Puddy & Co. on wed 6 mar 02
Bev,
I am a lucky owner of a newer Shimpo, so I may not know where your problem comes
from. I think that if you had a problem with a shaft or bearing, you should
probably hear some kind of a squealing or grinding sound coming from it. I have
experienced a similar problem - difficult centering - after moving my wheel to a
workshop with a very uneven wooden floor. I did a sloppy job levelling my wheel in
a new position and was surprised to find centering a bit elaborate. Thare was no
"bump" under my fingers, but the pots were coming out weird. Checked the wheel
again with a carpenter's level - exactly and in every direction, across the centre
and on the sides, having removed the splash pan. It took a lot of little pieces of
cardboard, plastic tiles etc. to get it absolutely right, but it is OK now. I hope
your problem is as simple as that.
Please, do not grind the wheel head. When you have it all back to order, (whatever
the reason), you will not be able to reverse this move.
Good luck - Hanna L.,
Heriot Bay, BC
Bev Lev wrote:
> I have an older shimpo wheel which seems to be a bit out of wack to
> me. I hope i can describe the problem adequately and that someone can
> steer me towards what may be wrong with it. I have not got much
> experience with wheels or adjusting them so I'm turning to the
> knowledgeable out there for help.
>
> To put it simply, the wheel seems slightly off (if that makes any
> sense). I have tried removing the wheelhead and cleaning out all the
> gunk that accumulates. I also tried sanding down the surface of the
> wheel head itself cause at first I thought i felt an uneven-ness.(it
> actually feels better now) But.. a problem remains so now I'm looking
> for suggestions.
>
> When I run a finger on the outer 3 or 4 inches of the wheelhead,
> instead of moving smoothly there is a place where it seems that there
> is a jitter(for lack of a better term) .. the finger feels a bit of a
> bounce. When i cut through pieces there is inevitably about one inch
> of wall where the clay is just a hair thicker....
> Centering seems to be more challenging than it should and once i pull
> the walls up a decent height it is impossible to keep centred.
> I feel like i'm fighting something but i cant figure out what.
> I have worked on other wheels and its not quite the same.
>
> I hope (and fully trust) that you guys will steer me with your
> wisdom.. cause until i get this resolved i am really just wasting my
> time at the wheel.
>
> thank you all....
> bev
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
Bev Lev on wed 6 mar 02
I have an older shimpo wheel which seems to be a bit out of wack to
me. I hope i can describe the problem adequately and that someone can
steer me towards what may be wrong with it. I have not got much
experience with wheels or adjusting them so I'm turning to the
knowledgeable out there for help.
To put it simply, the wheel seems slightly off (if that makes any
sense). I have tried removing the wheelhead and cleaning out all the
gunk that accumulates. I also tried sanding down the surface of the
wheel head itself cause at first I thought i felt an uneven-ness.(it
actually feels better now) But.. a problem remains so now I'm looking
for suggestions.
When I run a finger on the outer 3 or 4 inches of the wheelhead,
instead of moving smoothly there is a place where it seems that there
is a jitter(for lack of a better term) .. the finger feels a bit of a
bounce. When i cut through pieces there is inevitably about one inch
of wall where the clay is just a hair thicker....
Centering seems to be more challenging than it should and once i pull
the walls up a decent height it is impossible to keep centred.
I feel like i'm fighting something but i cant figure out what.
I have worked on other wheels and its not quite the same.
I hope (and fully trust) that you guys will steer me with your
wisdom.. cause until i get this resolved i am really just wasting my
time at the wheel.
thank you all....
bev
claybair on wed 6 mar 02
Hi Bev,
I bought an old R-8 Shimpo. When I turned it on it made an annoying thump,
thump sound.
I replaced the drive ring and turned it on for about 1/2 hour and it's fine.
Apparently if the pedal is left in an on position it can make a dent in the
drive ring.
I'm not sure whether the drive ring would be the source of your problem. I
suggest you email or call Shimpo. They were very responsive when I contacted
them. They even sent me the manual for my ancient wheel.
