BERNARD SMITH on fri 23 aug 96
Catching up on some time away from Clayart so these comment are a few
days past due.
I am a hobby potter but still manage to use my "OOZIE" hand-held
extruder gun a couple of times per week. This gun has a hard plastic
end-cap that is attached to a metal handle with a couple of large pop
rivets. In my opinion this is the only weak point in the whole
design. My first one lasted a week before I popped the rivets (and
it was cheerfully replaced free). The second one has lasted for over
a year now that I know how to take care of it.
Some suggestions:
1) Sand down the plaster plunger so it rides a bit freely in the
barrel. You are not worried about a tight seal here and excessive
handle pressure bears directly on these rivets.
2) I found that spraying a small bit of water in the barrel before
loading the clay makes it operate smoother.
3) Remove all clay when finished. Also clean the barrel since any
dried clay lining the barrel creates some extra friction the next
time.
4) Release the pressure on the plunger (using the thumb lever)
after EACH COIL. Again, keeping the pressure on is just putting
pressure on the rivets.
5) All pieces do not have to be screwed together as tight as
possible; I found only about half the threads showing is more than
sufficient to keep things together.
Hope this helps.
Barney in Minneapolis; when will I make the time to go to Warren
Mackenzie'sshow room??
John Rodgers on wed 3 nov 04
I found a neat little item at the web site listed below. It's called a
*Spritz Cookie Maker. *Has 18 different extruder dies. Might be worth a
look for some needing a ready made hand operated extruder.
http://www.sweetc.com/bake2.htm
John Rodgers
Chelsea, AL
Mayssan Shora Farra on wed 3 nov 04
Hello John:
I have one of these for cookies, never ussed it for clay as the mechanism
and dies seem too flimsy for clay, Instead I bought the hand extruder
(based in a caulk gun) which is comprable in price but much strdier.
I got mine at big ceramic store
http://www.bigceramicstore.com
Mayssan
in starting to get cold Charleston WV, USA
http://www.clayvillepottery.com
John Rodgers on wed 3 nov 04
Flimsy....hmmm. Thats to bad. Looked like it could have been useful. But
not if it isn't strong enough to handle the pressure of clay.
Thanks for letting me .... and other clayarters know.
Regards,
John Rodgers
Chelsea, Al
Mayssan Shora Farra wrote:
>Hello John:
>
>I have one of these for cookies, never ussed it for clay as the mechanism
>and dies seem too flimsy for clay, Instead I bought the hand extruder
>(based in a caulk gun) which is comprable in price but much strdier.
>
>I got mine at big ceramic store
>
>http://www.bigceramicstore.com
>
>Mayssan
>in starting to get cold Charleston WV, USA
>
>http://www.clayvillepottery.com
>
>______________________________________________________________________________
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
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>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
>
>
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>
Vince Pitelka on wed 3 nov 04
>I found a neat little item at the web site listed below. It's called a
> *Spritz Cookie Maker. *Has 18 different extruder dies. Might be worth a
> look for some needing a ready made hand operated extruder.
John -
I have tried several of these cookie presses that I picked up at yard sales,
and they have a very short life in the clay studio. The whole design is
intended for soft cookie dough, and they do not hold up to the requirements
of clay extruding. Of course, there may be sturdier versions that I am not
familiar with. But several of the extruder manufacturers, including Scott
Creek, are not making small hand extruders that are like a cookie press, but
much sturdier. So, as far as I have seen, the money saved on a cookie press
simply isn't worth it. This seems to be one of those cases where you really
do get what you pay for.
Best wishes -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Technological University
Smithville TN 37166, 615/597-6801 x111
vpitelka@dtccom.net, wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/
Kate Johnson on wed 3 nov 04
> Flimsy....hmmm. Thats to bad. Looked like it could have been useful. But
> not if it isn't strong enough to handle the pressure of clay.
>
> Thanks for letting me .... and other clayarters know.
Hi John--I think it depends on the clay. I have some new red earthenware
that is softer than any cookie dough I've ever dealt with! Even though the
cookie presses are only aluminum, I think I could use them with these tools.
For very fine work, I've used a similar device meant for polymer clay--it's
somewhat sturdier, though smaller, than the cookie-dough model, but the same
idea.
Wanting to check out the hand extruder now, though. Who knows, there might
be a time it would work with my sculptures...
Regards,
Kate Johnson
Graphics/Fine Arts
http://www.cathyjohnson.info/
http://www.epsi.net/graphic/
http://www.ebsqart.com/Artists/cmd_1494_profile.htm
Vince Pitelka on wed 3 nov 04
> I have tried several of these cookie presses that I picked up at yard
> sales,
> and they have a very short life in the clay studio. The whole design is
> intended for soft cookie dough, and they do not hold up to the
> requirements
> of clay extruding. Of course, there may be sturdier versions that I am
> not
> familiar with. But several of the extruder manufacturers, including Scott
> Creek, are not making small hand extruders that are like a cookie press,
> but
> much sturdier. So, as far as I have seen, the money saved on a cookie
> press
> simply isn't worth it. This seems to be one of those cases where you
> really
> do get what you pay for.
Sorry folks, I need to proof more carefully! Above, it should say that
"several of the extruder manufacturers, including Scott Creek, are NOW
making small hand extruders . . . "
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Technological University
Smithville TN 37166, 615/597-6801 x111
vpitelka@dtccom.net, wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/
Lori Leary on thu 4 nov 04
One thing that these old cookie presses are useful for is their dies. I
have duct taped the dies to the smaller circle dies of my Bailey
extruder. (Be sure the taped part is on the inside of the barrel when
extruding) Of course this thread is about hand extruders, not large
ones, but I thought I'd throw in this little tidbit.
Best,
Lori L.
...sad about yesterday..... and worried, too.
John Rodgers wrote:
> Flimsy....hmmm. Thats to bad. Looked like it could have been useful. But
> not if it isn't strong enough to handle the pressure of clay.
>
> Thanks for letting me .... and other clayarters know.
>
> Regards,
>
> John Rodgers
> Chelsea, Al
>
> Mayssan Shora Farra wrote:
>
>> Hello John:
>>
>> I have one of these for cookies, never ussed it for clay as the
>> mechanism
>> and dies seem too flimsy for clay, Instead I bought the hand extruder
>> (based in a caulk gun) which is comprable in price but much strdier.
>>
>> I got mine at big ceramic store
>>
>> http://www.bigceramicstore.com
>>
>> Mayssan
>> in starting to get cold Charleston WV, USA
>>
>> http://www.clayvillepottery.com
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________________________
>>
>> 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.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
>
> 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.
>
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