Alice DeLisle on sat 14 jan 12
Does anybody have experience using the Texas Tiler clay press? Here is =3D
a link:
http://www.cowtownceramics.com/Tx-Tiler.htm
Alice DeLisle
wanderland@att.net
http://www.etsy.com/shop/IslandTextures
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alice_delisle/
John Goode on sun 15 jan 12
Alice
Thanks for the link.I have never used it or know anyone that has.
Please do let me know how it works if you get one.
3 relief tiles in 90 seconds.....genius:)
John Goode
watermarktile.com the name says it all :)
On Sat, Jan 14, 2012 at 1:22 PM, Alice DeLisle wrote:
> Does anybody have experience using the Texas Tiler clay press? Here is a
> link:
>
> http://www.cowtownceramics.com/Tx-Tiler.htm
>
>
> Alice DeLisle
>
> wanderland@att.net
> http://www.etsy.com/shop/IslandTextures
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/alice_delisle/
>
Ben Shelton on sun 15 jan 12
I've never used one but there some things I really like about this design, =
=3D
and some things I really don't.=3D0AThings I like about it:=3D0AGetting cla=
y ou=3D
t of the die/mold. Air release is awesome. It makes it unnecessary to have =
=3D
multiple molds. Saves space and labor in mold making. Awesome. Almost unhea=
=3D
rd of in a machine smaller than the "Ram press" type machines.=3D0A=3D0AThi=
ngs =3D
I don't like about it:=3D0AGetting clay into the mold.=3D0AThe use of any t=
ype =3D
of force down onto the unsupported mold is gonna break it eventually especi=
=3D
ally if that force comes in the form of shock force from a hammer blow. Tha=
=3D
t mold material is not flexible like a plastic, rubber or metal. It is more=
=3D
similar to ceramic glass or concrete in that it does not react well to fle=
=3D
xural stresses. That would be easily remedied with a board of the right thi=
=3D
ckness under the mold while you are putting the clay in but you shouldn't h=
=3D
ave to "fix" a new machine.=3DA0=3D0AYou would think that being in Texas th=
e ma=3D
chine designer would have seen a tortilla press. That type of press could s=
=3D
o easily be added to this design. Put the clay in the mold, lay on your pla=
=3D
stic film, press clay into mold with tortilla press action, scrape excess, =
=3D
flip and air release. Heck, you could even incorporate air release into the=
=3D
tortilla press surface making the plastic film unnecessary.=3D0A=3DA0=3D0A=
=3D0AThe=3D
re are some really good ideas there but I think the design could be greatly=
=3D
improved very simply.=3D0Amy 2 cents worth=3D0ABen
stephani stephenson on sun 15 jan 12
II've never seen this press and don't know anyone who has used it.=3D20
what I see is that someone has taken some=3DA0 tried and true processes and=
c=3D
ombined them in a way to possibly make it easier to press and release your =
=3D
own tile. my observations are:
I like their idea=3DA0 of sliding the mold in and out, allowing for an inte=
rc=3D
hangeable molds. And I like the way you can turn the mold over with a handl=
=3D
e, that is if the hinge is sturdy enough to repeatedly handle the weight an=
=3D
d movement.=3D20
I can't tell exactly what you get with the package and what=3DA0 they tell =
yo=3D
u=3DA0 about making=3DA0=3DA0 your own molds, but it looks like they are gi=
ving y=3D
ou one ceramical mold for a field tile and maybe a few materials=3DA0 for y=
ou=3D
to make=3DA0 your own mold(s).
