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North Star Portable 18 inch Portaroller Slabroller


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I didn't think I had the space or funds for a Slabroller but then I saw the North Star 18" Portaroller Slabroller. Has anyone any experience with this Slabroller? Northstar seems to be a good reliable brand and it has a 5 year warranty. If I get it I would store it on a shelf under a work table and place it on top of the table only when I need to use it thereby giving my small studio space a double duty work table. It's also 200 cheaper than the nearest priced full size Slabroller that comes with a dedicated table.

 

So is this a good slab roller for a non production potter that does smaller items like ornaments, chimes, etc?

 

Was kind of scared to ask this question as I am sure the pros say buy only the biggest and the best but no space and no money for the full size dedicated table models so be gentle okay?

 

Terry

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I didn't think I had the space or funds for a Slabroller but then I saw the North Star 18" Portaroller Slabroller. Has anyone any experience with this Slabroller? Northstar seems to be a good reliable brand and it has a 5 year warranty. If I get it I would store it on a shelf under a work table and place it on top of the table only when I need to use it thereby giving my small studio space a double duty work table. It's also 200 cheaper than the nearest priced full size Slabroller that comes with a dedicated table.

 

So is this a good slab roller for a non production potter that does smaller items like ornaments, chimes, etc?

 

Was kind of scared to ask this question as I am sure the pros say buy only the biggest and the best but no space and no money for the full size dedicated table models so be gentle okay?

 

Terry

 

 

an eighteen inch slab roller is only maybe a little bit better than a good rolling pin, and a lot more expensive

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I have a friend with the portable NorthStar, and she likes it a lot. I've seen it and looks sturdy and well-made.

 

I have an 18 inch slabroller myself (not a portable one) and it is way more useful than a rolling pin! It cranks out a lot of work for me.

 

Mea

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Northstars have improved over the past 25 years. I had a free standing Northstar in my class room. At home I had one of the first bailey slab rollers and in 2002 I got a much bigger one. If the table top 18" fits your needs then fine. I have a 20" rolling pin and a 36" slab roller.

If you can use a rolling pin for now, maybe save to get a bigger slab roller later.

 

Marcia

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I have a large slab roller now but I use to roll clay with a pastry chef rolling pin that you buy at a restaurant supply store. On smaller slabs I use the angled slam method and then give it a quick roll. Denice

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Terry;

We had this post a while back. To buy a slab roller or not. That is the question. Someone put out a generic Bailey clone and my pottery buddy bought it. Looks the same as a Bailey, only a different colour. I made slab trays and tiles all this last winter using a bakery rolling pin and two pieces of lath [thin wood strips].

Worked great I rolled on a canvas covered table top. Make sure you flip your slabs if using a rolling pin.Some people like the ease of the slab roller, but I would rather have the space to walk around.

TJR.

Please do not worry about asking questions. I have asked some doozers. I make the mistake of asking about Lizella clay TWICE ! I am still here to talk about it.

TJR.huh.gif

Still trying to use up all these emoticons.angry.gif

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I have one and it works great for me. Sometimes i'm in the mood to do hand building I will set it up on my work bench that I usually use for holding thrown pots on the wheel. After a few weeks, and a couple of boxes

of clay I am ready to get back on the wheel so I just take it off the work bench and now the bench is ready for throwing. easy peezy when space is not a premium. Easy setup, easy take down and store.

Hope this helps,

juli

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I have one and it works great for me. Sometimes i'm in the mood to do hand building I will set it up on my work bench that I usually use for holding thrown pots on the wheel. After a few weeks, and a couple of boxes

of clay I am ready to get back on the wheel so I just take it off the work bench and now the bench is ready for throwing. easy peezy when space is not a premium. Easy setup, easy take down and store.

Hope this helps,

juli

 

 

If you do a lot of slab work, a machine makes a lot of sense. I looked at their site, and noticed that for about a $110 more you can get a 24". If you are working small items, go for the 18" If you work larger things, or think you might add the extra 100. The 24" is not portable, but could be mounted on an existing table covered when not in use. I used to use a box over one at school and could still use the rest of the space.

