CL Hess on thu 9 jun 05
Hello Everyone,
I have a very old electric kick wheel which I think is a Randall, but I am
not sure. Anyway I fixed the motor, put on a new work top, replaced the
bearing under the flywheel, and replaced the seat. Now that I have done all
of that, I cannot get it centered, does anyone have any idea on how to do this?
I would love just to put this one in the ally for someone else to pick up
and deal with, and then buy a nice new Shimpo VL Wisper, but my wife won't
let me, and I really don't have the money.
Any input would be wonderful.
I will send pitures of the wheel to anyone willing to help me out.
Thanks,
CL Hess
Marcia Selsor on thu 9 jun 05
How is it not centered? Is the wheelhead uneven? Is the shaft's upper
bearing ( which you didn't replace) firmly attached to the structure?
Is the wheelhead wobbling? Please describe the problem more
specifically. Or is it you not centering? ; ) just kidding.
Marcia
On Jun 8, 2005, at 10:43 PM, CL Hess wrote:
> Hello Everyone,
> I have a very old electric kick wheel which I think is a Randall,
> but I am
> not sure. Anyway I fixed the motor, put on a new work top,
> replaced the
> bearing under the flywheel, and replaced the seat. Now that I have
> done all
> of that, I cannot get it centered, does anyone have any idea on how
> to do this?
> I would love just to put this one in the ally for someone else to
> pick up
> and deal with, and then buy a nice new Shimpo VL Wisper, but my
> wife won't
> let me, and I really don't have the money.
> Any input would be wonderful.
> I will send pitures of the wheel to anyone willing to help me out.
> Thanks,
> CL Hess
>
> ______________________________________________________________________
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> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
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>
>
Frank Colson on thu 9 jun 05
CL - I am about to post my "Tip of the week/Kickwheels" tomorrow ,or
Saturday. I built and sold innumerable kickwheels over many
years when we taught people their first experience in throwing pots on a
kickwheel at the Colson School of Art.
I AM familiar with a Randall wheel. He used tractor seats as I recall!
Just What? is not centered??? Please be specific! Generally, everything can
be askew except the wheel-head. Send me a pic and
describe what you are talking about exactly!
Frank Colson/COLSON STUDIO
----- Original Message -----
From: "CL Hess"
To:
Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2005 12:43 AM
Subject: I need help: Old Electric Kick Wheel
> Hello Everyone,
> I have a very old electric kick wheel which I think is a Randall, but I am
> not sure. Anyway I fixed the motor, put on a new work top, replaced the
> bearing under the flywheel, and replaced the seat. Now that I have done
all
> of that, I cannot get it centered, does anyone have any idea on how to do
this?
> I would love just to put this one in the ally for someone else to pick up
> and deal with, and then buy a nice new Shimpo VL Wisper, but my wife won't
> let me, and I really don't have the money.
> Any input would be wonderful.
> I will send pitures of the wheel to anyone willing to help me out.
> Thanks,
> CL Hess
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> 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.
Millard Balfrey on thu 9 jun 05
I hope that I can help you with your old Randall wheel. I refurbished one
that I bought at Palm Beach Community College's art department liquidation. What
a fine way to reduce costs by elimating the ceramic department!?
Anyway it sounds like you still have a wobble in the wheelhead after
replacing the bearing under the castiron flywheel- did you pull the wheelhead off and
replace the upper bearing? You should be able to hold a pointed object to the
exact center of the iron vertical shaft that shows through the wheelhead
without any wobble vertically or horizontally. A vertical wobble would indicate a
sloppy bearing tollerance or bent main shaft- a horizontal wobble could be a
bent wheelhead (14" aluminum), the 9" composite "dog food bowl" will break
before it bends.
You should be able to identify the wheel as a Randall by the small tag on the
frame right under the wheelhead where the four 1 1/4" steel legs are welded
together, I think the serial number also serves as a date code, mine is 6803 ,
March 1968?
The wheelhead can be real hard to pull off the #3 morse tapered shaft if it
has not been removed for a while- try soaking w/ PB Blaster or Liquid Wrench
penetrating oil. I made a homemade wheelpuller of sorts from a couple pieces of
1/2"x 2" iron flat bar and three heavy bolts.
At the ceramic courses I've taken I used Pacifica and Shimpo wheels- state of
the art machinery- I like the Randall better, it takes a little while to get
the feel to run up the right speed. I still have a rotary phone and antenna
instead of cable!
I hope some of this helps! Best Regards, Mill
Christylyn on fri 10 jun 05
Ok, this is the problem, when I replaced the bottom bearing, and put it back
on the frame, the Iron flywheel when it spins around, it does not spin flat,
it spins unbalanced. I tried to move the bearing around thinking maybe it
did not get set flat, but that has not helped. Maybe I need another bearing,
maybe this one is bad. I will pick up another one tommorow. I cannot get
the wheelhead off,(which is a problem in itself). Maybe the vertical shaft
is not 100% vertical. I know when I throw the flywheel, and wheelhead itself
seems to wobble, and is off balance. I held a piece of chalk on the
flywheel, and it was the same as when you are trimming, and you don't quite
have your piece centered. Only part of the flywheel was hitting the chalk.
Maybe this discription will help, I am not sure how to balance the flywheel,
so that when I throw the wheelhead is centered and balanced.
I don't even really know if this is fixable or not. I know when I throw on
an electrical wheel I don't have a lot of centering trouble, but this wheel
centered ok before I had to replace the bearing. I really don't know how to
make the flywheel spin completly centered, maybe the bearing on the top by
the wheelhead needs to be moved around. At this point I am really
frustrated, so any input is helpful. I will send pics from my work computer,
as I only have dial up at home and it is painfully slow.
I bought it from my Ceramics teacher in Susuin, California at the Soloano
Community College, about 11 years ago. His name is Rod Guyer. I also would
like to get in touch if anyone knows him.
Thanks so much for any help you have to offer.
ChristyLyn
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