A LOW COST KICKWHEEL

Leonard M. Smith

With the costs of pottery equipment rising prohibitively, even the basic necessities are becoming a stumbling block to both the amateur and professional potter when setting up a workshop. For this reason, when I was setting up my first workshop, as I

couldn't afford a new wheel, either electric or kick, and there were none available second-hand, I decided to build one. I looked at the available wheels and designs and eventually I incorporated their best features into the simplest design I could envisage building myself. The cost, using all new materials, will be about $100 at todays prices and it took me two days to assemble once I had collected the materials. Using second-hand wood and parts, the cost can he halved.

Features of the design that appear with this article are:

* A simple, but stable, triangular wooden frame.

* A cast concrete flywheel.

* A home-made wheel head.

* A simple cam and kick her mechanism requiring only one simple weld.

Following are step-try-step construction instructions, which, although plainly detailed, presuppose a small amount of handy-person knowledge.

THE FRAME Materials: 3/25 in. x 3 in. x 3 in. hardwood legs; 6/32 in. x 3 in. x I in. hardwood braces; 6/33 in. x 5/16 in. or 3/8 in. mild steel rods (threaded both ends); 12/ 5/16 in. or 3/8 in. nuts, and spring washers; 12/5 in. x 3/8 in. bolts plus nuts and washers to suit. Before I start, the dimensions of the timbers, excluding their lengths, can he varied to suit the available materials, e.g. 4 in. x the above dimensions were treated as minimums and dressed timber will give a better finish. The three legs are cut to length then each leg has four galleries cut in it to accept the cross braces, which have also been cut to length. The galleries should he a close fit but not tight; 1/16 in. clearance is acceptable. To work out the depth of the galleries I drew a plan of the legs in position, to scale, measured the depth of the cuts, marked this on the legs, then cut them with a saw and chiseled the unwanted timber out. Three-inch nails are now used to tack the frame together, one per joint. The frame is now aligned, checking that all angles are equal. Two 3- in. holes are drilled diagonally through each joint and the 3in. bolts passed through them. When all bolts are in position they can he tightened. The tie rods can be either 5/16 in. or 3/8 in. mild steel rods. They arc cut to length and threads cut on each end with a die of appropriate size and thread type. Holes are then drilled in each leg to accept the rods, as per the plan, then the nuts and washers placed on each end and the whole tightened up. Now we have a strong, stable frame.

THE BEARING SUPPORTS Materials: 4/4 in. x 1 in. hardwood; screws, approximately 8. The plans aren't clear on the

dimensions of the hearing support beams, but 4 in. x 1 in. or 3 in. x 1 in. will suffice. Place them in position on the frame, mark them with a pencil and cut them to length. Now screw them into position with two screws each end.

THE TOP BOARD AND PAN Materials: 1 box 2 in. screws; 1 sheet 3 ft. x 3 ft. Pyneboard: approximately 10 ft of 4 in. x 1 in. softwood; and wood screws. The Pyneboard sheet is cut to the shape of the top board, as per the plan, including the seat, in one piece. It can then be placed in position and securely screwed into the three legs. The side hoards of the pan area are cut by placing them in their position and marking them, then sawing. The pan can then he assembled, screwed together, then screwed to the top board. The frame is now ready for a coat of stain then clear lacquer; this is essential to waterproof the tray area. A margarine container should he attached around the shaft hole; after it has been drilled it will stop any water going down the shaft and ruining the bearings.

THE FLYWHEEL Materials: 1 bag Sacrete (complete concrete mix); 10 in./1 in. id. water pipe Threaded both ends; 1 in. Flange to suit 2 of 3/8 in. x 1/2 in. bolts and nuts. A suitable mold to cast the flywheel is a large plastic planter pot, but anything between 12 in. x 18 in. in diameter will do; a hole can even be dug into the ground if you like, as it isn't essential that it he perfectly symmetrical, although it should he as close as you can make it. I cut the top off a plastic garbage bin (12in. down) and placed it over a waste piece of board with a 12 in. hole cut at its center. I made up a cross frame to hold the water pipe in position so that it is centered and vertical. At each end of the pipe a nut is welded to it over a drilled 3/8 in. hole; these will be the lock screws. I also welded two 6 in. rods on to stop the shaft turning. With the pipe in position the Sacrete can he mixed as per the directions on its pack and put into the mold. The next day it will he ready for assembly .

