Hulk

I'm also washing bisque before glazing, two buckets, one sponge, the second, rinse, but I'm allowing a full dry sun and maybe overnight afore glazing - less dust, ashy bits, salty junk, and I do sand a bit*, by feel, so, there's dust. It's a bit of bother, but chatter marking seems to fill much better when washed. If ever getting pinholes from glaze moisture displacing air in the clay as it penetrates, will definitely try your damp glaze Pres. I am bisque firing to a high temp, with a hold, I do sometimes a fast dip, then plunge quickly again, but withdraw slowly, when the gelling action is a bit greater at slower speed - if that closes the glaze layer up, I'm happy. I prefer upside down, where there's more glaze at the top of the ware, being first in and last out. *away outside, with ppe, dust control protocol, etc.

Hi LilClayLady! Is that kiln max temp rating cone 6? Here's the documentation I found: Item # B23HT-240 On Cress Mfg. Co. If so, it might be more serviceable for low fire. Likely it will struggle to reach cone 5 once new elements have started to wear/degrade. Likely it wouldn't take many firings to lower the actual max. As for being worthwhile, the condition of the unit* and how it matches up with your expectations could matter more than its age. *bricks, casing, wiring, stand, everything, including the control mechanism. My kiln is over thirty years old, it's a cone 10 though, so suitable for cone 5/6 work. Its bricks and lid are going, so I'll likely upgrade when the elements wear out. It might take another fifty firings to wear'm out. The seller included a full set of posts, brand new shelves, boxes of cones, and some glaze materials - so far, it's been a fair deal.

My guess, likely the results will be interesting, maybe very cool, maybe a bubbly breaking pattern, streaking if the glaze moves moderately; chance of yuck, maybe scabby, crawly where the glaze is too thin. Good oh you stopped the dust.

Hi Betty, I'm using this US Balance, which has a small platform, and maxes out at 2000g (not pounds, heh). I have a few different aluminum pie plates for when I need more space, like glaze materials. Seems like as long as the load is squared up/stable and not moving, the weights are repeatable ok.

Have logged many hours on a triple beam, but didn't own one when fitting the studio - inexpensive 2000g digital works fine for me, for glaze batches and up to 4.4 pound clay balls. I've an analog multimeter; it shows variation better than a digi, and although there's an argument for accuracy, at the range I'm working in (cheap instrument and basic electrical stuff), it's more than fine and what I'm used to. I have my Dad's Simpson, but never use it. We have digital bath scales, inexpensive and easy to read, just remember to calibrate Every Time it's moved, and replace batteries, hmm, that it's quiet puts it over a spring scale, just. What we have that's still analog likely a shorter list! Floor pump for bike tires, integrated analog pressure gauge. Repeatability is what matters, meh. Car tire pressure gauges, all analog. Everyday calipers, analog/vernier over cheap dial indicator types, whether mech or digi. I have a large vernier, very high quality, and a few small quality dial indicator types, also analog micrometer set. I don't mind vernier or mech dial indicators for thousandths o' inch, nor analog micrometers, having worked with all for hours countless. Thermometers, all we have are liquid bulb and capillary type, excepting the cars' displays are numeric. No doubt there's more, not remembering just now. Digital doesn't always mean better, nor necessarily mean the sensing strategy is any different, more accurate, or better. That said, some new stuff is cool. Some old stuff is still cool too.

Thank you for sharing Gep! It's one thing to gain experience and knowledge through experience, another to systematically apply same and improve, and yet another to clearly, concisely and successfully communicate how you are doing it. Nice work!

Isn't backerboard a bit rough for throwing? I've used plastic, homemade particle board, and homemade plaster bats; all have smooth surfaces*. Although I've managed to learn to keep my fingernails away from both the clay and the surface of the bat, my throwing requires some finger/skin contact, smooth is better imo. I like cement board and use it in the studio, per above, however, too rough for me for throwing. Try sticking a square of it down with a clay pad, only take a few minutes - watch out for the corners, go. My guess is you'll like it if you don't touch the bat much while you're working, then knock the corners off, done. If you don't like it, didn't cost much - look for a scrap to test with. I wouldn't try for bat pin holes, instead, a clay pad. Since I use bat pins, I just throw a clay pad on a plastic bat (does no one do this?) for unholy bats :| *The plastic seem to stay slick, however, they can get narfed up with metal tools, rough on skin. Some types of plastic bats I like ok, some not. My particle board bats, some are 1/2" thick, some 3/4" thick, stained with oil base stain, then varnished. They work great. I use the molded side of the plaster bats, which is smoother. They work great, different right next to the bat though, that clay is drying.

