Diz Posted January 9, 2018 Report Share Posted January 9, 2018 Here I am again looking for information from those who know far more than I do... At our local art center we have an old kick wheel that has birthed many pots. (Hopefully some of you recognize the brand from the picture.) This wheel is as solid as a rock and the only thing that we want to improve on is the wheel head. We have no idea what company made this so we can't look to them for answers to our questions. Someone just gave us a wheel head they no longer use and we'd like to switch the wheel heads but this wheel is built like a brick .... house. Very hard to move, still very sturdy but it seems impossible to get at the underside of the wheel head. The head is molded cast iron. Can't get to what we assume might be hex screws holding the shaft to the cast iron wheel head. (might we be wrong and the shaft and wheel head are welded together?) On the underside of the head there is a molded collar that has only a 1/8" space between the upper collar and the other collar extending up from the center of the splash pan. Any ideas as to its parentage would be appreciated and all advice in dismantling this wheel will be appreciated. We'd like to bring it into this forward a few more years.century. Thanks! Diz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted January 9, 2018 Report Share Posted January 9, 2018 I think it's a Randall kickwheel with a bucket head for plaster bats. It's been about 20 years since I worked on one of those, so I can't remember how the wheel head is attached. I doubt it's welded, there's probably a set screw under there somewhere, and it's probably just seized up since it's so old. If you can find a screw, you might need to soak it with WD40 to loosen it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S. Dean Posted January 9, 2018 Report Share Posted January 9, 2018 To me it looks similar to a Randall wheel, but I think it actually might be another make that I can't identify. That said, here's a youtube video that shows a Randall with its wheel heads (flat and cup for plaster bats) removed. Given their similarity in design, hopefully this is helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diz Posted January 9, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2018 Thank you both! Guess another trip to the art center is in order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted January 9, 2018 Report Share Posted January 9, 2018 Unless this is an earlier Randall, I do not believe it is. The Randall's I learned to throw on at Mansfield State College in Mansfield, PA had the cup head, but it could be knocked off with a hammer so that a regular bat could be place on. At the same time the splash pan was deeper, and was stainless I believe. The other thing that was different is the the motor hit the wheel on the side if I remember correctly. All from a 40 year old recollection, which could be wrong. best, Pres Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 3 hours ago, Pres said: Unless this is an earlier Randall, I do not believe it is. The Randall's I learned to throw on at Mansfield State College in Mansfield, PA had the cup head, but it could be knocked off with a hammer so that a regular bat could be place on. At the same time the splash pan was deeper, and was stainless I believe. The other thing that was different is the the motor hit the wheel on the side if I remember correctly. All from a 40 year old recollection, which could be wrong. best, Pres The splash pans we had on the Randalls at my college were shaped a bit differently, more spherical, like a perfect half sphere. It's possible there we other versions over the years, though, or that the one above is not original. They were made of spun aluminum, which I know for sure because they would pit if you left clay in them too long. The motors we had were the same type shown above, where the drive wheel hit the top of the fly wheel. It was a nice system because you could easily burp it to keep it going by pushing down with your toe, much like an electric wheel pedal. The Thomas Stuart kick wheels have motors that engage the side of the wheel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 You are probably right Neil, it was a long time ago, and yes the spherical shape was probably spun aluminum, I remember the concentric lines now. I do remember that tapping the foot pedal would keep you going just enough. One of the kick wheels we had at the HS did push in from the side, so I might have mixed them up. best, Pres Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diz Posted January 10, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 Finally had time to watch S's video. Question S - did you find a way to remove the original head from the wheel or was it already detached when you got the wheel. Our splash pan is similar but with a flatter bottom, and also has a similar lower collar as part of the splash pan. Our original head has only a 1/4" recessed plaster bat area rather than deep like yours, but it has the same deep exterior outside collar so that 2 collars have only about 1/8" between them when assembled. See attached picture that I took by sliding my phone down into the splash pan. I figure that the hex screws should be accessed thru that 1/8" space but with the splash on the shaft and the depth of the pan, not only can I not get a hex in here, I can't even see into that space. I did find 2 hex screws under the pan but they are also under the brace holding the shaft vertically. I will check again tomorrow and will see if I have to take the whole thing apart - guess more of my husbands tools and WD40 will help me repair or destroy our wheel. Am heading to Continental Clay tomorrow - perhaps they will have a thought. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldlady Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 just a question, why do you want to remove the head that is there? your original post does not suggest that it has a problem of wobbling or anything else so why fix what aint't broke? if you just want a flat metal head why not buy one, have a machine shop set it in place, center and attach it right on top of the one that is there? it sounds like trying to remove the one you have will cause much more trouble than it would be worth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S. Dean Posted January 12, 2018 Report Share Posted January 12, 2018 On 1/9/2018 at 11:31 PM, Diz said: Finally had time to watch S's video. Question S - did you find a way to remove the original head from the wheel or was it already detached when you got the wheel. Our splash pan is similar but with a flatter bottom, and also has a similar lower collar as part of the splash pan. Our original head has only a 1/4" recessed plaster bat area rather than deep like yours, but it has the same deep exterior outside collar so that 2 collars have only about 1/8" between them when assembled. See attached picture that I took by sliding my phone down into the splash pan. I figure that the hex screws should be accessed thru that 1/8" space but with the splash on the shaft and the depth of the pan, not only can I not get a hex in here, I can't even see into that space. I did find 2 hex screws under the pan but they are also under the brace holding the shaft vertically. I will check again tomorrow and will see if I have to take the whole thing apart - guess more of my husbands tools and WD40 will help me repair or destroy our wheel. Am heading to Continental Clay tomorrow - perhaps they will have a thought. Thanks! Diz, Wish I could help more, but the Randall wheel in the video isn't mine - just something I found on Youtube which I though might be helpful. Hopefully Continental Clay was able to assist you. -SD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzuku Posted October 3, 2018 Report Share Posted October 3, 2018 Original Randall kick wheel Manual Scanned Online Here: https://goo.gl/vSSs41 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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