Maggie Furtak on wed 25 apr 12
My 1975 Shimpo RK2 wheel is showing signs of age. I am t=3D
Hi all,=3DA0=3D0A=3D0AMy 1975 Shimpo RK2 wheel is showing signs of age. =3D=
A0I am t=3D
horoughly competent little repair-lady if I can get the part, but which par=
=3D
t...? =3DA0Let me know if this scenario sounds familiar to anyone: =3DA0=3D=
A0=3D0A=3D
=3D0ASometimes when I first turn the wheel on and try to center, the wheel =
sl=3D
ows down. =3DA0The harder I push on the pedal, the slower the wheel goes. =
=3DA0=3D
If I try to push it to top speed and also provide a bit of resistance by pu=
=3D
shing on the clay to center, the wheel will go slower and slower for a few =
=3D
seconds and then stop completely. =3DA0If I back off the pedal a bit, and t=
ak=3D
e the pressure off the clay, it comes back up to speed. =3DA0After the firs=
t =3D
minute or two of throwing gently, the problem goes away. =3DA0=3D0A=3D0AI h=
ave ye=3D
t to flip the wheel over and look for anything obviously worn, because the =
=3D
thing is older than I am. =3DA0It's all worn! =3DA0(And I love it, and it's=
a w=3D
ork-horse, don't fail me now, little orange RK2!) =3DA0=3D0A=3D0AAnyone hav=
e any =3D
clues to start with? =3DA0It's not a huge problem, but it occurs to me that=
i=3D
t's better to get the part now and fix it, so the wheel doesn't die at an i=
=3D
nconvenient time. =3DA0Assuming what I need is still available somewhere. =
=3DA0=3D
I'm happy to send a digital pic of the wheel innards if that helps. =3DA0=
=3D0A=3D
=3D0AThanks everybody!=3D0A-Maggie Furtak=3D0A=3DA0=3D0APate Ceramics=3D0Ap=
ateceramics.=3D
etsy.com=3D0Apateceramics.blogspot.com=3D0A781-956-1364=3D0A517 Fellsway Ea=
st=3D0AM=3D
alden, MA 02148
Nancy Gallagher on wed 25 apr 12
On 4/25/12 1:39 PM, Maggie Furtak wrote:
> Sometimes when I first turn the wheel on and try to center, the wheel slo=
ws down. The harder I push on the pedal, the slower the wheel goes. If I =
try to push it to top speed and also provide a bit of resistance by pushing=
on the clay to center, the wheel will go slower and slower for a few secon=
ds and then stop completely. If I back off the pedal a bit, and take the p=
ressure off the clay, it comes back up to speed. After the first minute or=
two of throwing gently, the problem goes away.
>
>
I just 'fixed' this problem on my own Bailey wheel. Put new belts on (my
particular wheel has three belts that go around the pulley in the same
spot), tightened the set screw on the pulley and I was good to go. I am
NOT such a great little mechanical repair person and it went fine for
me, so for you, it should be a walk in the park. I imagine a call to
Shimpo's tech dept will get you the correct belts delivered quickly.
--
Nancy Gallagher
http://www.gallagherpottery.com
Want to adopt a basset hound? Visit http://www.dailydrool.com
Carl Finch on wed 25 apr 12
At 10:39 AM 4/25/2012, Maggie Furtak wrote:
>Hi all, My 1975 Shimpo RK2 wheel is showing signs of age. I am
>thoroughly competent little repair-lady if I can get the part, but
>which part...? Let me know if this scenario sounds familiar to
>anyone: Sometimes when I first turn the wheel on and try to
>center, the wheel slows down. The harder I push on the pedal, the
>slower the wheel goes. If I try to push it to top speed and also
>provide a bit of resistance by pushing on the clay to center, the
>wheel will go slower and slower for a few seconds and then stop
>completely. If I back off the pedal a bit, and take the pressure
>off the clay, it comes back up to speed. After the first minute or
>two of throwing gently, the problem goes away. I have yet to flip
>the wheel over and look for anything obviously worn, because the
>thing is older than I am. It's all worn! (And I love it, and it's
>a work-horse, don't fail me now, little orange RK2!) Anyone have
>any clues to start with? It's not a huge problem, but it occurs to
>me that it's better to get the part now and fix it, so the wheel
>doesn't die at an inconvenient time. Assuming what I need is still
>available somewhere. I'm happy to send a digital pic of the wheel
>innards if that helps.
This sounds like slippage between the rubber drive-ring and the metal
drive cone.