The boards are* supplied by Minarik. Registration is required to get the docs, here: minarikdrives.com Mine exhibits same capacitor thing, however, within a few minutes, it's drained off. My wheel has the pcmxp ("ssx") board; Skutt also uses the mm23001c board (as standard - it's perfectly suitable). Minarik Drives XP Series User Manual fifty page document has a chapter on calibration (trim pots); it's seven pages, however, several sections refer to other chapters for background info, etc. I bumped up the MAX SPEED and changed the IR COMP setting. *or were; my Skutt will be coming up on five years old. I haven't looked at their website, nor Minarik's, for several years. ...don't know why Skutt doesn't have the manual or at least some excerpts available. Oh well, their support is super, my bet is they would be helpful - I was able to find the doc myself - it was a Saturday, so.

Museum putty holds tighter; wax, also gel, are nice for clear/translucent objects, where putty would show more. We found the putty well suited for the tall slender opaque vase, which has leverage.

Thanks, that is so cool! That should be serviceable by a machine shop. I'm curious if the collar on the tankside is removable? If so, bring that into the shop along with the other parts, where, my guess, the pulleys, shaft and surely that propellor (!), fitted with modern seal and bearings pressed into a new collar bit (else resurface the old one) that bolts on. That said, perhaps adding a mounting point for a mixer that reaches down from above, then just plug the hole where the original was?

Hi David! The stationary portion (I'm guessing this middle portion is stationary) may also include a bearing or bushing - something that supports the rotating shaft - as well as a seal, in which case "bearing assembly" may be as appropriate as "shaft seal," however, the forum community likely could come up with another half dozen or so phrases... Well, I'm curious now! I'd like to see some images of the entire unit. Looks like the lower portion is outside the tank, driven by a belt on that pulley, and the upper part is inside the slip tank? Is there an impeller or somewhat that is fixed to the top end of the shaft? The slip tables I'm seeing don't include any belt driven bits - all direct drive. Any road, if there is no other provision for supporting the shaft, there "must be" a bearing or bushing in there that has failed, eh? Looks like the piece is meant to be rebuildable, note the set screw on the pulley.

wow, four spindles, maybe more - "..,compressor mount under housing" and attachments, belt sander, disc/lapidary wheel, pottery wheel, flex drive, bench style grinding wheel, drum sander, chuck, arbor, cup/conventional guns

More comfort: good lighting, overhead and side light in agreeable colours; air, fresh and comfortable temperature; music/radio/podcast or whatever you like, including silence (I usually put on my favourite locally produced public radio shows streamed via old laptop connected to 5.1 surround sound), chairs. All Min said, and more buckets, large sponges, rags, lots - once any clay has dried on a rag, grab a new one, for clay on cloth becomes airborne dust. Stay ahead of the dust!

There is composition analysis, link to Cimbar datasheet, discussion on Cimbar talc, etc., here Talc shortage? New Talc - Cim Talc - Clay and Glaze Chemistry - Ceramic Arts Daily Community Who all is using it and how is it working for you? Axner is still carrying it.

Hi Bam, Tony Hansen's digitalfire.com site has entries on each oxide, including colorants. Ceramic Oxides (digitalfire.com) and an article on colorants Colorant (digitalfire.com) I like Susan Petersen's book The Craft and Art of Clay, particularly the glaze section, which includes an entry on each important ingredient (including colorants) and clear discussion of unity. I use cobalt carbonate, copper carbonate, rutile, tin oxide, chrome oxide, iron oxide, uhm, oh yeah, zircopax.

A few degrees less for the peak temp, then a controlled cool to about 1850F after your thirty minute hold might help (and then would be close to what I'm doing, which started out to clear bubbles/fizzing). I am holding at 100F below peak for longer, closer to forty-five minutes to an hour.

GlazeMaster also calculates COE, which I've found handy when looking to reduce/eliminate crazing (in that one glaze, not so much for comparing different glazes*), where tweaking oxides brought the number down this much, which reduced crazing that much, hence gaining an idea how much more tweaking required, or perhaps major changes necessary, even starting over. Any road, going through a few rounds of tweaking oxides, then starting over, bringing in a bit of lithium (via petalite) got me close, then a bit more petalite, a bit more talc, a bit more zircopax, voila! I found the calculated COE numbers were helpful to the process. *however, once fired and examined, then correlation/comparison can be made, where this glaze COE number appears about equal to that glaze COE number based on the craze pattern...