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I didn't think I had the space or funds for a Slabroller but then I saw the North Star 18" Portaroller Slabroller. Has anyone any experience with this Slabroller? Northstar seems to be a good reliable brand and it has a 5 year warranty. If I get it I would store it on a shelf under a work table and place it on top of the table only when I need to use it thereby giving my small studio space a double duty work table. It's also 200 cheaper than the nearest priced full size Slabroller that comes with a dedicated table.

 

So is this a good slab roller for a non production potter that does smaller items like ornaments, chimes, etc?

 

Was kind of scared to ask this question as I am sure the pros say buy only the biggest and the best but no space and no money for the full size dedicated table models so be gentle okay?

 

Terry

 

 

 

I agree that it is better to have a slab roller on hand if you are making a lot of stuff.... just more efficient than a rolling pin in many ways, even at 18". Depends on what you are making... for ornaments and chimes, I think you'd be happy with it. There are still some things you might prefer a rolling pin for. It is nice to have options. If you can get a tabletop slabroller in good condition for a reasonable price, I would jump at the chance.

 

 

 

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A "real" slabroller is nice, but a tabletop version has some advantages.... I'd like the portability aspect for storage when not in use and for being able to take it places for demonstrations, to use at outdoor markets, etc. I sell at a farmers market and it would be a good way to pass time on slow days. Thinking about getting a portable tabletop wheel for that purpose, too.

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Thank you everyone. I'll take all you have said into consideration as I continue to work at setting up my small studio. I only do hand building, no wheel throwing for me yet. I told myself I would focus on hand building exclusively for a year before trying throwing. Might be a wrong way of thinking but I wanted to really focus on how the clay reacts and works by hand. Right now I have a long 2 inch dowel I am using to roll out the clay but also have a slab roller where I am taking classes and using the slab roller always makes things go quicker and smoother. I thought if I could get a small one for my studio I might spend less time beating the clay into submission and more time making actual items. Lots of stuff to consider, I'm also looking at an extruder and trying to decide if I were to only get one which would be the better buy. The Scott creek 4 inch extruder seems nice but as I said decisions decisions.

Any way thank you all once again for your input keep up the good work.

 

Terry

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you will not regret having a slabroller no matter which one you get. i have the 24 inch with a table and use it all the time. there is one thing i do not like about the northstar. most people i see using it use tiny pieces of canvas one on top and one on the bottom.. if you want to really make big slabs, use heavy duck at least double the length of your table. fold it in the center and feed that center into the rollers first. no trying to fish out the corner that gets stuck under the bottom roller. my other slabroller is an old bailey 24 inch with the board that allows going both ways on an 8 foot table. i dislike the one with the short feeding table on one side and a full size on the other. you can break that kind by accident.

 

bailey sells the heavy duck in the 24 inch and 30 inch sizes for something$ per linear foot. i don't know if they have 18 inch wide stuff. my first piece lasted from 1992 until last year when i got a new piece. it hasn"t worn out, i had red-brown clay on it and now use white.

 

if you fit a table to your slabroller you can use it for everything you can think of. make it to fit your height. i keep saying look at craigslist so i won't say it again but i will tell you that i got the northstar for $350 in annapolis. the owner wanted to make handmade tiles for her kitchen. so she bought a new northstar and a new huge L&L kiln.

 

she made her tiles. i saw them in place. all 14 of them. so was my slabroller new or broken in?

 

by the way, the scott creek extruder is better in all respects than a square one (in my opinion, of course) because it is round. that makes it clean better, makes it easier to pull the handle down and it holds a decent amount of clay. someone will have to prove to me that a square one takes less effort. think about sliding clay along 2 vertical sides of four sharp corners. then think about the round one.

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"by the way, the scott creek extruder is better in all respects than a square one (in my opinion, of course) because it is round. that makes it clean better, makes it easier to pull the handle down and it holds a decent amount of clay. someone will have to prove to me that a square one takes less effort. think about sliding clay along 2 vertical sides of four sharp corners. then think about the round one".

