Jeannean Hibbitts on mon 23 jun 08
wrote in a couple months ago asking extruder advice, and I want to report
back. I bought "The Extruder Book" and used the instructions for making the
Otto Pearsall gas pipe extruder (I'll try the Texas bumper jack extruder
when I have welding equipment). I did it all by myself, even the drilling (a
nice sense of accomplishment!). The instructions call for 3 inch pipe for
the barrel, but I also bought 4 inch, since I want to make some larger
stuff. The instructions only claim that it's a light duty extruder, but so
far it's doing okay with the larger barrel.
One thing I did differently, and I haven't seen this anywhere else, is that
I used a hole saw for making the plunger disk. I tried using my Rotozip
spiral saw to cut the dies, but the friction melted some of the plastic
(polypropylene? it was a cutting board from my kitchen) and I had to go over
it again. Very messy. So I invested in a 4-1/2 inch hole saw. Since I don't
always want the hole in the middle of the die that the pilot bit of the hole
saw would drill, and since it's impossible to control a hole saw without it,
I used the hole saw with pilot bit to cut a hole in a scrap of wood to make
a jig. I then clamped the jig on the plastic, used copious amounts of
machine oil around the blade of the hole saw to keep it cool, and proceeded
to cut about a dozen die blanks in about half an hour.
I just bought a bit designed for plastic for my Rotozip so I'm going to try
it again for cutting the shapes in the dies, but otherwise I got a coping
saw which I learning to use. I'm just spoiled using power tools.
For my first extrusions I made square tubes to use as glazing test "tiles".
I make them big enough that I can dip them 3 times, at different depths, and
there's enough glaze on the tile that I can actually see the effect. I
texture them and number them, and should maybe start putting holes in them
so I can hang them on the glaze bucket, or at least on a bit of rope to free
up some shelf space.
Jeannean Hibbitts
Spider Hole Pottery
...in overcast Astoria, Oregon, where I finally got my tomatoes and herbs
planted and discovered kittens next to the house behind an overgrown flower
bed. Mom and Pop were there, too, taking turns watching the little ones - 2
little tabbies with big blue eyes. Yes, we're feeding them - they're all
looking well fed and happy. I'm delighted and at the same time unnerved at
the thought that there could be a whole new colony of cats in my vegetable
garden if we don't get them fixed - yikes!
Larry Kruzan on mon 23 jun 08
Hi Jeannean,
Congratulations!!!! I love it when folks make their own tools and it's even
better when they make them their "own" by modifying the design.
You might already have them, but if not, I would suggest that you check out
David Hendley's extruder trilogy on DVD. Hours of solid extruder ideas,
inspiration, good music, and of course, the David himself. www.farmpots.com
Have Fun,
Larry Kruzan
Lost Creek Pottery
www.lostcreekpottery.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of Jeannean
Hibbitts
Sent: Monday, June 23, 2008 2:48 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: [CLAYART] Continuing adventures in extruding
wrote in a couple months ago asking extruder advice, and I want to report
back. I bought "The Extruder Book" and used the instructions for making the
Otto Pearsall gas pipe extruder (I'll try the Texas bumper jack extruder
when I have welding equipment). I did it all by myself, even the drilling (a
nice sense of accomplishment!).
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