Christy Ann Posted July 14 Report Share Posted July 14 I am looking for a good handheld extruder to make feet for very large hand-built pots. I would like something easy to pull that gives me a long coil that doesn't need to be spliced. Any suggestions? I am open to both conventional extruders and sausage barrel extruders and really appreciate any help I can get. My hands are a bit weak, thus the need for for a trigger that works well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick White Posted July 14 Report Share Posted July 14 If you are looking for an easy-to-squeeze/pull extruder for relatively small (in cross-section) coils of considerable length, I don't think there are any on the market. You will have to build one by adapting a cordless electric caulk gun from the construction industry. A short length of 1½" PVC plumbing pipe is the same diameter as a standard tube of caulk. You can cut the desired coil shape in an end cap for the pipe. The one I made can extrude about 7 feet of handle before the tube runs out of clay. Pres and Kelly in AK 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterH Posted July 14 Report Share Posted July 14 >My hands are a bit weak, thus the need for for a trigger that works well. Any relevance? @Pres Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted July 14 Report Share Posted July 14 @PeterHYears ago I had surgery on my RT thumb, long story short the first knuckle joint died after surgery. I could no longer pull handles the way I used to. I tried handheld manual extruders for a while, but was always frustrated by the line that I would get between each of the squeezes. One day I was looking at tools in a big box store and noticed the Ryobi electric putty gun. I purchased one to try to jury rig it for my purposes as an electric handheld extruder. It works well, and I still use it as my handle maker, no matter what the form is whether mugs, teapots, pitchers or other. The article I wrote was published in Ceramics Monthly, and I have it on my blog site that is listed in my profile. best, Pres PeterH and Christy Ann 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted July 14 Report Share Posted July 14 Handheld extruders are notoriously difficult to use, especially if you're trying to extrude something small. They take a lot of hand strength, and very soft clay is generally needed. Any reason to not just get a wall mount extruder? It'll allow for longer coils and better leverage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted July 15 Report Share Posted July 15 Wish that I had the space to mount a wall mount extruder. I used the Bailey extruders for years when teaching. However my shop does not have wall space to mount an extruder without removing quite a bit of useful storage. My hand held extrudes about 4-5 feet of good handle material, good enough for me. best, Pres Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly in AK Posted July 15 Report Share Posted July 15 21 hours ago, neilestrick said: Handheld extruders are notoriously difficult to use This has been my experience too. I made one from a caulking gun and pvc pipe, it only works with the softest clay and still difficult to sqeeze. I have a wall mounted one, but I don’t use it. Too large and unwieldy, I don’t extrude enough to justify the bother. I’m intrigued by the “electric assist” described by @Pres and @Dick White! I do use this thing. Love it. The handle creates enough leverage to make it easy. Unfortunately I don’t know what it was originally made for and I can’t even remember where I got it. I think it was some surplus geological or engineering testing equipment, it wasn’t from a ceramic supplier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Min Posted July 15 Report Share Posted July 15 @Kelly in AK, link to the one Pres mentioned here. It's also in his blog. Pres and Kelly in AK 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly in AK Posted July 15 Report Share Posted July 15 Oh dang. Looks like I’m getting another power tool. Great article @Pres & @Min! Min and Pres 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christy Ann Posted July 18 Author Report Share Posted July 18 On 7/14/2024 at 3:25 PM, Pres said: @PeterHYears ago I had surgery on my RT thumb, long story short the first knuckle joint died after surgery. I could no longer pull handles the way I used to. I tried handheld manual extruders for a while, but was always frustrated by the line that I would get between each of the squeezes. One day I was looking at tools in a big box store and noticed the Ryobi electric putty gun. I purchased one to try to jury rig it for my purposes as an electric handheld extruder. It works well, and I still use it as my handle maker, no matter what the form is whether mugs, teapots, pitchers or other. The article I wrote was published in Ceramics Monthly, and I have it on my blog site that is listed in my profile. best, Pres Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christy Ann Posted July 18 Author Report Share Posted July 18 We've order the parts and are on our way to making your extruder. This isn't the first time you've helped me out. I wish you were next door so I could bake cookies for you--the kind that don't come out of a kiln. Thank you so much! Pres and Hulk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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