Any One Make Their Own Ball Mill?

[Mark369]

Would like a ball mill for glaze mixing.  Any one make their own?  What did you use?

[schmism]

you mean grinding glaze materials? Is there some reason you dont want to use some standard glaze processor to sieve your glaze materials.... like a Talisman Glaze Sieve

[Guest JBaymore]

I built one that I used for maybe 20+ years. Recently decided that the constant upkeep of it (tweaks, fixes, etc.) was not worth it and splurged and got the Shimpo double rack ball mill. Beautiful piece of equipment... but not inexpensive. In both cases... using commercial jars and media.

 

I'll see if I can find some old pictures of the home-made one. Wooden base, cold rolled shafts with rubber sleeves ove the shaft, bearings, 1/4 horse motor, pulleys sized to go with the diameter of the rollers and jar to hit ctritical speed, etc.

 

best,

 

................john

[Bob Coyle]

Lots of info out there if you just want to do small quantities. Here is the most rude and crude.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-a-Ball-Mill-in-5-Minutes/

 

Making a real mill that would process larger quantities would get expensive and require metalworking tools and know-how.

[bciskepottery]

Might work for glazes,

 

 

 

You'd need a harder container for milling raw materials.

[Mark369]

Yes I meant grinding the dry materials.   The one on the wheel looks easy to make. Looks like it is going too fast. 

[Boats]

Being new at this myself, I can only offer a suggestion for a reasonably priced alternative for small quantities, how about using a lapidary rock tumbler?

 

[Up in Smoke Pottery]

Try the book the Potter's alternative by Harry Davis, has build instructions for mosts piece of pottery equipment.  I know there is a ball mill in there, but cannot remember the specifics of the project.

 

here's a link to amazon for the book....

 

http://www.amazon.com/The-Potters-Alternative-Harry-Davis/dp/0801980062

 

Chad

[AnnaM]

Would the lapidary rock tumbler be a viable option? You can purchase them fairly cheaply on Ebay...

[PeterH]

You might also like to look at:

http://www.john-harlow.co.uk/ballmill.htm

http://www.potters.org/subject25824.htm

 

I would welcome comments on the viability of using a plastic drum.

 

Regards, Peter

[Guest JBaymore]

Try the book the Potter's alternative by Harry Davis, has build instructions for mosts piece of pottery equipment.  I know there is a ball mill in there, but cannot remember the specifics of the project.

 

here's a link to amazon for the book....

 

http://www.amazon.com/The-Potters-Alternative-Harry-Davis/dp/0801980062

 

Chad

 

That book is high on the "if you were shipwrecked on a deserted island what books would you take" list.

 

best,

 

....................john

[Pres]

Have a copy of the Potters Alternative. Everything packed right now while renovating the upstairs, but it is a go to book for those inclined to do things on their own. It does have a ball mill in it.

[Mark369]

Thanks for the suggestions.   I think a rock polisher would work if you could get the size container desired and could adjust speed for optimal fall of grind stones.   

  Hate paying for something I can make myself. It may not look nice but if it does the job Safely! I am not a touring show studio.

 

Looks like I need the book Potter's alternative.  I built a car jack clay extruder  from parts I had. It was as ugly as it was functional and I still use it.