Paul M. Doherty on wed 19 feb 03
Guangzhen Zhou
> The Chinese Clay Art, USA.
> PO Box 1733
> Cupertino, CA 95015
> Tel. 408-245-6271, Fax. 408-245-8756
Mr. Guangzhen,
You forgot to tell you following that you did receive a REFUND.
Also, I was told that you were out of the country on a trip and could not
sign a delivery confirmation for the product to be shipped under your
credit card.
Best Regards
Paul M. Doherty
Vince Pitelka on thu 20 feb 03
I am surprised that the people pushing this BOSTON WHEEL would spam Clayart
with their sales propoganda, but I am even more surprised that anyone would
even try to talk people in to buying a single speed wheel. What a giant
leap backwards. I hope no one gets suckered into this deal. The seller
talks a blue streak trying to hype this gimmick, but it is empty rhetoric.
This too shall pass.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
615/597-5376
Office - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 x111, FAX 615/597-6803
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
David Hendley on thu 20 feb 03
A constant-speed potters wheel? This does indeed sound like a
leap into a new millennium, but the 19th century, not the 21st.
I'm reminded of potters at the dawn of the industrial revolution,
who were excited to have power wheels for the first time. Many
pottery shops were rigged with elaborate pulley, belt, and shaft
systems which used one power source to run everything from raw
clay grinders, to mixers, to potters wheels. Each machine was
geared up, or down, to run at the best speed for each application.
These set-up look like Rube Goldberg jokes to us now.
Throwing on a constant-speed wheel is, of course, possible, just
as it is possible to throw with one hand.
The old timers did OK with one speed, just as they did fine loading
their pottery onto a horse drawn wagon to take it to market.
A variable-speed wheel is every bit as much of an improvement as
having two hands and a truck.
I'm also reminded of the infamous Amaco potters wheel that has
been in production, pretty much unchanged, sine the 1950's.
This is a two-speed machine with a 3-way switch that can be set
to off, low, or high.
They are pretty much gone now, but it used to be that any time
you walked into a school ceramics classroom and saw the Amaco
wheel, you would know that a non-potter was in charge of
outfitting the ceramics classroom.
Potters joked that it had two speeds: too slow and too fast.
This wheel was horribly frustrating for beginning students. A
wheel with only one speed would be that much more of a
determent. I hope that misguided and uninformed administrators
are not attracted by the low price of a constant-speed wheel
and order them for ceramics classrooms, without realizing they
are dooming their pottery students to frustration.
As for DC potters wheel motors, they are very reliable and long
lasting. My Pacifica wheel is old enough to drink in all 50 states,
and I've used it hard and never even replaced the brushes. I did
replace a bad bearing in the motor, but this has nothing to do with
electronics or excess voltage.
When I bought the Pacifica, I think it had a 1-year warranty.
It also has plenty of torque a slow speeds, with a "feedback"
circuit that adds more torque when a load is applied. Even at the
slowest speed, an attempt to stop the wheelhead will result in
the wheel body itself moving if the wheelhead is stopped.
I would take this wheel over a ring-cone design Shimpo with
an AC motor without hesitation.
Also, the "Boston Wheel" is, without a doubt, not the first adjustable
height pottery wheel. Many manufactures have for years offered
adjustable legs for their wheels. They are little more than pipes and
set screws and can easily be homemade, as well.
I'm also getting a laugh thinking about trying to throw a 24" diameter
bowl on a wheel that is spinning at 75 RPM.
David Hendley
Maydelle, Texas
david@farmpots.com
http://www.farmpots.com
----- Original Message -----
You know, I read these postings and sit back and laugh!
This is the Millenium and most of you are still talking about horsepower
and speed. How many of you truly understand that technology has improved,
even for a "Potters Wheel".
Do you understand the functions of a PWM or a PCM ? Do you know the
difference between AC and DC motor?
All of the pottery wheels use a DC Motor with a DC Controller. We have
tested them all and have found an inherent flaw in the controllers.
Voltage peaks out as high as 149 volts. This problem shortens motor life.
It's very easy to understand when explained. When you put more voltage in
the motor than specified,you shorten the life. i.e. 5-year warranty from
Clay Boss. Also, because the pulse is regulating voltage when a potter
sits at a machine and slows it downs, there is also a power reduction.
Less voltage to motor thru controller. Again (NO TORQUE)
The "SHIMPO" has a mechanical design speed control, which is top of the
line. Great idea. It's patented!
The Boston Wheel Model 75 is a fixed speed 75-RPM machine with a very
constant torque. The motor is not available off the shelf. It is a
proprietary design just for this application. Yes it is a gear motor. We
have added some changes to the design over the past 18 months to cool it
down a bit. The Motor continues to run excellent.
Here's what coming from the Boston Wheel. "Patent Pending" Pottery Wheel
System. Each Boston Wheel has a removable wheel head allowing the operator
to remove the wheel and place it directly onto our banding wheel, manual
and electric. Available are tools for trimming,painting, and centering.
For those of you who would like to see the first adjustable height pottery
wheel, drop me an email at pmdd@msn.com.
Helen Bates on sat 22 feb 03
Folks
This url was given when this wheel and this company was discussed on the
list in October 2002. At the time it was suggested that the company might
be listed by Ebay as NARU (Not A Registered User.) This is now the case.
The report is still there, and there were no further additions after the 4
initial positives and the following negatives.
http://cgi2.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback&userid=bostonpottery
I suspect it's an expensive "toy", aimed at some sort of "hobbiest"
envisioned by the company marketing this item.
Helen
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