Old Shimpo Wheel

beautifulfreak · #1 08-11-2006, 12:03 AM

Ok, I've been testing the wheels in the classroom i teach in and they all so far have been tested except an old shimpo wheel the ship date on the metal plate says 1975. Now I can't figure this thing out, it has a non removalable splash pan(so much for easy cleaning), the pan has 2 plugs one right above the other, the lower plug has a hole in it. I'm assuming it is a drain of some sort but if you put water in the pan in dribbles down the side of the wheel base not into the bucket i've placed below the hole. Anyone ever use one of these old shimpo wheels? What am i doing wrong?

RusticPotter · #2 08-13-2006, 07:48 AM

Hi bf,

Yeah, I've used those old Shimpo wheels, never was too crazy about them, I liked the Brents better. In those days the Shimpos had that funny handle and the pedal attached to the wheel so you couldn't move it around like the Brents. I imagine there's a leak somewhere in that pan system; hard to say without seeing it. I always take the splash pan right off - IMHO it just gets in the way. I figure you're using too much water if it's splashing all over the place! Maybe good for students, though.

Good luck, Rustic

beautifulfreak · #3 08-13-2006, 12:30 PM

gotta have the pan as the room isn't clay dedicated and some of the other teachers get upset about clay slung here and there, of course I get a bit peeved about the little metal solder balls left everywhere from the metals class not to mention the glitter that is everywhere from the kids class.

Personally i like a creative industry wheel...the ones with the wide table top and the convenant drain hole. Brents tie with a soildner(sp?) wheel for second favorite. As for the shimpo, i don't think there is a leak this water comes from the hole and dribbles down the pan, down the wheel base and onto the floor instead of flowing straight out into the bucket that is placed below it. I also have to put a foot back on the wheel as i found it elsewhere and finally figured out it was a foot to this shimpo, maybe once i get the foot on it will sit level and drain properly.

bkfist · #4 08-20-2006, 01:51 PM

Any chance you could hook up a couple feet of tubing to the plug so it drains into a bucket?

beautifulfreak · #5 08-20-2006, 06:02 PM

I thought about that. But the problem might solve itself when i get the missing foot back on it. I didn't realize the foot was missing when i tested it.
I found this black thing in the studio and thought it was a knob to something, couldn't find what it went to then i leaned on the shimpo to plug something into the wall behind it and the corner of the wheel dropped...ahhh so that is what the black thing is for.

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