sloan.quinn Posted December 23, 2015 Report Share Posted December 23, 2015 Hey guys, So a few days ago, maybe a week, I posted with questions about the new/old kiln I got along with a used Brent CXC. Now, for the question about the wheel... It didn't come with a splash pan, which doesn't bother me so much, but my husband isn't particularly happy with me literally throwing clay all over the place, and he asked me to get one. So I go pick up a Brent pan from the local ceramics supply (which is closing 12/31, very sad :-( ) and bring it home, only to discover that it doesn't lock into place! I looked underneath the wheelhead and don't see anything resembling a bracket to hold the pan, which I'm fairly sure I remember seeing on the Brents at school. There's a semi-circular metal plate resting on the deck (the nasty yellow covering for the worktable) that looks similar to the shape of the opening on the pan when you put the two pieces together, but there's no way to lock the wheel (edit: splash pan, not wheel) in there. If I try, or I get it kind of close and then lean in too far while centering/working on some detail, it pushes straight into the spinning wheelhead. Now, I'm operating under the assumption that this wheel is fairly old, and I'm wondering if there's a certain point before which they just weren't set up for splash pans, or if I'm missing a part....or if I'm just being stupid and the answer is right in front of me, waiting to smack me in the face with a halibut. (It HAS been over a year since I set foot in a ceramics studio.... ) Thanks in advance! Sloan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted December 23, 2015 Report Share Posted December 23, 2015 This ones right up my alley- My guess is your wheel is like from the early 70's like one of my brents (have 5) Does your deck have a flat formica top or the newer plastic with a lip around? My guess again is its flat toped and those early Brents did not have the flange under the wheel hear next to the bearing. The pan fits around the head and snaps together as a pan but does not snap under the shaft as all the new Brent ones do (new ones meaning mid 70's) and later One last question is your foot pedal more rounded and lighter weight than the newer great foot pedals? which are heavy and less rounded. This will help me narrow the age better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sloan.quinn Posted December 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 23, 2015 The top of the deck is the yellow plastic that's on the newer ones. As for the foot pedal, it's definitely lighter weight, and may or may not be more rounded (? don't remember what the newer ones at the university studio looked like, honestly.) But yes, definitely much lighter than the pedals on the newer ones. After coming across a manual online, (don't know why I didn't think of that in the first place, though it didn't help much) I took another look at the spot where the wheelhead meets the deck, and there definitely isn't a flange for the pan, but the metal assembly (bearing housing, maybe?) that sits on top of the deck does look like it's deliberately shaped to fit the splash pan. I just can't figure out how to get the pan to sit still. Is there a way to date the unit by the serial number or something? (Assuming I can find and read it, that is.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatthewV Posted December 23, 2015 Report Share Posted December 23, 2015 I wouldn't really expect the manufacture to be overly helpful in providing. I personally would explore the other options. It would be pretty easy to cut a sheet of plywood and give it some edges. Plastic really isn't that necessary unless you throw with lots of water. If you have the space you can also create a curtain held by some posts -- no pan restrictions at all! Or four correctly placed screws might be able to the trick (but if the wheel head doesn't come off this may be impossible) I'll also recommend a light sanding and spray paint to take away the awful color :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sloan.quinn Posted December 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 23, 2015 I'll also recommend a light sanding and spray paint to take away the awful color :-) I've got to admit, I've seriously considered a coat of enamel... And yeah, I know it wouldn't be that hard to rig a pan up, but I just paid $35 for this flippin' splash pan, and the store's going out of business, so I can't even return it if I can't make it work. It's irksome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted December 23, 2015 Report Share Posted December 23, 2015 The original Brents had a different flange then those of today its bluish in color under the wheel on shaft back then and to fit a modern splash pan you will need a new wheel head with modern flange. I suggest you not do this as yours works fine I bet. I have one of the older ones like yours turned into a banding wheel and will take a look at it in am. I long ago replaced my old original Brent with a new wheel head as I wore out the bearings of my 1970 Brent wheel and upgraded to the new pulley system at same time-This is a costly upgrade these days I did this in the early 90s if I recall. I;ll see with my old one and try the splash pan and report back to see what trick I came up with. Those splash pans usually cost $50 so you got a good deal what I asked about as far as your deck was weather its flat(like a pancake) or has rounded raised edges? All the decks have always been the same yellow mustard color-they are part of the brand and if you paint it it will just come off and really look worse. My early Brent is a perfectly flat deck that water flows off of. It formica on steel not a plastic deck which came out in the early 70's any chance of a photo of pedal?Also what part of the country you in? Florida or So-Cal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sloan.quinn Posted December 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 23, 2015 Ah. I get what you're asking now. I'll have a look in the morning and get back to you on that, but I think it's got the raised edges. I'll get you pics of the pedal, deck, and under the wheelhead, if I can swing that one. As far as location, shoot the middle on your guesses...Central TX, near San Antonio, although I spent some time a few hours south of you at the Presidio of Monterey, a few years back. (Sweet Jesus, another thing I can nearly count in decades....) The forests in CA are gorgeous. Appreciate all the help at a ridiculous hour (for me, anyway!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted December 23, 2015 Report Share Posted December 23, 2015 Well I took a photo of the original Brent bearing this am-these are very old and are only on the first year or two of wheels made by Brent If it looks like this that pan will just be loose and thats the way it is. If on the other hand there is a flange with space under it between the deck then its the style that works with all Brent splash pans -You take the larger section of the pan and slide it at small angle in the front (faces your throwing chair) and snap it under the flange-the smaller pan piece fits in the back and snaps to the pan itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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