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NancyE

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  1. NancyE
    Neil: thank you for the info to the manufacturer's page! Bill: I will extract and test as you suggest. No breakers trip and the on-board fuse is good. The motor does not turn at all. I hooked up a battery directly to the motor and it turns so I don't think it is the problem. I appreciate the advise! Neal (Nancy's husband)
  2. NancyE
    Yes, a diode can be a surge protector and that is probably what the diode is doing for the motor. Your picture shows a device on the AC input line and it appears to be good. I believe it is protecting the board and motor against voltage surges from the wall plug. The zener diode is on the PC board at the DC output line to the motor. It is labeled on the board as Z1. I have attached a pics showing its location on the board and then one of the diode. Neal Thank you Peter and Neal. NancyE
  3. NancyE
    Hello guys, I was at a warehouse recently that sells used heavy equipment, room sized metal lathes and drills etc., all sorts of cool stuff, when off in a corner I saw a potters wheel. So I bought a Shimpo/Nidec VL Lite wheel for $200.00. Looks like it fell off a truck because the legs are bent, but otherwise very clean. No clay, rust, dirt, really in beautiful shape. My husband, who has a fair understanding of the pixies, (which I absolutely do not), has provided me with the following information: PWM DC Motor Drive, PWM: Pulse Width Modulation controller board model # 12MO4-00200, input volts: 120 VAC, output volts: 0-100VDC, cont. amps: 7A, max amps: 15A. He has gone through everything with his meter tester and it appears the only thing acting suspicious is the ZENER DIODE. Does anyone happen to know which Zener Diode goes on the Shimpo VL lite wheel? Of course we tried calling Shimpo, but they sent him to a course that veered into theory of electronics but did not answer our question. He cannot find any schematics for this controller board on the internet. Any help would be appreciated. (I did shake out a bunch of dirty crystals that looked like rock salt which I assume were some kind of dessecant since there was no corrosion...) Sincerely, NancyE
  4. NancyE
    I hope this is the correct forum, I really need advice and appreciate the quality of help and information I always receive. Last year after lots of discussion I finally decided to order a ton of my favorite clay, Black Mountain from AArdvark, wet and already mixed. I split the ton with a friend who was going to sell her half at her business. The clay was full of white inclusions, some as large a 1/4", a nightmare for throwing and firing. My friend and her customers are furious. I spoke to the person I was referred to a Aardvark several times and I was told: " It was not their problem, sometimes the screens wear out from their supplier, they have no control over it, it's a problem with one of their raw materials..." The only thing I could do was pack up the ton of clay, send it back for an exchange. No mention was ever made of quality control at Aardvark. I have used this clay for decades, it works best with my glazes, I love to throw it, I want to use it, but I cannot risk another fiasco like last year. I am really struggling for money, but it's close to time to order clay. Who do I speak to and how do I find them. How do I approach them and what should my expectations be. Should I expect them to test their product before selling it Thank you, Nancy
  5. NancyE
    Co
  6. NancyE
    Excuse me I meant the Couchas!
  7. NancyE
    I used plastic wrap, but I also took 3 months and tried to reshape the pot by adding and removing from the body. I just took too long. I was unable to open the link to the guy with the wooden frames, but I remember seeing them before, and considered what they were doing. I think I just need to get my studio in order, and work better. Whenever I watch the videos of the beautiful large pots being made around the world I'm a quite ashamed of how much I think of mine, and how much I struggle, but I've got to stop that and keep working. The women from Santos Alonso really touched me with their gorgeous pots, and because I worked with Mexican immigrants for so long. Perhaps I'll take a trip someday. NancyE
  8. NancyE
    You guys are great, there is so much more information available than when I started on this even 2 years ago. Hi Rae:) Thank you Neilstrick, Babs, Bill and Callie . Peter H, some very interesting new information on the amphora. I am re-designing and expanding my studio, because there is barely room for me and even one "large" Qvevri. The Georgians make it look so easy. I made one I think would hold about 30 gal, but it took so long the bottom dried too much and began cracking, so I will smash it to reclaim to the clay. I keep putting if off just because. I have been experimenting with almost all these above methods and different designs. My last two pots required so much pressure to shape the mass of clay, working stiff to keep it from collapsing, I had trouble keeping them from sliding off the wheel head. What I was doing is a kind of coiling with trimming and shaving with ribs. I wish I had longer arms. Considering how many times I've been clocked by one of my big pots, I don't see how throwing upside down they can keep the pot stuck on the bat! Pres, of course the pointy bottoms remove stress on the walls, it just never occurred to me since the pointy part seems so vulnerable. Most "prehistoric" pottery has round bottoms, I always assumed it was due to the lack of tables, maybe it was for smarter reasons. Thanks again, Nancy E
  9. NancyE
    I appreciate everyone's experience and advice and I am proud to say I am still capable of learning. Copious tenacity cannot completely compensate the fact that I am 65, short, "overweight" and arthritic. I will order 1500 lbs pugged, deaired and deliciously ready for work. Did I mention I am also mining local "wild" clay? So I will still have the opportunity to learn to hate the mixer if I get it running. At least with the wild clay I have permission to use the backhoe and stop with the 5 gal bucket at a time gathering. Nancy E
  10. NancyE
    I have a used mixer that I believe I can make work, appears to be an old Soldner (style?) mixer. Just now, can't get the motor to slide on the square tube that loosens and tightens the belt to the machine. Looked good for $200.00. I also have a very nice Peter Pugger that de-airs because otherwise the whole idea would be as unreasonable as everyone suggests. To buy clay, I have to drive hundreds of miles which is just too much in both time and gas expense. I have the space to store, and I will use the clay. I end up buying large amounts of wet clay and storing it until it begins to dry unevenly. What I don't look forward to is cleaning out the mixed clay by leaning over the mixer, and using the small 4" pugs from my Peter Pugger. It also appears that the clay I prefer is no longer available even for a 500 mile round trip. So, I'm thinking I 'm going to do it. Maybe. Thank you everyone. And thank you Min, 25-50% sounded excessive and did not jive with what I did with my reclaim. Nancy E
  11. NancyE
    Hello my friends, I am considering buying 500-1000lbs of clay and having it shipped. Since I asked about whether it could be sent dry to save on shipping cost (and I was told it actually cost $0.03 more), the estimate I was sent is for "DRY". I have to drive hundreds of miles to pick up clay, so shipping is not unreasonable, especially considering time and gas prices. Researching how much per pound of the processed clay we buy runs from 25 -50 pounds per 100 (please correct me if I am wrong!), is it possible that I would be buying up to 25-50% more clay if I buy it per pound dry? The unit price was $0.41/pound which by my calculation would be $5.125 or $6.56 (depending on amount of water added for a 25 pound bag of clay if I processed the clay myself. Which I am happy to do BTW.... sounds like famous last words to me too. If I'm right, enjoy my revelation with me, if I'm wrong I appreciate your kind wisdom. Sincerely, Nancy E (dba Barefoot Arts)
  12. NancyE
    Hello guys, I'm back trying to make the Qvevri. Does anyone know how I can determine how thick I need to make a bisque fired terra cotta wall to hold the pressure of the liquid contents inside? Of course I'm not making the huge qvevri that they made in Georgia and had to be buried, still might try for a 30 gallon vessel. This is assuming my seams are good, walls consistent, my recycled clay was clean etc. And also, I'll probably end up pit firing because of the whole size of the pot kiln situation. The shape will be a variation of the classic qvevri, round with high and wide hips, but probably not so exaggerated. And it will be sealed with beeswax. As always I appreciate your wisdom, input and encouragement. Nancy (now dba Barefoot Arts)
  13. NancyE

