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By admin, May 3, 2009 6:14 pm

I have been using the Pacifica wheel, GT-400 for two years.  It is quiet, and can handle 20lb of clay with ease.  Right after the purchase, I temporary installed the Shimpo’s large splash pan to try out.  Temporary, I did not secure the splash pan and I was thinking just to try it out as I often removed the wheel head from the Shimpo to put on and off the splash pan for a larger platter.  However, the wheel head got stuck, and did not move since.  I tried everything, heat, three people, mallet, etc.  to remove it.  I unscrewed two screws securing the shaft a month ago, and forgot put them back.  Recently I noticed the head was dropped a little, and it is very hard to cut a bottom of a large platter with a wire.  It is now starting cause problem making pottery.

I bought the belt buckle and secured the bottom part of the wheel, and sprayed a large amount of the lubricant.  And, twisted the wheel head at a time and spaying for one hour!  It came out finally.  Something hard was caught between the shafts as you can see the lines inside the wheel head.  I measure the diameter; it is very tight fit with no play.  I will find some mechanical shop to mill down 1/10 of mm or so before reinserting the wheel head.  I need to find some other way to collect the trimming.  The original splash pan came with the Pacific is not just big enough to collect trimming. I hate them flying all over the floor as well.

Comments (4)

By admin, December 11, 2008 9:20 pm

Overlooking the city of Rochester.

Backache seems to come with pottery. Throwing pots at the same position, moving 50lb boxes of clay and heavy shelves, etc.. This is labor intense job.

I visited my chiropractor, Dr. Mack Jr. today. Realigned the hip, back and neck. Feel a lot better. I was with the physical therapy last year and found out the way my wheel was set up was too low, and restraining the back. I replaced the wheel last year from my 20-year-old Shimpo brought from Japan, to Pacifica GT-400 with the leg extension.

If you look at two pictures, left is normal height of Shimpo wheel, and right is the wheel sitting on blocks (8-10 inch high), you can see how I bent my back at the lower wheel position. I understand that throwing on a wheel while standing up is really the best way to go. I just could not go that far. It took me while to adjust to new position. I still like the Shimpo wheel’s mechanical pedal better, other than that the Pacifica is quiet and handle the clay the same.

With the stretching, the inversion table and the new wheel, my visit to the Dr. Mack has become less frequent, but he is still my lifesaver.