Table top glaze mixer

[Clay17]

I've noticed that Tony Hansen has a table top glaze mixer and I'd like to get a similar one. Anyone know I can get one?

Yes, I do have a few handheld emersion blenders.

Yes, I do have a collection of jiffy mixers for handheld drills

Edited May 14, 2022 by Clay17

[PeterH]

18 minutes ago, Clay17 said:

I've noticed that Tony Hansen has a table top glaze mixer and I'd like to get a similar one. Anyone know I can get one?

Tony has a page on different mixers 
Propeller Mixer https://digitalfire.com/glossary/propeller+mixer

Do you mean one described there or something else? If so, perhaps you can give the url where you saw it?

[Mark C.]

jiffy mixers on  your drills work great in your own buckets

[Hulk]

Mr. Hansen identifies his mixer, offers an alternative; see also the safety guidelines and propeller printing...
Home-made propeller mixer with mount and switch (digitalfire.com)
A One-speed Lab or Studio Slurry Mixer (digitalfire.com)
 

[Clay17]

Thanks @PeterH searching for something is a lot easier when you know what they're called. After looking at them on Amazon, I think I'm going to make my own. Either cheap Chinese disposable products or the decent ones cost more than I'd like to spend.

Thanks @Hulk, I think I'm going to build my own. I have a 1/4 hp variable speed DC motor. I just need to come up with a pole to mount it on. It looks like Tony Hansen has his mounted on a lolly column

[Bill Kielb]

58 minutes ago, Clay17 said:

I have a 1/4 hp variable speed DC motor. I just need to come up with a pole to mount it on

Just a suggestion, always plug it into a GFCI protected outlet and please ensure a nice ground wire is bonded to all metal parts.

[PeterH]

I'm way out of my field, but the term "farm duty" on the recommended motor raises a few alarm bells about the necessary "robustness".

BTW the motor originally used may now be discontinued (C63KXGLD-4575?)
 https://www.grainger.com/product/DOERR-High-Torque-Farm-Duty-Motor-4K034

... their suggested non-identical substitute is $255

[Clay17]

@Bill Kielb Good thought, its both easy to do and inexpensive as well. It definitely takes longer to drive to the big box store to buy the part than it takes to make the change

FWIW, I always place a sheet of Plexiglas with a small hole on top of the bucket when I'm  using a paint mixer with a 36" shaft and a hand drill. The chances of a splash reaching the motor is null. So far I never got any glaze on me when I'm mixing up a bucket full. (But now that I said that lets see what happens...)

 

@PeterH  Take into consideration that many people use hand drills if you are concerned about robustness. We all know emersion blenders do have a short life span.

[Callie Beller Diesel]

The farm duty motor is for a “one and done” build for a mixer that would handle 5 gallon /20L  or larger buckets. That’s not for the table top one. It’s going to be overkill for most.

That build is a product of it’s environment as well. Medicine Hat is a small city surrounded by hundreds of km with flat land used for farming and ranching. That kind of motor is easily available there, and there’s also a lot of welders/machinists who would be willing to build a simple rig like that for a friend. And a couple hundred dollars and a six pack of craft beer to your neighbour’s brother is cheaper than the $1500 entry level one at the lab equipment supply place. 

 

[Mark C.]

That motor and clamp setup is what I had on our 30 gallon slip mixe 30 years-its overkill for any glaze mixing. Cost more and is inflexible -you have to haul the bucket to mixer

I have used all sizes of jiffy mixers for glaze mixing for over 4 decades with hand drills either corded and cordless -no splash -no fuss

each to their own I guess most already own a drill and only to buy a jiffy mixer, Mixing glaze is a quik process and drills work fine

 

[Hulk]

I'm running a drill motor and mixing attachment as well, however, am also running glaze through an 80 mesh screen.

[Bill Kielb]

5 hours ago, Hulk said:

, am also running glaze through an 80 mesh screen.

Yep, I agree (100%), always screen mine for consistency.

