Hulk

...perhaps similar, usually run four shelves/levels, aiming for $x per level this season - hence 4x per glaze fir, $x+ next year, and reach target the year after. That "x" value resonates - the mix of pieces, more discards (to reclaim!), etc. Looks like my target numbers are somewhat conservative...

Where my folks lived - Tennessee river valley - everything outdoors is either alive or molded, if not both.

Hi Elise, "Cone packs" on each shelf may give you an idea how much variance there is in peak temperature. I'm finding that the top level runs cool; adjusting the load (how much ware, and shapes...) and staggering shelves helps a lot. More to your point, if you can see a cone through the peep (does your kiln have peeps?), reset your sitter button and monitor until the cone sags, then shut off. Be (absolutely, 100%) sure to get and wear kiln glasses to protect your eyes before ever looking into a glowing kiln. If you don't have guide and guard cones to make up a full cone pack, just set your target cones up where you can clearly see them through the peeps. I paint an iron oxide stripe on - bit easier to see. I set cones in a strip of clay and block up at least one set right in front of a peep. Pyrometer could be helpful - I depend on mine quite a bit!

Good question! ...however, regarding published ratings, per Neil: "The horsepower rating doesn't mean much. The 1/4hp Soldner can center as much as a Skutt 1/3hp, which can center as much as a Brent 1hp. The controller and pedal have a lot to do with how the power is put to use, as well as the type of motor." Most modern one horsepower wheels will have lots of twist - not, however, the same twist!

Hi Simon, If the wheel runs in one direction only, the head could be threaded in the opposite direction (use tightens). Are "Ratcliffe" and "Wenger" associated? Try contacting Potterycrafts? They carry a few wheels that look (kinda) like a Wenger - Cowley, Alsager, Staffordshire... Excerpted from https://www.potterycrafts.co.uk "Potterycrafts was formed in 1983 with the merger of the craft supplies businesses of three industrial companies Podmore, Wenger and Harrison Mayer following their purchase by Cookson plc. Potterycrafts became an independent company in 1988..."

Current model Brendt B may be more comparable to (current model Pacifica) GT-800 than the GT-400 - not apples to apples, imo. For ~$300 more, the B looks good - do you need/want that much wheel? ...oh, you did say 800, hmm, well, I'm seeing the b for just under $1300, so still say for 2-300 more, the b

The You Tube vids might get you started. There's a box of Plainsman and a bat rack in the background - looks like a studio! - and it's fairly clean, good sign there. The tools required are indicated. Looks like the tech is fairly handy, however, likely has not performed this repair enough times for it to have become rote; it's a start, eh? There's some helpful notes in the comments. The bearings listed should be easy to get; hold out for abec-5 (fwiw, I find abec-5 hold up longer over abec-3 in bicycle hubs...). I put new bearings in the freezer to shrink them a little, and the part receiving the bearing in the sun or some other warm place. I have a threaded bearing press and drifts, hence no hammering on new bearings; for cases where my press won't fit, a drift that makes contact with the outer race is what I want, and gentle taps on said drift, not the bearing, ahem. Watch that the bearing stays square inna hole! Grease both the bearing and the part against next time (another use for Dow #41 Bill!); I also treat all threaded fasteners with anti-sieze; it's a habit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIa09XbXa8U https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IbUw77JxU A few more links to explore: https://community.ceramicartsdaily.org/topic/16917-wheel-head-bearing-service/ http://thelivingdeeps.blogspot.com/2011/09/shimpo-rk-2-rebuild.html http://www.clay-king.com/pottery_wheels/shimpo_pottery_wheels/pdf/rk_manual.pdf https://kruegerpottery.com/collections/rk-whisper-parts wd-40, lol! ...better than nothing, better than dirt... use proper lube for the job, jeez https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0010/1931/4239/files/rk-whisper-troubleshooting.pdf?14845495635736994425

Aye on the moly! I've a few tubes of Dow Corning 41 grease, which contains "Molykote" - great for lots of things, particularly rubbed into cables where they run in housings, also derailleur spools and pawls, freewheel pawls, pedal bushings... The dry powder is great for lots of things too, e.g. a puff in lock mechanisms (doesn't gum up the works, nor attract dirt), a tablespoon or so blown into an old cranky transmission (where the tolerances are quite a bit greater than the particle size)...

Just curious how the glaze coe values compare - liner vs. outside(s)?

Good find Bill! I love gear oil! ...my guess is the Venco gears are straight cut, as hypoid isn't specified; that said, I run semi-synthetic hypoid gear oil on my bike chains, it's the bomb! A bit off-topic here, ahem, mix with odorless mineral spirits ~60/40, apply one small drop per link, allow time for the vehicle to evaporate (next day), wipe down, then ride the quietest, smoothest, sweetest and most economically lubricated chain in the peloton. Carry on.

Hi Good! If/when you look at getting more shelving, may I recommend half shelves - more flexibility? Staggering (different heights) the upper levels gives me more even heating; my top level was running too cool with the shelves levelled up. Other suggestion I'd like to offer: monitor firing temperature, which you can do if your cone packs are visible through the peep holes (wear appropriate eye protection!!). I also use a pyrometer, which is very handy for slowing down through critical temperature ranges, note taking, etc. For glaze firing, I bump up to about 200F the night before, turn all off, then go straight to High the next morning - everything is still warm, and also bone dry; no Low or Medium until the brief hold after reaching peak temp. Bisque fire requires much more attention...

"...adequate fresh air supply." is key. Thanks for posting that Martin! ...may be helpful to someone in future.

