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building equipment

updated sat 13 jan 01

 

Nanci Bishof on thu 11 jan 01


If you get a forester drill bit you can drill holes in the bottoms of the 4 x
4 legs to accept industrial strength locking wheels. That will allow you to
move the wedging table should it ever be needed. I did that with my work
tables and my slab roller. I'm really happy I did. It allowed me to easily
reconfigure my workspace without hauling in a crew.

nanci
in pleasantly warmer Jacksonville FL
finally a taste of our usual winter's sweater weather

Judy Crawford on thu 11 jan 01


Has anyone ever built a wedging table? Any suggestions, ideas, blueprints?

MOORE, Robert J. on thu 11 jan 01


Judy,
Here is how I made mine. Take a wooded shipping pallet. You can get em free
at many places. U can nail a 1/2 or 3/4 inch ply board to the top to wedge
on. I didn't, but one could put a plaster top on the ply board, slate,
canvas...whatever you deem best. I just use the board and it works fine.
Nail a 2x4 on each corner, for legs. Cut leg length according to your height
( waist level or what is comfortable for you. Nail a cross member (2x4),
connecting front and rear legs, for support. Also put one connecting the two
back legs. If you cut the two back legs a little shorter the table will
bevel away from you, reducing stress on the wrists while wedging. I added a
wire on the side to slice clay with.
Any questions, mail me.
Robert Moore
rjmoore2@ius.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: Judy Crawford [mailto:ClairesAunt@AOL.COM]
Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2001 2:12 AM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: building equipment


Has anyone ever built a wedging table? Any suggestions, ideas, blueprints?

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Don Hunt on thu 11 jan 01


A wedging table should be lower than you think, I had to do mine twice because it
wasn't low enough the first time. It should be roughly about where your hands
naturally fall when standing straight up. It should obviously be very sturdy.
Mine has a plaster top with an interchangeable canvas cover for different clay.
It's not hard to build, minor woodworking skills.
As a potter, I'm still only a fair woodworker.

Don Hunt

Judy Crawford wrote:

> Has anyone ever built a wedging table? Any suggestions, ideas, blueprints?
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.

Cat Jarosz on thu 11 jan 01


Hi Judy ... yes I have built a wedging table.... we did these in
school ... Haywood community college in clyde NC ... used 4x4's as the
main supports ... then regular boards for the frame.... I'll take a picture
if you'd like and measurements also for you if you ask.... what I
like about this one is we also built a shelf below the table and it
holds at least 500 lbs of bagged clay and it has one arm tall enough that
you can run a cut off wire .... we also used one bag of pottery plaster
in the top table and covered it with canvas ( the kind fine artists use to
paint on) It takes two men and a mule to move this thing around after you
finish it so make sure you know where you want it to be when done :o)
I love my wedging table ... it was made back in late 80's and even the
canvas has held up thru the yrs.... I dont recall what it cost to make this
but it wasnt much with the plaster maybe being the most expensive part ....
believe it was well under $50 and worth every penny ... email me
privately for the measurements at : cat91257@aol.com .... ps this is my
am coffee wake up and I sit here in pjs slurping,reading and now
writing.. dangerous thing till I have at least had my 2nd cup o coffee....

Cindy Strnad on thu 11 jan 01


Judy,

Make the table out of heavy stock and tilt it slightly toward you. Have it
at about belt height, or whatever is most comfortable for you, personally.
The height of the table will protect your back while wedging, so be careful
to get it right. Experiment.

The surface may be slate, canvas, plaster, or anything else that will
discourage the clay from sticking. If you choose canvas, it will tend to be
dusty, and should be removable. If you choose plaster, you'll want to
protect all the edges to avoid chipping.

Don't forget to include a cutting wire (or two) at the end(s).