 

I have been experimenting with making an extruded from clay. I have done two and they both work. I made the plunger out of quick setting cement. You can use wood too... The other one is round and in the kiln. This one is hand built quickly nothing fancy for my handles. I think I will make two more.

I made a die that inserts. It will be for coils or handles. I just put a little piece of wood to get the shape I want.

 

See the bottom of the image. I will make one more die that will allow me to make a tube. Inside the extruded I have two little indents where a solid die goes. Then I will make a another die to fit in the extruded slot for the rest of the hollow extrusion. When it is complete I will post it . I am in the process of installing a new kiln.

post-3602-13688204378_thumb.jpg

post-3602-136882045102_thumb.jpg

post-3602-13688204378_thumb.jpg

post-3602-136882045102_thumb.jpg

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I didn't think I had the space or funds for a Slabroller but then I saw the North Star 18" Portaroller Slabroller. Has anyone any experience with this Slabroller? Northstar seems to be a good reliable brand and it has a 5 year warranty. If I get it I would store it on a shelf under a work table and place it on top of the table only when I need to use it thereby giving my small studio space a double duty work table. It's also 200 cheaper than the nearest priced full size Slabroller that comes with a dedicated table.

 

So is this a good slab roller for a non production potter that does smaller items like ornaments, chimes, etc?

 

Was kind of scared to ask this question as I am sure the pros say buy only the biggest and the best but no space and no money for the full size dedicated table models so be gentle okay?

 

Terry

 

 

 

Terry,

 

 

We've been using one of these for a couple of years. It is fairly rugged, and should be fine for the uses you describe.

 

 

Jeff Ross

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Well when I mentioned to my husband I was looking into get a slab roller and why he was very interested and looked at the images I showed him. He said like someone else here I think did that I could easily build a plywood box to slide over the roller section and be able to use the table on either side as a workable and not have to move a piece of decent sized equipment around. A plus he said I could still build shelves underneath the table and have more room to set finished items or forms. I played the girl card and got him to agree to let me have a tad more money, sorry ladies I know how unfeminist of me but after 30+ years of marriage you work with what you have. Lol Soooo anyhow it looks like I can afford the full size 30 inch Slabmaster slab roller from Clay King. So hopefully slab roller problem solved!

 

Still debating the extruder issue but that will come as it can. Thought about building one and have watched the CAD video here where someone built one but I really like the idea of something I don't have to continually mess with to get to work ( my machine building experience is pretty much ZERO) So will simply have to decide and debate and see if its something that can be done or something I should go ahead and just fork over the money and buy keeping it simple.

 

On a different note I updated items in my gallery. I finally finished the bird utensil holder! My teacher was so proud of me for making a choice at last. I also put up a bunch of other stuff for you all to look over and groan about my crooked, thick, and ridiculously simple forms. That all of course took me forever and a day to make but I know I will get better, straighter, thinner and more complex as I learn. My husband said if he was a potter he would purposely make all of his stuff crooked or leaning to the side just to mess with people. Lol he keeps telling me to try and not be too perfect. You'd think the man would learn after all my closet is organized by the color wheel and I have everything in the studio sorted in little covered bins with labels on the end, stamps are not allowed to play with paint brushes. At least I have not given in to the urge to torture all my friends and family with my beginning attempts, probably because I started AFTER Christmas so they have gotten a reprieve until December and then I make no promises!

 

It's all in fun and I am having so much fun learning and figuring stuff out and this forum is a fabulous tool, anytime I want to try something I search the forum and somebody at some point is pretty much guaranteed to have tried it before and can give pointers on it.

 

Thanks again everyone

 

Terry

PS. The little Pug I use as my avatar is finally in the kiln this weekend I should know something by class next week!

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Northstars used to be poorly made but the last one I inspected was way better built than say 15 years ago.

I still feel the best ones are Baileys but thats after using one in production for many years as well as seeing them hold up in school situations for many many years and still keep on going strong.

