Suzanne Storer on tue 15 jul 97
I found bench grinders less than satisfactory and utilize the following
method. I've mounted a hand held drill horizontally in a vice on my
grinding table. I've inserted a 3M flexible rubber bit mount in the drill
and screw to this mount disposable 3M Green Corp Roloc Discs made for
grinding metal. The discs are 3 inches in diameter and its easy to grind
smooth broad flat areas and just about any other surface. The discs come in
several grades of coarseness and last sufficiently long to make them worth
the cost of about a dollar each. I buy the discs and mounting bit at an
auto supply store.
Suzanne Storer
GodPots2 on fri 19 dec 97
I need to buy a grinder to smooth out occcasional glaze drips on the bottom of
my functional pottery and don't have any idea what to get. Hand grinder?
Bench grinder? 1/2 HP? 1 HP? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Ann Hayward
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
GodPots2@aol.com
Corinne P. Null on sun 21 dec 97
Just make sure that the wheel on the grinder is silicon carbide, and that
the casing for the wheel is open enough to fit a pot. My husband bought me
a fancy Sears one with lights which extend over the wheel. While the lights
are sometimes handy (it's in a dark corner), sometimes they get in the way
of a pot.
Corinne
At 04:23 PM 12/19/97 -0500, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I need to buy a grinder to smooth out occcasional glaze drips on the
bottom of
>my functional pottery and don't have any idea what to get. Hand grinder?
>Bench grinder? 1/2 HP? 1 HP? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
>
>Ann Hayward
>Cedar Rapids, Iowa
>GodPots2@aol.com
>
Corinne Null
Bedford, NH
cnull@MCIONE.com
Suzanne Storer on sun 21 dec 97
Ann,
I use a drill mounted on a bench vise. The "bit" is made by 3M company. It
is a flexible pad into which 3M's course sanding discs screw in. It's
designed for grinding metal and I bought the bit and discs at an auto body
shop. Works great!
Suzanne
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I need to buy a grinder to smooth out occcasional glaze drips on the bottom of
>my functional pottery and don't have any idea what to get. Hand grinder?
>Bench grinder? 1/2 HP? 1 HP? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
>
>Ann Hayward
>Cedar Rapids, Iowa
>GodPots2@aol.com
>
Talbott on sun 21 dec 97
Ann...
Get a 6" Bench Grinder.. Delta makes a good one for about $75
retail... You can buy the "Green" grinding wheels from Axner.. they grind
well and greatly reduce the chance of chipping... Marshall
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I need to buy a grinder to smooth out occcasional glaze drips on the bottom of
>my functional pottery and don't have any idea what to get. Hand grinder?
>Bench grinder? 1/2 HP? 1 HP? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
>
>Ann Hayward
>Cedar Rapids, Iowa
>GodPots2@aol.com
101 CLAYART MUGS
2ND ANNUAL CLAYARTERS' GALLERY - NAPLES, MAINE (Summer 1998)
E-MAIL ME FOR AN APPLICATION
http://fmc.utm.edu/~dmcbeth/cag/naples.htm
Celia & Marshall Talbott, Pottery By Celia, Route 114, P O Box 4116,
Naples, Maine 04055-4116,(207)693-6100 voice and fax,(call first)
Clayarters' Live Chat Room, Fri & Sat Nites at 10 PM EDT & Sun at 1 PM EDT
http://webchat12.wbs.net/webchat3.so?Room=PRIVATE_Clayarters
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert Compton on mon 22 dec 97
Ann,
I copied a reply to this grinder question that was raised last
summer, hope you find it helpful.
I've read the comments about grinders and was surprized no one
mentioned the belt covered rubber grinding wheel made by Creative
Industries. It is an 8 inch diameter wheel, with a soft outter rim of
rubber that a 3inch wide silicon carbide ( like sandpaper ) belt fits
over. It will fit the arbor on the stone grinders that have been
mentioned so far. The beauty of it is that it will not chip the bottom
of pots the way hard wheels do, and unlike the "green" wheel it is very
suitable for polishing the whole bottom of a rough pot. We use it on all
our stoneware pots to give the bottoms a glassly smooth polished bottom.
We do not use it on our salt or wood fired pots, except to
clean up a glaze drip ( since we want to preserve the flashing on the
underside).
I can't say enough about this grinder. We make about 2000 pieces
a year that get a quick polish before they are sent to market, and it
stops the dilemia of your pot scratching someones expensive table.
