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Mounting Extruder To Block Wall


Benzine

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Greetings,

 

I'm pretty excited, as I finally got a brand new Scott Creek, aluminum extruder for my classroom.  I had one at a previous district, but the past several years here, I've made due with the handheld variety.

 

Anyway, I need to get the extruder mounted to the wall.  The instructions suggest mounting it to a wall stud.  The only studded walls in my classroom are metal studs.  Those are not ideals for mounting anything.

 

But I do have a concrete block wall to use.  What kind of anchor is recommended, that will stand up to the repeated force of using the extruder?

 

Anyone have any experience with this?

 

Thanks.

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benzine, this is your opportunity to get closer to the shop teacher, if there is one.  if not, maintenance.  the extruder should be mounted to a 2x6 or 2x8 which is the thing that gets mounted to the block wall.  with lots of fasteners of whatever type the expert chooses.  the longer, the better.  if it runs floor to ceiling that is best.  think about the angles and pressures on the extruder, you do not want to transfer that to the wall attachment.

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I suggest mounting a large piece of 3/4 inch plywood-at least a 1/3 to 1/2 of a sheet to the wall.If your wall is flimsy use the whole sheet. Attach this so it spreads to at least two of those metal inner studs you spoke about. These  usually are on 16 inch centers. Then mount a piece of 2x6 or 2x8  . Make this at least a few feet long and screw and glue or bolt this to the plywood at the height of of the extruder. You should use at least 8-10 long screws for this that will go thru the 2x8 and penetrate the 3/4 plywood .Mount the Scott Creek to the 2x8 and start having fun.

I have a Scott Creek and a Brent myself.

Just remember the kids will hang off this thing so it needs to be strong.They also will put hard clay into it and they hang off it so the force to tear it off the wall is large.

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If you want to mount into the block wall you can either use concrete screws (Tapcon), or mount a piece of 2x lumber vertically, then attach the extruder to the wood. Using the wood strip will allow you to put more screws into the block, but that might be overkill. I have my extruder mounted directly to the block wall and it'a fine. However my students aren't as crazy as kids.

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I agree with Mark for mounting on the stud wall.

Assuming the installation will be somewhat permanent, if you want to use the block wall, go to your local hardware store and ask which would be the best anchors for the block wall that will incorporate 3/8" lag bolts. Get 8 lag bolts of a length that will fit the wood and anchors, 8 flat washers and 8 lockwashers and 8 anchors. Get a piece of 2x8 Doug Fir that is at least 3 feet longer than the mounting footprint of the extruder. Also get a tube of Liquid Nails construction adhesive suitable for gluing wood to concrete along with a caulking gun. Divide the 2x8 into thirds and draw a line across at these points; also draw a line across 1 1/2" from the top and bottom of the 2x8. Go in 1" from each side and mark the cross lines. You should have 8 marks. Drill through the wood for the 3/8" lag bolts in 8 places.

Position the 2x8 on the block wall and mark the wall through the holes with a pencil. At each of the marks on the wall using a carbide tipped drill sized for the anchor you'll be using, drill the wall. Set the anchors into the wall. Take the 2x8 and test fit it to make sure all the bolts fit into the anchors. If it's necessary to make adjustments, enlarge the holes in the wood. When you're sure everything will fit, apply the adhesive to the back of the 2x8, push a couple of bolts through the wood, and using the bolts as guide pins, set the board against the wall. Then go ahead and install and tighten all the bolts.

Once the board is mounted to the wall, paint it with a good acrylic semi-gloss paint and then proceed to mount the extruder to the 2x8 using the manufacturer's instructions. Stuff with clay and extrude.

JohnnyK

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In our school studio, which has only block walls, we mounted a piece of 2x6 to the wall using large lag bolts and the matching size split metal anchors that were epoxied into the hole drilled into the block. Solid as rock, with students doing chin-ups on the handle because their clay was too stiff.

 

dw

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Thanks for all the replies folks!

 

I do get along with the District's Maintenance guy.  So I will refer your suggestions.

 

The Scott Creek I had at a previous district was mounted in block.  A couple years in, a student pulled, and it came off the wall.  It was nothing they did alone, just years of stress on the anchor points.  But the student felt pretty good about himself...

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If your block walls are hollow, you can use toggle bolts or similar anchors made for grabbing the back-side of the block - use this method to mount a piece of 2x6 or 2x8, which you'll then lag bolt your extruder to.

If the wall is concrete-filled block, you'll need to drill and use anchors made for wedging in solid block.  you may want to go further and epoxy them in for extra insurance.

 

The metal-stud wall shouldn't be a problem - use a piece of plywood or 2x material anchored to at least 2 studs to spread the load, then anchor the extruder to the wood addition. 

 

hope this helps.

 

BTW just to throw it out there - I've seen extruders mounted in places other than on walls -- like on the side of a big, heavy work table with either an extension or even on the table leg itself (it was a tall table with 4x4 legs).  Bailey makes a free-standing extruder base for his systems, not sure if it'll work with a manual extruder but for our pneumatic one it's very convenient.  It's a simple design and I don't see why someone couldn't make a version for a manual extruder themselves with some steel.

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David Henley at Old Farmhouse Pottery, http://farmpots.com/, has his extruder  self mounted on a square frame with four legs and it is movable around the studio.   Go to the studio tour link on his website [ http://farmpots.com/studio.htm] to see the extruder (and stand) about a third the way down the page.

 

LT

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