SmartsyArtsy Posted April 29, 2012 Report Share Posted April 29, 2012 My biggest challemge right now seems to be neatness and I suck at bevels which I need to form neat seams. I have been researching and found 4 tools, 3 of which were mentioned on this site-- Dirty Girls Slab Bevel Tool, Xiem’s rib-shuaped and AccuAngle sliding beveler. There is one more -- van Gilder product which doesn't appear to be available any longer. What I am looking for is real-time experience and pros and cons by a user. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bciskepottery Posted April 30, 2012 Report Share Posted April 30, 2012 I make my own . . . 45, 60 and 30 degrees. With a little application of geometry, it was not hard to figure out. I used some thin/narrow scrap wood, thin wire, and two small washers/wood screws. I started out using them for making boxes from hard slabs, where I wanted a wider, stronger seam than just a plain butt joint and a clean cut. I had tried using an exacto knife, but that was not accurate or consistent enough. I now use them even on soft slab vessels. The 60 degree tool really allows for a smoother join of two slabs with little evidence of the overlap and a nice wide surface for getting a good join. Mine are among the essentials of my hand-building tools. I think the Van Gilder tool you are looking for is actually his edge rounding tool . . . basically a chamfer tool used in woodworking to round sharp edges, not for beveling/mitering edges for scoring, slipping, and joining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted April 30, 2012 Report Share Posted April 30, 2012 I make my own . . . 45, 60 and 30 degrees. With a little application of geometry, it was not hard to figure out. I used some thin/narrow scrap wood, thin wire, and two small washers/wood screws. I started out using them for making boxes from hard slabs, where I wanted a wider, stronger seam than just a plain butt joint and a clean cut. I had tried using an exacto knife, but that was not accurate or consistent enough. I now use them even on soft slab vessels. The 60 degree tool really allows for a smoother join of two slabs with little evidence of the overlap and a nice wide surface for getting a good join. Mine are among the essentials of my hand-building tools. I think the Van Gilder tool you are looking for is actually his edge rounding tool . . . basically a chamfer tool used in woodworking to round sharp edges, not for beveling/mitering edges for scoring, slipping, and joining. I have also made my own bevel tools when teaching. I made multiples of the same tool by gluing 3/4 inch stock of different widths together. cut into 3" L shaped blocks, and add a cutting wire in a notch. These were very stable and worked well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmartsyArtsy Posted April 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2012 Am I correct in thinking that these L-shaped tools (pic1) are used with the clay edge standing vertically? as opposed to the design in the second pic, which is used with the clay edge on a flat surface. https://picasaweb.google.com/116857054891054246514/CeramicTools?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCMq0zdGmpLem4QE&feat=directlink Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted April 30, 2012 Report Share Posted April 30, 2012 Am I correct in thinking that these L-shaped tools (pic1) are used with the clay edge standing vertically? as opposed to the design in the second pic, which is used with the clay edge on a flat surface. https://picasaweb.go...feat=directlink Imagine that this is a cross section and that it could be 2-5 inches long, depending on how you want to use it. If you had made one 2 feet long you could cut it into 2" sections and have a ton of them for classroom use. Change the dimensions for different angles. Some of them I built I used a threaded insert, drilled a hole through a thumbscrew and inserted the wire ends-tighten and its works fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmartsyArtsy Posted April 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2012 Thanks Pres. My damaged brain (real injury) has trouble with neg/pos, directional thinking. Makes me nuts sometimes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted April 30, 2012 Report Share Posted April 30, 2012 Thanks Pres. My damaged brain (real injury) has trouble with neg/pos, directional thinking. Makes me nuts sometimes! No problem, my visualization skills are great. . . .I'm waiting for the rest of me to catch up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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