You can make your own air release molds without this press. you need some w=
=3D
ire screen, mold duct tubing, air nozzle fittings, hydrocal or ceramical pl=
=3D
aster, and a 'case' or frame. if you aren't using a RAM press, this 'case' =
=3D
can even be made out of wood. in fact, it looks like they don't give you to=
=3D
o many materials, so you'll likely need to find=3DA0 sources anyway for gyp=
su=3D
m cement (mold plaster),tubing , etc. These materials are not expensive or =
=3D
hard to find, though finding and hauling the plaster can be. you would prob=
=3D
ably need to use hydrocal or ceramical. i'm not sure it's possible to use p=
=3D
otteryplaster #1 or the equivalent=3DA0 for air release molds, for a couple=
o=3D
f reasons, though I would love to hear if anyone does this...i could be con=
=3D
vinced it would work for hand pressing/air release. but it is still a much =
=3D
weaker plaster.=3D20
Anyway, it=3DA0 looks like you would still need to learn how to make air re=
le=3D
ase molds. this involves suspending=3DA0 air duct tubing attached to a wire=
m=3D
esh inside the mold case. you then pour the gypsum cement (hydrocal/ceramic=
=3D
al) into the mold frame and gradually introduce air through the tubing via =
=3D
a fitting on the frame. The air has to be introduced ., gradually=3DA0 over=
a=3D
bout 20=3DA0 minutes, gradually and incrementally increasing the pressure.=
=3D20
to do this you do need a decent air compressor. Air=3DA0 bubbles out throug=
h =3D
the plaster as the plaster sets up , making little=3DA0 air=3DA0 passageway=
s/ p=3D
ores , (not really visible to the eye)=3DA0 throughout the plaster. Once th=
e =3D
mold has cured it is ready for use.=3D20
You press=3DA0 clay into the mold. For the air release to work, in my exper=
ie=3D
nce, you have to first soak the mold in water. The clay is in the mold , th=
=3D
en you press the trigger and introduce some air. The air actually pushes th=
=3D
e water out of the pores/passageways, and=3DA0 pushes the tile out of the m=
ol=3D
d. I have never uses air release with dry molds. I wonder if anyone on list=
=3D
has? Again ,I could be convinced, but my experience is with soaking molds =
=3D
before air release.=3D20
the other thing is, it looks like you=3DA0 will still need to fill and pres=
s =3D
the clay into the mold by hand, so there's no real advantage there.=3DA0 An=
d =3D
it looks like you would need to screed the mold by hand too, as this thing =
=3D
doesn't work like a RAM press, which squeezes all the excess clay to the si=
=3D
de gutters. I'm seeing excess clay on the sides of the tile laying on the l=
=3D
ittle spatula, but I don't quite get it. maybe they don't screed the tile. =
=3D
but it looks like they are pressing it into the mold with a rubber mallet. =
=3D
?? this doesn't jive .
there are other ways to use air to release tiles from molds. You can simply=
=3D
hold an air nozzle up to=3DA0 the edge of the clay, where it meets the mol=
d,=3D
or carve alittle notch someplace alongside the clay and hold an air nozzle=
=3D
there to pop the mold out.
Even so, this part of the process involves a little bit of choreography, ti=
=3D
pping the mold and shooting some air into just the right spot to get the ti=
=3D
le to drop. with practice it isn't too tough though. You can produce a lot =
=3D
of tile this way, and=3DA0 can pop tiles out as soon as they are pressed.
the only other drawback is, this setup=3DA0 it limits you to=3DA0 small siz=
es o=3D
f tile, not much room for variety. Some people would outgrow it pretty quic=
=3D
k, but then it might=3DA0 work just right for others.
there are DYI version that could give you the same thing, maybe for less mo=
=3D
ney, but would involve more time.
The main benefit i see here is some sort of introduction of air release and=
=3D
the =3D0Away you can flip the mold over. that might be an improvement for =
so=3D
me =3D0Apeople.=3D20
=3DA0for someone just getting into it , this press might give you what you =
ne=3D
ed to get started, and might provide a good introduction=3DA0 into the proc=
es=3D
s. Looks like they have put some thought into it and if they are made well =
=3D
and made in the USA, I hope they sell some.=3D20
Stephani Stephenson
Alice DeLisle on sun 15 jan 12
I am also hoping to hear about somebody else's experience before =3D
investing! =3D20
I was surprised that I had not heard about it before. Usually the word =3D
gets around pretty quickly on a new tool. Vince, maybe you need to =3D
include it in one of your reviews.
Alice DeLisle
wanderland@att.net
http://www.etsy.com/shop/IslandTextures
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alice_delisle/
On Jan 15, 2012, at 9:39 AM, John Goode wrote:
> Alice
> Thanks for the link.I have never used it or know anyone that has.
> Please do let me know how it works if you get one.
> 3 relief tiles in 90 seconds.....genius:)
> John Goode
> watermarktile.com the name says it all :)
> On Sat, Jan 14, 2012 at 1:22 PM, Alice DeLisle =3D
wrote:
> Does anybody have experience using the Texas Tiler clay press? Here =3D
is a link:
>=3D20
> http://www.cowtownceramics.com/Tx-Tiler.htm
>=3D20
>=3D20
> Alice DeLisle
>=3D20
> wanderland@att.net
> http://www.etsy.com/shop/IslandTextures
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/alice_delisle/
>=3D20
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