[Slab Roller Issue]

Mark C., My outfeed table is the one that made for the slab roller. It fits as it should. My canvas is pretty new, so it's not real soft, but some of the stiffness has been worked out of it. I think I have resolved the issue by pounding out a slab before I feed it into the roller. The last three slabs I rolled were pounded out first and rolled out fine.

Thanks for your input.

GLR

[Slab Roller Issue]

On 8/25/2022 at 7:45 AM, Pres said:

@GLR, When you roll out your slabs do you start with a thick long piece of clay lying parallel to the roller, or do you start with a thick slab?  I used to get this sort of thing with slab rollers, and then I started throwing the clay sideways onto a table to stretch/lengthen the clay into a thick slab then rolled this out. It did help, that looks like the clay is getting rolled over itself forming the air bubble like crease.

 

best,

Pres

Pres, I tried your suggestion of stretching the clay before I rolled it out, only I pounded it, because I don't have a surface I can throw on. I got three successful slabs. Thank you for your suggestion.

GLR

[Slab Roller Issue]

I thought that dry clay might be the problem, so I mixed and pugged some clay at a wetter/softer consistency and am still having the same problem. I roll to 3/8". I have a feeling if I rolled it thinner, there would be less of an issue, but this is the thickness I want for tiles for a kitchen backsplash.

[Slab Roller Issue]

1 hour ago, Mark C. said:

I am noticing some side cracks so maybe that clay is a bit to dry/hard?

I just rolled a few 4 inch peter pugger pugs thru in one pass down to a 1/4 inch on my 30 inch Bailey electric -this is about standard for me in one pass-made some wall fish and fish plates and some oval platters  today. The porcealin is pretty soft as well

I thought that dry clay might be the problem, so I mixed and pugged some clay at a wetter/softer consistency and am still having the same problem.

[Slab Roller Issue]

I use canvas top and bottom. It doesn't matter if I use two pieces of clay or one, I get the same result.

[Slab Roller Issue]

I've got a Bailey DRD 11 30G slab roller. Often, when I'm rolling out a slab, the underside of the slab ends up with a gap. Attached is a picture of what I'm talking about. I watched the Bailey video showing how to use the slab roller and think I did everything right. I'm starting with clay that is about 1 1/2 " thick and going to a slab 3/8" thick. Has anyone ever had a problem like this? I've had the same problem starting with a 1" to 1 1/2" slab cut from a block of clay.