The Wrights on mon 11 aug 97
Hi Everybody,
I'm new on the list. I am an amateur potter who always was fascinated
by it and finally got a chance to "fall in love" with it when I took 4
semesters of it as an undergraduate student at William Paterson College
(now University, yes, WPU can you believe it) in New Jersey. I took 2
semesters of sculpture, tried other sculptural media and realized how
much I loved clay. My last semester was starting out sad because I
thought it might be the last time in a long time that I would be able to
work with clay. My professor was very generous and allowed alumni clay
students to use the studio as long as they helped clean up and stack
kilns when it was necessary. Yet, I knew my schedule would probably not
allow for me to spend time in the studio once school was over and I knew
beyond a shadow of a doubt that I would not be able to afford a wheel
for a long time. At least I thought I knew.
One day I was working in a part of the studio that I didn't usually work
in. I was wedging clay. Since wedging is such a very exciting(?) job I
was looking at all the same old stuff on the bulletin board. Then one
nice clean white paper popped out at me. I looked closer and saw
someone was selling a potters wheel and a kiln for $350.00. I almost
didn't take it because I thought it would be a little table top model
wheel and a little "one vase capacity" kiln. But I changed my mind and
snatched that nice white paper and stuffed it in my pocket. That night,
I found out much to my surprise that it was a kick wheel with a mounted
motor and the kiln is a large electric kiln. So, I purchased the set
and my semester ended up happier.
I have been getting back into my clay work now after not doing much with
it since I graduated in May'96, got engaged, got married and moved from
my parents house in October. For my money, I have been doing free-lance
bookkeeping, and teaching art to home-schooled children. I am
currently working on going into the teaching homeschooled children and
doing free-lance art work full time now. My husband is probably going
to take over the bookkeeping. Sorry for the segue.
Anyway. My wheel is an old wheel about 15-20 years old. I think it is
in very good condition considering it sat outside for a year covered up
in someones parking lot, the kiln also. The fly wheel seems to be cast
iron. It doesn't keep the momentum like the big heavy stone wheels do,
but it spins nice and smoothly. The problem I'm having with it is that
there is a distinct vibration when the drive wheel engages with the fly
wheel (I hope I used the correct terminology). It is so strong that it
actually pumps my left (foot pedal) leg up and down. I try to hold my
leg steady and I can't. I actually had to change my centering technique
because I used to hold my left elbow steady resting on my left leg and
pressed into my hip. But that made my arm bump up and down and
obviously centering was almost impossible. I changed the drive wheel,
because the one that came with it was old and misshapened. It helped a
little bit but not a whole lot. What is the best "resting" distance
between the drive wheel and the fly wheel? If the distance is off could
that make a difference? Maybe the drive wheel is not hitting the fly
wheel at a good angle because it's up too high? I can't remember where
I have it. I keep my wheel at my parents house and I am at mine right
now, so I can't check now.
The kiln will need some major overhaul. I'm wondering if it will be
worth it. I can't remember right now which kind it is. The fire brick
seems to be disintegrating and the whole thing will need rewiring as the
elements all seem to be rusted. Even if I trash the kiln, I still think
I got my money's worth on the wheel. I sure would like to use the kiln
though. My dad does not want me to use it in the basement. I
understand. Hopefully, someday I will be able to have a real studio.
I have some technique questions that I will be sending after this e to
make things easier for anyone to answer.
You guys are a real "talkative" bunch. I've been on other lists and
none of them have generated as much mail as this one. In fact I have
downloaded all the past files since 3/96 and I'm "editting" and indexing
them to print-out and keep in notebooks for reference material. I had no
idea that there would be sooooo much stuff. So, I have a big project
ahead of me. As if I have nothing to do?!?!?! If anyone knows any
"netiquette" that says I shouldn't do it please let me know. I am
keeping everyone's names and e addresses associated with each item, so I
won't take credit for everyone's great advice. It's a big help to me
because I'm on a real tight budget and can't afford to keep buying
books.
Thanks in advance for your help with my problem.
e you soon
Flo
David Hendley on tue 12 aug 97
Hi Flo,
It sounds like your flywheel is not perfectly level. When the high side
hits the motor the motor and your foot are raised up. At 200 RPM this could
feel more like a vibration. I had this problem on a wheel once. As for how
to fix it, sorry, no suggestions, but you or a mechanically-inclined friend
can probably figure it out.
Best of luck
David Hendley
Maydelle, Texas
At 08:22 AM 8/11/97 EDT, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Hi Everybody,
>
>I'm new on the list. I am an amateur potter who always was fascinated
>by it and finally got a chance to "fall in love" with it when I took 4
>semesters of it as an undergraduate student at William Paterson College
>(now University, yes, WPU can you believe it) in New Jersey. I took 2
>semesters of sculpture, tried other sculptural media and realized how
>much I loved clay. My last semester was starting out sad because I
>thought it might be the last time in a long time that I would be able to
>work with clay. My professor was very generous and allowed alumni clay
>students to use the studio as long as they helped clean up and stack
>kilns when it was necessary. Yet, I knew my schedule would probably not
>allow for me to spend time in the studio once school was over and I knew
>beyond a shadow of a doubt that I would not be able to afford a wheel
>for a long time. At least I thought I knew.
