Jackie Richards on sat 18 dec 99
I am very new to potting, just a year, but I will be retiring in April and
plan to begin serious study of potting. The technical interest me, clay
bodies and glazes, but there is no denying that I am not going to get
younger. I know already that handling clay, especially large amounts, seems
to bother my shoulders and arm muscles (I should tell you that I am female,
5'2, so not a lot of strength there). I am considering buying a deairing pug
mill if it would eliminate the wedging that I now have to do. I should also
say that I am working with paper clay and wonder if the filter would be
affected? I really am not looking just for a clay mixer. I want deairing to
mostly eliminate wedging which seems to cause the most problems physically.
It is an expensive purchase, and I wonder what your comments are and if there
are any less experienced potters who have purchased one. I might add I
understand the aesthetic benefits of wedging, getting to know the clay, etc.
but I want to continue potting well into the millennium, and this seems like
it might be a solution. Any other ideas?
millie carpenter on sun 19 dec 99
Jackie,
I got the smallest bluebird de-airing last year. bolted it to a very heavy
table and am a very happy potter. I am also very short, probably in your age
group and have more of a of a desire to throw than to wedge.
I take my scraps at the end of the day and put them in a plastic bag with water.
I also like to throw with fairly soft clay so I open the new clay that I buy,
open the bag, take a very large screw driver and poke 5 holes in it, pour a cup
or so of water depending, close the bag and let it set for a day or two. then
once a week I take all my scraps and the new clay and run them thru the mill. a
they come out, I cut pugs about 2 1/2 feet long. stand them on end and cover th
clay with the plastic wrappers that the newspaper comes in, kind of like puttin
a stocking on it. and in an hour or less, I have a hundred pounds or so.
when I cut the pugs to weight for specific shapes, I pat it into balls and that
seems to be enought handling for the clay. it needs very little maintainence.
I stuff wet towels into the hopper, vaccuum chamber, and the extruder end,
swaddle the entire thing with a huge trash bag and have left it for a month and
it was still moist.
I don't know about the fiber in paper clay, but call the dealers they can tell
you. and check with the different dealers for prices, and the shipping charges,
it varries.
yes it is a lot of money, but it is worth it.
Millie in Md. pleased with her baltimore oriole orange bluebird
Jackie Richards wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I am very new to potting, just a year, but I will be retiring in April and
> plan to begin serious study of potting. The technical interest me, clay
> bodies and glazes, but there is no denying that I am not going to get
> younger. I know already that handling clay, especially large amounts, seems
> to bother my shoulders and arm muscles (I should tell you that I am female,
> 5'2, so not a lot of strength there). I am considering buying a deairing pug
> mill if it would eliminate the wedging that I now have to do. I should also
> say that I am working with paper clay and wonder if the filter would be
> affected? I really am not looking just for a clay mixer. I want deairing to
> mostly eliminate wedging which seems to cause the most problems physically.
> It is an expensive purchase, and I wonder what your comments are and if there
> are any less experienced potters who have purchased one. I might add I
> understand the aesthetic benefits of wedging, getting to know the clay, etc.
> but I want to continue potting well into the millennium, and this seems like
> it might be a solution. Any other ideas?
Alex Wilson on sun 19 dec 99
Hello Jackie, I wonder if you've tried wedging/kneading smaller amounts of
clay.
The smaller amount plus mastering the correct technique - let the clay do
most of the work, might just suit you fine, without running to the expense of
a pugmill.
Especially if you're only doing small runs. And you're only fifty-two.
Wedging/kneading should build some endurance into your muscles - if it hurts,
then stop and have a cup of tea and a breather. I'm assuming here that you've
no osteo/musculature problems? Eventually the discomfort will diminish.
Most of the people in the classes I teach are women, and they manage to knead
up 50lbs. of clay each for the nights' lesson with only a little complaining
(everybody complains, as it's well-known there's a mill in the next room).