I must say when I opened it up I was amazed at the beautiful simplicity of
design.
Gayle Bair
Bainbridge Island, WA
http://claybair.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG]On
Behalf Of Bev Lev
Sent: Wednesday, March 06, 2002 10:56 AM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: problem wheel ... need advice
I have an older shimpo wheel which seems to be a bit out of wack to
me. I hope i can describe the problem adequately and that someone can
steer me towards what may be wrong with it. I have not got much
experience with wheels or adjusting them so I'm turning to the
knowledgeable out there for help.
To put it simply, the wheel seems slightly off (if that makes any
sense). I have tried removing the wheelhead and cleaning out all the
gunk that accumulates. I also tried sanding down the surface of the
wheel head itself cause at first I thought i felt an uneven-ness.(it
actually feels better now) But.. a problem remains so now I'm looking
for suggestions.
When I run a finger on the outer 3 or 4 inches of the wheelhead,
instead of moving smoothly there is a place where it seems that there
is a jitter(for lack of a better term) .. the finger feels a bit of a
bounce. When i cut through pieces there is inevitably about one inch
of wall where the clay is just a hair thicker....
Centering seems to be more challenging than it should and once i pull
the walls up a decent height it is impossible to keep centred.
I feel like i'm fighting something but i cant figure out what.
I have worked on other wheels and its not quite the same.
I hope (and fully trust) that you guys will steer me with your
wisdom.. cause until i get this resolved i am really just wasting my
time at the wheel.
thank you all....
bev
____________________________________________________________________________
__
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
Les Haworth on wed 6 mar 02
Hi Bev, This is not an uncommon problem with shimpo's. You just need to
replace all the rubber on your shimpo. replacing just one belt compounds the
problem and usually brings the wheel in for repair six months later. I
recommend that you replace all the rubber on your wheel. This will probably
clear up the problem. Les H.
Lester R. Haworth III
Sales and Technical Support
Laguna Clay Co.
14400 Lomitas ave
City of Industry, CA 91746
1(800) 4-LAGUNA ext. 229
les@lagunaclay.com
www.lagunaclay.com
"When I was in elementary school my teacher pinned a note to my shirt for my
parents to read. It said, 'Charlene is not coloring inside the lines.' My
parents contacted the teacher and asked the teacher what the purpose of
coloring inside the lines was.' The teacher didn't quite know what to say,
except that the direction she had given was to color inside the lines. My
dad told me to color any way I wanted to and when I was done coloring, to
draw a black line around my picture." Charlene Felos, Ceramics Instructor -
Cypress College
-----Original Message-----
From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG]On
Behalf Of Bev Lev
Sent: Wednesday, March 06, 2002 10:56 AM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: [CLAYART] problem wheel ... need advice
I have an older shimpo wheel which seems to be a bit out of wack to
me. I hope i can describe the problem adequately and that someone can
steer me towards what may be wrong with it. I have not got much
experience with wheels or adjusting them so I'm turning to the
knowledgeable out there for help.
To put it simply, the wheel seems slightly off (if that makes any
sense). I have tried removing the wheelhead and cleaning out all the
gunk that accumulates. I also tried sanding down the surface of the
wheel head itself cause at first I thought i felt an uneven-ness.(it
actually feels better now) But.. a problem remains so now I'm looking
for suggestions.
When I run a finger on the outer 3 or 4 inches of the wheelhead,
instead of moving smoothly there is a place where it seems that there
is a jitter(for lack of a better term) .. the finger feels a bit of a
bounce. When i cut through pieces there is inevitably about one inch
of wall where the clay is just a hair thicker....
Centering seems to be more challenging than it should and once i pull
the walls up a decent height it is impossible to keep centred.
I feel like i'm fighting something but i cant figure out what.
I have worked on other wheels and its not quite the same.
