Shaun A. Mullin on mon 20 jul 98
Hi
Sorry if this seems a bit lowbrow, but did you check the wheelhead with
a level? Just use a carpenter's level or smaller and check horizontal
and diagonal (like a 9to3 and 12to6)placement. This happened to me with
a borrowed Shimpo. I thought surely the floor was fine. Not so...
Regards,
Shaun
muddpie on mon 20 jul 98
Pam,
I too THOUGHT I had this problem with a used brent. Turned out,
it was me, as it had also been awhile since I had thrown and then
on a kick. I had a friend come over and use it. He got totally
centered pots off it. Go figure. YOu just need to get used to
the wheel.
I suggest you just keep throwing. It solved my problems.
JuliE in Michigan where I am getting ready for PARIS!!!!
Pamela Pastrana on mon 20 jul 98
I purchased a used brent wheel, Electric, a few months ago. I started using
it, when I first started throwing (after a long absence) I noticed that it is
off just a little. By off, I mean that it is a little off center, when I
throw I have a thicker side and want to know if there is anything that I can
do to fix this? I used a kickwheel (hand built ) for years but sold it when I
stopped clay work for a while. Purchased the used brent but am having this
problem... Wishing that I still had my old kickwheel... Please help. I love to
throw, but really hate these off center pots that totally TICK me off...
Thanks soo much,
Pamela Pastrana in Las Cruces who thinks that Joy (mudnjoy) is really lucky to
get lizards in glazebuckets, etc. - my sons pay money for those things!!!
Earl Brunner on tue 21 jul 98
For a while there Brent was making wheels that were off center slightly and
consiquently many potters began throwing these really neat off center pots.
Since there was a recall on the wheels and most of them were
repaired/replaced, what you have there is now considered extremely rare! Take
advantage of it! Pots made on those wheels are now highly sought after!
Seriously, it may take you a while to get used to throwing on an electric
wheel, and one of the things that many people new to electric wheels do is try
to center and open with too much speed. Try to slow down and use the speed
that you were more used to on the kick wheel. It's possible that you are not
holding the foot pedal steady and your speed is flucuating, a common problem
for people new to the electric wheel. It wouldn't matter it the wheel head
was an inch off center, if you center and open the clay correctly you will get
a centered pot and even walls. Don't give up too quickly!
David Hendley on tue 21 jul 98
It actually makes no difference if a wheelhead is a little
eccentric. You still center the clay on the "true center" of any
rotating shape. A square wheelhead would "work", but be
very disconcerting and inconvient (and dangerous to stray fingers).
Your pot will be centered even if your wheelhead
is not. Watch a professional potter using batts attatched to the
wheelhead with clay. She doesn't spend a lot of time making sure
that the batt is exactly centered. "Pretty close" is fine.
If you want your wheelhead perfect, you could take it to a machine
shop. They will put it on a metal lathe and trim it so it is right.
David Hendley
Maydelle, Texas
At 07:19 PM 7/20/98 EDT, you wrote:
>I purchased a used brent wheel, Electric, a few months ago. I started using
>it, when I first started throwing (after a long absence) I noticed that
it is
>off just a little. By off, I mean that it is a little off center, when I
>throw I have a thicker side and want to know if there is anything that I
can
>do to fix this? I used a kickwheel (hand built ) for years but sold it
when I
>stopped clay work for a while. Purchased the used brent but am having this
>problem... Wishing that I still had my old kickwheel... Please help. I
love to
>throw, but really hate these off center pots that totally TICK me off...
>Thanks soo much,
>Pamela Pastrana in Las Cruces who thinks that Joy (mudnjoy) is really
lucky to
>get lizards in glazebuckets, etc. - my sons pay money for those things!!!
>
Dai Scott on wed 22 jul 98
Hi, Pamela! Sounds like a problem I had with my first homemade kickwheel
that had a second-hand wheelhead---it turned out to be warped! Nothing I
could do would result in an even pot, which was really frustrating for a
beginner. It took a while before I caught on to the problem (try laying a
level across the head at all different places; if there are any gaps under
the level, or you get different "levels", it's warped). The solution was to
take it to the machine shop where, for a very reasonable price, they shaved
it off level. No further problems! Good luck!
Dai Scott, just back from the Coombs Country Craft fair on Vancouver
Island---where we met wonderful people, and the sales were great!
Pamela Pastrana on wed 22 jul 98
Thanks for all the messages about my wheel. I think one hit it right. It's not
really the centering I think, Its a little drag or something while it's going
.... So I'm checking the belt, as that sounds like what the problem is. It's
not the centering and the speed, I don't think because I do center the clay,
it just doesn't STAY like that when I start to pull up the sides and it is at
the slower speeds that I really start to FEEL the wierdness. So, I'm checking
the belt. THANKS ALL!!
Pamela Pastrana in NM- it's not as hot as it was last week!
Robert Edney on wed 22 jul 98
Although it's true that an off-center wheel head or bat is not a problem, a bent
shaft is. Check for a bent shaft by sighting under the wheel head at the shaft
while running at medium speed. If you can't see the shaft, pull the wheel head.
If there is any visible run-out (wobble) in the shaft itself, it will be tough or
impossible to throw on center. Bent shafts are rare, but it can happen if a
wheel is dropped during a move or shipping.
David Hendley wrote:
> It actually makes no difference if a wheelhead is a little
> eccentric. You still center the clay on the "true center" of any
> rotating shape. A square wheelhead would "work", but be
> very disconcerting and inconvient (and dangerous to stray fingers).
> Your pot will be centered even if your wheelhead
> is not. Watch a professional potter using batts attatched to the
> wheelhead with clay. She doesn't spend a lot of time making sure
> that the batt is exactly centered. "Pretty close" is fine.
>
> If you want your wheelhead perfect, you could take it to a machine
> shop. They will put it on a metal lathe and trim it so it is right.
>
> David Hendley
> Maydelle, Texas
>
> At 07:19 PM 7/20/98 EDT, you wrote:
> >I purchased a used brent wheel, Electric, a few months ago. I started using
> >it, when I first started throwing (after a long absence) I noticed that
> it is
> >off just a little. By off, I mean that it is a little off center, when I
> >throw I have a thicker side and want to know if there is anything that I
> can
> >do to fix this? I used a kickwheel (hand built ) for years but sold it
> when I
> >stopped clay work for a while. Purchased the used brent but am having this
> >problem... Wishing that I still had my old kickwheel... Please help. I
> love to
> >throw, but really hate these off center pots that totally TICK me off...
> >Thanks soo much,
> >Pamela Pastrana in Las Cruces who thinks that Joy (mudnjoy) is really
> lucky to
> >get lizards in glazebuckets, etc. - my sons pay money for those things!!!
> >
--
Robert Edney
robedney@pacbell.net
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