Hulk

Hi MCB, Is it the L&L "Vent-Sure" downdraft system that you're looking to install? If so, good question on guidelines for routing the ductwork on or near flammables. The L&L FAQs do have an entry on roof/ceiling penetrations: "Do I need double wall duct when going through the roof? You do not normally need double wall ducting when going through the roof since the pipe or duct does not reach high temperature. It is always advisable to check your local building codes for their requirements." My guess would be to place somewhat between the duct and the flammable(s), a piece of tileboard perhaps. Please check back for response from this section's Admin, who is very familiar with L&L equipment. For the longer runs, smooth (rigid) pipe could be a better choice than flex pipe - less air resistance, easier to clean, and should last well. The L&L documentation also indicates: Length can be as great as 60 feet horizontal or vertical with up to four 90-degree bends. Be sure to allow for adequate make up air - intake to equal what is being pulled from the space, hence an open window, vent, or somewhat to the outside.

Hi Stuart, The only tin oxide I've used is from US Pigment - seems to work ok. I needed it for tin/chrome red (same recipe as Britt's "Chrome Red"). It's red!

We had wood and metal shops, laboratory Chemistry and Biology in seventh grade (near Pittsburgh, PA); art and music all through grade school, everywhere we went; sports options and PE class also everywhere. In grades eight through twelve, drafting; wood, metal, cooking, sewing and auto shops (I did a semester of wood, for access to the big saw, also one semester of auto, for access to the equipment to refurbish my cylinder heads); many music options, also theater and dance; an hour a week of "enrichment" course - I recall surveying and some heavy equipment driving; driver training course; several sports options; typing and office machines classes. In the nearby public school districts (Central and Northern California), most of the shops have closed in the last forty years or so - also many dance, music, and theater studios have shuttered. There are more computer labs! I'd like to see more focused instruction in development (coding, e.g. Java, C++, Python) vs. just learning to run applications (e.g. Excel, Word, database, etc.). Our Mother was an accomplished bowler (her average was well over 200 for many years), an internationally known specialist in embroidery, dabbled in oils and acrylics, sewed (from scratch) and repaired clothing, knitted and crocheted, and was a whiz in the kitchen. She learned to swim and play the guitar well after reaching her sixties. Our Pop leveraged his background in heavy equipment repair and maintenance, welding, and machining (all in the logging trade) in his career as an Electrical Engineer. He designed and built several solutions in his work, also around the house and for his hobbies, e.g. he designed and built spearguns (for diving/fishing), fashioned belt buckles, designed and built nutcrackers... Any road, we had hand work going on at home, all the time. We had access to tools, materials, workshop space, and the kitchen as well. We had our parent's support for just about anything we wanted to try. I started out with frying an egg at about five, was well into scratch cakes and pies by seven. My brother and I got into crepes later on. Mom cried. We adjusted, cleaned, repaired and lubed/maintained our skateboards, bikes, motorbikes and automobiles. We took things apart and mostly put'm back together as well. Pop used to bring things home for us to tinker with, e.g. his friend's broken Attitude Indicator (from a small plane). The friend was mad when Pop told him his seven year old son had disassembled the unit, found the fault, made the sketch, then re-assembled it. All that to say that home and community are big influences. I wasn't the one who picked up manual skills the fastest, that's for sure. I never did catch on to bowling, though try I did! I don't draw well, am fairly hopeless with sculpting, struggled with the violin for several years, was typically picked last for sports... I have some gifts - "perfect pitch" being one; stamina for the distance events, that's another; focus and persistence, that's helpful; a somewhat analytical approach, that's sometimes helpful too.

For straight cuts, a tile saw might work. We've used ours to cut bricks and pavers - goes through them like butter. It's a wet process, so very little dust, however, for kiln shelving, thorough drying afterward.

I'm still curious what "...to B.S.S. 170/39" means; I've looked! Those Hoover motors were used in lathe, drill press, and many other types of machines.

