder barrel correctly.
Draw Your Design: Sketch your desired shape onto the template. Important: Always use slightly rounded corners in your design, as sharp angles can cause clay to jam or tear during extrusion.
Account for Shrinkage: Your final dried piece will be smaller than the die opening because clay shrinks as it dries and fires. You must calculate the die size based on the expected shrinkage rate.
- Example: If your clay shrinks by 8% and you need a final diameter of 10 mm, you cannot simply cut a 10 mm hole. Instead, you must calculate the expanded size: $10 mm/(1-0.08)\approx10.87 mm$ . Your die opening must be 10.87 mm to achieve the correct final size.
Cut the Material: Use a laser cutter to cut your design out of Plexiglas. Ensure the material is at least 10 mm thick for durability. If you don’t have a single thick sheet, you can layer two thinner sheets (e.g., 2 × 6 mm) together to achieve the necessary thickness.

Which ceramics work well?

Since clay formulations vary significantly, we recommend consulting with our team to select the optimal material for your specific project.

Common mistakes

My die is broken -> make sure the Plexiglas is at least 10mm thick. You can also make it double-layered and stack them on top of each other, for example 2x 6mm
The edges of my profile are breaking -> Make sure your die has slightly rounded corners
The wheel is too hard to turn -> Make sure the clay isn’t too dry.
My final result is the wrong size when dry -> Clay shrinks. You need to factor in the shrinkage. For a material that shrinks by 8%, a round profile that is supposed to have a final diameter of 10mm must have a die size of 10.87mm die