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Brent Foot Pedal--Ugh.


yarddog

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Last time I used a Brent was 20 years ago. Never had a problem with it. My students banged the hell out of it, and it seemed indestructible.

Just recently treated myself with the purchase of a new Brent C. Whoops, this one's a different story. The motor may be super, but the foot pedal really sucks. Depressing it a little does nothing...a little more, still nothing...then, zoom, off she goes. I try to slow it down just a little, and it stops. Try to coax it back to life--slow, please--whoosh. Race, stop, race, stop.

Amaco sent me a new controller for inside the pedal, which I replaced. Zero improvement. The piece ain't exactly a marvel of engineering...just cheap, flimsy plastic, about as solid as a child's toy.

Were these foot pedals always so temperamental, or has the quality of the Brents fallen off? I'm really kicking myself that I didn't stick with Shimpos...

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I bought both my Brents used. My CXC  I have had and used for over 40 years. Changed the bearing last year. While my main wheel was down, I bought another used model c from a handbuilder. It is quick and responsive and lighter to move around the studio..

It sounds like you bought a lemon.

TJR.

Can you return it?

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Two things-the foot petal needs ajustment-that flimsy piece you installed has two adjustments on it one is blue one is red-use a straight blade screwdriver.These always need adjusting when installed. These two start the wheel and control the high end speed. Take the foot pedal bottom plate off and with wheel turned on adjust these two plastic knobs. This will cure your issues.Now since this is a new thing for you it may take a few go roounds to get the relationship betwwen the two adjustments as they effect one another.Set the start knob 1st(low end speed) then set the high speed knob. Then the low speed may need to be changed-once this relationship is set right-you can forget about it for decades.Brent has had this part in its foot pedals for 45 years.The guts of a shimp wisper are far worse than this solid aluninum pedal.

If this does not fix it call Brent as it may be your control board (I doubt this but its the next thing)Its a bit more work to install as its a mother board so I suggest someone who works with electronics.or wiring.

I'm sure this is s simple adjustment as there are never right out od the parts bag.

Mark

 

PS SHIMPO IS NO LONGER MADE IN JAPAN its all china and the quality you remember is gone.

Brent is still a USA made deal and the quality is checked.Yes you had a bad part but it happens now and then.

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I have thrown with older brent wheels in classroom settings in several locations and have found that the foot pedals aggravate me because they are often sloppy.  I have not paid attention as to whether it's a particular model or related to age.  At one of the studios I go to, I use one of the old shimpos, at the other, I have found a newer brent (I believe its a cxc)

I have a Shimpo, partly for that reason.

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I have thrown with older brent wheels in classroom settings in several locations and have found that the foot pedals aggravate me because they are often sloppy.  I have not paid attention as to whether it's a particular model or related to age.  At one of the studios I go to, I use one of the old shimpos, at the other, I have found a newer brent (I believe its a cxc)

I have a Shimpo, partly for that reason.

 

I agree. I've never been all that impressed with Brent pedals. I often work through a couple dozen Brent wheels at a time doing tune-ups at schools, and I find that few of them have the level of control that I consider acceptable for a wheel in that price range. It may be related to the pedal, but it may also be related to the controller. They've gone through several different controllers over the past 20 years, and are now back to selling the 'Classic' controller. I just have a hard time understanding how they couldn't come up with any improvements over the past two decades and settled on the old controller, but the price has doubled. My TS wheels have 6 different adjustable control settings in the controller (none in the pedal) and they run smoother than most of the Brents I see.

 

*Disclaimer: I am not a distributor of Thomas-Stuart/Skutt wheels or Skutt kilns.

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These always need adjusting when installed. These two start the wheel and control the high end speed. Take the foot pedal bottom plate off and with wheel turned on adjust these two plastic knobs. This will cure your issues.Now since this is a new thing for you it may take a few go roounds to get the relationship betwwen the two adjustments as they effect one another.Set the start knob 1st(low end speed) then set the high speed knob. Then the low speed may need to be changed-once this relationship is set right-you can forget about it for decades.

It certainly could be right that I have the relationship wrong between high and low. I dialed the high setting down to a manageable speed and tweaked the low adjuster to just less than dead stop, if that makes sense.

