De-Airing Pugmill Design

[docweathers]

I'm about to convert my non-de-airing pug mill to de-airing. all of the designs that I have seen use  wire mesh  across the path of the clay to shredded into spaghetti. Is anyone aware of any other design for a de-airing pugmill?

[Mark C.]

Mine has no screens . The de-air section is behind the clay in another empty chamber with about a 1/4 around shaft that can suck clay backwards when it's desiring. This chamber sucks from the top so clay wants to fall away from intake. You clean it out between batches. You can see this chamber at the Peter Pugger web site.

Mark

[Mark C.]

Larry let me know if you want a few photos taken of it?

Mark

[clay lover]

no screen on mine, a PP.  Friend had a Baily with a screen, took it out.

[potterbeth]

I think the screens are as much about safety as anything else. The only pugmill I've ever used did not have one...simply requires attention to what you're doing and common sense.

[Min]

I think the screens are as much about safety as anything else. The only pugmill I've ever used did not have one...simply requires attention to what you're doing and common sense.

 

You kinda lost me on what you are meaning there, not sure what you mean by safety being the reason for the screen. I believe the screen docweathers is referring to catches any stray lumps if you have rushed the mixing time plus the shredded clay can be thoroughly deaired after mixing and prior to going through the pug section of the machine. 

[potterbeth]

 

I think the screens are as much about safety as anything else. The only pugmill I've ever used did not have one...simply requires attention to what you're doing and common sense.

 

You kinda lost me on what you are meaning there, not sure what you mean by safety being the reason for the screen. I believe the screen docweathers is referring to catches any stray lumps if you have rushed the mixing time plus the shredded clay can be thoroughly deaired after mixing and prior to going through the pug section of the machine. 

 

The pugmill I used came with a "screen" installed over the port where you fed in your materials. Being a pain in the a**, it was promptly removed, but I always believed its intent was to prevent the user from putting their fingers/hands into the auger chamber. We were well lectured about being sure NOTHING but wet clay (stiff and/or sticky) went into the chamber.

[Mark C.]

( its intent was to prevent the user from putting their fingers/hands into the auger chamber.)

​The peter lugger is almost impossible to get your hand into and have it run-you would have to unbolt the arm/lid and lay it level and then turn it on to do this. I cannot even imagine one doing this for any reason other than taking the whole machine apart which I recently did.

Mark

[Mug]

I have read that the screen was necessarry, then read not necessary, but then you have a few people who think a vacuum isn't needed at all. My crazy thought is that a bigger cylinder compressing into a smaller cylinder like the peter pugger would work the best with a vacuum and no screen. The straighter models like the Bluebird might need a screen.

The air chambers I have seen with out the screen have a bevel on the inside like a whistle. It helps keep the clay from entering the chamber durring the vacuum. You will need to clean this chamber, so make it easy to do. Mark offered to take pictures, I would take him up on that offer.

Give it a try, hopefully you wont have to mess with the screen.

Love to hear how it all turns out.