Michael Wendt on tue 17 oct 06
We just started using the new 10" diameter
auger deairing pugmill yesterday. WOW!
It spits out clay at a fantastic rate and is so
perfectly air tight the vacuum chamber stays
at 26 inches of mercury until you release the
vacuum line.
take a peek at :
http://www.wendtpottery.com/pugmill.htm
Also, since we now plan to offer custom
clean mill mixing for hire, we will also need
a worker who wants to get in on the ground
floor of this exciting career opportunity.
The job would be all phases of pottery,
of course but we are looking for someone
who might like to take over the clay
business when we retire.
If you know someone, please pass this along.
Regards,
Michael Wendt
Wendt Pottery
2729 Clearwater Ave
Lewiston, Idaho 83501
USA
wendtpot@lewiston.com
www.wendtpottery.com
Paul Borian on tue 17 oct 06
Michael,
well i just have comment here that that thing is *so cool* and also ask a
tech question here: what is the advantage of the 90 degree dual-shaft
pugmill, when compared to the dual-shaft ones that have them running
parallel to each other? Most of the pictures of industrial pugmills i have
seen are of the latter variety - one auger pushing clay into a vacuum
chamber where it drops down into a lower level with a second auger pushing
it out, with both of them parallel to each other.
is the idea of running them at 90 degrees mainly just for ease of
disassembly?
Also, why do you need two vacuum pumps? is it because they are smaller
units and you just needed the cfm's of two of them or some other reason?
thanks,
Paul Borian
Blanket Creek Pottery
Michael Wendt on wed 18 oct 06
Paul,
both good questions:
Question 1:
The 90 degree turn is to permit
the clay to be pugged again in a
vacuum. Pugging differs from
the augering in that the motive
means is paddles rather than
a solid auger so the clay in the
deairing chamber has more air
removed.
This design also allows really
fast, easy disassembly for
the castered cart configuration
so that it can be cleaned easily.
Question 2:
Placing vacuum pumps in series
increases the total vacuum that
can be pulled.
The little 1/4 hp Gast rotary
vane pumps which cost me
$39.00 each from the Surplus
Center are rated at 20"
of mercury. I wanted a higher
vacuum level so the series mode
was the answer. Three or even
four would allow 28 or 29 inches
of mercury to be pulled but according
to the Robinair Pump web site
http://www.robinair.com/
pulling too high a vacuum can result
in the water coming to a boil at
room temperature.
From the chart on the link:
http://www.robinair.com/acsolutions/acvacuum/acvacuum.p
hp#moisture
you can see that the boiling point of water at
26.36 inches of mercury is 122 degrees F
so going much more in a pug mill where the
clay is being worked and can heat up
substantially could result in boiling
the water out and drying the clay too
much.
I hope that answers both questions well
enough,
Regards,
Michael Wendt
Wendt Pottery
2729 Clearwater Ave
Lewiston, Idaho 83501
USA
wendtpot@lewiston.com
www.wendtpottery.com
Paul wrote:
Michael,
well i just have comment here that that thing is *so
cool* and also ask a
tech question here: what is the advantage of the 90
degree dual-shaft
pugmill, when compared to the dual-shaft ones that have
them running
parallel to each other? Most of the pictures of
industrial pugmills i have
seen are of the latter variety - one auger pushing clay
into a vacuum
chamber where it drops down into a lower level with a
second auger pushing
it out, with both of them parallel to each other.
is the idea of running them at 90 degrees mainly just
for ease of
disassembly?
Also, why do you need two vacuum pumps? is it because
they are smaller
units and you just needed the cfm's of two of them or
some other reason?
thanks,
Paul Borian
Blanket Creek Pottery
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