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grinding clay

updated sun 17 jun 12

 

Andy Ward on sun 10 jun 12


I make traditional Southwestern pottery using clay and other raw material=
=3D
s that=3D20
I collect from the local countryside. Needless to say I spend a great dea=
=3D
l of=3D20
time gathering and processing materials and would like to reduce that tim=
=3D
e as=3D20
much as possible while still using my native materials.

I have always ground my clay and temper by hand using a metate (link for =
=3D
this=3D20
who don't know what this is - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metate ). I am=
=3D
aware=3D20
that some people use hand cranked grain or coffee mills for this purpose.=
=3D
Does=3D20
anyone here have any experience with using a hand mill for grinding clay =
=3D
and=3D20
can perhaps make some recommendations?

Andy Ward

Steve Mills on mon 11 jun 12


In the UK, one man I know, David Frith, uses an agricultural Corn Grinder h=
e=3D
got at a farm auction. He uses it to grind his own grog out of bisc fired =
t=3D
rimmings.=3D20
I make up my own body, 50% of which is a local hi-firing brick clay. I have=
t=3D
o sieve out a large amount of Iron Stone to eliminate the black acne that o=
t=3D
herwise contaminates the fired result. For this I use a home made 60 mesh r=
o=3D
tary sieve or Trommel, adding back grog into the clay after sieving. I'm on=
t=3D
he lookout for a corn grinder like David's. I've used a hand operated one b=
u=3D
t that is too much for my arthritic shoulders and VERY slow as well.

I hope this helps.=3D20

Steve M


Steve Mills
Bath
UK
www.mudslinger.me.uk
Sent from my iPod


On 10 Jun 2012, at 17:28, Andy Ward wrote:

> I make traditional Southwestern pottery using clay and other raw material=
s=3D
that=3D20
> I collect from the local countryside. Needless to say I spend a great dea=
l=3D
of=3D20
> time gathering and processing materials and would like to reduce that tim=
e=3D
as=3D20
> much as possible while still using my native materials.
>=3D20
> I have always ground my clay and temper by hand using a metate (link for =
t=3D
his=3D20
> who don't know what this is - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metate ). I am=
a=3D
ware=3D20
> that some people use hand cranked grain or coffee mills for this purpose.=
D=3D
oes=3D20
> anyone here have any experience with using a hand mill for grinding clay =
a=3D
nd=3D20
> can perhaps make some recommendations?
>=3D20
> Andy Ward

Michael Wendt on tue 12 jun 12


I grind nearly a million pounds of clay some years using:

first, a roll mill to crush the dry clay to hammer mill
feed size

second, a hammer mill to reduce the clay to powder.

I built most of my equipment to fit the scale I operate at,
very small scale ( the hammer mill grinds less than 1000
LBS per hour.
Dust collection is fairly easy to build too and works quite
well.

See:
http://www.wendtpottery.com/equip.htm

Regards,
Michael Wendt

Ben Morrison on tue 12 jun 12


All,

If I had the where with all the video below would be my answer to grinding =
cracked broken or unusable pots into usable grog.

Here's a video of a set of vietnamese hammer mills running on a small strea=
m reusing the same water over and over.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D1qYk7MS0xE0



Here's an interesting video of the power of water. It's off topic, but very=
cool!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Dl2KJbRHO76s


-Ben


________________________________
From: Steve Mills
To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Sent: Monday, June 11, 2012 2:48 AM
Subject: Re: Grinding Clay

In the UK, one man I know, David Frith, uses an agricultural Corn Grinder h=
e got at a farm auction. He uses it to grind his own grog out of bisc fired=
trimmings.
I make up my own body, 50% of which is a local hi-firing brick clay. I have=
to sieve out a large amount of Iron Stone to eliminate the black acne that=
otherwise contaminates the fired result. For this I use a home made 60 mes=
h rotary sieve or Trommel, adding back grog into the clay after sieving. I'=
m on the lookout for a corn grinder like David's. I've used a hand operated=
one but that is too much for my arthritic shoulders and VERY slow as well.