    Hello guys, I'm back at it.  Does anyone know how I can determine how thick I need to make a bisque fired terra cotta wall to hold the pressure of the liquid contents inside?  Of course I'm not making the huge qvevri that they made in Georgia and had to be buried, still might try for a 30 gallon vessel.  This is assuming my seams and good, walls consistent, my recycled clay was clean etc.  And also, I'll probably end up pit firing because of the whole size of the pot kiln situation.  The shape will be a variation of the classic qvevri, round with high and wide hips, but probably not so exaggerated.  And it will be sealed with beeswax.   As always I appreciate your wisdom, input and encouragement.

    Nancy E

    1. Min

      Min

      Hi Nancy,

      I'ld put your post in the Studio Operations and Making Work section, more people will probably see it there than here plus it will be searchable and easier to find.

    2. NancyE

      NancyE

      Ok Min, thanks.

  14. NancyE

     

    I have now been asked to design a mobile gas kiln to be carried about in a 20' container that would fire eight 50+ gallon qvevri or 4 larger ones at least to bisque.  Of course I have never built a kiln before.  I imagine the greatest problem is to keep the kiln from grinding itself to death on the road, and of course keeping it down to a doable weight.  I was thinking about building walls that could be assembled on site, then I saw  John Britt's kiln made from refractory cement and I wondered if it might be the solution.  He gave me some suggestions, but I would really love to hear from you guys

    The person requesting the kiln design is looking for someone who wants to move to his place outside of Austin, TX, to run a studio and a really, really big kiln he plans to build.  See The Qvevri Project.  Is there a more appropriate place to post this information?

    Thanks again,

    You guys make my day.

    1. neilestrick

      neilestrick

      Go ahead and post this in the Equipment section and you'll get lots of great ideas.

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