Making Clay Salad:
A New Use For An Old Tool

For some of us, what we'd like to do with polymer clay, and what our bodies allow, are sometimes two very different things. For instance, I love the way Patricia Kimle makes faux beads with shredded clay, but for me, and many of you, it's an exercise in agony. Just the thought of repetitively running a block of clay over a cheese grater makes me wince. But once a clayer, always a clayer, or, where there's clay, there's a way!

Even if you're able-bodied, you might want to try using a Presto Salad Shooter® to shred clay. Granted, all of your grated clay will be the same size (and you might want it larger or smaller) but the amount of time and effort saved is well worth it.

Although I have a Salad Shooter for making salad, I bought a used one at a thrift shop for $2.00. All the parts were included, but there was no box and no instructions. OK, so if I'm using it for clay, I can live without the paper. Here's how it works:

Step One: Choose a work area where the electric cord on the Salad Shooter will not get tangled on anything. Also, follow safety rules regarding electricity and water. Tie your hair back if necessary and remove dangling jewelry and loose clothing that could get caught in the mechanism when the Salad Shooter is operating. Spread out some baking parchment or waxed paper and lightly sprinkle it with cornstarch (powder also works, but I avoid breathing anything with talc).

Step Two:  Assemble the Salad Shooter with the grater attachment and plug it in.

Step Three: Insert up to a full block of clay (2 ounces or 56 grams) in the shoot and then insert the plastic plunger. Do not use any other tool such as a knife, chopstick, or your fingers! If the plunger is missing from your Salad Shooter, a block of wood could work, or at worst, your acrylic clay roller. Use good judgment when substituting the plunger.

Step Four: Say "ooh" and "aah" as you watch the clay miraculously transform into perfect shreds.

At this point, you can continue to shred additional colors of clay onto the same work surface, or start fresh with a new sheet of paper to catch the clay. For me, it was easier to keep shredding the colors I planned to use for my beads onto one sheet. Since the first time I tried this method, I've shredded a lot of clay and have it stored for future use. It's fun to use the Salad Shooter and even more fun because I can make polymer projects that before would have been out of my reach.
                                                                                                                                                     
      


  Close up view of shredded clay.
  (Blue Pearl, Silver, Navy Blue, Translucent)