You are welcome. Here is a link where you can get one just like mine. amzn.to/3GkCuJR (this is an affiliate link, I will make a small commission from purchases)
Thanks for the information, Andy! You got it all covered here, one year before I even asked you about it... 😂Great video, as clear as it has to be, as short as it is wise to be, and as thorough as I didn't expect! Happy new year!
good information i will add a bit of info, it would be a good idea to wash that hole and ball bearing out with solvent before you re-grease it. if you add grease with the existing grit it just becomes a better grinding agent (like valve grind compound). sand mixed with the grease would be the worst. that beings said 10 years of use is great. when i got mine, and found it worked so good, i couldn't believe that i had previously ground my clay by hand. thank you for this, it great information and video. tom
Hey Andy, thanks for the video and the tips, it's very interesting. I am looking for a way to manually grind clay that has already been bisqued in order to make coarse grog. Do you think this corn grinder could handle it ? or do you have a better idea ? For now I use a hammer and a mortar and pestle but it's a long job.
I use my corn grinder to grind up fired sherds for temper. It depends on how hard they are fired, most grind up just fine but every once in awhile I hit a sherd from a vessel that was fired harder and it can be quite jarring. Give it a try.
I’ve got a question for you about grinding clay plus the caliche pottery you mentioned in the q&a: I live in an area where all the clay deposits have a lot of limestone rock mixed in with it, so I feel like I to have to levigate my clay in order to use it. It’s such a labor intensive route I’m looking for an alternative. Do you think limestone mixed in the clay body would behave like caliche and not explode if it’s ground finely and the firing temperatures are kept low enough? I’d love to be able to just corn grind it all together.
Yes, unfortunately limestone acts exactly the same, it is after all just another form of calcium carbonate. Try mixing your clay with water into a thin solution, then passing it through a paint strainer bag such as you can buy at Home Depot. Let it settle overnight, then pour off as much clear water as you can, then pour into a pillowcase and allow to dry until plastic.
Hey Andy! got a question, how far apart should the plates be away from each other? I've been getting material stuck to the teeth of the plates making the surface flat and not grinding really good (because of the compressed clay)
Hi Andy, I have a question. I bought this grinder and it arrived quite banged up(hopper part esp). Proceeded to put together. The end of the screw that goes into the ball bearing is not cut very level- Is that a problem? Also the pin is bent so much, and off kilter that it wont allow the grinder to turn. Am I doing something wrong, or should I just get a different one?Many people are complaining on all brands about metal shavings being in the ground material. I assume after a breaking in period that would not be a huge issue for clay use? Any input you may have would be helpful, thanks. I have always wet processed my clay(and fired in regular electric kiln) but the grinder looked like a way to speed up the process of getting clumps ground up. Thanks!
It's kind of hard to troubleshoot from far away. I would say that from my experience the end of the screw is never even and doesn't make much difference. If the pin is bent, then just get a pair of pliers and bend it into a desirable shape. Since you're not eating the produce I don't see why it would matter if there were some metal shavings.
I almost passed on this video because of the title. Watching a typical unboxing on utube is time wasted. I'm glad I stuck to watching this because it expanded into a critique of the best and the worst, function and quality, of this make of corn grinder used for dry grinding of raw clay. Thanks.
Thank you. Fascinating analysis! I just bought a corn grinder, took it out of the box, looked at it, and put it back. Now I am motivated!!!
Yeah, now you are all set.
I wonder if a non greasy lube like a dry graphite would work better because it wouldn't collect the abrasives in the clay so much.
Yes! Great point that I had not considered. Thanks.
Thank you, sir. This has informed my decision to purchase one of these.
You are welcome. Here is a link where you can get one just like mine. amzn.to/3GkCuJR (this is an affiliate link, I will make a small commission from purchases)
THANKS Andy mine is working just fine, good tip on t be bearing ware.
Glad to help
Very useful to know, thanks. Considering all of the grit it is amazing it lasted 10 years.
True, I will try to get more life out of the new one.
I wondered how you ground clay! Thanks😊🐝❤
And now you know. You are so welcome.
Very interesting. Thank you 🌲😁🤙
My pleasure!
Thanks for the information, Andy! You got it all covered here, one year before I even asked you about it... 😂Great video, as clear as it has to be, as short as it is wise to be, and as thorough as I didn't expect! Happy new year!