Hi Miss-T Looks like Goodwin is still in business; they might be able to help. Contact Us - Goodwin Electronic I don't know what the broken part is. Looks like Potteryworks bought Podmore; they might be able to help: https://www.potterycrafts.co.uk

Hi cafedunier, Welcome to the forum! Looks overfired at Cone 5, well melted. While waiting on wild clay experts to weigh in, please post images of the clay as found (wet and dried), describe its working properties - how plastic, does it crack during drying, and (approximately) where found.

Good question Perhaps super glossy glaze, polished, then waxed? It is possible to make drip free spouts that don't depend on applying hydrophobic film to the drip area; as noted, they are examples that prove. I'm still looking for the practical definitive authority on dripless spouts. Meanwhile, here's where I am with it*: To me, it says when the liquid is flowing fast enough to "detach" from that lower edge, there's no dribbling; when the flow rate isn't fast enough to cause detachment, there is dribble. Hence, design such that a) the flow rate required for detachment is lower, b) and the transitions between no flow and high flow (and high to none) are very quick. Seems to me there's still work to be done to share the findings in everyday terms for practical application, heh. *from this thread: https://community.ceramicartsdaily.org/topic/30337-teapot-pour

Hi rebs, By "target cone" I mean the heat-work you intend to complete. We could just say "peak temperature" - however, not exactly the same as heat-work. Heat-work is achieved through time and temperature. Look at a pyrometric cone chart. Note that the temperature required to bend the cone is higher when the rate is higher. ...where Cone 5 is achieved at 2118 °F when the rate is 27 °F/hour (slow). At the higher rate, 108 °F/hour (fast!), 2167 °F is required. I shoot for a 2112 °F reading on my pyrometer, no hold, for that drops a Cone 5 cone reliably. My kiln doesn't heat particularly fast. My pyrometer might be a bit off as well; what matters, I believe, is repeatable results - good results, preferably!! Verifying with cones can be very worthwhile. From an Orton cone chart: "Cones do not measure temperature alone. They measure heatwork, the combined effect of time and temperature. The role that heating rates have on the endpoint temperature is observed to be that the temperature required to cause a cone to bend will be higher for faster heating rates and lower for slower rates." The black clay I've used (Aardvark Clay's Cassius Basaltic* - now "Obsidian") is labelled as a "Cone 5" clay. I found the clay fired nicely at Cone 5, however, when fired just a bit higher - where the 5 has bent past the 5 o'clock position - the problems compounded!! I'm using a white stoneware that is advertised as a "Cone 5" clay. It tolerates firing to Cone 6, no problems. I've used a red stoneware that doesn't tolerate firing over Cone 5½, if that - better at Cone 5. The red stoneware I'm using now will tolerate Cone 6, no problems. Some clays can tolerate firing a half cone higher; some clays can tolerate firing even higher yet. Your black clay may be sensitive to over firing. Check with cones, keep detailed notes! If you are depending on the controller+pyrometers only, I would like to suggest that you check the actual heat-work with pyrometric cones. Set cones at each level, note the heat-work achieved and correlate to the results you see. * (Formerly Cassius Basaltic) Fired Shrinkage is 14.5% and Water Absorption is .5% when fired to cone 5.

Air flow/ventilation (adequate oxygen) almost certainly important! Hence, powered kiln ventilation, else, leaving the top peep out. My black clay experience (one bag) indicates slow bisque, thin sections (not thick), and glaze fired just to target cone, and not even a wee bit more, for the fizzing/bubbling ramps up quickly! Bisque, holding at about 1500F for a half hour or more seemed to make a big difference in eliminating bloat and reducing fizzing/bubbling. I'll hold on the way up and down, particularly for red and buff clays. Holding ~100F below glaze fire peak for half hour or so seems to help with the bubbles/fizzing as well, perhaps giving the glaze a chance to heal over Drop-and-Soak Firing (digitalfire.com)

