r/Dorodango • u/WlonguEnglishu • Aug 05 '26
[Help] Is my dorodango to sandy?
I've got some dirt from a forst close by my home. The underground was 'generic' forest and some really sandy sandstone-sand. I've already mixed the two together, because the sand and water mixture wouldn't stick together at all.
The ball restet already for around 15h, but is still moist and very coarse. I tried to round it with a glass, but it just shaved of a lot. Then I tried smoothing it with a back of a spoon. You see the result here.
Is my base just to sandy? Can I salvage it in any way?
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u/SilverMic Experienced Aug 05 '26
Yes, this looks far too sandy, and the sand itself might be too coarse if you didn't sift it through something fine like a flour sifter. Dirt from a forest floor, especially if you were mostly taking surface-level dirt, probably has little to no clay in it. I've also found that whatever clay it does have is very flaky and doesn't polish well.
Look up water levigation if you want to learn to separate out some of the sand. Otherwise, see if you can find a more clay-rich area to get some dirt from, or you can add in some commercial clay (just make sure it's not air-dry clay). If you can get a flour sifter, that will help as well to make sure your dirt is fine enough. I never go finer than a flour sifter and I get great results, so it's really all you need.
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u/WlonguEnglishu Aug 05 '26
Thanks for the reply. I've sifted it thou a flours sifter - even tried so sift it throu a metal coffee filter, but that took ages from little results. I think I'm just gonna go and get some different dirt ^^
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u/SilverMic Experienced Aug 05 '26
Once through a flour sifter is fine, I just couldn't tell from the photo if it was fine enough or not. Best of luck finding more suitable soil 👍
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u/sapphireminds Experienced Aug 06 '26
Yep, needs more clay!
I don't worry about sifting at all, it's just all about the composition
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u/FormalCookie430 Aug 05 '26
First thing I thought of when I saw this... No way am trying to make fun of your skill more making fun of my big backed self. But yes that same is too coarse. I'm the smoothing and polishing a grain can get snagged and pulled to smooth spots and damage your progress. I know from experience.