extruder dies

updated mon 17 aug 98

Arlene Cason on fri 18 apr 97

Do any of you who are using the Bluebird 440's use it for extruding? If so,
do you know where I can buy pre-made dies to fit the Bluebird? I just don't
think I'm handy enough to follow the instructions for making my own.
Thanks! Arlene

Malissa D on sat 19 apr 97

Arlene Cason wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Do any of you who are using the Bluebird 440's use it for extruding? If so,
> do you know where I can buy pre-made dies to fit the Bluebird? I just don't
> think I'm handy enough to follow the instructions for making my own.
> Thanks! Arlene

Arlene:

North Star Equipment is making some dies for Bluebird. I am not sure if
it is what you want because I don't know what you want the dies for but
it is worth a free phone call 1-800-231-7896. Good luck.

Malissa
Earth@tstar.net

sam wainford on sun 20 apr 97

Arlene Cason wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Do any of you who are using the Bluebird 440's use it for extruding? If so,
> do you know where I can buy pre-made dies to fit the Bluebird? I just don't
> think I'm handy enough to follow the instructions for making my own.
> Thanks! Arlene
Hi Arlene,
I bought the extruder barrel attachment and use it with my 440. It
enlarges the diameter of the pug to about 5 or 6 inches. I've been
using 1/2 inch plywood for dies and must admit that woodworking is not
for me either. I would love to find some pre cut dies myself. Let me
know if you find any. Thanks. Sam wainford@bulloch.com

Elca Branman on mon 21 apr 97

I went to a local tool and die person who cut exactly what I wanted out
of heavy duty aluminum..Not awfully pricey, as I remember...
Branman Potters elcab1@juno.com
in Stone Ridge ,N.Y.
in the Hudson Valley

Yost Tile Co. on tue 22 apr 97

>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Do any of you who are using the Bluebird 440's use it for extruding? If so,
>do you know where I can buy pre-made dies to fit the Bluebird? I just don't
>think I'm handy enough to follow the instructions for making my own.
>Thanks! Arlene

Arlene,
Great question and sorry I don't have an answer. I will be waiting
along with you for an answer. If you buy a 300.00 hand extuder, a dozen
dies come with it, if you spend twenty times that amount you would think
Bluebird could send a die for the 4.25 inch tile. I am still questioning my
purchase in Ohio.

Ditmar/Gayle on mon 8 sep 97

Another Aloha,
We have to be inventive here in Hawaii.
For anyone making an extruder, as the McRaine's suggested, or if you just
want to make a die that's going to fit your present extruder......try
polyethylene.
( Plexiglas can be more difficult to work, can crack if you're using
larger diameters, and sometimes pretty expensive. )
The polyethylene sheets are easy to find and relatively cheap. You can cut
it using regular woodworking tools. A coping saw or jewelers saw with a
round blade to cut in any direction is best for the actual die opening. If
you need to have a perfectly smooth die opening, try a quick once over with
a torch to blend saw / tool marks. ( works on Plexiglas too )
You can find sheets of it sold as cutting boards ! Try your local kitchen
supply, Wal-Mart, K-mart etc. I bought mine for about $13, for about a 14 x
20 sheet. Shop
around, prices and sizes vary. Commercial size boards are the best value.
They will usually be 3/8 -1/2 inch in thickness. A bit on the thick
side.......but considering the ease of use, oh well.
Ditmar

VICTOR JOHNSTON on tue 9 sep 97

If you insist on a plexiglass type die, try Lexan. It is sold in many
hardware stores (I buy mine at Home Depot) it is much stronger and
more resilient than plexi and resists cracking. It's cost is about three
times that of plexi but well worth it. After shattering a 1/4 inch piece of
plexi in a window on a homemade vacuum chamber, I replaced it with a
1/8 sheet of Lexan. The window is 6" x 8" and I can suck it dow til I
have a 1/2 " deep bowl in the window without phasing it. The stuff is
used for bullet proof windows and in most clear glazing (window space)
in prisons because it is so hard to break. It does cut fairly easily. You
can use any of the methods described in Ditmar's message without it
cracking like plexi.

>>> Ditmar/Gayle 09/08/97 06:39am >>>
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Another Aloha,
We have to be inventive here in Hawaii.
For anyone making an extruder, as the McRaine's suggested, or if you
just
want to make a die that's going to fit your present extruder......try
polyethylene.
( Plexiglas can be more difficult to work, can crack if you're using
larger diameters, and sometimes pretty expensive. )
The polyethylene sheets are easy to find and relatively cheap. You can
cut
it using regular woodworking tools. A coping saw or jewelers saw with
a
round blade to cut in any direction is best for the actual die opening. If
you need to have a perfectly smooth die opening, try a quick once over
with
a torch to blend saw / tool marks. ( works on Plexiglas too )
You can find sheets of it sold as cutting boards ! Try your local kitchen
supply, Wal-Mart, K-mart etc. I bought mine for about $13, for about a 14
x
20 sheet. Shop
around, prices and sizes vary. Commercial size boards are the best
value.
They will usually be 3/8 -1/2 inch in thickness. A bit on the thick
side.......but considering the ease of use, oh well.
Ditmar

pduncan on sat 8 aug 98

I recently purchased a Northstar extruder and just started playing
around with it yesterday. It is alot of fun, but I have a few
questions...
What material do most people use to custom make dies? Is wood strong
enough, is thick plexiglass better, and how thick is thick?