Like a timex it keeps on ticking.

I know know nothing about slab masters.

Sounds like a late night TV cutting board ad-you get not one but two slab masters and wait there more a bamboo steamer tossed in for free for 3 easy payments of 39.95 plus shipping and handling charge of 29.95

Mark

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come a long way from your original question haven't you? that i why the forums are so good. other people have ideas you can consider before making a decision. but 30 inch??? overkill, maybe.

 

 

if this is what you really, really want, please ask your handy husband to make the table bigger than what is shown on the clay king website. at least at one end so you will have working room after the slab is produced. find out how to remove the huge wheel handle so you can get at the slab to work without hitting your elbows. it is very handy to have flat work space right there so you don't have to lift the slab to another working surface. my northstar is fitted with a set screw and i just slide the wheel onto the shaft without tightening the screw when i want to roll a slab. (my Bailey is the same.) otherwise the wheel is stored standing on the floor at the end of the table since the tabletop is in almost constant use.

 

don't bother with a box to cover the working part, a clean heavy cloth will save your lifting muscles and the working parts.

 

the picture shows the smallest table i have ever seen and the most industrial looking heavy duty rolling gizmo. who makes it? why haven't i heard of it????

 

it is easy to drill the metal legs to support shelves. i put one about 15 inches from the floor. to hold plaster forms. then i put a smaller piece of plywood with wheels and a rope handle on the floor to hold boxes of clay. it rolls out when needed but is out of the way. every inch counts in a small studio.

 

the manufacturer's name is not shown. who is it?

 

good luck and make lots of things.

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come a long way from your original question haven't you? that i why the forums are so good. other people have ideas you can consider before making a decision. but 30 inch??? overkill, maybe.

 

 

if this is what you really, really want, please ask your handy husband to make the table bigger than what is shown on the clay king website. at least at one end so you will have working room after the slab is produced. find out how to remove the huge wheel handle so you can get at the slab to work without hitting your elbows. it is very handy to have flat work space right there so you don't have to lift the slab to another working surface. my northstar is fitted with a set screw and i just slide the wheel onto the shaft without tightening the screw when i want to roll a slab. (my Bailey is the same.) otherwise the wheel is stored standing on the floor at the end of the table since the tabletop is in almost constant use.

 

don't bother with a box to cover the working part, a clean heavy cloth will save your lifting muscles and the working parts.

 

the picture shows the smallest table i have ever seen and the most industrial looking heavy duty rolling gizmo. who makes it? why haven't i heard of it????

 

it is easy to drill the metal legs to support shelves. i put one about 15 inches from the floor. to hold plaster forms. then i put a smaller piece of plywood with wheels and a rope handle on the floor to hold boxes of clay. it rolls out when needed but is out of the way. every inch counts in a small studio.

 

the manufacturer's name is not shown. who is it?

 

good luck and make lots of things.

 

 

The Clay King Slabmaster is made by Friendly Corporation, same as Shimpo rollers and Axners rolling Thunder. The studio I belong to has the Shimpo version which looks a lot like the Slabmaster and I have used it and like it. I'll take into consideration a longer working surface. He suggested the cover so I wouldn't have to worry about hitting the rollers and maybe that I could use the cover as a shelf to hold whatever tools I needed while using the table. The shelves are a must and kind of planned to measure whatever space I had on the table Slabroller I get and install what ever configuration would work. I LIKE your idea of clay on a rolling platform makes much more sense than hefty those blocks around.