So I googled "shimpo rk2 slipping drive" and came upon Vince
Pitelka's 2002 Clayart description of the two RK models and the
(unfortunate!) differences in their drive cones---the RK-2's being
inferior to the RK-1's, and more prone to needing readjustment:
http://www.potters.org/subject56146.htm/
I have a 1971 "RK-2" (but it's apparently a transitional model, and
more like an RK-1 than your RK-2).
It seems to me that your problem might be either one of adjustment
(Vince's post) or possibly you're in need of a new rubber drive ring
(which have been hard to find, lo these 40 years since).
--Carl Finch
Vince Pitelka on wed 25 apr 12
Maggie Furtak wrote:
"My 1975 Shimpo RK2 wheel is showing signs of age. =3DA0Sometimes when I =
=3D
first
turn the wheel on and try to center, the wheel slows down. =3DA0The harder =
=3D
I
push on the pedal, the slower the wheel goes. =3DA0If I try to push it to =
=3D
top
speed and also provide a bit of resistance by pushing on the clay to =3D
center,
the wheel will go slower and slower for a few seconds and then stop
completely. =3DA0If I back off the pedal a bit, and take the pressure off =
=3D
the
clay, it comes back up to speed. =3DA0After the first minute or two of =3D
throwing
gently, the problem goes away." =3DA0
Hi Maggie -=3D20
Carl Finch has it right. The problem is either in the adjustment that
determines the pressure of the drive cone against the rubber drive ring, =
=3D
or
else the condition of the ring itself. When you use the wheel for a =3D
while
things expand, which increases the pressure of the cone against the ring =
=3D
-
that's why it starts working fine after a while. If the wheel works =3D
well
otherwise, I am inclined to think that you will be fine with nothing =3D
more
than an adjustment. I do not remember how to do that adjustment because =
=3D
we
sidelined our RK-2s quite a few years ago. If you can't figure it out =3D
let me
know We still have some RK-2s around in storage and I can flip one over =
=3D
and
take a look. =3D20
The RK-1 was so much better, and I know that there were some =3D
transitional
RK-2s that preserved the drive system of the RK-1. If the motor =3D
assembly
slides on a horizontal track and the surface of the cone is straight =3D
(from
largest diameter to tip), then it is the RK-1 system. If the motor =3D
pivots
on the foot pedal shaft and the surface of the cone is curved, then it =3D
is
the RK-2 system (except for those transitional wheels like the one Carl
has).
For the life of me I cannot understand why no one has come up with
aftermarket rubber drive rings for those wheels. They are a very =3D
specific
shape and there is nothing that can be adapted from another application.
Apparently Seattle Pottery Supply has some, but they sell them for $75
apiece, which is highway robbery. Why doesn't someone else take up the
challenge and make these rings? There are still a lot of early Shimpo =3D
wheels
around, and like Maggie says, they are indestructible. =3D20
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Tech University
vpitelka@dtccom.net
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
Maggie Furtak on thu 26 apr 12
Thanks for the quick responses, guys! =3DA0I'm always happy to have the col=
le=3D
ctive wisdom of clayart at my back. =3DA0Sounds like most votes go for slip=
pa=3D
ge between the cone and the rubber drive ring. =3DA0After brushing out the =
wi=3D
dow spider webs and steeling myself for a trip to the hospital I poked arou=
=3D
nd under there, and it looks like the ring may be worn to me. =3DA0(Wouldn'=
t =3D
be surprising after almost 40 years). =3DA0I'll see about a new one, if the=
y =3D
are still around. =3DA0Can't hurt to replace it while the part is still ava=
il=3D
able. =3DA0=3D0A=3D0AIn the meantime, I found a newer model Shimpo posted o=
n crai=3D
gslist for $300. =3DA0May keep my RK2 as an extra and upgrade by a few deca=
de=3D
s. =3DA0Waiting to hear back about what model year it is, but it may be wor=
th=3D
it. =3DA0Hey! =3DA0I could have a splash pan again! =3DA0The savings on la=
undry =3D
alone would pay for it! =3DA0=3D0A=3D0AThanks to you all, and I'll post on =
my rin=3D
g replacement/adjustment travails for the edification of everyone when I ge=
=3D
t around to it. =3DA0I'll have to wait 'til I have a break in production in=
c=3D
ase at first I don't succeed. =3DA0It's always good to know how to do stuff=
! =3D
=3DA0=3D0A=3D0A-Maggie Furtak=3D0A=3D0APate Ceramics=3D0Apateceramics.etsy.=
com=3D0Apatece=3D
ramics.blogspot.com=3D0A781-956-1364=3D0A517 Fellsway East=3D0AMalden, MA=
=3DA0=3DA002=3D
148=3DA0
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