Cindy Strnad
Earthen Vessels Pottery
RR 1, Box 51
Custer, SD 57730
USA
earthenv@gwtc.net
http://www.earthenvesselssd.com

K Boyle on fri 12 jan 01


nanci, forgive me, but I got a chuckle out of your message!
It's probably my biology background and the work I do with the US Forest
Service
(most wildlife biologists have a wierd sense of humor!) but
I think you're probably talking about "forstner" drill bits! They cut very
clean/precise circles. A forester drill bit would probably be rather
'dull' or 'blunt'
for our purposes (just kidding)
Kevin B.
Elkins, WV

And how about sending some of that Florida sunshine this way?!?

----------
> From: Nanci Bishof
> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Subject: Re: building equipment
> Date: Thursday, January 11, 2001 6:10 PM
>
> If you get a forester drill bit you can drill holes in the bottoms of the
4 x
> 4 legs to accept industrial strength locking wheels. That will allow you
to
> move the wedging table should it ever be needed. I did that with my work
> tables and my slab roller. I'm really happy I did. It allowed me to
easily
> reconfigure my workspace without hauling in a crew.
>
> nanci
> in pleasantly warmer Jacksonville FL
> finally a taste of our usual winter's sweater weather
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.

Snail Scott on fri 12 jan 01


At 09:10 PM 1/11/01 EST, you wrote:
you can drill holes in the bottoms of the 4 x
>4 legs to accept industrial strength locking wheels. That will allow you to
>move the wedging table should it ever be needed. I did that with my work
>tables and my slab roller.
>nanci

I've put most of my studio on wheels; it makes a small
space much more flexible. I use the big Rubbermaid bins
to store my clay; each is on a wheeled dolly, and they
roll right under the workbench. They hold about 200 lbs.
of clay each. My work pedestals are also on wheels.
(The locking kind on two corners will prevent unexpected
perambulation of the work!) I get the wheels cheap at
surplus stores. The kind with mounting plates (instead of
a vertical shank) can be installed without drilling, and
work better for low-profile dollys.

American Science and Surplus also sells a range of wheels
(and nearly everything else.) http://sciplus.com/index.cfm

-Snail

ASHPOTS@AOL.COM on fri 12 jan 01


I built a wedging table it i love it. My buddy Chris Stone a airline pilot
has a wood shop and he built it from trees i cut off my property. I filled it
with 200 lbs of plaster and it has cut wire also.
Amy Parker has pictures of it and maybe she could post them to you some how.

Capt Mark

Charles Moore on fri 12 jan 01


Snail,

My studio is mostly on wheels. I had a metal frame with 3 inch casters made
for my electric kiln, which is hard wired with a 12 foot cord. (I always
move the kiln before stacking.) This permits me to fire outside in nice
weather. I have a Brent warecart on large casters. I made two large
tables, 2 feet by 4 feet on wheels for various purposes.

I built a small platform with 2 inch casters on which I placed my Shimpo
wheel (raising the wheel about 3 inches). I especially appreciate the
movable wheel because it eases the angle for my sometimes aching back, and
it allows me to move the wheel to appreciate the seasons (inside or out).

Movingly yours,

Charles Moore

----- Original Message -----
From: "Snail Scott"
To:
Sent: Friday, January 12, 2001 8:29 AM
Subject: Re: building equipment


> At 09:10 PM 1/11/01 EST, you wrote:
> you can drill holes in the bottoms of the 4 x
> >4 legs to accept industrial strength locking wheels. That will allow you
to
> >move the wedging table should it ever be needed. I did that with my work
> >tables and my slab roller.
> >nanci
>
> I've put most of my studio on wheels; it makes a small
> space much more flexible. I use the big Rubbermaid bins
> to store my clay; each is on a wheeled dolly, and they
> roll right under the workbench. They hold about 200 lbs.
> of clay each. My work pedestals are also on wheels.
> (The locking kind on two corners will prevent unexpected
> perambulation of the work!) I get the wheels cheap at
> surplus stores. The kind with mounting plates (instead of
> a vertical shank) can be installed without drilling, and
> work better for low-profile dollys.
>
> American Science and Surplus also sells a range of wheels
> (and nearly everything else.) http://sciplus.com/index.cfm
>
> -Snail
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.