Peter Atwood on sun 30 apr 00
Hi All,
My internet muse asked me if I made a smaller tower that fit inside the
larger one in order to conceal the pump.....
Dear Margaret,
No no no... The tower is one piece and serves to conceal the pump. I just
throw a vase shape and then either place a tile on the top and throw it on
or throw a small plate and then throw it on the vase. When I am satisfied
that it is well attached I make the drip spouts. I then take a pin tool and,
while rotating the wheel, cut out the hole in the middle where the tubing
will poke through. I do that by eye and am usually right on as to the size.
You can also hold a piece of tubing up to the hole to make sure it will be
big enough to allow for drying and firing shrinkage. Also make sure that the
tubing will fit your pump.
Later, when it is dry enough to handle, I cut it off the bat and use a pin
tool to cut out the bottom of the vase and make my mousehole.
Hope that clarifies things a bit.
Regards,
Peter
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Cindy Strnad on mon 1 may 00
Peter,
I have a question. I've purchased some fountain pumps and would like to have
a go at fountain making. I've made a piece I'd like to use, and cut a hole
through the bottom of the water container as I don't wish to have a cord
draped over the back wall. I figure silicon will most likely work as a
sealant, but since you've done fountains and I haven't, maybe you'd be
willing to offer suggestions. All the fountain instructions I've seen have
the cord draped over the back wall, but I don't like this. What do you
think?
I plan to remove the plug from the fountain cord in order to snake it
through the hole, by the way, and then replace it. (I have all sorts of
electrically-minded folk to advice me on this procedure), so I won't damage
the seal on the cord anywhere that it will be under the water.
One more question--I'd like to use a Bell lichen glaze on my castle tower
and on the outside of the fountain. I'd like to use it inside, too, but I
expect I need a better seal, so I guess I'll use a liner glaze there. So
long as I keep the fountain water properly treated, do you think there will
be a problem with the under-water portions of this glaze gathering nasty
organisms? (specifically, the base of the castle)
Thanks for your help,
Cindy Strnad
earthenv@gwtc.net
Earthen Vessels Pottery
RR 1, Box 51
Custer, SD 57730
Fabienne Cassman on tue 2 may 00
At 02:28 PM 5/1/00 -0400, you wrote:
>I plan to remove the plug from the fountain cord in order to snake it
>through the hole, by the way, and then replace it. (I have all sorts of
>electrically-minded folk to advice me on this procedure), so I won't damage
>the seal on the cord anywhere that it will be under the water.
Hello Cindy,
This is the paranoid me kicking in. Cutting the cord would void the
warranty and transfer any liability over to you if someone gets
fried. Instead, make an oval clay tube you attach to the bottom of your
bowl. Cut the bottom of the bowl so you can pass the plug through
it. Make sure it will be above water level for obvious reasons and can
accommodate the plug after shrinkage etc. It takes room under the tower,
but the liability is left to the big guys who make the pumps which is the
way I like it.
Cheers, :)
Faye
PS. I got the idea from a post in the archive I believe. Sorry, but I
cannot recall who and when.
Peter Atwood on tue 2 may 00
Cindy,
If you cut the cord, snake it through a hole and silicone it in place you
need to keep enough length inside the bowl so that the pump can be cleaned.
I would leave at least 6-8 inches. The problem you will encounter is that
the fountain will need to be cleaned every 4 months or so as algae and scum
develop. Cleaning is inevitable no matter what you put into the fountain. Do
not add bleach as it causes the water to froth and bubble. Distilled water
is best but airborne contaminates will still get in. Also, since cats LOVE
to drink out of fountains, cat spit could be an additional factor :)
The problem you will have with the lichen glaze is that it will be
uncleanable. I made a number of raku fountains which featured a fairly nubby
satin matt glaze and the towers have turned to junk. There is no way to
clean them short of refiring.
The best possible surface for longevity would be a glossy glaze. And I would
treat it with Rain-X for ease of cleaning. You could try treating the lichen
glaze with Rain-X, I don't know how it would work on what I am assuming is a
fairly dry surface. If you do test this, please let us know the results.