What is the best way to smooth the surface of the purchased dies, they
are slightly rough and leave marks on the extruded clay. For that
matter, what is the best method for cutting the die shape, a coping saw
and files, or a dremel tool?

It's fun having a new toy. Pam

Andre Van De Putte on sun 9 aug 98

------------------
It all depends..( type of clay. size of die etc..).I've constructed dies =
out=0Aof
masonite, Pine, and I have seen them made of a heavy black Lucite
type=0Amaterial...(Plexi would need to be at least 1/2 inch I imagine)...

Woods that are absorbent should be varnished or shellacked..........

My 2 pennies

Andr=E9
Chicago


P.S. U shaped bolts can be found at any hardware store...these can be used
to=0Aposition =22negative spaces=22 and create =22hollow=22 forms...=0A

Ditmar/Gayle on sun 9 aug 98

Some of the cheapest and best materials I've come up with is polyethylene
sheet.
The plastic cutting boards you'll find in stores or discount shops are
perfect.
About 3/8 to 1/2 inch in thickness. Easy to work with hand tools. Soft
enough to trim or sand by hand. For rough edges that won't go away, or for
fast smoothing, use a quick pass of a propane torch to round off the saw
marks.

Plexiglas will break and is harder to work with. Wood is also prone to
breakage, depending on what you're extruding.

Dremel tools are wonderful for cleaning up those intricate designs after
you've rough cut the pattern with a coping saw ( or jewelers saw ) .

From Alohaland, Ditmar.

Paul Lewing on sun 9 aug 98

Pam,

You can sometimes use wood or plastic for dies, depending on how soft
your clay is and how big the hole in the die is. In my Randall
extruder, I have to use metal. I use 1/8" aluminum that I get at a
scrap yard. My wife has a metal shop (you gotta love a woman with her
own anvil!) so the drill press and band saw are real handy. She let
me use a set of her jeweller's saws and files when I first got my
extruder. Not, however, the set of files she used for steel! But
then I got my dad's old Dremel Moto-Jigsaw, a small saw with about a
10" arm and a blade that will cut metal. I can make a new die in
about 15 minutes.
I've heard that bullet-proof glass makes great dies. I forget what
it's really called.
But you're right to want to make your own dies. Virtually the only
creativity involved in extruding comes in making the dies. And the
shapes that come with them are pretty unimaginative.
Have fun- I think extruders are the most under-utilized tools we have
in clay studios.

Paul Lewing, Seattle

rudd / jill on mon 10 aug 98

I use 1/4" tempered masonite to make extruder dies. My extruder has an
opening of 3-1/2" and this has worked well for me for both hollow and
solid dies. I cut dies with a sabre saw or a scroll saw. Then work on
the cuts with files if necessary. Usually the texture of the saw cuts
is an enhancement, giving a more "handmade" look. I started out using
plexiglass and found that it was brittle and tended to break

I love working with extrusions. I have a few hollow dies that I
purchased and they are made of steel and are not rough on the edeges.

JILL

Stephen Mills on mon 10 aug 98

Dear Pam,
Plywood, plexiglass, Upvc, almost any strongish sheet material will do.
I use hole saws, coping saws, files, etc. I'd love a Dremel, I'd borrow
my daughters but she's a long way away most of the time.
In short what ever does the job!

Steve
Bath
UK


In message , pduncan writes
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I recently purchased a Northstar extruder and just started playing
>around with it yesterday. It is alot of fun, but I have a few
>questions...
> What material do most people use to custom make dies? Is wood strong
>enough, is thick plexiglass better, and how thick is thick?
>
> What is the best way to smooth the surface of the purchased dies, they
>are slightly rough and leave marks on the extruded clay. For that
>matter, what is the best method for cutting the die shape, a coping saw
>and files, or a dremel tool?
>
>It's fun having a new toy. Pam
>

--
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
home e-mail: stevemills@mudslinger.demon.co.uk
work e-mail: stevemills@bathpotters.demon.co.uk
own website: http://www.mudslinger.demon.co.uk
BPS website: http://www.bathpotters.demon.co.uk

Tom Wirt on mon 10 aug 98

>I recently purchased a Northstar extruder and just started playing
>around with it yesterday. It is alot of fun, but I have a few



An additional question....does anyone out there know how to set up a die to
extrude small tubes? I've got a Northstar and a blank "z" die (which allows
putting in a center plug for hollow forms).

I'm looking to make a tube with maybe a 1/4"hole and a 1/2" outside
diameter.

Any help, much appreciated.

Tom Wirt
claypot@hutchtel.net

Don Prey on mon 10 aug 98

In a message dated 08/09/98 9:02:45 AM, you wrote:

<
type
material...(Plexi would need to be at least 1/2 inch I imagine).

>>

be careful of the fumes generated when cutting, drilling, sanding plastic
materials. I haven't looked into this for awhile, but recall that some give
off really nasty fumes like cyanide. anyone knowledgeable care to confirm?
Don Prey in Oregon