Any thoughts on Shimpo's large one-piece splash pan?

[hantremmer]

I've had an RK3E for a couple of months now.   The two-piece splash pan is serviceable, but it fills up quickly and it's a bit of a bore to have to empty it with a sponge or separate it regularly to clean it out.

Shimpo are now selling one piece, larger, round splash pan.  It has drain holes in it.   Unlike the two piece, it looks like you have to remove the wheelhead to fit this model.

I wondered if anyone here has one and what they think of it; I'm wondering if it perhaps pushes the potter a too far from the wheelhead to be comfortable.   It's also very expensive for a round piece of plastic - it's almost £80 here in the UK.

https://www.sheffield-pottery.com/Shimpo-Pottery-Wheel-Splash-Pans-s/366.htm

 

 

 

 

[Benzine]

For personal use, I think it would be pretty nice.  They hold A LOT of slop and trimmings.  For classroom use, the one I have is kind of a pain, especially because the plugs do not seal well any more.  

But as I said, if you are the only one using it, I think it would work well.  I have a two part pan, at home, and it gets clean "occasionally" aka "When it's full".  With a larger pan like the one piece, I would probably only have to clean it every couple months!...   

I had a student forget to clean the one in my classroom.  He was then gone for the remainder of the week, on a vacation.  The students, who used the wheel the rest of the week, were instructed not to clean it, and he had to do so, when he returned.  So that one piece pan held several student's worth of water, slip and trimmings.  And these are beginning students, so there is a lot of all three of those things...

[neilestrick]

It seems great to me, assuming it doesn't put too much distance between the front edge of the pan and wheel head. I've never found the need for a drain- none of my 11 Thomas Stuart wheels have drains. I think it's just something that will leak eventually. Big splash pans are definitely the way to go. They keep your studio much cleaner.

[Mark C.]

My  whole studio is a splash pan really-no drain as well.

 

[hantremmer]

Thanks for the replies.  I think a large pan would be useful too, but if anyone has used one personally I'd like to see some feedback on how much width it adds.  It looks enormous in some pictures and I'm wondering if I'll be able to tuck my legs intot he side of the wheel or if they'd be squashed under the pan.

[hantremmer]

Had a chat with a shop. They reckon that sitting at the wheel the splash pan would be 2.5" or so closer to one than the original   I need to sit down and see how that might affect my throwing position. 

[What?]

There are two different size pans FYI. I use the big ones on my RK2's the wheelhead needs to come off and bolts on to the unit. I bought a seal that fits the diameter of the hole. I then have a copper tube that fits snuggle into the hole and is attached to a hose that runs into a bucket to collect the slop I use quite a bit of water (I also throw standing up). It works good. The one piece pan is nice and easy to clean out. If there is a lot of slop in there and you push a big sponge around you can push the slop over into the center of the pan and near the bearing cap. I will say you will need a long allen wrench to take off the pan. I used an allen  socket and extension  with a ratchet to take the head on and off once in awhile. I finally broke down and bought the allen tool from shimpo.  You may be able to modify the one you have now if you are handy.  Good luck.

[hantremmer]

Thanks for that detailed reply, What? .   How do you find throwing with such a big pan on the wheel?

Luckily my Shimpo came with the long Allen key.

[clay lover]

I  have  the  Thomas Stuart  with the big splash pan  and  it sits  me 2.5"farther from  the  center  of  the  wheel  that the  more standard 2 piece pans do .  I am struggling with  arm shoulder issues  when throwing smaller  pieces  like mugs at the  center  of  the  wheel . 

[What?]

I don't notice a difference throwing probably because I am  standing up.

[hantremmer]

Thanks for the extra replies.  That 2.5" does seem like it would be important, at least if one is sitting down.   I think I need to spend a bit more time with the wheel and figuring out exactly how I want to sit with the regular pan.   That and, actually, just being more diligent about cleaning as I throw.

[hitchmss]

I dont like "extra large" splash pans. My current shop sink is on the small side so any time I want to truly clean them out I have trouble fitting them in the sink. Bigger sink, not an issue, but.... IM a production potter and just empty the slop from the two piece on my pacifica whenever I need to. Takes 2 minutes and Im back in business. Not quite clean it as you found it, classroom etiquette but its how I do.

[Benzine]

On 12/19/2017 at 9:02 AM, neilestrick said:

 I've never found the need for a drain- none of my 11 Thomas Stuart wheels have drains. I think it's just something that will leak eventually.

My classroom Shimpo has drains.  They do leak, despite the new plugs  bought for them.  I think I just need a new pan, probably one sans drain plugs.

[Gilmoure]

I’m bringing back to service an RK2 I picked up from a school board auction (and spiffy Lockerbie “pottery spinner”as well - bundled for $300). I ordered the large pan but looks like it won’t clear the stick shift. There also the problem of these bolts that don’t let it sit flat. Might be able to raise it up a bit with washers when bolting it to wheel and just use the foot pedal for speed. 

Not really sure which models the large pan fits. 

[neilestrick]

According to all the documentation I've seen, it's supposed to fit the RK-2. Can you bend the stick shift over a bit to make room?

[Mark C.]

Unscrew the stick put it in a vise and bend it over. But not to much that its does not screw back in without hitting wheel

[Bill Kielb]

4 hours ago, Mark C. said:

Unscrew the stick put it in a vise and bend it over. But not to much that its does not screw back in without hitting wheel

Yep, add a jamb nut so you can  tighten and keep the offset facing outward.