Vince Pitelka on sat 3 jun 06
> Here's a thought on this topic. Why not recess the angle-iron track into
> the
> floor of the studio/kiln room?
Ken -
I think that's a great idea, as long as the potter is absolutely committed
to keeping that little trench clean. Otherwise, it would defeat the
purpose, because the accumulated debris in the little trench would start to
interfere with smooth movement of the car.
But as mentioned in an earlier message, you can also do as I did and use
removable track sections, so that they only need to be in place when you
roll the car out of the kiln, and when the car is sitting there rolled out
of the kiln, it doesn't matter whether the track is recessed.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Technological University
Smithville TN 37166, 615/597-6801 x111
vpitelka@dtccom.net, wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/
Ken Nowicki on sat 3 jun 06
Greetings all,
Here's a thought on this topic. Why not recess the angle-iron track into the
floor of the studio/kiln room?
When I lived at my last house, we had a wrought iron fence put in around the
yard... and with it, an electric rolling gate on the driveway. That gate also
used v-groove wheels and an inverted angle-iron track, but I'd asked the
contractor if he couldn't recess the angle-iron flush with the surface of the
concrete driveway. I thought it was more aesthetically pleasing to the eye, as well
as I didn't want anyone to trip over it walking up the driveway. He simply
cut a groove in the concrete driveway and installed the angle-iron flush with
the surface of the driveway, no problem. (He used a diamond saw designed for
that kind of thing, but if one was building their studio or kiln pad, they could
plan for it as the concrete was poured too.) It turned out to be a cleaner
installation in the end, and never posed a problem. Every once in a while, I'd
hose out the track to remove any collected debris (leaves, dirt, pine needles,
etc.). In a clay studio, this would probably pose even less of a problem since
the track would be less exposed to the elements and yard debris... a quick
once over with a broom or shop-vac every once in a while would be perfectly
adequate I would think.
The only thing I think would be needed to adjust for is the extra inch or two
in height when planning for the shuttle door, though this could easily be
planned into the overall construction ahead of time.
Think of it though. No worries about walking all the way around the angle
iron track. No worries about someone tripping over it and getting hurt or falling
into the kiln. No big sticks of angle iron you'd have to move and prop up out
of the way somewhere (if you used Vince's suggestion). You could easily roll
your ware carts over the track. And... you wouldn't have to paint the angle
iron "Mel's Safety Orange" either! LOL!
Just my two-cents...
Best wishes,
- Ken
Ken Nowicki
Port Washington, New York
RakuArtist@aol.com
.......................................................................
Vince wrote:
Some people have complained about having the tracks in the way, but I found
a simple solution. In my studio in Northern California I had a removable
section of track that extended all the way into my glaze room. When the car
was rolled into the kiln, I could remove that section of track and lean it
against the wall in the kiln room. It worked great.
It sounds like your car wheel setup works fine for you, but I would still
always recommend four V-groove wheels on inverted angle-iron track. As I
said, the V-groove wheels and angle iron are inexpensive, and for this
application, it is clearly the best design.
- Vince
Patrick Cross on sat 3 jun 06
I have a half-cent to add to this idea. Why not make the trough the angle
iron runs in 3 1/2" X 3 1/2" X The length of the track ( the size of a
treated 4" X 4"). Then take a 4" X 4" and make 45 degree cuts
(1...reverse...then 2) length-wise on a table saw...so that there is a V
groove on one side of the 4" X 4" which would accommodate the size of the
angle-iron. Now when the kiln is not in use...or all times when the door
isn't being opened...these 4" X 4" are to be covering the angle-iron
runners.
Of course the whole point to making these is just to fill the space AND be
flush with the floor. It seems to me that yes, having the tracks on the
surface of the floor poses a hazard...but I would think they would be more
obvious...and you'd be less likely to stumble over them than if they were
hiding in a shadowy trough. An open groove in the floor seems much more
dangerous to me...something you might easily forget about if you went to the
studio to get something and didn't bother to turn on the lights. Stubbed
toes verses twisted ankle??...OR just completely solve the problem by
covering your tracks...no pun intended (well, maybe a little.)
Patrick Cross (cone10soda)
If it's her you want
I don't care about that
You can have my girl
But don't touch my hat.
On 6/3/06, Ken Nowicki wrote:
>
> Greetings all,
>
> Here's a thought on this topic. Why not recess the angle-iron track into
> the
> floor of the studio/kiln room?
>
> When I lived at my last house, we had a wrought iron fence put in around
> the
> yard... and with it, an electric rolling gate on the driveway. That gate
> also
> used v-groove wheels and an inverted angle-iron track, but I'd asked the
> contractor if he couldn't recess the angle-iron flush with the surface of
> the
> concrete driveway. I thought it was more aesthetically pleasing to the
> eye, as well
> as I didn't want anyone to trip over it walking up the driveway. He simply
> cut a groove in the concrete driveway and installed the angle-iron flush
> with
> the surface of the driveway, no problem. (He used a diamond saw designed
> for
> that kind of thing, but if one was building their studio or kiln pad, they
> could
> plan for it as the concrete was poured too.) It turned out to be a cleaner
> installation in the end, and never posed a problem. Every once in a while,
> I'd
> hose out the track to remove any collected debris (leaves, dirt, pine
> needles,
> etc.). In a clay studio, this would probably pose even less of a problem
> since
> the track would be less exposed to the elements and yard debris... a quick
> once over with a broom or shop-vac every once in a while would be
> perfectly
> adequate I would think.
>
> The only thing I think would be needed to adjust for is the extra inch or
> two
> in height when planning for the shuttle door, though this could easily be
> planned into the overall construction ahead of time.
>
> Think of it though. No worries about walking all the way around the angle
> iron track. No worries about someone tripping over it and getting hurt or
> falling
> into the kiln. No big sticks of angle iron you'd have to move and prop up
> out
> of the way somewhere (if you used Vince's suggestion). You could easily
> roll
> your ware carts over the track. And... you wouldn't have to paint the
> angle
> iron "Mel's Safety Orange" either! LOL!
>
> Just my two-cents...
>
> Best wishes,
>
> - Ken
>
>
> Ken Nowicki
> Port Washington, New York
> RakuArtist@aol.com
>
> .......................................................................
>
> Vince wrote:
>
> Some people have complained about having the tracks in the way, but I
> found
> a simple solution. In my studio in Northern California I had a removable
> section of track that extended all the way into my glaze room. When the
> car
> was rolled into the kiln, I could remove that section of track and lean it
> against the wall in the kiln room. It worked great.
>
> It sounds like your car wheel setup works fine for you, but I would still
> always recommend four V-groove wheels on inverted angle-iron track. As I
> said, the V-groove wheels and angle iron are inexpensive, and for this
> application, it is clearly the best design.
> - Vince
>
>
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