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oil lamp fittings and soap dispensers

updated wed 26 mar 03

 

tracy on sat 22 mar 03


Good morning Clayarters!

I apologize to everyone for my question if it has already been =
discussed; however, I couldn't find any relevant answers in the =
archives. I am interested in learning how to attach oil lamp fittings =
(with a flat cotton wick and hurricane glass) to a clay base. In order =
to create the threads for the brass fitting, do you simply screw it on a =
leather hard piece? What about shrinkage during firing? How would you =
ensure a secure fitting? The fitting for the oil lamp can't simply be =
glued in place after glaze firing, as you would need to screw/unscrew =
the fitting to add oil, right? I currently make oil lamps which use a =
small clay bead to hold a cotton wick in place - these seem to be fairly =
popular, but I'd like to learn how to combine the look of the class with =
a beautiful clay base.

Thanks in advance for your expertise!

Tracy Childerhose
Northwinds Pottery

Cat Jarosz on sat 22 mar 03


Dear Tracy.... there is someone on this list that has bought a tool for
making the threads on the soap dispensers , axner may carry them also but if
you need the name of a person that actually bought this tool from the maker
I will forward your request to her... I dont know if there is a similar
tool for the oil lamp attachements but I'll give you my way of doing it...

If you have a clay ruler great if you dont then you should make one
out of your clay body and fire it to the cone you use... I"ll get you the
measurement for cone 10 stoneware phenix from highwater if you use that
claybody, if not then you gotta do your own homework, besides the fact that
you have to use the same oil lamp burner size I do .. you will want
the cap to fit and when you screw the burner part into it there should be
enough room for that part to go in easily.. a nice taper helps for the
inner and outer measurements. does that make sense?? just check out your
oil lamp parts and unscrew it.... from the top it looks like a flat washer ,
the inner circle is very important to get right size unless you have the cap
up high enough to clear it and its the only part I actually measure out and
make sure I have correct.. ..
the glue down is done using E-6000 ( follow directions on the tube)
again you can get this stuff thru axner or maybe a good hardware or craft
store will carry it... nothing else works as well for the 2 separate
materials that I can find.. ps axner also carry's all the pumps etc and
I do buy from him and have him throw in a few tubes of this glue everytime I
do order so I have never looked to buy elsewhere ...

hope this is clear enough but if not I am sure someone else will say it
better on the list , if you have questions email direct and I'll try
pictures or something ... warmest regards, Cat Jarosz enjoying SPRING in
the mnts FINALLY !!!!!!!!!!!

L. P. Skeen on sat 22 mar 03


Tracy,

Although David Hendley may be the master of making threaded fittings ;), I
think most people buy the collars and burners from somewhere such as Aftosa
and glue them on with E6000. Go to www.aftosa.com where you can order
online. They offer free shipping w/in the 48 contiguous. You glue the
collar to the clay piece, and the burner screws in and out of the collar.
Easy. (unless you're my parents. They were on the phone to me back in
December - power out, trying to open the lamp by unscrewing the glued on
collar....OY VEY!)

L
----- Original Message -----
From: "tracy"
The fitting for the oil lamp can't simply be glued in place after glaze
firing, as you would need to screw/unscrew the fitting to add oil, right?

David Hendley on sat 22 mar 03


Sorry to disappoint, but I, too, simply glue the brass plated collar
for oil burning lamps onto the neck of the oil lamp with E600.
I've never had any come loose, or complaints of such, in years of
making and selling oil lamps.

I do make threaded necks for lotion dispensers because I think a
plastic neck glued onto a stoneware pot looks pretty cheesy.
You can buy little molds for making these collars from Axner. It
takes some practice to get them to work, especially since there
are 2 sizes and you need to see which size works best for your
claybody.

David Hendley
Maydelle, Texas
david@farmpots.com
http://www.farmpots.com


----- Original Message ----- >
> Although David Hendley may be the master of making threaded fittings ;), I
> think most people buy the collars and burners from somewhere such as
Aftosa
> and glue them on with E6000. Go to www.aftosa.com where you can order
> online. They offer free shipping w/in the 48 contiguous. You glue the
> collar to the clay piece, and the burner screws in and out of the collar.

Lynne Antone on mon 24 mar 03


I have scanned the responses to the original question and don't think I saw
anyone stress the importance of not getting any glaze on the areas where the
various collars will be glued. The only time I had any problems with a collar
coming loose was from a dispenser, back when I was just making them, where I
didn't realize the glue was over glaze. I took the piece back, used a grinder
to roughen up the area, remove most of the glaze and then reglued it.

I have one aluminum collar for dispensers given to me by a potter some years
ago that I throw the neck into which works great for 12% shrinkage clay. The
problem is that I have only one and it was too cost prohibitive to make more.
Kind of hard to do production work that way. Oh, well,

Lynne Antone
Beaver Creek Arts
Olympia WA USA

David Hendley on tue 25 mar 03


Lynne, I bought 6 aluminum collar molds a few years ago for $6 or $7 each.
From:
Michael Collins
Saltspring Pottery
13 Helen Ave.
Kitchener, Ontario
Canada N2G 3W6
(519) 653-2806
With 6 collar molds you can, with a heat lamp, work continuously, with
collar #1 ready to unscrew and use again by the time you finish #6.
David Hendley
Maydelle, Texas
david@farmpots.com
http://www.farmpots.com



----- Original Message -----
> I have one aluminum collar for dispensers given to me by a potter some
years
> ago that I throw the neck into which works great for 12% shrinkage clay.
The
> problem is that I have only one and it was too cost prohibitive to make
more.
> Kind of hard to do production work that way. Oh, well,
>
> Lynne Antone
> Beaver Creek Arts
> Olympia WA USA