Sunday, September 12, 2010

Pressing My Luck, Cycling Related Mug

So I decided to refire the UFT III.
By adding some glaze to fill the crack, I'm hoping it will create a stronger join than the one from the first firing.
I also touched up some spots where the glaze was a little thin.
This time though, I feel like I'm really rolling the dice. The join area doesn't look too good; maybe I should have broken it off and set it again.
We'll see.
Anyways, I've been thinking of doing something cycling related since I haven't been able to actually ride.
Might as well be thinking about it.
So first, I cut some sheet aluminum, the same stuff I used to make the giant pinwheels from:



I used an X-acto knife handle to create the shape I needed for my cookie cutter.
I think you can see where this is going.
Next, I rolled out a small slab of clay and started to punch out the shapes.
Then I began to assemble:



I dug in my parts box and grabbed a gear from a single speed conversion kit. I also took the small gear from an old cassette and used them to make my gears:




I think I need to make my slab a bit thinner as you'll see later.
I actually tried to make a cookie cutter for the gears, but that was a total failure. Cutting them from real gears is sort of time consuming, but not too bad.
I made a mug on the wheel and while I waited for it to dry, I tried to use my dog as a model:



The mug wasn't really ready to go, it was still sort of wet, but I wasn't feeling too good so I pressed on.
Literally.
Chain parts were individually scored and slipped together:



I decided to double up on the interior links for strength.
Then I scored the gears and put them on the mug. I didn't really place them or anything, just sort of stuck them on.
Prototype, don't you know:



Here's the handle and a close up:




I may have to double up on the chain for strength, I'll see once I fire it. I think it works better if the gears were a little thinner, looks sort of bulky right now.
The mug I made isn't the nicest, I just sort of hurried it; I'm not sure if I want to make it sort of barreled or straight.
I think next week I'll try to put together a half dozen or so these. They make nice pencil cups.
I'll post up some pics once I get the prototype glazed.

2 comments:

Rat Trap Press said...

Hey, that's really cool! I think you're on to something. I can't wait to see the finished mug.

limom said...

Thanks!
We'll have to see if it passes industry standards.
I got a few more ideas up my uh, jersey.