Bob
Robert Compton Phone: 802-453-3778
3600 Rt 116 http://homepages.together.net/~rcompton
Bristol, Vermont 05443 rcompton@together.net
orginal message----------------------------
> I need to buy a grinder to smooth out occcasional glaze drips on the bottom of
> my functional pottery and don't have any idea what to get. Hand grinder?
> Bench grinder? 1/2 HP? 1 HP? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
>
> Ann Hayward
> Cedar Rapids, Iowa
> GodPots2@aol.com
Nicole Simmons on tue 23 dec 97
I would like to hear some more about grinders. I had some major glaze drips
recently and took a hand-held grinder to several of the pots and got a lot
of chipping instead of smoothing. Besides waxing a little higher does
anyone have any more thoughts on how to do it or what to buy?
Happy Holidays,
Nikki Simmons
Training Coordinator
ComputerLand
117 Commerce Drive
Jefferson City, Missouri 65109
800.635.9177 toll free
573.635.1607.41 voice
573.635.4227 fax
573.680.8120 pager
http://www.computerland.net CLand Page
nsimmons@computerland.net
Hjh4blh on wed 24 dec 97
If you need a new bench grinder look at Home Depot. They have a 6 inch for
$40.00. It comes with a life time guarantee backed by Home Depot. Looks good
but I have not tried one. Jim Horvitz Rancho Mirage Ca.
Dave Allen on wed 24 dec 97
I picked up an "Emery Impregnated Polishing Wheel" for my dremel and it
polishes and removes burrs quite nicely.
Part no. 425
Nicole Simmons wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I would like to hear some more about grinders. I had some major glaze drips
> recently and took a hand-held grinder to several of the pots and got a lot
> of chipping instead of smoothing. Besides waxing a little higher does
> anyone have any more thoughts on how to do it or what to buy?
>
> Happy Holidays,
> Nikki Simmons
> Training Coordinator
> ComputerLand
> 117 Commerce Drive
> Jefferson City, Missouri 65109
> 800.635.9177 toll free
> 573.635.1607.41 voice
> 573.635.4227 fax
> 573.680.8120 pager
> http://www.computerland.net CLand Page
> nsimmons@computerland.net
--
David Russell Allen - Box 363, Sechelt, B.C. Canada V0N 3A0 (604)
885-5327 fax: 885-5890
Selective Wood Carving and Pottery from Sandy Hook's Worn Wood Studios -
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/6911
GoodrichDn on thu 25 dec 97
Nikki,
For grinding glaze drips, I use (usually quite effectively) a Dremel tool
with a diamond bur. These burs are sold by jewelers' suppliers such as Rio
Grande, Gesswein, or Swest. I use a relatively large diameter (8mm), coarse
bur to begin and get most of the glaze out of the way, then switch to a finer
one to touch up. A light touch, a slight drip of water to cool the work area,
and a respirator are essential. If you avoid overheating them ( the diamond
grit can become unsoldered from the base), the burs last a long time.
>I would like to hear some more about grinders. I had some major glaze drips
>recently and took a hand-held grinder to several of the pots and got a lot
>of chipping instead of smoothing. Besides waxing a little higher does
>anyone have any more thoughts on how to do it or what to buy?
Happy holidays,
Don Goodrich watching a Christmas-eve blizzard in Zion, Illinois
goodrichdn@aol.com
http://members.aol.com/goodrichdn
ClayCoyote on sat 27 dec 97
Another word on grinders. We use a 4-1/2" rt angle grinder for both pot touch
ups -occasional glaze or bits of shelf- and for cleaning shelves.
This tool was originally made for the auto body trade, but ceramic wheels are
available. You can get them for anywhere from $40 to $140. Sears, tool
shops, etc carry them.
Be careful with them though, they can take a nasty gouge out of you too.
With a little practice and a light touch you can smooth almost anything.
Light touch is the key.
Tom Wirt
Clay Coyote Pottery
Roeder on mon 29 dec 97
Hello,
I have used a standard bench grinder at school, and I own a Creative
Industries grinder at my home studio. NO COMPARISON.
The regular bench grinder tends to grind pretty HOT, and those glaze
drips jump off the pot and into your face, disfiguring the pot and
perhaps the potter.
I received a Creative Industries grinder for a Christmas gift a couple
years ago, and it is absolutely the best (yes, even better than a Dremel
tool).