I hope (and fully trust) that you guys will steer me with your
wisdom.. cause until i get this resolved i am really just wasting my
time at the wheel.
thank you all....
bev
____________________________________________________________________________
__
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
Dave Gayman on wed 6 mar 02
An eccentric wheel?
Is the motor shaft or the head somehow bent? It it were a bad bearing, I'd
think the head would be chattering and wobbling, so that the "off"
positions was random, not always at the same point.
Any teenagers in your house? I once taught in adult ed at a high school
where students did numbers on electric wheels by using them as bull-riding
machines. One kid would balance on the wheel head while others started /
stopped / speeded up / slowed down the wheel until the rider was
thrown. Except for the danger and the damage to the wheels, it was
probably a lot of fun.
The school eventually went with kickwheels.
Dave
At 01:55 PM 3/6/2002 -0500, you wrote:
>I have an older shimpo wheel which seems to be a bit out of wack to
>me.
>
>When I run a finger on the outer 3 or 4 inches of the wheelhead,
>instead of moving smoothly there is a place where it seems that there
>is a jitter(for lack of a better term) .. the finger feels a bit of a
>bounce. When i cut through pieces there is inevitably about one inch
>of wall where the clay is just a hair thicker....
Patrick Rowe on wed 6 mar 02
You can take the wheel head to a local machine shop and have it turned to
get rid of any warp or uneveness. You could also buy a new wheel head.
-----Original Message-----
From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG]On
Behalf Of Bev Lev
Sent: Wednesday, March 06, 2002 1:56 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: problem wheel ... need advice
I have an older shimpo wheel which seems to be a bit out of wack to
me. I hope i can describe the problem adequately and that someone can
steer me towards what may be wrong with it. I have not got much
experience with wheels or adjusting them so I'm turning to the
knowledgeable out there for help.
To put it simply, the wheel seems slightly off (if that makes any
sense). I have tried removing the wheelhead and cleaning out all the
gunk that accumulates. I also tried sanding down the surface of the
wheel head itself cause at first I thought i felt an uneven-ness.(it
actually feels better now) But.. a problem remains so now I'm looking
for suggestions.
When I run a finger on the outer 3 or 4 inches of the wheelhead,
instead of moving smoothly there is a place where it seems that there
is a jitter(for lack of a better term) .. the finger feels a bit of a
bounce. When i cut through pieces there is inevitably about one inch
of wall where the clay is just a hair thicker....
Centering seems to be more challenging than it should and once i pull
the walls up a decent height it is impossible to keep centred.
I feel like i'm fighting something but i cant figure out what.
I have worked on other wheels and its not quite the same.
I hope (and fully trust) that you guys will steer me with your
wisdom.. cause until i get this resolved i am really just wasting my
time at the wheel.
thank you all....
bev
____________________________________________________________________________
__
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
Tommy Humphries on wed 6 mar 02
If this wheel has sat unused for a long while, you might have a rough spot
on the bearings. Turn the wheel over and take a peek inside, and find the
upper bearing It might be on the outside, under the wheelhead...never tore
into a shimpo. When you locate the bearings take some good oil...motor oil
will do...and put a few squirts on each of the bearings. If the bearings
were dry, this will loosen any gunky grease/clay build up in them. If
there is a grease fitting pump some grease into them, till you see some come
out of the bearing. If there is not fitting you have a sealed bearing that
cannot be greased (easily).
Another spot on shimpos is the rubber drive ring...if the wheel has sat with
the drive engaged, the ring can develop a pronounced bump at that spot.
Sometimes they will smooth back out, but many times they need to be
replaced.
Of course someone at some time or another might have used the wheel as a
step stool and bent the wheel head, then taking a hammer, gave it a good
whack on the high side to level it back out...sometimes this can leave a
dent, that can make your hand bounce when it passes over that spot.
Tommy
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bev Lev"
To:
Sent: Wednesday, March 06, 2002 12:55 PM
Subject: problem wheel ... need advice
> I have an older shimpo wheel which seems to be a bit out of wack to
> me. I hope i can describe the problem adequately and that someone can
> steer me towards what may be wrong with it. I have not got much
> experience with wheels or adjusting them so I'm turning to the
> knowledgeable out there for help.