But still, when I depress the pedal, there's no response, no response, no response, and then zoom--it takes off. And trying just to get a sedate, slow speed is frustrating as hell. What could I be doing wrong?

I am kicking myself for not having gone with a kick wheel, no pun intended. But now I'm stuck with this and really need it to work. Any suggestions much appreciated.

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start with the low setting and get this how you like it-then add the high speed.Run it thru a short test before putting the bottom pan on-readjust

if needed as when you mess with one it affects the other.I never had much issues with this-as far as controllers-Neil is right Brent has never redone the controller board and its way overpriced.

Mark

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In my 42 years with Brent wheels (own 5 now ) The controller is my only beef. The decks are solid as are the motors bearings heads-shafts.

The original foot pedals (older design-had bad potentiometers in them) then they switched to the newer built like a tank foot pedals. The high/low speed potentiometers have always been cheap as they all are (there are no great ones). The weak spot has been the controllers (in on/off box) on side of wheel. These have gone thru many changes and come full circle to the original controller-so of like Desoto deciding the 1st one was a hit so lets bring it back. If they would make a solid controller at a reasonable price that would fix my only complaint.

Now as to Amaco/Brent they bought Brent out long ago.

Now's here is some history for you history buffs

Back in 1970 I wanted a solid made potters wheel-I had learned to throw in the late 60's on an few kick and power wheels-Oscar Paul’s and Amaco's and a few homemade.

Brent was the new kid in this market in 1970-I drove up to a small 2-3 bedroom house in LA he had started his business in-He was a wirily red headed fellow-he had a guy in the garage wielding steel decks and to legs-one bedroom was all motors and the other was full of wheel heads-the 3'rd a few guys where putting them all together in. One room was the office sort of.

My model c back then was $270, which was a lot in 1970 dollars. I picked it up in a VW bug -we all had long ponytails and if I recall loud rock music was blasting everywhere.

I moved north the next year to Humboldt County in 71 as did Robert Brent-he moved to a commercial space in Healdsburg Ca. about 5 hours south of me. He got into the clay making business as well-the place was full of hippies like me-I bought clay there for some years heading north-and took a wheel for tune ups-they taught me how to repair them. At lunchtime everyone headed out to the tracks to smoke and it was not tobacco folks.

The place the time the era was early 70's-free love peace and joy where the rules of the day. That place gave me more free clay/parts and advice than one can buy today. I have found memories of Brent in the heyday before he sold out to Amaco.I had a long term relationship with one of the last repair guys from the day at Amaco/Brent-I recall his name was Bob-he’s long now and techs come and go like everything these days.

After he sold it all he (Brent) bought a car dealership in Santa Rosa as I passed that place for years heading to S.F.He sold out after a few years Then decades went by until I saw him in a Brent ad a few years ago.

The rest they say is-----

 

Mark

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  • 3 months later...

hey - I know this is about a Shimpo not a Brent, but I'm trying to help my Mum with her wheel issues. She has got a Shimpo VL Whisper, and her pedal is really sticky. It is very hard to depress, and as such difficult to change the speeds. I've sprayed some machine oil on, but it is still hard to push down. Any suggestions? Thanks! 

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hey - I know this is about a Shimpo not a Brent, but I'm trying to help my Mum with her wheel issues. She has got a Shimpo VL Whisper, and her pedal is really sticky. It is very hard to depress, and as such difficult to change the speeds. I've sprayed some machine oil on, but it is still hard to push down. Any suggestions? Thanks! 

I'm not familiar with that foot pedal-I have used one while teaching in Molokai last year but paid no attention to it.

If it has a bolt thru it or some nuts I would slightly loosen them. If you can take it apart I would (only do this if you are mechanical in nature).

It sounds like it just needs to be loosened a tad.

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I'm not familiar with that foot pedal-I have used one while teaching in Molokai last year but paid no attention to it.

 

If it has a bolt thru it or some nuts I would slightly loosen them. If you can take it apart I would (only do this if you are mechanical in nature).

It sounds like it just needs to be loosened a tad.

 

Hey Mark C! It was the nut - I found this helpful PDF and loosened things a bit. 

https://www.potclays.co.uk/studio/files/cms/pages/downloads/shimpo-rk3e/download-list-files-30-4.pdf?nocache=20151025214433

Now it is a smooth as a baby! 

Thanks for your help. 

Louise

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