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Leach kick wheel

+2
Ev
TonyK
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Leach kick wheel Empty Leach kick wheel

Post  TonyK Sun 6 Mar - 9:49

I bought this off eBay yesterday:
Leach kick wheel Leach_10
It looks not to have been used for years and the wheel head is quite rusty:
Leach kick wheel Leach_11

How should I go about cleaning it? What I'm worried about is using techniques or substances that later prove to be detrimental to throwing - damaging the wheel head or leaving waxes or oils where they didn't ought to be. Anyone have any advice?
TonyK
TonyK

Number of posts : 653
Location : Sydney Australia
Registration date : 2008-08-28

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Leach kick wheel Empty Re: Leach kick wheel

Post  Ev Sun 6 Mar - 11:59

Oops ... someone forgot to clean the clay off the wheelhead!
Clay is very corrosive .... this always amazes me!
How about cleaning it with vegetable oil?
Ev
Ev
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Post  TonyK Tue 8 Mar - 23:16

The head has come up OK - there's still some pitting but nothing too dramatic:
Leach kick wheel Wheel_10
TonyK
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Post  Ev Wed 9 Mar - 7:53

Looking good Tony ..... a huge improvement !
Ev
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Post  TimCaulton Thu 10 Mar - 11:11

I think the wheel on my one is aluminium or stainless, so I can just leave it covered in clay!
TimCaulton
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Post  TonyK Thu 10 Mar - 20:45

I've started waterproofing the tray:
Leach kick wheel Wheel_11

The only red in the shop!
TonyK
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Post  TonyK Sat 12 Mar - 22:03

This is with three coats:
Leach kick wheel 00710
TonyK
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Post  TonyK Fri 8 Apr - 18:06

I tried throwing today with some earthenware clay from Kerrie Lowe Gallery in Newtown: kerrielowe.com

Leach kick wheel 01310

The wheel is both more and less forgiving than an electric one. Here's my clay god watching over the pieces:
Leach kick wheel 01510


Last edited by TonyK on Sat 9 Apr - 0:44; edited 1 time in total (Reason for editing : to make Ev's next post look non-sensical)
TonyK
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Post  Ev Fri 8 Apr - 21:05

...... your clat go .... ?
Another language?
Looks like a kiln god to me Laughing
Ev
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Post  TonyK Sat 9 Apr - 15:30

I turned the bottoms today. Clat-go, my guardian, surveyed the process:
Leach kick wheel 00612
TonyK
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Post  Ev Sat 9 Apr - 17:50

*Likes* Very Happy
Ev
Ev
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Post  TimCaulton Sat 16 Feb - 18:28

I just bought a Leach kick wheel.....very cool really. Just needs a clean. Wonder when it was made, anyone remember when they were being made here in NZ?
TimCaulton
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Post  Glenys Sat 16 Feb - 21:50

Late 1960's early 70's as far as I can recall.

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Post  TimCaulton Sat 16 Feb - 21:51

ok, thanks
TimCaulton
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Post  TonyK Mon 18 Feb - 0:42

This page http://www.robertcomptonpottery.com/wheels-of%20potters.htm has photos of Chester Nealie using a Leach wheel one caption includes "This beautiful Leach Treadle Wheel was made in New Zealand by Seaboard Joinery in the 1960's" .

Another photo of a Leach Wheel on the page includes in the caption "In 2002 Robert brought back to the USA two Treadle Wheels made by Seaboard Joinery of Auckland, New Zealand. The wheels were made in the 1960's"
TonyK
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Post  TimCaulton Mon 18 Feb - 11:37

Thats great info, thanks. Just cleaned the whole wheel yesterday, the wood probably needs a bit of oil.
TimCaulton
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Post  Glenys Mon 18 Feb - 13:47

Tony, you are just amazing!

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Leach kick wheel Empty Leach Wheel Renovation tips?

Post  AHC Mon 7 May - 13:58

Hi, I just bought a Leach Wheel made by Seaboard Joinery and would welcome some advice on refurbishment.
1. How do I remove the wheel head? I'm guessing it unscrews but how do I get resistance on the shaft to get it started?
2. How should I clean the wheel head? It is not too rusty but I see how Tony K's wheelhead came up looking new and wondered how he did that.
3. The wooden pan is loose and lifts up a few cms long the shaft holding the wheelhead. I don't remember that happening in the one I used to own 35 years ago so I guess some part may be missing or unscrewed. Any ideas what?
4. A large block of wood under the wheel head, through which the shaft runs, has come loose from the pan. Once I can remove the wheelhead I should be able to fix it, but want to check that it is original. Can anyone tell me.
5. Any ideas what the name of the green colour is that Seaboard used to paint the pan, or what type of paint I should use to replace it?
6. The leather bearing on the block between treadle and shaft has been replaced by metal (galvanized iron? ) Does this matter?
7. A cotter pin (or similar) is missing from the hinge end of the treadle. Does any-one know what the original looked like/what is a suitable substitute?
Thanks so much for any advice you can give.

AHC

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Registration date : 2018-05-07

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Post  TonyK Mon 7 May - 17:44

This page https://makezine.com/2012/06/27/the-leach-treadle-wheel/ has info on Leach wheels including a link to a series of photos Simon Leach took of a wheel being constructed. It may answer some of your queries. I washed all the clay off the wheel head of mine then used wet and dry sandpaper to smooth it. I then oiled it with vegetable oil. My wheel was made in Australia and as I wasn't concerned about restoring the original colour of the tray I used three coats of enamel in the closest red my local paint shop had available. It is wooden rather than being zinc or copper lined.

Good luck with your project.
TonyK
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Post  AHC Tue 8 May - 9:03

Thanks for that tip. I already checked out those sources and none had the information I was looking for. In the Simon Leach video the wheelhead is already off and he doesn't show any detail of how it goes on (threaded or otherwise)and besides it is a different model, made in the UK. The photos are also a differnt much later version and don't show the angles/aspects I need. I've emailed Seaboard Joinery, who still exist, to see if they have any old specs. I think getting the wheelhead off may be the biggest challenge. Maybe it just needs determination. Thanks anyway.

AHC

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Registration date : 2018-05-07

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Post  TonyK Tue 8 May - 10:37

Tim Caulton has a Seaboard treadle wheel. He might be able to answer your queries. He set up the FB New Zealand Studio Pottery group so you should be able to contact him there.
TonyK
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Post  AHC Fri 11 May - 16:14

Thanks. It turned out the wheelhead was not threaded and I got it off with little trouble. I've started cleaning it with sandpaper and have repainted the tray. Now I'm wondering how to get the flywheel off, as it's ply top and bottom have delaminated somewhat and I want to fix it if I can. I emailed Seaboard Joinery, who still exists and they kindly sent me the old maintenance notes from when they made the wheels, but they don't have details of construction. I'll check out Tim Caulton on the FB page. Thanks again.

AHC

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Leach kick wheel Empty Leach wheel

Post  Kim Whitaker Sat 5 Jun - 15:21

I am also trying to renovate a leach wheel...with similar issues to others...
I managed to remove the wheel with the help of a blow torch and penetrating oil but I am now facing the same problem of removing the flywheel - the ply has delaminated so I need to replace it! I have removed the nuts but cannot get the bolts which pass right through the fly wheel to move. Are they threaded into the steel plate on the top or just inserted through an appropriate sized hole? Any help would be much appreciated!!

Kim Whitaker

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