Thanks, glad you found the answers to your questions here.
Thanks for showing us this. Neat gadget
Thanks, yes it is.
good information
i will add a bit of info, it would be a good idea to wash that hole and ball bearing out with solvent before you re-grease it. if you add grease with the existing grit it just becomes a better grinding agent (like valve grind compound). sand mixed with the grease would be the worst.
that beings said 10 years of use is great.
when i got mine, and found it worked so good, i couldn't believe that i had previously ground my clay by hand.
thank you for this, it great information and video.
tom
Thanks for the great tip. Definitely something I will do.
Interesting. I have the exact same grinder, will have to keep some grease handy.
Right on
Exactly what I was looking for! Thanks for the information sharing!
Words of wisdom "grease your corn grinder" 🌽 ❤️ 😄 this guy is great. More people like this please.
LOL
Really very nice...
Thanks a lot 😊
Hey Andy, thanks for the video and the tips, it's very interesting. I am looking for a way to manually grind clay that has already been bisqued in order to make coarse grog. Do you think this corn grinder could handle it ? or do you have a better idea ? For now I use a hammer and a mortar and pestle but it's a long job.
I use my corn grinder to grind up fired sherds for temper. It depends on how hard they are fired, most grind up just fine but every once in awhile I hit a sherd from a vessel that was fired harder and it can be quite jarring. Give it a try.
@@AncientPottery Alright, I will definitely give it a try then. Thanks for the quick answer.
Still need to run it through a flour sieve by the looks of it.
No, the clay doesn't need to be four fine, just coarsely ground.
I’ve got a question for you about grinding clay plus the caliche pottery you mentioned in the q&a: I live in an area where all the clay deposits have a lot of limestone rock mixed in with it, so I feel like I to have to levigate my clay in order to use it. It’s such a labor intensive route I’m looking for an alternative. Do you think limestone mixed in the clay body would behave like caliche and not explode if it’s ground finely and the firing temperatures are kept low enough? I’d love to be able to just corn grind it all together.
Yes, unfortunately limestone acts exactly the same, it is after all just another form of calcium carbonate. Try mixing your clay with water into a thin solution, then passing it through a paint strainer bag such as you can buy at Home Depot. Let it settle overnight, then pour off as much clear water as you can, then pour into a pillowcase and allow to dry until plastic.
Hi Andy, May I ask if this would be suitable for a larger amount of grinding clay work and if not is there anything else you would recommend?
I’m not sure because I only grind a gallon or two of clay at a time. My friend Gabriel hooked it up to a motor but I have never seen that in action.
Hey Andy! got a question, how far apart should the plates be away from each other? I've been getting material stuck to the teeth of the plates making the surface flat and not grinding really good (because of the compressed clay)
Yeah I have had that with certain clays. Sometimes I have to take it apart and clean it, cleaning the plates with a wire brush helps
Hi Andy, I have a question. I bought this grinder and it arrived quite banged up(hopper part esp). Proceeded to put together. The end of the screw that goes into the ball bearing is not cut very level- Is that a problem? Also the pin is bent so much, and off kilter that it wont allow the grinder to turn. Am I doing something wrong, or should I just get a different one?Many people are complaining on all brands about metal shavings being in the ground material. I assume after a breaking in period that would not be a huge issue for clay use? Any input you may have would be helpful, thanks. I have always wet processed my clay(and fired in regular electric kiln) but the grinder looked like a way to speed up the process of getting clumps ground up. Thanks!
It's kind of hard to troubleshoot from far away. I would say that from my experience the end of the screw is never even and doesn't make much difference. If the pin is bent, then just get a pair of pliers and bend it into a desirable shape. Since you're not eating the produce I don't see why it would matter if there were some metal shavings.
“Good to know” Video !
Brilliant! Thanks
What about using a coffee grinder?
A coffee grinder can work but the clay can also tear it up depending on how well it’s made.
I almost passed on this video because of the title. Watching a typical unboxing on utube is time wasted. I'm glad I stuck to watching this because it expanded into a critique of the best and the worst, function and quality, of this make of corn grinder used for dry grinding of raw clay. Thanks.
Glad to help
Sir, how long on average does it take to grind one gallon of dry clay?