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the science of dipping tongs

updated fri 4 may 12

 

Dan Saultman on wed 2 may 12


Is there a design for the prongs of Dipping Tongs that is better than
another?
I would like to make a pair. My first attempt resulted in a rather
wobbly affair.
Hoping that maybe someone had played with the idea before.

Thanks

Dan

Dan Saultman

Claymasters.com
Fine-Art Pottery & Tile
Clinton Township, MI
http://www.claymasters.com
586-404-5299

Robert Harris on wed 2 may 12


I use staple removers if I need them. (Obviously you're going to get
your hand dirtier but ...). Usually I only use them for plates or
platters. And obviously only works on rims.



On Wed, May 2, 2012 at 7:09 PM, Dan Saultman wrote:
> Is there a design for the prongs of Dipping Tongs that is better than
> another?
> I would like to make a pair. My first attempt resulted in a rather
> wobbly affair.
> Hoping that maybe someone had played with the idea before.
>
> Thanks
>
> Dan
>
> Dan Saultman
>
> Claymasters.com
> Fine-Art Pottery & Tile
> Clinton Township, MI
> http://www.claymasters.com
> 586-404-5299



--
----------------------------------------------------------

Steve Mills on thu 3 may 12


I've made most of mine, and for the way I glaze tongs with two prongs on on=
e=3D
jaw and one on the other are best.=3D20
I make them like scissors out of 3/4" X 1/8" flat steel. And 1/4" steel rod=
f=3D
or the finger loops.=3D20
The "three & one" prong types are I believe best for total dipping of piece=
s=3D
like plates, but personally I prefer my finger claws!


Steve M


Steve Mills
Bath
UK
www.mudslinger.me.uk
Sent from my iPod


On 3 May 2012, at 00:09, Dan Saultman wrote:

> Is there a design for the prongs of Dipping Tongs that is better than
> another?
> I would like to make a pair. My first attempt resulted in a rather
> wobbly affair.
> Hoping that maybe someone had played with the idea before.
>=3D20
> Thanks
>=3D20
> Dan
>=3D20
> Dan Saultman
>=3D20
> Claymasters.com
> Fine-Art Pottery & Tile
> Clinton Township, MI
> http://www.claymasters.com
> 586-404-5299

Brad Sondahl on thu 3 may 12


There is a science to it, called leverage... I have two old sets of
commercial tongs, which are 10 inches long and work admirably. I haven't
checked for a few years, but for some reason the company went to a longer
design, I think 12 inches, which is good if you want to use them to pull
pots out of a raku kiln, but the longer design makes the apparent weight of
the piece greater (due to leverage), and more awkward for dipping in a 5
gallon bucket. This is one reason almost all pliers are shorter than 8
inches. I have heard of people making tongs by welding small rods of
steel onto something like a slip joint pliers, but I think you need enough
jaw depth to be able to grab well inside the pot to help prevent cracking.
Also if you have the fulcrum of the tongs too close to the working end, you
will be multiplying your strength of grab, making it likelier that you will
crack the pot when squeezing the handles to hold them in place. Finally
good tong design uses two prongs on one side of the tongs facing one way,
and the other set offset 90 degrees, for greater stability. When using
them, prongs which are offset 90 degrees should be on the outside of a wide
pot to help minimize the torque on the tongs..
Brad Sondahl sondahl.com

Neil Estrick on thu 3 may 12


I have never had a problem with the cheap ones every clay supplier sells.=
=3D
I use=3D20
them on everything from mugs to 25 pound platters. What I like best about=
=3D
them=3D20
is that they are somewhat flexible, so I don't have to worry about crushi=
=3D
ng a pot=3D20
if I grab too hard.

Amy Romaniec on thu 3 may 12


We use metal corn on the cob tongs with nails welded on two one way two =
=3D
the other =3D2Cworks great =3D2C very cheap can still use on the corn t=
oo! =3D
lol


> Date: Thu=3D2C 3 May 2012 09:11:57 -0700
> From: brad@SONDAHL.COM
> Subject: Re: The Science of Dipping Tongs
> To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
>=3D20
> There is a science to it=3D2C called leverage... I have two old sets of
> commercial tongs=3D2C which are 10 inches long and work admirably. I hav=
en=3D
't
> checked for a few years=3D2C but for some reason the company went to a lo=
ng=3D
er
> design=3D2C I think 12 inches=3D2C which is good if you want to use them =
to p=3D
ull
> pots out of a raku kiln=3D2C but the longer design makes the apparent wei=
gh=3D
t of
> the piece greater (due to leverage)=3D2C and more awkward for dipping in =
a =3D
5
> gallon bucket. This is one reason almost all pliers are shorter than 8
> inches. I have heard of people making tongs by welding small rods of
> steel onto something like a slip joint pliers=3D2C but I think you need e=
no=3D
ugh
> jaw depth to be able to grab well inside the pot to help prevent cracking=
=3D
.
> Also if you have the fulcrum of the tongs too close to the working end=3D=
2C=3D
you
> will be multiplying your strength of grab=3D2C making it likelier that yo=
u =3D
will
> crack the pot when squeezing the handles to hold them in place. Finally
> good tong design uses two prongs on one side of the tongs facing one way=
=3D
=3D2C
> and the other set offset 90 degrees=3D2C for greater stability. When usi=
ng
> them=3D2C prongs which are offset 90 degrees should be on the outside of =
a =3D
wide
> pot to help minimize the torque on the tongs..
> Brad Sondahl sondahl.com
=3D