The Rain-X idea came from People's Pottery, a chain store in a local mall. I
went in there one day and they had these blown glass fountains. I asked
about the cleaning and scale problem and they told me about the Rain-X. I
can see other applications as well, perhaps Ikebana containers and vases.
Hope that helps,
Peter
http://www.realrates.com/fountain
----------------------------Original
message----------------------------
Peter,
I have a question. I've purchased some fountain pumps and would
like to have
a go at fountain making. I've made a piece I'd like to use, and
cut a hole
through the bottom of the water container as I don't wish to
have a cord
draped over the back wall. I figure silicon will most likely
work as a
sealant, but since you've done fountains and I haven't, maybe
you'd be
willing to offer suggestions. All the fountain instructions I've
seen have
the cord draped over the back wall, but I don't like this. What
do you
think?
I plan to remove the plug from the fountain cord in order to
snake it
through the hole, by the way, and then replace it. (I have all
sorts of
electrically-minded folk to advice me on this procedure), so I
won't damage
the seal on the cord anywhere that it will be under the water.
One more question--I'd like to use a Bell lichen glaze on my
castle tower
and on the outside of the fountain. I'd like to use it inside,
too, but I
expect I need a better seal, so I guess I'll use a liner glaze
there. So
long as I keep the fountain water properly treated, do you think
there will
be a problem with the under-water portions of this glaze
gathering nasty
organisms? (specifically, the base of the castle)
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Cindy Strnad on wed 3 may 00
Hi, Peter.
Thanks for your advice. After writing my question to you, I did see your
post about placing the cord through the back of the fountain, but my letter
was already sent. I hate when I do that. I hadn't considered the
need to clean the pump (duh), but after reading your second post, realized
it would be a good thing to have a long cord inside.
Actually, I was thinking of treating the fountain with swimming pool
chemicals (they have something new out there--not sure just what--that
doesn't contain chlorine). As I don't have any cats or dogs, that particular
problem isn't an issue. I'm glad I asked you about the glazes, though. I
will definitely keep all glazes below the waterline in the shiny/glossy
category.
Thanks again for your help,
Cindy Strnad
earthenv@gwtc.net
Earthen Vessels Pottery
RR 1, Box 51
Custer, SD 57730
ken tighe on thu 4 may 00
For the fountain-makers and future fountain-makers-- a note of caution for
those who insist upon cutting the pump cord for the purpose of "hiding" it.
It has already been mentioned that warranties become invalid and that the
manufacturer's liability instantly becomes your own. What happens when the
pump burns out? I use small pumps that are warrantied for one year, which
means I expect them to last not much more than one year. Must you then
empty the fountain and pull the cord through your cemented hole only to
re-cut a cord and re-cement the hole for a new pump that might be
defective... and there you go again? How do your out-of-state customers
feel about that hassle? Why not consider some sort of creative way to hide
the cord so that pumps can be discarded and replaced without so much as
emptying the fountain? I hand-build a facade onto the back rim of the
fountain that looks like a rock formation. It is open-ended allowing the
cord to slide under and behind it. With this design pumps can come and go
while the fountain remains unchanged. For small, very affordable fountains
I allow the cord to drape over the back rim of the bowl and use a big-ass
clam shell to cover it. Ken.
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Hi, Peter.
>
>Thanks for your advice. After writing my question to you, I did see your
>post about placing the cord through the back of the fountain, but my letter
>was already sent. I hate when I do that. I hadn't considered the
>need to clean the pump (duh), but after reading your second post, realized
>it would be a good thing to have a long cord inside.
>
>Actually, I was thinking of treating the fountain with swimming pool
>chemicals (they have something new out there--not sure just what--that
>doesn't contain chlorine). As I don't have any cats or dogs, that particular
>problem isn't an issue. I'm glad I asked you about the glazes, though. I
>will definitely keep all glazes below the waterline in the shiny/glossy
>category.
>
>Thanks again for your help,
>
>Cindy Strnad
>earthenv@gwtc.net
>Earthen Vessels Pottery
>RR 1, Box 51
>Custer, SD 57730
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