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bailey slab roller choice confusion

updated wed 26 may 10

 

Larry Kruzan on mon 24 may 10


Hi Paul,
I have to say first of all I'm a lazy sort of bum and just hate to work =3D
harder than I have to (the back hurts bad enough). So with that basic work =
=3D
ethic established - I own the 30=3D22 electric drive board model with the =
=3D
long table. I will part with it when they pry my cold, dead, clay covered =
=3D
hands off of it.=3D20

After owning a Thunder Fart, a bastard Brent and a home-made contraption =
=3D
that did work for VERY small parts, I finally have a machine that will =3D
make FLAT slabs of any size without hurting me more than the clay.

If I had bought the real tool in the beginning I would have saved 1 or 2 =
=3D
thousand =3D24=3D24=3D24=3D24 and untold months of frustration. The TR had =
a =3D
tendency to suck the canvas (AND clay) down into the bowels of the roller =
=3D
and table. It also was poorly machined having eccentricity on the rollers, =
=3D
which gave me a wavy slab.=3D20

The 36=3D22 Brent was a ok machine in many ways, BUT I had to use very soft=
=3D
clay or I would have the table boards bow giving me a slab that was thick =
=3D
in the middle and thin on the edges. By turning the slab and rerunning it =
=3D
a couple times I could eventually get a reasonably flat slab - but this =3D
should NOT be required if the machine was built right.

I freely confess to being a tool junkie - I just love new tools. But I =3D
should have learned a long time ago that when you make your living with =3D
tools - don't scrimp, buy the best, buy it one time.=3D20

Sorry I can't advise you about the small tabletop slab rollers, other than =
=3D
the small home made one that worked to make very small slabs, I haven't =3D
used any. I can say that I own a lot of Bailey equipment, power extruder, =
=3D
slab roller, a couple wheels, even had a small pugmill - they all perform =
=3D
as advertised and expected.=3D20

Ten years ago I suffered a catastrophic fire in my woodshop with a total =
=3D
loss of everything. There were tools that I replaced at once and tools =3D
that I just never did replace - If my pottery studio was wiped out today =
=3D
the first thing I would replace after my wheels would be my Bailey slab =3D
roller.

Larry Kruzan
Lost Creek Pottery
www.lostcreekpottery.com


-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart =3D5Bmailto:Clayart=3D40LSV.CERAMICS.ORG=3D5D On Behalf Of Pa=
ul =3D
Haigh
Sent: Monday, May 24, 2010 12:45 PM
To: Clayart=3D40LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Bailey slab roller choice confusion

Starting to do more slab work (still mostly a wheel worker) and want to =3D
retire the rolling pin. I've seen good recommendations for Bailey rollers- =
=3D
but looking at 2 sizes of mini-mights, 30D, DRD II, DRD II plus fiber.... =
=3D
well you get the point.

Are the mini mights worth it for someone that doesn't do a huge amount of =
=3D
slab work and doesn't need huge slabs? Will they hold up? Should I spring =
=3D
for the 30D if I have the lettuce? I want a roller that I can stow away =3D
when not in use.

Thanks=3D21
-pH

Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/3y8gaw2
Otherwise: http://wileyhill.com





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Paul Haigh on mon 24 may 10


Starting to do more slab work (still mostly a wheel worker) and want to ret=
ire the rolling pin. I've seen good recommendations for Bailey rollers- but=
looking at 2 sizes of mini-mights, 30D, DRD II, DRD II plus fiber.... well=
you get the point.

Are the mini mights worth it for someone that doesn't do a huge amount of s=
lab work and doesn't need huge slabs? Will they hold up? Should I spring fo=
r the 30D if I have the lettuce? I want a roller that I can stow away when =
not in use.

Thanks!
-pH

Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/3y8gaw2
Otherwise: http://wileyhill.com

Paul Haigh on tue 25 may 10


Thanks Larry-
I'm a strong proponent of the idea that I don't have enough money to buy ch=
eap tools. I have got some feedback that the small Bailey is reliable and s=
turdy. I'm not doing anything large, but if I have to upgrade I'm sure that=
your words will haunt me. :)

-pH


----- Original Message -----
From: "Larry Kruzan"
To: wileyhill@COMCAST.NET, Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Sent: Tuesday, May 25, 2010 12:06:52 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: RE: Bailey slab roller choice confusion

Hi Paul,
I have to say first of all I'm a lazy sort of bum and just hate to work har=
der than I have to (the back hurts bad enough). So with that basic work eth=
ic established - I own the 30" electric drive board model with the long tab=
le. I will part with it when they pry my cold, dead, clay covered hands off=
of it.

Mimi Patrick on tue 25 may 10


Paul - even if you are not currently doing anything large out of slabs, yo=
u
may want to think about larger slabs and making multiples of a form. This
is where a larger slab roller would be invaluable.

Mimi Patrick
Argenta Earth & Fire Co.
Gold Hill, NV

Larry Kruzan on tue 25 may 10


<> The Rolling Thunder from Axner =3DE2=3D80=3D93 it stank REAL Bad. <=
> =3D
Sorry about the pun Gail. Hope it didn=3DE2=3D80=3D99t offend.

=3D20

That thing drove me nuts=3D21 It was the most poorly machined piece of =3D
equipment I have ever owned. It took two people to successfully get a slab =
=3D
off it. One to turn the wheel and one to pull the canvas, otherwise it got =
=3D
pulled down into the table. If you are thinking about one, change your =3D
mind ans save your sanity.=3D20

=3D20

Larry Kruzan

Lost Creek Pottery

www.lostcreekpottery.com

=3D20

=3D20

=3D20

From: figglywig=3D40comcast.net =3D5Bmailto:figglywig=3D40comcast.net=3D5D=
=3D20
Sent: Tuesday, May 25, 2010 9:20 AM
To: Larry Kruzan
Subject: Re: Bailey slab roller choice confusion

=3D20

ok, Larry -

=3D20

ya got me. what the hell is a Thunder Fart slab roller?

=3D20

Gail

=3D20





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