Fredrick Paget on wed 9 aug 06
I never understood how filter presses worked until I studied all
these posts. I always thought that they were loaded with slip and
then pressed on it to squeeze out the water. That is not it at all.
They are really the opposite. They are pressed shut so the cast iron
plates hold the free edges of the filter cloths in a firm tight grip
and the slip is then pumped into the machine under high pressure to
force the slip into the cavity between the cloths.
The pressure of the pump forces the water through the cloth and out
through channels in the plates, leaving the clay behind inside the
cavities. After the cavities are full, the central feed channel is
emptied of slip by being blown out with air and the press is
unclamped. The filter cake is removed from the spaces between the now
opened up filter cloths.
You could make something similar by putting a tightly closed canvas
bag at the ground level of a 4 story building and running a hose from
the bag up to the attic. Pour the slip down the hose into the bag and
the head of four stories of slip would give a pretty high pressure.
Could work.
--
From Fred Paget,
Marin County, CA, USA
fredrick@well.com
Charter Member Potters Council
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