Dan Saultman on sat 9 aug 97
I'm interested in making my own ball mill. I was thinking of buying
the ball mill jar but noticed that they are rather expensive. Can I
make a jar myself? what makes them so special? Also I would like to
use the flint pebbles rather than the porcelain ones but can't find a
source.
Thanks in advance for any info.
Dan Saultman in Sunny Colorado
David Hendley on sat 9 aug 97
Sure Dan, you can make your own ball mill jar. I've wasted many hours
doing it. The first one was ever so slightly too large to fit in the
cradle. The second one was a hair too tall to fit. Finally got a good size
and started ball-milling. The lid broke after about 20 hours. New lid, and
back in business.
I thought my glazes were technically good, but you should see the inside
of that jar after a hundred hours of ball-milling! There are tiny pieces of
that glaze in whatever I was milling. Well, not to worry, because the whole
jar is now broken...
Another problem: How do you attatch the lid to the jar? I had the
mechanism from the broken jar I was replacing. Starting from scratch you'll
have to fabricate something (no problem for Dan).
If you have the type of ball mill mech. where the jar just sits on the
rollers you won't have the precise sizing problems, but size is still very
important to ensure proper grinding speed.
Best regards,
David Hendley
Maydelle, Texas
Pierre Brayford on sat 9 aug 97
Dan Saultman wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I'm interested in making my own ball mill. I was thinking of buying
> the ball mill jar but noticed that they are rather expensive. Can I
> make a jar myself? what makes them so special? Also I would like to
> use the flint pebbles rather than the porcelain ones but can't find a
> source.
> Thanks in advance for any info.
> Dan Saultman in Sunny Colorado
At Aberystwyth David Frith was marketing a ball mill designed by him.
The jars, about 2 gallons each, seemed to be made of his white stoneware
body glazed on the outside and I think unglazed on the inside. Each jar
had a groove around the center line which matched a ring of rubber(?) on
the roller, to provide lateral stability. The problem of sealing the jar
opening was solved by having two jars with the openings facing one
another - cunningly arranged so that a childrens plastic ball about 5"
diameter was a tight fit in both openings.
Had I realised that I was going to be examined on the subject I would
have found out more!
David Frith has a website - but can't see a picture of this ball mill!
http://www.pottery.demon.co.uk/index.htm
Tony Hansen on mon 11 aug 97
The tricky part of making a ball mill jar is to get a thick
porcelain jar that does not crack, not an easy thing. Second
it has to be a relatively perfect perpendicular cylinder on the
outside or it will jump and chatter while turning in the stand.
--
T o n y H a n s e n, I M C thansen@digitalfire.com
=========================================================
INSIGHT5/Magic of Fire II demos at http://digitalfire.com
John Harlow on mon 11 aug 97
> I'm interested in making my own ball mill. I was thinking of buying
> the ball mill jar but noticed that they are rather expensive. Can I
> make a jar myself? what makes them so special? Also I would like to
> use the flint pebbles rather than the porcelain ones but can't find a
> source.
> Thanks in advance for any info.
> Dan Saultman in Sunny Colorado
I have been using a ball mill (I built back in 1974) regularly
that uses a 5 gallon plastic drum and flint pebbles. The drum
is STILL the ORIGINAL! I'm busy today but will happily make details
available as soon as I can eg drum diameters, pebble size,
rotation speed etc.
John
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John Harlow on tue 12 aug 97
> I have been using a ball mill (I built back in 1974) regularly
> that uses a 5 gallon plastic drum and flint pebbles. The drum
> is STILL the ORIGINAL! I'm busy today but will happily make details
> available as soon as I can eg drum diameters, pebble size,
> rotation speed etc.
> John
Basic info on http://www.bath.ac.uk/~ccsjrh/ballmill.htm
Not the most fantastic page but it should be reasonably
clear.
>
> +----------------------------------------------------------------------+
> | JOHN HARLOW | DIRECTOR |
> | Tel: 01225 826972 | Computing Service (BUCS) |
> | Mobile: 0410 163067 | University of Bath |
> | Email: ccsjrh@bath.ac.uk | Bath |
> | J.R.Harlow@bath.ac.uk | BA2 7AY |
> +----------------------------------------------------------------------+
> | Dedicated fax 01225 323202 Alternative fax 01225 826176 |
> | WWW http://www.bath.ac.uk/~ccsjrh/home.htm |
> +----------------------------------------------------------------------+
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