The only mill I've used is a Venco, and I noted that the filter needed
cleaning more often with rougher clays, and that it collected every piece of
cloth or sponge or chamois that got into the recycling. Don't know how you'd
fair with paper clay, but I reckon you'd be pulling the filter quite a bit -
so you'd better start working on those muscles!
You can do it love, good luck and Happy Hogmanay when it comes,
Alex Wilson, The Scottish Potter
Norman van der Sluys on sun 19 dec 99
Get a pug mill! Jackie and I have been using a little Bluebird deairing
pugmill for about four years now. We feeel we couldn't keep up with
demand without it. Maintenance is low and it doesn't take up a whole
lot of space. And it eats a lot less than a slave :o)
Norman vander Sluys
jackpottery.tripod.com/
Robert Marshall Simpson on sun 19 dec 99
Jackie---I have a Peter Pugger (deairing) which I would be lost without. Am
in my mid 50's with several wrist operations and a shattered humerus behind
me. The Peter has taken away the need to wedge. I find that I keep less
of the mediocre pots because it is so easy to reprocess greenware in the
pugger. I also use it to mix in oxides and grogs but have not made paper
clay in it-yet. It is great for a one person studio---well worth the
investment
Kayte-in dry Oklahoma where rain is more than welcome!
Original Message -----
From: "Jackie Richards"
To:
Sent: Saturday, December 18, 1999 7:17 PM
Subject: Purchasing Pug
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I am very new to potting, just a year, but I will be retiring in April and
> plan to begin serious study of potting. The technical interest me, clay
> bodies and glazes, but there is no denying that I am not going to get
> younger. I know already that handling clay, especially large amounts,
seems
> to bother my shoulders and arm muscles (I should tell you that I am
female,
> 5'2, so not a lot of strength there). I am considering buying a deairing
pug
> mill if it would eliminate the wedging that I now have to do. I should
also
> say that I am working with paper clay and wonder if the filter would be
> affected? I really am not looking just for a clay mixer. I want deairing
to
> mostly eliminate wedging which seems to cause the most problems
physically.
> It is an expensive purchase, and I wonder what your comments are and if
there
> are any less experienced potters who have purchased one. I might add I
> understand the aesthetic benefits of wedging, getting to know the clay,
etc.
> but I want to continue potting well into the millennium, and this seems
like
> it might be a solution. Any other ideas?
>
Martin Howard on sun 19 dec 99
Jackie, I would thoroughly recommend you buy a Venco 3 inch de-airing pug
mill.
It is excellent and you do not need to wedge or kneed clay ever again.
I had to change from wedging and kneading as my left thumb joint was not
standing up to the wear and tear.
What I also found, using this 3 inch model, was that the clay sausage, if
measured in metric length gave me the weight in metric. 10 cms = 1kg. It
also gave me the height in inches for a narrow form, mug, jug etc. So the
scales are less used and some time is saved; very helpful when
demonstrating.
Martin Howard
Webbs Cottage Pottery
Woolpits Road
Great Saling
BRAINTREE
Essex CM7 5DZ
martin@webbscottage.co.uk
Cindy Strnad on mon 20 dec 99
Jackie,
I have a new Peter Pugger, which I bought for basically the same reasons--my
elbows. It works great. It's their newest model, which mixes, de-airs, and
pugs. Not good for processing large amounts of clay, but if you don't need
more than a hundred or so pounds a day, it's not bad at all.
Cindy Strnad
Earthen Vessels Pottery
Custer, SD
Martin A. Arkowitz on mon 20 dec 99
------------------
--- You wrote:
Jackie, I would thoroughly recommend you buy a Venco 3 inch de-airing pug
mill.
It is excellent and you do not need to wedge or kneed clay ever again.
I had to change from wedging and kneading as my left thumb joint was not
standing up to the wear and tear.
What I also found, using this 3 inch model, was that the clay sausage, if
measured in metric length gave me the weight in metric. 10 cms =3D 1kg. It
also gave me the height in inches for a narrow form, mug, jug etc. So the
scales are less used and some time is saved=3B very helpful when
demonstrating.