THE RUNNING GEAR   Materials: The main shaft 23 in. x 1 in. mild steel shaft . The bearings 1 in. i.d. pressed metal flange units, the type with two holes for the bolts. The cam 3 in. x I in. i.d. water pipe with a nut and bolt welded on as a lock screw. 34 in. x 1 in. x ' in. flat steel bar welded to base of' water pipe The extension 9 in. x 1 in. x 1/4 in. flat steel bar. The connecting rod 4 in. x 1 in. x 1/4 in. flat steel bar The kick bar 36 in. of 1 1/2 in. angle iron. The rod or chain 19 in. approximately of 5/16 in. rod or light chain. 6 x 1 1/4 in. x 3/8 in. bolts, nuts and washers. 4 x 2 in. x 1/4 in. bolts, nuts and washers.   Assembling: The two bearings are located on the top and bottom supports, as per the plan, so that the shaft is centered and vertical. The flywheel is rested on the bottom bearing and the shaft passed through the top bearing, the flywheel, then the bottom bearing. The bearing bolts can now be tightened. The shaft is located half an inch below the top edge of the pan and the bearing collars locked into position on the shaft. The flywheel locknuts can now be tightened on the shaft also. In my prototype wheel I drilled 3/8 in. holes through the cam, etc., and put 3 in. bolts through them, giving a metal-to-metal contact that works quite well if

kept well oiled, hut you can buy Teflon tubing of 1/4 in. bore and 3/8 in. o.d. and press it into the are more efficient hearings, I haven't found them necessary yet, so if you use the 3/8 in. bolts you can always opt for the Teflon bearings later. The cam has a 3/8 in. hole drilled 2 1/2 in. from the center of the shaft. The extension, 3/8 in. holes at 8 in. centers and the connecting rod 3 in. from the middle of the kick bar. The connecting rod can be located on the kick bar, its position marked, then either welded or bolted into position. The kick bar is bolted to the frame so that it swings freely. If special locknuts aren't available, a second nut tightened against the first will act as a locknut. The whole cam assembly can now he bolted together with a washer on either side, i.e. one below the head and one above the two nuts and one in between the two bars. The first nut is tightened until it just grabs then brought back one quarter turn. Then the second nut is locked against the first. The pivot point on the frame is drilled and a 3/8 in. bolt attached so that a 3/16 in. rod or light chain can he taken from it to the kick bar so that the kick bar can swing freely in an arc. The whole freely when kicked and run on when the her is released assembly should turn freely when kicked and run on when the bar is released.

THE WHEEL HEAD Material: 1/12 in. or similar A section aluminum pulley with a 1 in. bore; 1 sheet 12.5 in. x 12.5 in. 16-gauge iron plate or aluminium, or 12 in. diam. 1 in. water-resistant wood; 1 tube instant Araldite; 1 tile cutter. A wheel head can be bought, but as these cost $40-$50 it is cheaper to make one. The 12 in. pulley is locked in position on the top of the shaft. The iron plate is then Araldited to the pulley so that it overhangs 2 in. each side. When the glue is dry the wheel is kicked so that the wheel head rotates and the tungsten carbide-tipped tile cutter brought into contact with its surface at 12 in. diam. so that it cuts through the metal. The tool can now he used to scribe centering rings on the wheel head. Alternatively, aluminium sheet of a thicker gauge can be used, or a thick piece of wood of a water-resistant species could be screwed by drilling holes in the pulley and screwing through from underneath, before attaching it to the shaft. Now, hopefully, you should have a completed wheel which, with oil and occasional maintenance, should provide you with years of service.

®Leo Smith. This design may be distributed freely as long as credit it given to the copyright holder and this notice remains attached   Designed by Leonard Smith Rosedale Street Gallery