[clay lover]

I will be buying an extruder soon, and am having trouble deciding what size to buy. Since I haven't had anything other than the super duper clay gun, I know when I start using a big extruder, all kinds of ideas will develope that I can't forsee now.

Should I buy the 4" now, and figure that I will soon be wanting the larger options, and then buy an expansion box, or go ahead and get a 5" now, thinking that that might cover my wants longet and keep me from maybe wishing for the expansion box?

With the larger barrel of the 5, will it be harder to push the clay out for smaller dies? I know there is clay waste with using hollow dies, that would be more the larger the barrel, wouldn't it?

I have never even seen an expansion box, would I be strong enought to use one? l

All thoughts are appreciated.

[Pres]

clay lover, on 01 October 2010 - 07:11 AM, said:

I will be buying an extruder soon, and am having trouble deciding what size to buy. Since I haven't had anything other than the super duper clay gun, I know when I start using a big extruder, all kinds of ideas will develope that I can't forsee now.

Should I buy the 4" now, and figure that I will soon be wanting the larger options, and then buy an expansion box, or go ahead and get a 5" now, thinking that that might cover my wants longet and keep me from maybe wishing for the expansion box?

With the larger barrel of the 5, will it be harder to push the clay out for smaller dies? I know there is clay waste with using hollow dies, that would be more the larger the barrel, wouldn't it?

I have never even seen an expansion box, would I be strong enought to use one? l

All thoughts are appreciated.

I used a Bailey for years with the students. Both the 4 and the expansion unit. No problem with either being able to be used because of strength. Just remember to use soft clay. The 5 inch will probably cover you longer, and the cost is not that that much greater. However, the 4 will do very well, and later on the expansion will do much more. You do have to realize that the larger dies are made of plywood usually not metal or plastic, and they do wear and crack if over stressed.

[Seasoned Warrior]

clay lover, on 01 October 2010 - 05:11 AM, said:

I will be buying an extruder soon, and am having trouble deciding what size to buy. Since I haven't had anything other than the super duper clay gun, I know when I start using a big extruder, all kinds of ideas will develope that I can't forsee now.

Should I buy the 4" now, and figure that I will soon be wanting the larger options, and then buy an expansion box, or go ahead and get a 5" now, thinking that that might cover my wants longet and keep me from maybe wishing for the expansion box?

With the larger barrel of the 5, will it be harder to push the clay out for smaller dies? I know there is clay waste with using hollow dies, that would be more the larger the barrel, wouldn't it?

I have never even seen an expansion box, would I be strong enought to use one? l

All thoughts are appreciated.

I usually buy equipment of greater capacity than I need and I always seem to grow into it. I wouldn't give up the clay gun however because I have found in the work I do that that the dies for extrusions with small cross-sections tend to more difficult to extrude with the large extruders in that they require more effort than larger cross-sections. To me the method of actuation also is an important consideration and there is a large extruder that uses a rack and pinion system to drive the ram with a large diameter hand wheel so you have much higher mechanical advantage than you do with the lever type.

Good luck!

Best regards,
Charles

[Username]

There was a similar thread on this topic not too long ago, it might be of some help:

http://ceramicartsda...__fromsearch__1

[clay lover]

Does having the larger 5" mean that I can't do smaller extrusions with it, like the size that the clay gun does, maybe pencil thin?

[Pres]

clay lover, on 01 October 2010 - 08:53 PM, said:

Does having the larger 5" mean that I can't do smaller extrusions with it, like the size that the clay gun does, maybe pencil thin?

You can make your own dies to do whatever you want. Often they have to be adjusted a bit to prevent dog ears and such, but in the end the size is up to you. You could make a die that creates several of those pencil thin shapes and block off whatever you don't want to use that day.

[clay lover]

Pres, on 01 October 2010 - 10:23 PM, said:

clay lover, on 01 October 2010 - 08:53 PM, said:

Does having the larger 5" mean that I can't do smaller extrusions with it, like the size that the clay gun does, maybe pencil thin?

You can make your own dies to do whatever you want. Often they have to be adjusted a bit to prevent dog ears and such, but in the end the size is up to you. You could make a die that creates several of those pencil thin shapes and block off whatever you don't want to use that day.

[clay lover]

Good point, Pres, that would also decrease the force needed to get the thin ones out.
I see that you are in Pa. I will be in New Hope next week, are there galleries or studios that you would recommend I visit?

[Pres]

clay lover, on 02 October 2010 - 07:05 AM, said:

Good point, Pres, that would also decrease the force needed to get the thin ones out.
I see that you are in Pa. I will be in New Hope next week, are there galleries or studios that you would recommend I visit?

New Hope is quite a ways from us, but you should enjoy the town, it is or at least was a nice artist haven last time I was there. Lots of little shops etc. That might have changed, ot sure.

[richardsan]

i've been madly using my 4" northstar extruder with dies i cut from Polyethylene cutting boards.
i'm waiting delivery of a bailey specialty tile extruder, it's going to expand what i make, immensely.

the larger the profile, the easier to extrude/ but the box will require more frequent 'feeding'...
pencil thin, you should make a die with multiple holes, so the energy expended will give a better yield.
i did this with a die i made for making strands for weaving.
there are 6 holes.

there may be wood dies, but i haven't seen any in any of the searching i did for a new extruder. i just use the poly. and woodworking tools to make my profiles.

[AndyL]

What sort of cutting tool are you using to make the polyethylene dies? Everytime I try cutting one with a jigsaw the cut melts and binds my blades.