--- end of quote ---
i am going to add my 2 cents worth. i, too, had to buy a pugmill due to =
wear,
tear and pain in my wrist and my left thumb. btw, how many of us clayarters =
have
thumb problems???? i bought a bluebird 3 inch de-airing. price is less than
that of a venco, great servicing when needed and it really does the job. i =
now
don't know how i worked without this machine. when i go down in the morning=
to
work i just load up the hopper and pug out the clay needed for that days
throwing. my md has advised me to throw only 25 lb before quitting for the =
am.
if i need to throw any more i can return in the pm, but i am not to throw =
more
than 25 at a sitting (or standing). hope this is helpful.
eleanor arkowitz in cold, cold n.h.
=3Cmarty1=40dartmouth.edu=3E
Kathi LeSueur on tue 21 dec 99
In a message dated 12/19/99 11:58:49 AM, JenAlexWil@aol.com writes:
<< Hello Jackie, I wonder if you've tried wedging/kneading smaller amounts of
clay.
The smaller amount plus mastering the correct technique - let the clay do
most of the work, might just suit you fine, without running to the expense of
a pugmill. >>
As I write this I'm recovering from shoulder surgery. Four years ago while in
physical therapy I was told the worst thing I could do for my body was wedge
clay. The therapy helped for a while, but my injury from a fall so severe
that in the end there was nothing to do but give in to the surgeon's knife.
Now I'm told by my surgeon that the worst thing I can do to my shoulder is
wedge clay.
Yes, pug mills cost a lot. but they are worth every penny for the potter who
wants a long career.
Kathi LeSueur
Ann Arbor, MI
Jim &Lisa Blake on tue 21 dec 99
I also am looking to vbuy a pug for the same reasons. Could you explain
what de-airing is as opposed to a non deairing pug?
Deborah Bouchette on wed 22 dec 99
------------------
Well, I'm saving to buy a Peter Pugger Power Wedger (PVM-30 de-airing--close=
to
=244000). It allows you to mix your own clay from raw materials AND/OR just=
wedge
=26 de-air =7E30=23 of clay. You almost never find them used because people=
who buy
them seem to love them. They are good for single-person potters, but =
probably
too small for production shops. Much better design than a separate mixer =
and
de-airing pugger for those of us who don't relish carrying wet clay any more
than we have to. Look at =
http://www.nmclay.com/Equipment/pugmillVPM=5F30.htm=23top
. Completely seal-able so you don't have to clean out before the next =
batch.
---------------------
=22I'm out of my mind right now, but feel free to leave a message=21=22
=22Just because no one understands you doesn't mean you're an artist.=22
Deborah Bouchette, now 15 years in the beautiful Pacific Northwest
principal=40aleatoric-art.com
http://www.aleatoric-art.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Jackie Richards =5BSMTP:Watchdog77=40aol.com=5D
Sent: Saturday, December 18, 1999 5:18 PM
Subject: Purchasing Pug
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
I am very new to potting, just a year, but I will be retiring in April and
plan to begin serious study of potting. The technical interest me, clay
bodies and glazes, but there is no denying that I am not going to get
younger. I know already that handling clay, especially large amounts, seems
to bother my shoulders and arm muscles (I should tell you that I am female,
5'2, so not a lot of strength there). I am considering buying a deairing =
pug
mill if it would eliminate the wedging that I now have to do. I should also
say that I am working with paper clay and wonder if the filter would be
affected? I really am not looking just for a clay mixer. I want deairing =
to
mostly eliminate wedging which seems to cause the most problems physically.
It is an expensive purchase, and I wonder what your comments are and if =
there
are any less experienced potters who have purchased one. I might add I
understand the aesthetic benefits of wedging, getting to know the clay, etc.
but I want to continue potting well into the millennium, and this seems like
it might be a solution. Any other ideas?
Cindy Strnad on wed 22 dec 99
Jim or Lisa,
A de-airing pug mill has a vacuum pump which effectively pulls most of the
air out of the clay so that it doesn't need to be kneaded (sorry) after it's
pugged.
Cindy Strnad
Earthen Vessels Pottery
Custer, SD
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