 

My main work surface is a worktable I got a SAMs it's tall enough I can stand to work or use the tall rolling stool I have. I think its 5 feet long and super heavy duty with steel legs and a butcher block top and can take a beating so seems to be working out. Unfortunately the top is sealed under varnish so clay seems to like to stick to it and I have thought about getting out the sander and attacking it but for now a piece of canvas seems to be working. I want to get a piece of that board from a Home Depot next time I head that way but haven't made the hour plus trip out that way recently. I even added a shelf under it, with the bonus of its at a good height for me to put a foot if I want. I keep all my plywood and drywall ware boards standing on the shelf and for now clay, my rolling pin and slats on the other side. If I make the rolling platform like you have for my clay I might add a couple more shelves on one side and keep additional supplies there. I even made a small shelf for the end out of 1x4s with each shelf being tall enough to hold pints of underglaze and glaze it ain't pretty but the shelves are level and I used zip ties to attach it to the table legs so it doesn't fall over. Kind of maximizing my one work surface. I would REALLY like to find another table to have dedicated for glazing but not sure where I would put it, might have to get rid of my easel lol. You have no idea how shocking that idea is to me as a painter; my friends would be convinced i was an alien if they even heard that I would consider sticking my easel in the closet.

 

I also need to figure out someplace to put some shelves to dry ware on, currently I am using a repurposed drying cabinet from my darkroom days to store pieces under construction as well as slowly dry finished pieces. I bought some of that plastic grid made for light covers and use that as the shelf so the pieces don't fall through the widely spaced wire shelves that came with the cabinet. But I can see quickly outgrowing the cabinet as I get stuff made. Just have to decide if I should get one of those rolling wire shelf units from SAMs so I could move it around as needed or just cut up some of the scrap plywood in the garage and screw them to the walls. Will have to think that through some more.

 

So yes I know and understand multi purpose work spaces and the suggestions you made will be remembered and taken into account as I try and get set up so I can work without moving stuff around every time I want to work on a different piece.

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thank you for understanding that while i may seem like an interfering female animal i am just trying to help. it has taken 3 years of 4 months at a time visits to get my 10x16 studio in florida the way i want it. well,.............the way i want it now, who knows what i might think up next season.

 

i also live miles from anything but i enjoy driving and never thought about the fact that other folks might not share that thought. again thanks for understanding and answering the way you have. i love the pictures you have posted. envy you that painting skill.

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Oldlady- I don't think you are interfering at all I did ask for advice after all so I appreciate it. I used to live in Florida, and don't get me wrong it's a nice place but I am very glad to be in the mountains! I don't do beaches I get burned just thinking about sandy sunny locales. I've only been here in Georgia a little over a year now so am still trying to get the studio the way I want it, not even counting the fact that I've added a new art form to the mix. I was in the same location for 23 years before moving and had everything just perfect in my studio so it's kind of overwhelming and I keep thinking I need such and such and head off in the wrong direction only to realize the shelf I was heading for is now on the opposite wall. On a good note I think I have found all my art supplies! On a bad note I still have 50 boxes of books to go through.

 

The furthest I have been from home since we moved here is 2 hours one way and that was to visit the Olympic Kilns factory. Really enjoyed trying out each of the kilns to see which would work for me and getting to see them made and all was cool as well. My husband is not well and needs constant care so I also have to plan any outings to coincide with good days for him. Hence my rather long and constantly evolving Home Depot list lol. I live in a small mountain town on a one lane gravel road and its the best place in the world to live. I feel like I am living in paradise and have deer, bear, ground hogs, coyotes, rabbits, fish and more birds than I can name all visiting me on a regular basis. I want to start some small sculptures of animals shortly to see if I can capture the joy I feel when I see them strolling or in the fishes case swimming past my house.

 

I appreciate your in put it makes me look and consider stuff I might not have done otherwise so keep up the good work!

 

Terry

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come a long way from your original question haven't you? that i why the forums are so good. other people have ideas you can consider before making a decision. but 30 inch??? overkill, maybe.

 

 

if this is what you really, really want, please ask your handy husband to make the table bigger than what is shown on the clay king website. at least at one end so you will have working room after the slab is produced. find out how to remove the huge wheel handle so you can get at the slab to work without hitting your elbows. it is very handy to have flat work space right there so you don't have to lift the slab to another working surface. my northstar is fitted with a set screw and i just slide the wheel onto the shaft without tightening the screw when i want to roll a slab. (my Bailey is the same.) otherwise the wheel is stored standing on the floor at the end of the table since the tabletop is in almost constant use.

