Marshall Talbott on wed 19 mar 97
We finally broke down a bought a new Venco 4" deairing pugmill. We tried
to buy a used one but they just are not out there. We had two leads in one
years time. Our production rate has gone up about, just guessing, about
30-40%. Obviously, time is saved mostly on wedging, and measuring volumes
of clay. Now we just measure lengths of pugs and do "minimal" amounts of
wedging just to insure against "S" cracks. The clay, which we first mix
from dry ingredients in a Soldner clay mixer, is more workable than before
and is easier to manage after being pugged and deaired. The machine is
built like a brick _ _ _ _ house! The pugmill comes with a seperate vacuum
pump and motor. The vaccum pump motor is rated at 50 Hertz and 240 Volts
and I have been told by Axner that it is okay to run it on 60 Hz. Axner
told me that the motor was modified to run on 60 Hz by Venco. HOWEVER, I
am VERY SKEPTICAL that Venco did indeed modify the motor to run on 60 Hz as
Howard stated. I am implying that Venco is perhaps not giving all of the
facts on this. The vacuum pump motor does operate but it does not sound
"exactly right" as it runs. I will hold Axner and Venco responsible if the
motor fails at some point... Also there is no on/off switch on the vacuum
pump motor (I pull the plug to turn the motor off and I will build in a
switch myself). I would recommend that the "Powers to Be" should strongly
encourage Venco to provide a true 60 Hz quality motor WITH an on/off
switch. This Venco pugmill is too fine of a machine to be compromised with
the short comings of the present vacuum pump motor. And that is my 2 cents
worth on that. I would appreciate any comments on this 50 Hz thing....
Marshall
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>At 11:07 AM 3/16/97 EST, Martin Butt wrote:
>>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>
>>Which brings me (FINALLY!) to the point I would like to propose: pugmill
>>compression, deaired or not, has practically nothing to do with increased
>>plasticity/workability, and vacuum deairing practically everything. Here is
>>what makes me think this.
>> 1. I can compress the bejeeze out of a short clay, for instance by putting a
>>small
>>extrusion die on the end of a big pugmill, and it still comes out short.
>
>Hi Martin:
>
>If you start with short clay, that's all your're going to get, short clay.
>If you deair and compress a clay that has some degree of plasticity and
>workability, the working properties of the clay will improve. Harry Davis
>says in The Potter's Alternative that a deairing pugmill will increase the
>workability of clays that do not have optimum plasticity. I think what he
>says is: The pugmill will make the most of what workability is present in
>the clay.
>
>What you have stated about deairing without compression improving the
>plasticity of clays is an interesting point but I still feel that deairing
>plus compression will greatly improve the workability. Frank Hamer has
>written a bit about deairing and compression and also feels that BOTH
>improve the workability of clays that have some workability and plasticity
>to begin with.
>
>Regards, Craig Martell-Oregon
1ST ANNUAL CLAYARTERS' GALLERY - NAPLES, MAINE (Summmer 1997)
http://fmc.utm.edu/~dmcbeth/cag/naples.htm
>the above site can be viewed but is still under construction<
below are other web-sites which mention the exhibit:
http://www.cclay.com/events.htm
http://www.missouri.edu/~muck/
{contact me directly for more information}
Celia & Marshall Talbott
Pottery By Celia
Route 114
P.O. Box 4116
Naples, Maine 04055-4116
(207)693-6100 voice and fax
clupus@ime.net
Clayarters Live Chat-Room 10:00 pm Eastern Standard Time on Saturday Nites
SHORT CUT if the room has already been created then go to:
http://webchat9.wbs.net/webchat3.so?Room=PRIVATE_Clayarters
or if room has not been created go to WBS at:
http://webchat5.wbs.net/webchat3.so
and set up a "Private Room"... just use the name: Clayarters
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kenneth D Westfall on thu 20 mar 97
I would be very VERY SKEPTICAL if there is no motor tag that says 200/240
volts 50/60 HZ. I see in the Grainger catalog several vacuum pumps that
are duel volts/HZ but to meet NEMA standards it must be marked on the
name plate. I would want to hear it from Venco lips before you smoke
that pump.
Kenneth Westfall
Pine Hill Pottery
potter-ken@juno.com
Craig Martell on fri 21 mar 97
Hi:
I have always found the people at Venco to be more concerned about their
customers than many of the other manufacturers and suppliers that I've dealt
with. When I was an agent for Venco I witnessed several situations where
their products were covered beyond the limits of their warranty. Geoff Hill
once told me that he absolutely did not want any unsatisfied customers. I
know him to be sincere.
You can call Geoff at Venco direct @ 011-61-9-399-5265. Western Australia
is 12 hours ahead of the Eastern US time zone, so call him after 8PM. He'll
be glad to give you any info that you need about their products. A short
call costs between 7 and 10 dollars.
Regards, Craig Martell-Oregon
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