...any road, I've been throwing, finishing, and firing pots for a bit less than two years - not full time; a full time pro might call what I'm doing "hobby potting," hence hobby potter. I'm ok with that. While skill, practice, technique, planning, testing, knowledge are certainly involved, I'm aiming for functional; I'm not calling my work art or myself an artist ("art" is involved, however). My undergraduate degree was (past tense, yep; I'm retired!) in English, literature concentration. In letters, it may be that "what is art" is less of contentious topic - less of a topic at all - it's fairly clear, almost simple, really. Others may argue, if they wish.

Hi Sophie! "Craft inferiority" as in Glen Adamson's Thinking Through Craft - that what you talkin' 'bout? I - for one - am not hanging much importance on titles (I'm "retired!"). Pottery/potting may be to Ceramics what competitive swimming is to Aquatics? ...more specific? What "other titles" did you have in mind?

Hi Martin! Kiln vents I've seen or read about exert enough "pull" on small hole(s) in the kiln (kiln bottom, or side near the bottom) such that another small hole (in the lid) is necessary for make up air; the rest of the flow comes from ambient, through a mixing box, where the ambient vent is adjustable. The kiln atmosphere is very hot and typically corrosive, hence mixing with ambient is a good idea - cools it down and dilutes the yucky gases. Perhaps these pics may help? They show flow through aforementioned inlet and outlet holes (however, in practice, air may be sucked in through cracks, around the edges, etc. ...and some kiln atmosphere may escape as well) and ambient making up most of the flow - see "Room Temp Air Entering Bypass Box" Any road, immediately diluting the kiln atmosphere is a must (imo)!! There must be sufficient make up in the kiln area/room as well - to (easily) make up for all the air being pulled out of the room by your fan system(s). Test the flow with a smoke punk (incense stick will work) or lighter flame (careful with that!) - so you can see that atmosphere is sucked into the kiln; re-test when firing, as the behavior will be a bit different. I made up a bypass box out of galvanized sheet, bought an inline fan and some ducting, and made holes in the wall and kiln -it works! If I were starting over, I'd go with a bigger/stronger fan. 60 liters, hmm... less than three cubic feet; your fan may be strong enough to serve your current kiln and your next kiln as well! The "bypass box" with sufficiently large and adjustable ambient vent - that's the ticket.

Wherever that oil came from, it ain' there anymore, hence, suggest you don't run it until the seepage has been corrected and the you're sure that the machine is properly lubricated - the reservoir of origin being filled per specification. ...am seeing reference to "sight glass" and oil level (brief search on "venco 3d pugmill); how's your sight glass look?

What's your daughter's name? Brookside Ceramic Brave Ceramic Chief Ceramic Chiefly Ceramic (me be eschewin' any plularity of ceramic!) YCC You Can Ceramic Plain Ceramic Jazz Ceramic What distinguishes your business from the others? What is core; what are you providing to your customer? ...don' be inna hurry, it'll come to you.

I've found picking up liquid to be speckly with an ear syringe to be blown out in fine drops worth trying - practice in the glaze bucket first; however, likely better for speckle effect that's uneven on purpose, as in a gradient of speckles from dense to minimal.

Hi Mirjam! I'm not seeing any pictures associated with your post. Any road, are you certain the yeast is viable (does it "proof") in the typical kitchen sense? Yeast added to warmed water (~100F/40C) spiked with some sugar should begin to foam within ten minutes or so. That seems like the easiest thing to cross off; once you're sure the yeast is live/good, perhaps a next step would be to determine if porcelain kills the yeast? I'm fairly certain that the mid fire stoneware I'm using supports microbial life, heh... Likely you'll want to keep your samples warm. Keep the dough warm for a faster rise; keep it cool if you wish to go sour.

...and, bein' curious, found this page, the aha! for me being "...delivers carbon monoxide derived from a one pound gas bottle to the kiln." It's a propane bottle. http://fallonator.com/products/jmh_series_of_kilns Beefy elements, oxygen sensor, neat-oh! That said, I'll stick with midfire oxidation for now - plenty to work on...

Hi Doc, This is the one I'm remembering (been hanging out here about a year and a half), where op led up to the cliff, "...I'm about to get to the part that explains the confusion involved with statements like these in the next installment on why reduction firing in an electric kiln is possible and practical." and never came back! Ah bumped it. https://community.ceramicartsdaily.org/topic/19108-electric-reduction-firing Hope all is well with PDWhite.

Hi PD! We're still waitin'! <bump>

I use the cheap plastic calipers (the expensive metal ones stay in the drawer, mostly) for holes, screws, bolts, etc. almost daily, and more often than not have them in my pocket when shopping hardware/home stores. Thanks to my Dad on that. Also handy for lidded jars, checking depth, etc., per Bill Van Gilder, make in standard sizes, eh? I've a drawer full of spare lids a'ready... Three bucks

My used wheel's pedal (err, second hand wheel - I don't think it was used at all) is very smooth, from a barely audible creaking sound (come back after a while, yep, it moved) to a few revolutions per minute, and so on up to full speed. I do feather the speed, depending, which is becoming second nature. My experience doesn't answer the op's questions, however. I've found the Brent and Skutt pedals to be very smooth, predictable, and easy to use. I see folks on You Tube throwing on wheels that have preset speeds (search Ingleton Pottery); I'd like to think the adjustment to variable speed would be easier than to fixed speeds - given a good pedal, of course.

Local JC Ceramic lab has somewhat like this, except the reservoir was straight up and down - more suited to level and up - where this is more suited to level and downward angles. Fairly easy to clean; dump out the reservoir, rinse, run a bit of water through it. Search "hvlp" - can be had very inexpensive - however, can be a bit heavy on the hand.