[Clay17]

20 hours ago, Mark C. said:

most already own a drill and only to buy a jiffy mixer, Mixing glaze is a quik process and drills work fine

On 5/14/2022 at 1:05 PM, Mark C. said:

jiffy mixers on  your drills work great in your own buckets

I'm not sure I understand why you are getting upset because I choose to want to do something different. 

I've used a drill with a paint mixer for years and yes I do sieve my glazes.  Doesn't everyone?  

On average I like to mix my glazes between 2 to 5 minutes. The reason I want a variable speed tabletop mixer  (not a farm duty one speed boat motor) is so I can turn it on and still have two hands available to do something else or even step away for a moment if the need occurs. Seriously, I'm looking to find a solution not create a problem. 

These tabletop mixers weigh on the average less than 20lbs, that's less than a bag of clay, so lugging it around isn't a problem. I have a 1600 sq.ft. studio plus a walk in attic, basement and garage, so space isn't a problem either.

[Callie Beller Diesel]

I’m not trying to discourage you at all. I do see how a tabletop mixer could be handy. However like yourself, the only ones that fit that size description that have enough torque would be for the cosmetics industry or for industrial food production (Blizzards!) and they seemed expensive, as was already pointed out.

So maybe we need to come at this problem from another angle. You’re still going to have to build something yourself in al likelihood. We all use heavy duty drills for a reason: the motors are a nice weight and they have the right amount of torque. So what about building a portable mount for the drill, cutting down the paint mixing bit so it’s shorter, and rigging a timer switch with a Christmas light timer?

edited to add:

I know there is a lot of duct tape and baling wire in this solution. Anyone who wants to smooth off the edges may do so as they please.

[Mark C.]

My suggestion is a small variable speed motor for your fixed setup. 1/6-1/8 or smaller Hp is fine. 

30 gallon slip mixer was 1/3 hp so a smaller bucket of material does not need that much HP

If you add dry to wet it can even be smaller.

Ebay has some small variable speed motors and speed controls-even a fixed speed will work fine and cost less

Edited May 16, 2022 by Mark C.

[Clay17]

6 hours ago, Callie Beller Diesel said:

I’m not trying to discourage you at all

Not at all.  But I do admit I'm not into duct tape and bailing wire.

Making a pole and base is easy, all I need to find is something like this that will hold a 3" diameter motor and I'm in business

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BZQVVK4

@Mark C. Maybe read what was posted a little more carefully  (my second post in this thread)

 

[Mark C.]

( Maybe read what was posted a little more carefully  (my second post in this thread)

yes I missed a few key points-sorry-welcome to the forum -only trying to help

You can pick up faily inexpensive units on the web _I just googled lab mixers-they reaklly vary in price

here is a cheaper unit for example

https://www.cncest.com/products/40l-lab-electric-overhead-stirrer-digital-display-lab-mixer-speed-adjustable-200-3000rpm?variant=41725932044458&currency=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gclid=CjwKCAjw7IeUBhBbEiwADhiEMT6RvNZWzWNbYMn5hHfhcSHAsWc5hisPsTUW3y3tM8h_c5U6cGPYGRoCQ90QAvD_BwE

[Piedmont Pottery]

Maybe something like this using the drill you already have would be a less expensive approach,  https://www.amazon.com/ATPEAM-Universal-Benchtop-Holder-Adjustable/dp/B09J2GBV6Y/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=28RKJ5VR72Z0D&keywords=drill+press+stand+for+hand+drill&qid=1655396309&sprefix=drill+press+stand%2Caps%2C79&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExTkROVldYV1ZGNVNTJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjcxOTI2MTdTUzNEOE9GSDdWVyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMjU4ODI3Mk1HSUNRTVRRRkI3SyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

 

[Babs]

I've seen a dog"bucket" collar thingie,that prevents dogs licking wounds,  being used as a splash preventor on glaze byckets  easy to position easy to get drill in and out of...