Hi Retxy, Was curious enough to find this video clip collection HyperGlaze - glaze software for artists but not enough to watch them, or install the software. My guess would be the presentation reflects the limit set, and the limit set is likely configurable. Perhaps someone who uses the software will yet reply, bump! I'm using GlazeMaster; it has a compare to limit formulas view, which I do look at, if not very often. I'm using the unity/weight/mole view more. Am also using Glazy (Glazy.org an online glaze resource) R2O:RO ratio calculator; adjusting the ratio seemed key to resolving my low expansion liner glaze issues.

Hi Bauhaus, Whether store bought or mixed in your studio, you'll likely want glazes that a) fit your clay and b) behave well, per your processes. Glazes from the same or different sources may, or may not, play well together in general, let alone how you wish. Some glazes stay put well; others move. Some glazes react well with each other, some do not... Transparent is typically used over underglazes but may not stay "over" another glaze. For your clay (clays may be more challenging...), a clear glaze that fits well (no crazing or shivering), goes on well, fires well, and is durable and looks good - all important for functional ware. I developed a liner glaze over the course of several years... There are many sources of info on glazes; this forum, and Tony Hansen's website are two. Here, try some search strings to find archived threads that interest you, e.g. "crazing" and "glaze fit" Tony Hansen's site, see the Articles sub menu, also the Troubles sub menu, Projects, Recipes, etc. Where do I start in understanding glazes? (digitalfire.com)

Aye, good eye kel-kay. Looks also that the slab join lines up with the handle as well, hence the process of bringing around the edges in initial formation of curve to round (from flat slab) puts the extra stress right where those cracks are. Maybe.

Hi Phyllos! I suppose the good news is the problem appears repeatable. :| How thick are the base portions compared to where the crack is, particularly the corner part? If appreciably thicker/heavier, maybe try a) building so there is more even thickness, and b) place the base on a plaster bat/slab to draw moisture, then set upside down - both to accelerate drying in the base portion. Perhaps other hand builders will have some more/better suggestions; e.g. how to relieve stress when bending the flat slab into a cylinder. Do you wet the slab and coax/stroke it whilst bending? I ease my pulled handles into a curve, which seems to relieve cracking...

The kiln in question had never been worked on - is in original condition?

Still lotsa carbs out there. Both our chain saws, the string trimmer, the blower, all handed off to our son - each has some form of carb, no fuel injection. We still have the pressure washer though; it's fitted with a strong running Honda engine. Last time I went to start it up, no go. I dribbled a few drops of gasoline down the carb throat, having a'ready checked that the plug appeared good and the mag was supplying a fat blue snap/spark, got a few bangs and some smoke, then nothing. From there, pulled the carb, which is fitted with a float, needle valve, and fairly simple jet. Ah, some time ago, oops, forgot to run out (or drain) the carb; the needle valve was gummed up, also the jet's orifice. After the work, I ran the float bowl dry and drained the tank as well. :| For me, the way back machine is breaker point ignition and distributors (for multi cylinder engines) which many youngsters haven't seen. For my Dad, it was make and break ignition, single cylinder slooow rpm gas engines, and steam power. There were folks around when he was a kid using such things, and his Dad, my Grandpa, had started out in the woods repairing and maintaining steam donkeys - some time after his stint as a guard at Folsom. Down the line, I'd expect that piston port two cycle engines will be long gone (err, maybe they a'ready are?), with gas powered piston engines in general not to long after that...

Please see the parallel thread; I've posted an image: How to re-tighten the bolts on Shimpo RK-55 - Equipment Use and Repair - Ceramic Arts Daily Community Also eu-pottery-wheels.pdf (nidec-shimpo.com) page six

Hi Linchimb, Aye: "Remove splash pan and loosen all 4 bolts under the wheel head. Caution, Please be careful not to loosen too much. Loosen bolts. Do not remove completely. Spring inside the main body automatically adjusts tension of the belt." I'm not finding any diagrams depicting the auto tensioner/belt/pulley details... Ah! Try searching "shimpo rk 55 belt replacement" - I'm seeing three images depicting the underside, with cover removed. Here's a snip of one of the images I found: Looks like the bearings, shaft, bearing holder casting, pulley, retention plate assembly is designed to move/slide - the spring provides the desired tension, eh? You might try removing the cover, lining it up, starting the bolts, and voila. That retention plate may have fell, now hanging by the spring and perhaps against the pully. Be careful re-attaching the wheel head; looks like the bottom part of it is machined to be parallel with the working surface, hence it must ride flush on that large washer, which I assume sets on that bearing. No doubt you want the wheel head to run true, no wobble. If you turn the machine upside down, look to avoid banging the shaft or the wheel head on the ground. Good luck, please report back how it goes for you. I'd use anti-sieze on the threads and the shaft/wheel head contact, grease between the big washer and bearing.