>
> To put it simply, the wheel seems slightly off (if that makes any
> sense). I have tried removing the wheelhead and cleaning out all the
> gunk that accumulates. I also tried sanding down the surface of the
> wheel head itself cause at first I thought i felt an uneven-ness.(it
> actually feels better now) But.. a problem remains so now I'm looking
> for suggestions.
>
> When I run a finger on the outer 3 or 4 inches of the wheelhead,
> instead of moving smoothly there is a place where it seems that there
> is a jitter(for lack of a better term) .. the finger feels a bit of a
> bounce. When i cut through pieces there is inevitably about one inch
> of wall where the clay is just a hair thicker....
> Centering seems to be more challenging than it should and once i pull
> the walls up a decent height it is impossible to keep centred.
> I feel like i'm fighting something but i cant figure out what.
> I have worked on other wheels and its not quite the same.
>
> I hope (and fully trust) that you guys will steer me with your
> wisdom.. cause until i get this resolved i am really just wasting my
> time at the wheel.
>
> thank you all....
> bev
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
Chris Jones on thu 7 mar 02
Hello,
I have 3 SHimpo wheels and use them and abuse them (not too bad though). We
got all of them used and one had the same "feeling" to it. As I saw in an
earlier post, the rubber "drive ring" had a bump in it. I replaced it and
the bump was gone. You should be able to feel it once you remove the ring.
It is very easy to replace. Good Luck and I hope this helps.
Thank you,
Chris Jones
Visit www.jonespottery.net
Steve Mills on fri 8 mar 02
The first thing I would investigate would be the possibility of the top
bearing (just under the wheelhead where the shaft comes up through the
case) being shot. Second possibility (I've met this) is the same bearing
being seized, and the shaft rotating IN the bearing and being worn oval.
Steve
Bath
UK
In message , Bev Lev writes
>I have an older shimpo wheel which seems to be a bit out of wack to
>me. I hope i can describe the problem adequately and that someone can
>steer me towards what may be wrong with it. I have not got much
>experience with wheels or adjusting them so I'm turning to the
>knowledgeable out there for help.
>
>To put it simply, the wheel seems slightly off (if that makes any
>sense). I have tried removing the wheelhead and cleaning out all the
>gunk that accumulates. I also tried sanding down the surface of the
>wheel head itself cause at first I thought i felt an uneven-ness.(it
>actually feels better now) But.. a problem remains so now I'm looking
>for suggestions.
>
>When I run a finger on the outer 3 or 4 inches of the wheelhead,
>instead of moving smoothly there is a place where it seems that there
>is a jitter(for lack of a better term) .. the finger feels a bit of a
>bounce. When i cut through pieces there is inevitably about one inch
>of wall where the clay is just a hair thicker....
>Centering seems to be more challenging than it should and once i pull
>the walls up a decent height it is impossible to keep centred.
>I feel like i'm fighting something but i cant figure out what.
>I have worked on other wheels and its not quite the same.
>
>I hope (and fully trust) that you guys will steer me with your
>wisdom.. cause until i get this resolved i am really just wasting my
>time at the wheel.
>
>thank you all....
>bev
--
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
Michael McDowell on fri 8 mar 02
Bev,
One of the legs should be adjustable (threaded) so that you can adjust the
wheel to be firmly set on even or uneven surfaces. I've never found it
necessary to make sure my wheel is absolutely level, as long as it is not
wobbly. I'm thinking that you may have a worn drive ring that is causing some
uneven torque in rotation. It's not all that difficult to replace these, and
they aren't all that expensive either. Might be worth a try! You can download
a copy of the instruction manual for your model Shimpo wheel at:
http://www.shimpoceramics.com/resourcecenter.html
Good Luck!
Michael McDowell
Whatcom County, WA USA
michael@mcdowellpottery.com
http://www.mcdowellpottery.com
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