 

don't bother with a box to cover the working part, a clean heavy cloth will save your lifting muscles and the working parts.

 

the picture shows the smallest table i have ever seen and the most industrial looking heavy duty rolling gizmo. who makes it? why haven't i heard of it????

 

it is easy to drill the metal legs to support shelves. i put one about 15 inches from the floor. to hold plaster forms. then i put a smaller piece of plywood with wheels and a rope handle on the floor to hold boxes of clay. it rolls out when needed but is out of the way. every inch counts in a small studio.

 

the manufacturer's name is not shown. who is it?

 

good luck and make lots of things.

 

 

The Clay King Slabmaster is made by Friendly Corporation, same as Shimpo rollers and Axners rolling Thunder. The studio I belong to has the Shimpo version which looks a lot like the Slabmaster and I have used it and like it. I'll take into consideration a longer working surface. He suggested the cover so I wouldn't have to worry about hitting the rollers and maybe that I could use the cover as a shelf to hold whatever tools I needed while using the table. The shelves are a must and kind of planned to measure whatever space I had on the table Slabroller I get and install what ever configuration would work. I LIKE your idea of clay on a rolling platform makes much more sense than hefty those blocks around.

 

My main work surface is a worktable I got a SAMs it's tall enough I can stand to work or use the tall rolling stool I have. I think its 5 feet long and super heavy duty with steel legs and a butcher block top and can take a beating so seems to be working out. Unfortunately the top is sealed under varnish so clay seems to like to stick to it and I have thought about getting out the sander and attacking it but for now a piece of canvas seems to be working. I want to get a piece of that board from a Home Depot next time I head that way but haven't made the hour plus trip out that way recently. I even added a shelf under it, with the bonus of its at a good height for me to put a foot if I want. I keep all my plywood and drywall ware boards standing on the shelf and for now clay, my rolling pin and slats on the other side. If I make the rolling platform like you have for my clay I might add a couple more shelves on one side and keep additional supplies there. I even made a small shelf for the end out of 1x4s with each shelf being tall enough to hold pints of underglaze and glaze it ain't pretty but the shelves are level and I used zip ties to attach it to the table legs so it doesn't fall over. Kind of maximizing my one work surface. I would REALLY like to find another table to have dedicated for glazing but not sure where I would put it, might have to get rid of my easel lol. You have no idea how shocking that idea is to me as a painter; my friends would be convinced i was an alien if they even heard that I would consider sticking my easel in the closet.

 

I also need to figure out someplace to put some shelves to dry ware on, currently I am using a repurposed drying cabinet from my darkroom days to store pieces under construction as well as slowly dry finished pieces. I bought some of that plastic grid made for light covers and use that as the shelf so the pieces don't fall through the widely spaced wire shelves that came with the cabinet. But I can see quickly outgrowing the cabinet as I get stuff made. Just have to decide if I should get one of those rolling wire shelf units from SAMs so I could move it around as needed or just cut up some of the scrap plywood in the garage and screw them to the walls. Will have to think that through some more.

 

So yes I know and understand multi purpose work spaces and the suggestions you made will be remembered and taken into account as I try and get set up so I can work without moving stuff around every time I want to work on a different piece.

 

 

The exterior castings are all manufactured by friendly, however the gearing, lead screws, and other mechanical components in the clay king, northstar, and shimpo are all different. The northstars and clay king's I have seen all use all thread for their lead screws while the shimpo uses a proper acme threaded rod, and also the castings of the gears seemed to be of better quality--but its been a while since I've looked at them, so this may have changed.

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I have a bailey table top slab roller, it came with everything (the canvas and cardboard folders to roll the clay in and some wood planks to adjust thickness ) I don't use it as often as I do my wheel but am grateful for it when the mood hits and I want a slab quick. The only issue I had was it moved around on the table while I tried to roll which made it difficult so I ended up clamping it down, I'm sure if I asked someone who is handier than me they could figure out a way to screw it to the table which I think would be the best solution but for my needs its fine. If you have some money and do slab work I don't think you'd regret getting it.

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