A bench grinder has a hard wheel, whereas the CI grinder is a foam wheel
w/a silicon carbide sanding belt. This conforms to the bottom of your
pot, so even a slightly concave bottom can be ground smooth. You replace
the sanding belts as needed ($4).
It takes off glaze drips w/ease, and without parts of glaze or pots
"popping off". You can grind a stoneware pot smooth as a baby's butt,
so it doesn't harm your customer's furniture. I grind the bottoms of
all my pots, porcelain or stoneware...just a nice finishing touch.
I've also used it on teapot spouts that have twisted during firing. I
simply grind it to a pleasing angle, dab on glaze and refire.
Lids that don't fit right can also be ground to the right size.
I have also used the "sanding disks" that fit on the wheelhead, and
these don't work nearly as well.
Candice Roeder
Livin' in the sticks, in Michigan
John Tilton on sun 21 nov 99
Hand held grinders are not much use for grinding glaze from the bottom
of pots --- at least not lots of it. What you want is a Bench Grinder
with a silicon carbide wheel --- they come in different grits --- the
coarsest will remove glaze the fastest.
A flexible shaft tool or Dremel will remove small burrs and these are
hand held.
I also have an expanded rubber wheel which is very great. It accepts
special sanding belts of all grits from 60 to 600 --- you slip them on
when the wheel is off and then when you turn it on the expanded rubber
holds it tight. Good for polishing those bench grinder projects. I got
mine at Rio Grande --- jewelry supply in Albuquerke NM. (Spelling a
mystery)
John
--
John Tilton
16211 NW 88th Terrace
Alachua, Fl. 32615
904-462-3762
Web site: http://www.tiltonpottery.com
mailto:tilton@atlantic.net
mel jacobson on wed 6 sep 00
i tend to knock off the big blobs when i am doing this with a small
sharp chisel and hammer.
try and get the big stuff off.
in most cases, when you are dealing with that large an error, the
pot is lost, or goes to a trusted friend.
i use the bench grinder most to clean the bottoms of pots that
have grumbles hanging out. just an easy pass over the bottom.
then burnish with a piece of broken silicon carbide grinder wheel.
i use the angle grinder to clean shelves, clean metal before welding
etc. don't use that tool on pots.
make sure you have a good grip on the pot when using the bench
grinder, wear eye protection, and go slow....ease the pot into
the spinning wheel...careful, skillful.
battery power tools that are cheap, well, are cheap.
i like the makita and dewalt. no reason to go 12 volt, try
the 9 volt..and look for bargains.
i have purchased the lightweights for my daughter, neice and
other friends that need them about twice a year...ryobi i think.
good luck.
mel
FROM MINNETONKA, MINNESOTA, USA
http://www.pclink.com/melpots (website)
Rimas VisGirda on sat 15 jan 11
Hi Vince, you say:
""Hi Lee -
Based on your comment above, I assume that you have never taught in an
academic setting, and have never adventurously experimented with glazes.
- Vince""
Hard to understand why, in 30 or so years of teaching, I never ever figured=
out to use a grinder to get glaze drips off shelves. And in those 30 years=
there have been plenty of drips and runs... I used to teach the students h=
ow to get their own drips off with a hammer and chisel... Still do that in =
my own studio...
I do have a grinder, old Makita, with those 4-5 inch maroon sanding discs; =
I use it to get the kiln wash off for recoating the shelf with new wash whe=
n the shelf gets too many divots and patches from using the chisel and touc=
h-up. Sure is a dusty process and I try to avoid it.
When I had salt kilns we had a set of "clean" shelves and a set of "dirty" =
shelves. We rubbed the bubbles/foam off the underside and edges of the "cle=
an" shelves with a SiC rubbing block. The "dirty" shelves were for people t=
hat liked those pale blue drips that occasionally landed on the pots below =
the shelf...
Regards, -Rimas
Lee on sat 15 jan 11
> Hi Vince, you say:
>
> ""Hi Lee -
> Based on your comment above, I assume that you have never taught in an
> academic setting, and have never adventurously experimented with glazes.
> - Vince"
>
I have Vince. Also, I fire at Northern Clay Center and I use runny
glazes and teach folks a technique I learned in Japan to use them without
sticking them to the shelves.
What I don't understand, is why teaching situations don't use resusabl=
=3D
e
kilnwashed clay pads under ALL pots. Some folks at NCC use unfired pads
to help their porcelain when it shrinks. We keep them with the kiln
furniture. They are also good if you need to span a crack or otherwise
questionable surfaces.
