Mark C.

Been in the french butter business for over 40 years and most folks do not wash them out and start over enough. Leads to many issues. Remember its not a long term storage container. Wash it out at least every few weeks. We personaly use a covered butterdish ona plate bottoms as it easier to keep clean . Most customers go sideways with these items and ask about how to use them later although I have detailed instructions in each pot I sell.

The current Ceramics Monthly shbow how to pack work like yours. The idea is build a open frame with a floor connect your work to floor -then put frame in a box with the padding on the outside od frame so its not touching the work-but keeps the frame protected. Work gets shipped likke this all over the world . its a pain but doable. Use Pirate ship .com to save $$$they have the best UPS rates period.

Well the book turned out pretty good. It's filled with color photos and spans 50 years of ceramic artists that came from the Laundry. I have several photos in the book as well. They sent me a link to it as its on amazon now as well. Its good read on a fantastic clay facility . https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C3ZBRS4X?ref=myi_title_dp

You said (I just didn't know its actually quantifiable.) I think its to small to even consider

definitely a european model as no oven infinite switch is on the USA skutt models. Must be small kiln at 09 amps and 3300 amps

Unless you live next to a fish processing plant or a deep freezer plant. Or a mining outfit with rock crushers or a huge boat yard. You get the drift lots of POWER needed for them.

Looking at the specs-if its a 3 phase its 50 amp singel phase 80-90 amp breaker 3 phase is not in many places so check this out at your location (many homes do not have 3 phase ) and with seller to see whats the kiln really is single or 3 phase . If its on a 50 amp breaker my guess its 3 phase. one ome important item to clear up

I thought Skutt kilns all had 3 level switches -Low,Meduim,high-never seen an infinite one on a Skutt kiln? I know they make kilns for the european market that are speced differently . Maybe the switches are one of those items . . One I know is a thin wrap of fiber under the Jackets. I was told they had to for the Greek market. I adopted this and it been great. You can get that really thin fiber(about 1/8 inch) at kilnshelve.com

What is PSH kiln wash-somethiong premade?

Lets see today I started picking up 5 tons of clay Power loaded (forklift into truck) Hired a kid to unload truck Lets see how many times I have to move it to sell it 1-bring it as needed into studio-usally 700-1,000#s at a. time 2-cut and weigh it put it on a bat to carry it to wheel 3-take to wheel and throw it 4 carry it on ware boards to sun or heat 5 pop it off plaster bats and put on larger ware bats back into shop 6 if it needs trimming nows the time (this step is a zero if its a no trimmer ) 7 if its gets handles its now-mugs etc 8 after handles onto larger bats and covered with plastic to even out on shelves for the night 9 load into bisque fire-at this time I wet sponge or dry stick cracks or clean whats needed 10 unload bisque fire onto larger ware bats 11-wax either hand or hot dip 12 glaze it and move to kiln area 12 load the glaze and fire it 13 unload the glaze fire and either price for show or packa nd store for sale (wholesale-consignment-or gallery /shop order 14 pack it to sales event (show) or outlet /gallery order or a wholesale order 15 drop it off-a gallery /shop or sell it at a show (wrap and bag it) 16 does not sell at show box it into van and leave till next time Pres I do not know how to get it to 12 steps

Next time let it go and all that will burn away-you got spooked and shut it down early. This will all be gone in a high fire-looks normal for an early cool shut off.Your smoke alarm should not be so close to this area

This years event will also have a book signing on The Humboldt State Potshop-known as the Laundry on Friday the 28th. I'll be there for that . Its at the John Natsoulas Gallery in Davis 7pm-8pm This is a large multi gallery ceramic art shows all over town. Much to see and its a two day affair. I have business in Sacramento that day so I'm combining the trip with the Humboldt Alumni book signing. I also wrote a piece in this book as well. Never seen the book buts its on 50 years of the Laundry. Which sadly is slated for demo within the next few years. Humboldt now is Cal poly Humboldt and got a large grant to build out science stuff (building /parking lots /staff/ etc) and since the Liberal Arts is on the decline in enrollment across the USA those depts are shrinking. Looks like the ceramic potshop will continue at the school after they tear down the pottery builing for a parking lot. They are planning I found out to move it to an old building on campus -not sure when or if it will take a few years to get it done but there is a plan of sorts. Last tenured Professor retried and its all temporary lecture hires so they are cutting costs in many other fields except science . Here are some links https://www.natsoulas.com/ccaca-2023/ https://www.facebook.com/CCACA2020/ The event was well attended and the last 3 pottery professors where there to sign the books as well as a few of us HSU alumni.Good to see the old teachers as well for me at least.Only one is left from my time long ago and he looked great still.

I do it all the time with my porcelain mugs

dark clays will bloat worse than lighter ones due to the colorants in them-especally black clays

That machine holds 25# tops in the specs-output of 20#s is great really for a small machine that only hold a 25# pug . The issue I have is the small output with these smaller pug mills I have written a lot (here) about the small output of this and the Newer mini VPM 7. They are supplying the hobby market now in a big way. The cost is high the output is low. If your only using small amout s its fine. Not much I can add. I have a friend who is a full timer who bought that same size and it was really way to small for him. Depends how much time you want to spend feeding and pugging really The cost between models is not that great really as every model has the same components on progressivly larger castings (main body). The hopper are easier to feen in the larger models. The VPM 20 is the perfect size more many. But if 100#s of clay lasts you many months it is to large.