>
>One day I was working in a part of the studio that I didn't usually work
>in. I was wedging clay. Since wedging is such a very exciting(?) job I
>was looking at all the same old stuff on the bulletin board. Then one
>nice clean white paper popped out at me. I looked closer and saw
>someone was selling a potters wheel and a kiln for $350.00. I almost
>didn't take it because I thought it would be a little table top model
>wheel and a little "one vase capacity" kiln. But I changed my mind and
>snatched that nice white paper and stuffed it in my pocket. That night,
>I found out much to my surprise that it was a kick wheel with a mounted
>motor and the kiln is a large electric kiln. So, I purchased the set
>and my semester ended up happier.
>
>I have been getting back into my clay work now after not doing much with
>it since I graduated in May'96, got engaged, got married and moved from
>my parents house in October. For my money, I have been doing free-lance
>bookkeeping, and teaching art to home-schooled children. I am
>currently working on going into the teaching homeschooled children and
>doing free-lance art work full time now. My husband is probably going
>to take over the bookkeeping. Sorry for the segue.
>
>Anyway. My wheel is an old wheel about 15-20 years old. I think it is
>in very good condition considering it sat outside for a year covered up
>in someones parking lot, the kiln also. The fly wheel seems to be cast
>iron. It doesn't keep the momentum like the big heavy stone wheels do,
>but it spins nice and smoothly. The problem I'm having with it is that
>there is a distinct vibration when the drive wheel engages with the fly
>wheel (I hope I used the correct terminology). It is so strong that it
>actually pumps my left (foot pedal) leg up and down. I try to hold my
>leg steady and I can't. I actually had to change my centering technique
>because I used to hold my left elbow steady resting on my left leg and
>pressed into my hip. But that made my arm bump up and down and
>obviously centering was almost impossible. I changed the drive wheel,
>because the one that came with it was old and misshapened. It helped a
>little bit but not a whole lot. What is the best "resting" distance
>between the drive wheel and the fly wheel? If the distance is off could
>that make a difference? Maybe the drive wheel is not hitting the fly
>wheel at a good angle because it's up too high? I can't remember where
>I have it. I keep my wheel at my parents house and I am at mine right
>now, so I can't check now.
>
>The kiln will need some major overhaul. I'm wondering if it will be
>worth it. I can't remember right now which kind it is. The fire brick
>seems to be disintegrating and the whole thing will need rewiring as the
>elements all seem to be rusted. Even if I trash the kiln, I still think
>I got my money's worth on the wheel. I sure would like to use the kiln
>though. My dad does not want me to use it in the basement. I
>understand. Hopefully, someday I will be able to have a real studio.
>
>I have some technique questions that I will be sending after this e to
>make things easier for anyone to answer.
>
>You guys are a real "talkative" bunch. I've been on other lists and
>none of them have generated as much mail as this one. In fact I have
>downloaded all the past files since 3/96 and I'm "editting" and indexing
>them to print-out and keep in notebooks for reference material. I had no
>idea that there would be sooooo much stuff. So, I have a big project
>ahead of me. As if I have nothing to do?!?!?! If anyone knows any
>"netiquette" that says I shouldn't do it please let me know. I am
>keeping everyone's names and e addresses associated with each item, so I
>won't take credit for everyone's great advice. It's a big help to me
>because I'm on a real tight budget and can't afford to keep buying
>books.
>
>Thanks in advance for your help with my problem.
>e you soon
>Flo
>
>
Clyde Wynia on wed 13 aug 97
At 08:22 AM 8/11/97 EDT, you wrote:
>
>Anyway. My wheel is an old wheel about 15-20 years old. I think it is
>in very good condition considering it sat outside for a year covered up
>in someones parking lot, the kiln also. The fly wheel seems to be cast
>iron. It doesn't keep the momentum like the big heavy stone wheels do,
>but it spins nice and smoothly. The problem I'm having with it is that
>there is a distinct vibration when the drive wheel engages with the fly
>wheel (I hope I used the correct terminology). It is so strong that it
>actually pumps my left (foot pedal) leg up and down. I try to hold my
>leg steady and I can't. I actually had to change my centering technique
>because I used to hold my left elbow steady resting on my left leg and
>pressed into my hip. But that made my arm bump up and down and
>obviously centering was almost impossible. I changed the drive wheel,
>because the one that came with it was old and misshapened. It helped a
>little bit but not a whole lot. What is the best "resting" distance
>between the drive wheel and the fly wheel? If the distance is off could
>that make a difference? Maybe the drive wheel is not hitting the fly
>wheel at a good angle because it's up too high? I can't remember where
>I have it. I keep my wheel at my parents house and I am at mine right
>now, so I can't check now.
More than likely the drive wheel is out of round or has flat spots. True
the drive wheel up or put a new one on and I bet the problem disappears.
The whole wheel frame doesn't have to be level. It will run on a slant as
well as on the level. But the drive wheel must be round and touch on a
smooth flywheel surface.
Clyde Wynia
M222 Sugarbush Lane
Marshfield, WI 54449
715-387-1653 Home
715-387-2580 Office
715-387-1212 Fax
Kenneth D Westfall on wed 13 aug 97
Flo,
One possible cause for the shaking is a bad motor bearing. If the
bearing(s) in the motor are excessively worn, then the motor shaft could
be moving in and out or from side to side and you would notice this when
the motor shaft engages the flywheel ( via the friction wheel). To test
for this, disci\onnect power from the wheel, then grab the motor shaft
frimly and try to move it both in & out and from side to side. If
there's more that 3/16-1/4" movement(play) in & out, or if there's any
movement side to side, then, this could be the culprit.
Tracey Westfall
Pine Hill Pottery
potter-ken@juno.com
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