Hi SDA, Welcome to the Forum! Am not seeing any attachments (image, video clip). Brent CXC without a reversing switch, may be ~forty years old*. Hard to say what a fair price would be; looks like new ones are $1700 (US dollars) or more. Hope you can give the unit a good test drive and thorough check-over. There should be three leads to the motor, green, red, black. Adding a switch to reverse the red and black wires should do it. Be sure the wheel is fully stopped before operating the switch! See this thread, "It looks like I just need to install a double pole/double throw switch on the red and black wires and I should be all set. Is this correct? Thanks." Adding Reverse Switch to Brent B Wheel - Equipment Use and Repair - Ceramic Arts Daily Community *Perusing the forum archives, forum regular Mark's 1982 Brent CXC did not come with a reversing switch; forum Admin Pres' late 1980s Brent CXC did come with a reversing switch.

I've several pieces of backer board that I use for wedging*, they are still very flat after several years of service. Backer board, likely not for everyone, as the surface is a bit rough. I don't mind it; I keep my fingernails away from the surface. The material doesn't move water like plaster (#1 pottery plaster). For reclaim, I'm using two inch thick slabs of pottery plaster (cast in a cake pan), which will absorb a lot of water; propped up on 1x1" sticks, five sides are exposed to air for evaporation, which helps a bit as well... *one for dark/black clays, one for red clays, one for buff, and one for white, all leftover/scraps from tile projects.

Hi goguma, Good question! Opening the control board box, one should be very careful*! There are several trim pots on the control board; is there one marked "ACCEL" (or ACC/DEL) ? I haven't tried adjusting that one**. If adjusting it does make the wheel rotation decrease faster, likely it will also make it speed up faster. ACCEL setting determines the time the motor takes to ramp to a lower or higher speed. *Read the documentation. Unplug the unit. Beware capacitors! ** see links posted by PeterH at the end of this thread: Technical questions about the Skutt SSX controller - Equipment Use and Repair - Ceramic Arts Daily Community see also: Wheel head takes almost 2 seconds to stop - Equipment Use and Repair - Ceramic Arts Daily Community

Hi Amanda! You might try testing the potentiometer* (the item in the foot pedal with the wires connected to it). It is the likely culprit, easy to test. If the potentiometer is faulty, looks like several vendors carry replacements. The input from the foot pedal should govern the motor from off to full speed. Where off position is heel end all the way down. Full speed position is toe end all the way down. *** The adjustments on the board (trim pots) allow you adjust behavior. The labels appear to be standard. My wheel has trim pots that are labelled similarly; here are some notes for the control board in my wheel (from vendor documentation**): All adjustments increase with CW rotation, and decrease with CCW rotation. Use a non-metallic screwdriver for calibration. Each trim pot is identified on the printed circuit board. MIN setting determines the minimum motor speed when the speed adjust potentiometer or input voltage signal is set for minimum speed. It is factory set for zero speed. MAX setting determines the maximum motor speed when the speed adjust potentiometer or input voltage signal is set for maximum speed. ACCEL setting determines the time the motor takes to ramp to a lower or higher speed. IR Comp The IR COMP setting determines the degree to which motor speed is held constant as the motor load changes. CL setting determines the maximum torque for accelerating and driving the motor. I'd suggest leaving the trim pots adjusted as found! *How to Test a Potentiometer: 6 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow **The control board in my wheel (Skutt) is supplied by Minarik

In original boxes on top of an old tool chest in the garage - a spot that doesn't get sunshine - covered with a folded-up tarp, tucked in all around. My theory being that temperature changes dry out the clay faster, and lower temperature is better. In the Studio, I'm covering in progress bags with a folded-up towel, which keeps the sun off, slows down air movement, and may slow down temperature changes. There's just under three hundred pounds waiting; will see how that goes over the months ahead, then go from there.

