Classic Lines Pottery

Bricks

Mike — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:13:48 +0000

brick from the press

The chamber on the press is 10×5 x4 inches. The depth of 4″ can be modified by adding a block of wood to the bottom and top. It is my intent to make the bricks 10x5x2.5 so they will lay up in multiple ways. By adding a wedge to the top and bottom of the chamber I can make custom arch bricks so that each brick of the arch is a key brick.

There are many recipies available for soft firebrick in Conrads book of ceramic formulas. The goal now is to find the most cost effective materials for the firebrick. I am looking at local clays to see if any are refractory enough to make bricks and pricing getting commercial fireclay to Boise. Either way the bricks will be 10% or less the cost of new IFB shipped here.

When I settle on a formula and start making brick in quantity I will make a short movie showing the process. Two people working together will be able to make about 300 bricks in a day. My oldest granddaughter will be helping me, she turns 13 on May 2nd.

Brick Press assembled

Mike — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:05:25 +0000

top view

: brick press assembled

The press after being assembled and painted;

Brick press steel

Mike — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:01:45 +0000

Once the pieces were cut out using a cutting torch they were then welded together with a stick welder. Here are some pics of the pieces;

: brick press pieces

: with cat

Brick Press

Mike — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:18:02 +0000

Wooden model of modified CINVA ram

Once I converted the plans I built a wooden model to make sure my figures were correct and it would still function. The test was a sucess and next was to build the press in steel. In order to do that I needed to buy a cutting torch and learn how to use it and get a bigger welder (my wire feed will not weld 3/8 inch steel plate) and learn how to use it as well. I found some tanks on craigslist and bought a victor torch/gages and a miller thunderbolt arc welder from another vendor at the farmers market where I sell my work. To drill the 1″ holes through the plate and bar stock I needed to modify my drill press and I found some plans online that would slow it down enough to drill through the steel.

IFB

Mike — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:01:00 +0000

Insulating firebrick:
I need 1000 new insulating firebricks to build a new kiln and due to cost considerations I have been looking at alternatives to just purchasing the brick. I decided to make my own and in order to do that I had to decide on the best method. I chose the “damp dust” method of making bricks which requires that a slightly damp mixture of firebrick raw material be pressed into shape with quite a bit of pressure. To do that I bought plans for a CINVA ram toggle press used to make building blocks in third world countries since the early 1950′s. To do what I want I needed to reconfigure the plans (which seem to be 2 or 3 different plans mixed together) that are in metric measurements and lacking all procedural data. That was just the begining of things I needed to do in order to make my own firebrick.

Pug Mill

Mike — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 15:39:20 +0000

I am currently looking at building a deairing pug mill based on the design in the Harry Davis book “The Potters Alternative“. I have to say the more I read about him the more I realize he had the same basic attitude about pottery that I do. I had been making pottery for a couple years when he started his Peru project and would have loved to have been there.

Back to the pug mill, I am going to use what is available to me and modify the design accordingly and will post my progress here. Yesterday I priced scrap metal, custom cutting and visited with an old friend who is somewhat of a “Yankee Machinist” , blacksmith and metal worker. HeÂ is 88 years old he still works in his shop every day. He said he is not up to helping build the pug mill but will allow me to use his tools (most of them he made) and give adivce. He put together the jolley arm I use based on the plans from the same book and yesterday I gave him some finished plates made with it.

It turns out there isn’t any such thing as 8″ ID thin wallÂ pipe, Harry made his own pipe and his directions are based on that size. I can hower get 8″ OD thin wall pipe and this changes the internal diameter of the pug mill by 1/4″ and all internal parts will need to be resized. Also, I can get the pieces cut atÂ a local steel recycling place with a plasma cutter for $100 an hour and if laid out correctly all the pieces could be cut to size in an hour. So the process begins. My reason for doing this is mainly financial, a new manufactured deairing pug mill costs in the neighborhood of $5000 and I think I can build one for a tenth that price.

Veritas order

Mike — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 15:03:32 +0000

Here are some pics of the order for the bookstore. These items are in the bisque stage (first firing) and will be glazed and fired again to a much higher temperature. I want to note that the only items made with the jiggering process are the plates, everything else it hand thrown on the wheel. The teapots are also part of the order but the French ButterÂ Dishes and the Rice Bowls are not, they are just inventory pieces for the web site and the upcoming farmers market.

Jiggering saucers

Mike — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 16:25:41 +0000

I took some pictures of the process and am posting them as promised. In order to carve the bats the same I use a contour tool that I purchased at Home DepotÂ for about $8.00. It is made with a lot of small wires held in place with tension and is much more accurate that the other type available made with plastic. I also use this as a guide for making the template that goes on the jolley. I draw the contour on a piece of red oak and then draw another contour with the foot. I then cut out the template and bevel the leading edge, drilling holes to mount it on the jolley. I use wood rather than metal because I can make one quite quickly, if I find myself making tons of the same plate I can always make a steel template at a later time.

The next step is to mount the template on the jolley and set the thickness, I use a couple of Palm Pilot styli placed on the jig and then tighten the bolts (not pictured). I roll out a slab on the slab roller thicker than I want the finished piece and cut it to approximate size. It can be slightly smaller in diameter than the finished piece and will expand when compressed that way there is less waste in the jiggering process.

The finished jiggered plates setting up until they release from the plaster.Â Â Â

The other side after being removed. They will beÂ placed on their rims to dry.Â

Due to the large amount of table space required to dry the jiggered plates the next step in this process will be to build some racks that will allow me to work with many more plates at a time in less space. I am looking at building something between a bat rack and a ware rack that would hold the plaster bats vertical with space between each for drying and storing with shelves above to hold the jiggered plates until they set up. Once they have set up I will move them to a ware rack that I am building with about three inches between shelves. In an area about 6.25 square feet I will be able to dry anywhere from 80-120 plates (depending on size) safely and still have room in my studio to do other work. As a potter I have to wear many hats and it is time to put on the welding hat. I will make the racks with 1″ tubular steel and angle iron with plywood shelves.

Saucers

Mike — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 15:04:10 +0000

I am making the saucers to go with all of the cups and thought I would describe and show the process a little. I have made a jigger using this system http://www.pspottery.com/jiggering_plate_molds.html. I cast the bats and then carve them to the shape I want using a profile or contour tool to match the shape. I am currently designing a better way to make bats for this system that will not involve carving or placing the shape in clay in the mold before casting. I will make posts showing how to do this at a later time. I only use this method for plates, everything else I do is thrown on the wheel. The arm that holds the shape for the back of the plate is called a “jolley” and the bat is called the “jigger” so the whole system is a “jolley jigger”. This system of making plates has been around for 100′s of years. I will post some pictures of the process later today or tomorrow.

Pictures of cappuccino cup and saucer

Mike — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 14:31:18 +0000

Here are some pictures of the cappuccino cup and saucer in the â€œgreenâ€ state (unfired). There will still be more shrinkage during the firings. Click on the thumbnail pictures to see a higher resolution version in a new window.