Ginny C Posted June 16, 2012 Report Share Posted June 16, 2012 In the pottery studio of the wonderful non-profit Pentwater Artisan Center, I'm using the big Shimpo slab roller, but I often have a problem. It works fine until I get down to a centimeter thickness, and then suddenly it will jam because there's a big ridge of clay in the middle of the slab. We use pieces of cotton sheet along with the canvas, but i don't think that's the problem. Does anyone know what's causing this? I crank it down just a fraction of a cm at a time. Maybe it's not meant to produce the thin slabs that I'm trying for, because this doesn't happen until I get it rather thin. Any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted June 16, 2012 Report Share Posted June 16, 2012 I suggest using slab mat or canvas-instead of sheets they grip better. You can call the slab mat women in Colorado and get her seconds-just get the next size larger then cut the second part off to your size. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucille Oka Posted June 16, 2012 Report Share Posted June 16, 2012 Yes, bunching has happened to me while rolling out slabs. I examined the clay and discovered a rock imbedded in the clay was getting jammed at the rollers and was causing the problem. This was new clay out of the bag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAY Posted June 16, 2012 Report Share Posted June 16, 2012 In the pottery studio of the wonderful non-profit Pentwater Artisan Center, I'm using the big Shimpo slab roller, but I often have a problem. It works fine until I get down to a centimeter thickness, and then suddenly it will jam because there's a big ridge of clay in the middle of the slab. We use pieces of cotton sheet along with the canvas, but i don't think that's the problem. Does anyone know what's causing this? I crank it down just a fraction of a cm at a time. Maybe it's not meant to produce the thin slabs that I'm trying for, because this doesn't happen until I get it rather thin. Any suggestions? To make really thin slabs use a "spacer" board under the canvas. A piece of 1/4" plywood works well. It is hard to separate the thin slab, from the canvas, plus the texture is a problem. Use Tyvek instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Oz Posted June 16, 2012 Report Share Posted June 16, 2012 Sounds like the slab is hanging up on the cotton. Before sending it through on the problem thickness, pull the cotton off the slab then lay it back down, flip it and do the other side. I can roll slabs down to 1/32†doing this with canvas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcia Selsor Posted June 17, 2012 Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 i agree that the clay is sticking to the cLoth causing it to bunch. I use slab Matt's too. I just got another material in Austin from Armadillo but I haven't had a chance to try it yet. I use a 30 " slab roller with dual rollers and change direction by 90 degrees every so often to reduce the stress. I make large slabs 25 " and they don' t warp. Marcia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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