By weight, pound for pound, looks like the amount of Boron is very close between the two Frits. Scoops, if by volume, not sure there. Melting power, not sure there either, two different glazes.

Hi Mr. Glazy Man, You wrote: "...so I’m increasing boron... with equal amounts of each across two recipes, the total boron is different. Why is this?" Good question! Looks like Glazy is depicting Boron's Unity %, which isn't same as percent by weight*. Looks like the Ferro information sheet depicts Boron % by weight. Hence, equal weights of Frit 3195 and Frit 3134 do supply very nearly the same weights of Boron. Indeed, I've copied your glaze formula to GlazeMaster (the software I'm using) and toggled the 3134 and 3195 Frit amounts 0% and 25% Unity Weight Mole 3134 B2O3 .575 15.48 14.07 3195 B2O3 .679 15.58 14.37 Hope that helps? The Boron weight percentage is very close, however, two very different glazes. Adjusting your glaze to behave how you wish, that's the challenge. Likely, it would be possible to shuffle the ingredients such that you are changing just the one oxide component, with all others staying the same in reference to each other, however, that may require using different materials. Even when changing just one oxide percentage by weight, the outcome may still surprise! *Unity, a helpful idea. The explanation that made sense to me, in Susan Peterson's book, The Craft and Art of Clay: A Complete Potter's Handbook; I still refer to it. I like Tony Hansen's article: Unity Formula (digitalfire.com) ; see also related articles, linked at the bottom of the page...

Hi Alyosha, Is that cement brick overhead, with heavy wooden planking over that? Designing within the local building code/requirements might be a place to start. Looks like Standard NF DTU 24.1 defines flue/chimney requirements in France: Standard NF DTU 24.1: regulation of flues (poujoulat.fr)

I'd spent most of an afternoon reading about China Painting a few years ago, having found PPIO and Marci Blattenberger's webpages Porcelain Painters International Online-Home Page www.marciblattenberger.com/links.html A Beginners Lesson in China Painting - Page 2 (porcelainpainters.com)

Isn't Georgia known for white clay? Perhaps pottery shops in Georgia could direct you to suppliers. Some may carry supplies! For example, the MODI Ceramic Project in Tbilisi, who feature Seramiksir products MODI ceramic shop This shop's website mentions Georgian white clay, " The business prides itself on being the first studio to develop and produce the acclaimed Georgian porcelain..." About us – White Studio Here's a listing of global suppliers, interesting! Ceramic Materials Suppliers — pottery to the people

Hi Basye, Welcome to the Forum! Perhaps someone with direct experience with the GT400 toggle switch will weigh in. I'm not finding a specific listing for that part on either Axner or Laguna website - you might contact Laguna directly for a replacement, and/or specification - number of poles, amperage capacity.

Being curious, to power my seven cubic foot kiln, draws 48 amps. Should run easy, so, looking for 60 amp solution, found: "What size generator do I need to run 60 amps? 230 volt times 60 amps is 13800 watts or 13.8 kilowatts, and that is the max you panel can run through it, However you generally do not consume the entire wattage of your panel. You should be fine with a 10 kilowatt standby generator." From there, quick shopping tab browse on search string "10 kW portable generator" indicates solutions between three to five thousand US dollars. Good question! Maybe size up a bit more, as the unit would be running hard for hours at a time.

Hi Nancy, welcome to the forum! Is that an Amaco? Not finding anything Amaco 15. Ah, is it a kickweel with a tubular steel frame? Please post a picture, if possible.

Adults, like kids, some more comfortable watching first, trying, asking questions; some want to try full on, then ask questions, start watching closer much later; some, break it down to sub-skills, focusing way in, then try putting it together, step by step, later on - so much variation. Per my recollection!

Thanks for sharing the video Mea! Kelly, yep, worn out chains - handy for making hanging trellises in the yard! About three road chains per set of new gears, although I run four.