TECHNO TIP Time to Get a Ball Mill Tony Hansen Nouindustnal plant that mixes is own raw glazes would be without a bali mill, Yet potters lack them for a couple of reasons: expense and awareness. A ball mull isa porcelain jar half filled with sphencal porcelain balls. Liquid glaze ts poured in, a lid secured, and itis rotated on a motonzed rack for | or more hours. The tumbling of the balls grinds particles smaller and smaller. The creamier glaze applies better, has more stable viscosity, fires more consistently and cleaner with less specks and imperfections such as pin- holes and Blisters, and melts better. Ball mills also enable you to employ native matcnials, JAR Jars need to be heavy and thick. They are expensive, a 1 gallon jar typically casts about $100 US. These jars are not easy to make, They must have a watertight lid, A jar must be a true cylinder orit won trotate smoothly on the mck. They are not glazed on the inside and are best maxke by casting a low shrinkage porcelain. It would be extremely difficull to dry and fire a thick thrown perfect cylinder shape made [ror plastic poreclain. However you can use a plastic material jar. The pnnding action between the jar walls and balls ts lost but the balls will still crush the particles be- iween them if you mill for much longer periods. Typically small jars have a range of ball diameters from 1.0-4.0 cm. The pebbles cost about $6 US per pound and vou need about 8-10 ibs fora | gallon jar. Plainsman has a stack of pebbles and they are about $5 Canadian per pound. RACK A rack is $70)- 1300 US. However you can build yourown [or very little, Youcan find information on this at http:// www, gerstleyborate.com ball mill Tihas. colunuras generously supported by Plaies- man Clays Led. GALLERY OF BC CERAMICS CALL FOR ENTRY September 15: Submission Deadline for 2001 Exhibits Exhibit proposals should include the following: « ©- [0 slides labelled with name, title, date and dimensions, * biography or arust statement: * description of work to be enh bated: + title and panigraph describing work for advertising purposes and * preferred months for exhibit. Please contact the Gallery of BC Ceramics at 604.669.5645 to request the Exhibit Proposal Guidelines package. EXHIBITION September |-October 4 Vincent Massey ADepurture frommy Wheel Opening Reception Friday September | 18:0) - 20:00 detail: fish platter YELM POTTERS SHPPLY LT Serving Western Canadian Potters for the past 30 years On Vancouver Island see our newest dealer The Pottery Warehouse in Nanaimo 250-716-9966 « Clays * Materials « Underglazes * Stains « Glazes * Tools * Equipment * Wheels * Kilns * Books « Videos « Magazines Monday-Friday 9-5 Saturdays 9-1 9548 - 192 Street, Surrey, B.C, V4N 3A9 Phone: 604-888-3411 Fax: 604-888-4247 E-mail: greenbam@be. sympatico.ca Intamet: www.greenbam.com Sept 2000 Potters Guild of British Columbia