Category: Housing

How to choose a pottery wheel?

Brayden Warren

The first handicrafts of clay were made by man already in the Stone Age. The oldest dishes were made by hands. Its shape was not perfect. Such products served only for practical purposes.

At a certain stage, a pottery wheel was invented. Now we don’t know exactly when it happened.

Thousands of years passed before the pottery wheel evolved to its present form. Now it’s not a primitive leg-drive device, it’s a complete high-tech machine. The quality and thoughtfulness of which depends on how the human hand can realize its fantasies in the clay.

A passion for pottery is gaining in scope. Many people are interested in the history of this ancient craft and increasingly want to try to create their own ceramics. There is a share of romanticism and mystery in this whole process. The creation process is mesmerizing. Just that it was a shapeless piece of material, and after a while it was already a work of art. Or a beautiful handicraft. Who’s gonna do it.

The choice of pottery wheels

Now the best pottery wheel is bought not only for workshops, studios and production facilities, but also for home. How to choose the right pottery wheel? And what’s worth paying attention to:

The level of your skill

There are different types of wheels. Some for beginners and others for professionals. You don’t have to overpay if you’re just starting to learn this craft.

The price

Flowing out of the first. The cost of a home machine is many times lower than professional equipment.

The quality of production

This includes: materials from which the pottery wheel is made, the quality of components, the level of assembly.

Manufacturer.

How long has this production on the market. This is a very important parameter. If the company has been economically successful in this area for many decades, then the consumer is satisfied with the products and buys them. But it is not only the time of work in the market that determines the manufacturer. It is important that people want to make their product better and hear their customers, rather than riveting the same thing for years without change. Feedback from satisfied customers, a good indicator. The ability to contact the manufacturer will be a definite plus.

How to choose a pottery wheel?

Comfort

How comfortable you are at work will affect the end result. The potter’s wheel should have different adjustments for maximum range of settings for each person. Try to choose a potter’s wheel for your personal convenience and practicality.

Place for a water tank

Not all models have a free surface on which to place a bowl of water.

The height of the edge.

A small height or no edge at all will cause the clay to fall to the floor.

Engine type

There are three types of electric motors:

  • The first is a brushless DC motor. The drive is driven directly to the wheel. Suitable for professional work. Almost silent, reliable, high smooth running.
  • The second type is an asynchronous motor. Brushless AC motor. Also quiet enough. Wheel’s speed is controlled by belt drive, flywheel or microcontroller. Very reliable.
  • The third is the collector motor. AC brush motor. The rotation speed is adjustable via a belt. Quiet enough and lower than previous types of service life.

Size

A small pottery wheel can be placed in any room of the house. Larger items are suitable for your own workshop, or for equipping clay moulding classes and studios.

Security

All moving parts must be covered by the frame.

Which wheel to choose?

A pottery wheel to choose from. Let’s look at a few manufacturers.

Two market leaders today Shimpo and Rohde. Company Shimpo occupies 80 % of all market. The country the manufacturer Japan. Produces many models of pottery wheels and related equipment. On many parameters is a reference point for others. It is possible to allocate only two minuses: the price and appearance. But here everyone has different preferences.

Shimpo wheels

Rohde is a less popular brand on the Russian market. Country producer Germany. In their, though a small model range there are machines for different consumers with different needs. It is possible to remove the product together with the disc. The only disadvantage is the higher cost compared to competitors.

How to choose a Pond Filter?

Brayden Warren

The eternal question facing every pond owner is: “How to choose a pond filter?”. Which filter is better to choose, which company, which capacity, with what characteristics? On our site the wide assortment of pond filters at the most pleasant prices in the US is presented.

For today the majority of people wish to see on the estates, not banal pools, namely ponds. Such a desire is quite understandable. After all, your own pond is not only an incredibly beautiful element of landscape design, but also an opportunity to live in harmony with nature, relax with your soul without leaving your home.

But, it is not so easy to enjoy harmony with nature if your pond is not clean and well maintained, without proper care, it just becomes a breeding ground for fungi, algae and other parasites that can affect all life in your pond. In order that you can always enjoy clean water in the pond and of course its inhabitants, you must adhere to the most important rule – to filter the water in time. For this purpose, special devices have been developed to support the natural biological, natural conditions for normal living organisms, water transparency, health of the inhabitants and cleanliness in your pond.

But today in our online store offers a wide range of all kinds of pond water filtration systems. These systems differ from each other many criteria, such as the company, the country of manufacture, the principle of operation, power and other not insignificant parameters. The question of selection of the best pond filter must be addressed even during the design of the pond itself, taking into account such factors as:

  • pond depth and dimensions;
  • climatic conditions;
  • lighting;
  • presence of vegetation and fish;
  • the degree of contamination of the pond.