I hope this helps.

Steve M


Steve Mills
Bath
UK
www.mudslinger.me.uk
Sent from my iPod


On 10 Jun 2012, at 17:28, Andy Ward wrote:

> I make traditional Southwestern pottery using clay and other raw material=
s that
> I collect from the local countryside. Needless to say I spend a great dea=
l of
> time gathering and processing materials and would like to reduce that tim=
e as
> much as possible while still using my native materials.
>
> I have always ground my clay and temper by hand using a metate (link for =
this
> who don't know what this is - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metate ). I am=
aware
> that some people use hand cranked grain or coffee mills for this purpose.=
Does
> anyone here have any experience with using a hand mill for grinding clay =
and
> can perhaps make some recommendations?
>
> Andy Ward

Des & Jan Howard on tue 12 jun 12


Steve
A grain grinder works well for grinding hard materials
like dry grain or clay biscuit. If you try grinding
materials like damp grain or dry clay the grinding
discs cake up, the same way aluminium will blind an
emery wheel.
Our roller mill crushes clays very well indeed. The
output tho' is in the form of corn flakes, which
matters not as the clay is destined for the blunger. If
a very fine powdery clay is required a hammer mill is
the go, a very dusty enterprise.
Des

On 11/06/2012 7:48 PM, Steve Mills wrote:
> In the UK, one man I know, David Frith, uses an agricultural
> Corn Grinder he got at a farm auction.
> He uses it to grind his own grog out of bisc fired trimmings.


--
Des & Jan Howard
Lue Pottery
Lue NSW
Australia
2850

02 6373 6419
www.luepottery.hwy.com.au
-32.656072 149.840624

Ben Morrison on wed 13 jun 12


That's some good stuff you've got there. That's what I've alw=3D

Michael,=3D0A=3D0AThat's some good stuff you've got there. That's what I've=
alw=3D
ays wanted to have. Buying supplies from a place like Georgies always gives=
=3D
me sticker shock.=3D0A=3D0A-Ben=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A_______________________=
_________=3D0A=3D
From: Michael Wendt =3D0ATo: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG =
=3D
=3D0ASent: Tuesday, June 12, 2012 6:38 PM=3D0ASubject: Re: Grinding Clay=3D=
0A =3D0A=3D
I grind nearly a million pounds of clay some years using:=3D0A=3D0Afirst,=
=3DA0 a =3D
roll mill to crush the dry clay to hammer mill=3D0Afeed size=3D0A=3D0Asecon=
d, a h=3D
ammer mill to reduce the clay to powder.=3D0A=3D0AI built most of my equipm=
ent =3D
to fit the scale I operate at,=3D0Avery small scale ( the hammer mill grind=
s =3D
less than 1000=3D0ALBS per hour.=3D0ADust collection is fairly easy to buil=
d to=3D
o and works quite=3D0Awell.=3D0A=3D0ASee:=3D0Ahttp://www.wendtpottery.com/e=
quip.htm=3D
=3D0A=3D0ARegards,=3D0AMichael Wendt

Jeff Lawrence on thu 14 jun 12


Michael Wendt wrote:
I grind nearly a million pounds of clay some years ...

Hello Michael,

Do you think you might eventually get serious about clay, then?

That's an impressive array of equipment!
JL

Michael Wendt on sat 16 jun 12


Jeff,
It really started out from reading the book for
potters about making your own pottery equipment.
Lewiston is far from any supplier.

The main reason I mention this when people ask about
grinding local clay is building your own equipment is
practical if you like to do it. Think of it as a hobby.
We all have hobbies, right? Mine is making new tools for
the pottery studio.
Clearly, it is not for everyone. If you have no interest in
machines and how they work, don't do it
Encouraging others to try this hobby is why I write about it
on clayart.

Michaelk Wendt

Jeff wrote:
Michael Wendt wrote:
I grind nearly a million pounds of clay some years ...

Hello Michael,

Do you think you might eventually get serious about clay,
then?

That's an impressive array of equipment!
JL