In the areas of the kiln in the noborigama in Japan that had flyash
effects or salt, we used double disks with shells on top of them. In the
soda kiln, I use shells under all large jars. The too help with glaze
runs.
On Sat, Jan 15, 2011 at 8:53 AM, Rimas VisGirda wrote:
> I do have a grinder, old Makita, with those 4-5 inch maroon sanding discs=
=3D
;
> I use it to get
>
I have two. I cut all my bricks in Japan with one and a diamond disk.
But I don't use them on shelves. My one from Japan does not have a safety
lever (for right handers) so is much safer for a lefty to use.
--
Lee Love in Minneapolis
http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/
"Ta tIr na n-=3DF3g ar chul an tI=3D97tIr dlainn trina ch=3DE9ile"=3D97tha=
t is, "T=3D
he land
of eternal youth is behind the house, a beautiful land fluent within
itself." -- John O'Donohue
Vince Pitelka on sat 15 jan 11
Rimas VisGirda wrote:
"Hard to understand why, in 30 or so years of teaching, I never ever figure=
d
out to use a grinder to get glaze drips off shelves. And in those 30 years
there have been plenty of drips and runs... I used to teach the students ho=
w
to get their own drips off with a hammer and chisel... Still do that in my
own studio..."
Hi Rimas -
Everyone has their own system, but surely there were those shelves badly
contaminated with glaze. If there weren't, how is that possible in an
academic setting? Hammer and chisel is always the method of first resort,
and I teach my students how to sharpen the chisel properly, and how to work
the chisel parallel to the kiln shelf surface rather than against it. But
that only goes so far, and for the worst glaze runs, a whole lot of time
would be wasted with a hammer and chisel. A grinder is the ticket in that
eventuality.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Tech University
vpitelka@dtccom.net; wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka
Vince Pitelka on sat 15 jan 11
I do not understand the advantage of reusable kiln-washed clay pads - seems
like an unnecessary step and a pain in the ass. I do not understand anyone
who would attempt to do all cleanup with a hammer and chisel. I can see how
a throwaway saucer lined with kiln-wash is a good thing for a very risky
runny glaze. We do all of the simplest glaze-drip cleanup with a hammer an=
d
properly-sharpened chisel, but I would not be without a good angle grinder
and cup wheel. Anyone who does any serious glaze-run cleanup without one i=
s
wasting a lot of time. We rarely have serious glaze-run problems, but what
we do have, we deal with very effectively with a hammer and chisel, and wit=
h
an angle grinder with cup wheel. After 40 years in ceramics, I have worked
out the what I feel is the best system for dealing with runny glazes. With
so many students who are encouraged to experiment adventurously and take
chances, glaze runs are unavoidable. This is not a problem.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Tech University
vpitelka@dtccom.net; wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka
Johanna San Inocencio on sun 16 jan 11
As one who experienced a major glaze catastrophe, it happens. One =3D
semester I used terra cotta clay with an appropriate temperature glaze =3D
and it was aMany pieces were so fused with the shelves I had to break =3D
them off in pieces. There was no way those shelves would be usable again =
=3D
with just chiseling, I tried. And of course they were mostly brand new =3D
shelves. Even with grinding they still bear marks that remind me.=3D20
Johanna San Inocencio
On Jan 15, 2011, at 8:37 PM, Vince Pitelka wrote:
> Rimas VisGirda wrote:
> "Hard to understand why, in 30 or so years of teaching, I never ever =3D
figured
> out to use a grinder to get glaze drips off shelves. And in those 30 =3D
years
> there have been plenty of drips and runs... I used to teach the =3D
students how
> to get their own drips off with a hammer and chisel... Still do that =3D
in my
> own studio..."
>=3D20
> Hi Rimas -
> Everyone has their own system, but surely there were those shelves =3D
badly
> contaminated with glaze. If there weren't, how is that possible in an
> academic setting? Hammer and chisel is always the method of first =3D
resort,
> and I teach my students how to sharpen the chisel properly, and how to =
=3D
work
> the chisel parallel to the kiln shelf surface rather than against it. =
=3D
But
> that only goes so far, and for the worst glaze runs, a whole lot of =3D
time
> would be wasted with a hammer and chisel. A grinder is the ticket in =3D
that
> eventuality.
> - Vince
>=3D20
> Vince Pitelka
> Appalachian Center for Craft
> Tennessee Tech University
> vpitelka@dtccom.net; wpitelka@tntech.edu
> http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka
| |
|