Let’s now take a closer look at what types of filters are available:

  • Pressure
  • Flowing

Pressure – their peculiarity is that it can supply treated water above the level of its location. After being cleaned by the filter, the water can be used for a cascade fountain or a small stream.

Flowing (external) – these types of filters are installed on the bank of the garden plot. From this filter, the water simply flows downwards.

As far as pressure filters are concerned, it is the pressure filters that are considered to be the most user-friendly and economic ones today. This type of filter is designed for cleaning small ponds. The essence of this device is very simple, under pressure it passes water through itself, it in turn passes various degrees of filtration. If the filter is equipped with a UV lamp, the water is additionally disinfected with UV rays to sterilize the water. The advantage of this type of filter is that it can be easily disguised, and unfortunately the disadvantage is the constant need for a large water pressure.

Flow filter – it is already designed for cleaning large volumes of water up to 200 m3 (cubic meters). These filters are a kind of reservoir with all the necessary filter elements for pond cleaning. This type of filter is already installed above the water level in the pond. The main and undisputed advantage of this type of filters is their long service life and, of course, high efficiency. Flow filters have only one drawback, it is not possible to disguise it, but it is a completely insignificant drawback.
In order to determine which filter to choose for your pond, you can go to “Pond Filters” and easily find the right one for you.

So, in order to clean the water surface of your pond, we recommend the use of special devices such as “Skimmers”. The role of this device is very important when cleaning a pond. Skimmers are also available in two types of floating (float) and built-in. Skimmers will remove all large particles (grass, leaves) before they sink to the bottom and contaminate the pond. The device is very easy to use and does not require any time-consuming cleaning of the trash bin itself. Garbage from the skimmer bin can be removed without having to dismantle the unit by simply removing the bin. The quality of the water in your pond depends directly on the efficiency of the skimmer.

When choosing a pond filter, it is not superfluous, of course, to pay attention to the country of the manufacturer. On our website you can find the main branded manufacturers.

But let’s not forget that past the filtration, for the ideal condition of our pond we need additional elements, such as:

  • Pond pump.
  • Pond compressor
  • UV sterilizer for pond
  • Pond Chemistry
  • Pond fish food (if they are present in your pond)
  • Pond heaters
  • Pond luminaries

Rust Converter: Types and Applications

Brayden Warren

Metal in most cases is quite strong and durable material, but it also has its own vulnerable point. Under the influence of environmental factors, it is susceptible to corrosion. To begin with, let us consider in more detail the nature of this phenomenon and its most widespread form – rust.

Purpose and principle of operation of converters

The term itself originates in Latin and is derived from the word “corrodere” (translated as “gnaw”). When iron and water interact, an oxide reaction is triggered, which causes rust on the metal. Simply put, an iron molecule turns into an iron hydroxide. This process is irreversible, as the resulting rust stain attracts and absorbs water in the air.

The physical and chemical effects of the soil and the atmosphere have a very negative impact on the safety of the metal. The most basic type of corrosion is considered to be atmospheric, when the moisture contained in the air is deposited by the thinnest layer on the metal surface. The content of various impurities and gases in the atmosphere contributes to the formation of corrosion as soon as possible. Next to large industrial enterprises, the rusting process will be much faster compared to the forest park zone.

But the metal placed in the ground also remains unprotected. Ground is an equally dangerous environment containing a large number of chemical elements and compounds. Apart from the moisture in the soil itself, these elements significantly accelerate the process of iron oxide. Depending on the aggressiveness of the soil, metal loses up to five percent of its quality volume. Pipelines, wells, piles – these are some elements of infrastructure that are in the “risk zone”.

To date, one of the most effective and practical means to combat corrosion of the metal is a rust converter. It is a chemical reagent that reacts with iron oxide (rust) and neutralizes its destructive effect. In addition to this, a protective layer appears from above, which prevents further development of corrosive processes in the metal.

Due to its properties, this substance finds application in the construction of metal structures, pipelines, bridges and overpasses. Considering the dependence of the corrosion process speed on the gas content in the environment, the use of a rust converter is simply indispensable in the industrial sector.

A variety of rust converter

Select a rust filter based on the surface to be treated. Different compositions of the reagent may affect and interact with the metal in different ways. Two main types of converters can be distinguished by their composition – acidic and acid-free.

  • Acid. The active substance in such a converter is orthophosphoric acid. Means of this type have a double effect – the destruction of the rust itself and the formation of a protective film on the metal surface. A significant disadvantage is the application of the product only on a dry surface.
  • Acid-free. Tanin is an active substance in such additives. This organic component, when reacting with rust, turns iron oxide into corrosive inactive compounds with excellent adhesion properties. Converters of this type can be filled with water, which makes them an excellent way to protect pipes, rolled metal and fittings before concreting and applying paint.