Are you stuffing it full to begin with. Meaning mix it then add-mix a minute add more. Mix add ,more until the lid will barely close as its so full. Then mix ansd then pug. When it stops extruding the mixer chamber is pretty empty but the barrel has a bit left New users seem to have issues with this-my guess is they are under filling it. You cannot fill it in one go round or even two.It works best stuffed full and not to wet.You know its full when some comes out the backside overflow tchamber hen you have it full. Now that vpm9ss is a pretty small batch (I have written on this a few times) so the output is about 2/3 the input meaning in the small machines it a pretty small output Meaning on my vpm 20ss is max 45#s so I get about 35#ish out of it as the rest is in the barrel In my vpm 30 the max is 85#s so the output is much more (thety do not make this ione in ss yet) heres so info https://peterpugger.com/videos/

Welcome to the forum Ream them out with a needle tool after the glaze dries. Many glazes are different-shiny matt etc.I just use a needle tool and clean them. You will not notice tham once fired. For me the the hole had to be 1/4 or larger not to clean them out. To end up with a 1/8 inch hole you will need to ream out the glaze-you can also use a small hand held drill bit

Yes its a belt slippage issue and just needs tighting as Bill points out here is how https://www.amaco.com/equipment_how_tos

Canvas catches clay dust badly-the smooth cleanable surface is better for table tops

(Just a reminder it only going to cone with NEW elements and new wiring-its really a bisque kiln or low fire) ,this was mentioned back on this thread in 2019 I owned one of these for 30 years-bisque kiln .Cone 6 is Max temp and that really overrating it as they did back in the 70s when this was made Bisque glazes pots rarely ever blow up.Was that greenware? Black cones suggests smoke? Smoke suggest organics in fire? all switches on low?

I just read in Forbes Magazine that Lithium prices for now are headed down. That will trickle down to us potters over time. A bright spot in rising prices

I have greenware tyransported every two weeks. to my studio for 20 years. I have also done it alot myself. The trick is to flip the pot if needed so the heavest side is down.Put on ware boards or bats whatever size you have, squares are more efficiient space wise The professional tip is covering it with towels. I use beach or wash towels. That steadies it and keeps it from moving. . This will make all the differeance gently cover and gently remove towels

Yes Bill describes it well ,thats how to tighten it down-this is an early 70s model with original motor-its missing the cord strain relief grip coming out of motor as well. Be carful never to pull on this motor wire. If that motopr ever acts up take it to an old school electric motor shop and tell them its a dc motor-they can do newew bearing and or brushes as well. This motor has zero customer service options yourself. I wore mine out after about 20 years of heavy production work. All the early brent moters where these blue ones. You never see these much anymore. Keep it dry as well. You could add a back pressure spring as well as in Bills diagram and a wing nut on the outer nut . Thats a modern Brent setup. Another note is most likely both pullys and motor and wheelhead shaft may be 5/8 inch diameter as they did this setup for the early years changing out to all 3/4 for it all in mid 70s meaning if you ever get a new wheel head or motor and the shafts are 3/4 (all the Brent wheelhaeds are 3/4 for the past 40 years )those other pulleys need to be changed out as well. I have had to do this once as well-no fun so its just a heads up-you can measure that motor or wheel head shaft now and you will know. My guess is 5/8 by the look of all else. No clear shot of the control box side and rear as that also dates it well to for me. I'm with bill tighten the motor plate-but 1st loosen the atachment on the legs so it can move as a hinge. Tight motor plate a bit then retighten hinge bolts and try it . Small adjustments are best model Cs where all 12 inch heads unless you bought the larger 14inch as a upgrade back then. I bought my model C 1/2 hp in 69 from Brent in Santa Monica before he moved to Healdsburg.

Before buying make sure its not awet runied deck-I have posteda few threads on Model A deck sealing as its a cheap Flakeboard top. Water can get under at the bolt holes and haed bolts as well as the edges under the formica top. If that movement is spongy deck let me know as I have a cure or two. The wheel head is a standard 12inch which they seem to not have listed anymore-meaning call and talk to they-in fact they only have two 14 inch and they do not explain the differences so that also a call and talk deal as well. The motor is 1/3 hp still on the site. the belt is super short and they still sell it as a model A belt but you may have to call about this as well.

Sand blasting is a great idea-then glaze again and fire to cone and then another decal fire. That if the second glaze is sticking and flawless and we all know thats a tough one on refires. The thing is this all sounds good but will the final outcome look the same or will it somehow look less than perfect after so much torture. Since we do not know what clay or form or much of anything about the work its all a guess., In my world making new work is the most productive approach in terms of a professinal outcome, It always has been for good reason. All my tips and others to cure the fault are all to save work we know nothing about and that will mean the final outcome as well I do know new work will be the best outcome If we knew more about why the decals failed for example then maybe we could help with the new ones? What were the colorants for example, just so many unknowns. New work new mistakes they say