Thread type question: oldish pottery wheel.

[Jonathan Webb]

Hello, I'm repairing my late father's pottery wheel - I've remade the seat and the seat bracket screws didn't survive being undone, so need to replace them. There are either captive welded nuts, or the metal is tapped but I don't know what thread the fasteners are likely to have had - anyone able to hazard an educated guess?

I have no idea of the age of it - anywhere from 50's-80's? Pic attached of a v similar one. They're not metric and none of the Whitworth bits from my boat box fitted.
Many thanks.

 

[dan treg]

unc or ba thread ?

 

[carbonarc]

Be gentle with it!

 

[RWD3M]

Hello, I'm repairing my late father's pottery wheel - I've remade the seat and the seat bracket screws didn't survive being undone, so need to replace them. There are either captive welded nuts, or the metal is tapped but I don't know what thread the fasteners are likely to have had - anyone able to hazard an educated guess?

I have no idea of the age of it - anywhere from 50's-80's? Pic attached of a v similar one. They're not metric and none of the Whitworth bits from my boat box fitted.
Many thanks.

View attachment 454789

If you take one out, measure its diameter and count the threads per inch, we'll be able to give you a pretty definitive answer. Failing that, without a crystal ball, we'll just be guessing.

 

[Seadog]

BSF

 

[zzr1200]

Take a very close up picture of the bolt head in-between the seat and the splash guard for the wheel, and post it here. You can usually tell by the markings on the bolts head.

 

[JEZGUZ]

If you can get a piece of dowel or similar the same size as the hole, screw it in and you'll be able to measure the threads you've created.

 

[6ply]

Be gentle with it!View attachment 454794

Never use asking prices as the basis of your research.

J.W. Ratcliffe & Sons Electric Pottery Wheel | eBay

Ratcliffe Potters Wheel. This is a large heavy item and will require a van for pick up.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Jonathan Webb]

Be gentle with it!View attachment 454794

Sadly not electric :-( I flirted with the idea of converting it, to increase its value, but it turned out to be more involved and quite an investment so I decided I'd rather restore it to working condition & move it on. Still worth a few bob as a kick wheel though.

 

[Jonathan Webb]

If you can get a piece of dowel or similar the same size as the hole, screw it in and you'll be able to measure the threads you've created.

Brilliant. Thanks for that. Definitely worth a try. Ta

 

[Jonathan Webb]

If you take one out, measure its diameter and count the threads per inch, we'll be able to give you a pretty definitive answer. Failing that, without a crystal ball, we'll just be guessing.

I can't find them - I took the seat off a good while ago.... Obviously guessing, but hopefully educated guesses - and someone may just know - there are a very broad spread of other interests among the group members.

 

[Jonathan Webb]

Never use asking prices as the basis of your research.

J.W. Ratcliffe & Sons Electric Pottery Wheel | eBay

Ratcliffe Potters Wheel. This is a large heavy item and will require a van for pick up.

www.ebay.co.uk

Yes, I was not convinced I'd get a worthwhile return if I converted it, whereas kick wheels sell for around £150+, which for the sake of a new piece of plywood for the seat, was worthwhile. Would have helped if I hadn't lost the screws holding it on though...

 

[Jonathan Webb]

Take a very close up picture of the bolt head in-between the seat and the splash guard for the wheel, and post it here. You can usually tell by the markings on the bolts head.

Thanks. I'll see if anything is visible - it's all pretty rusty.

 

[RWD3M]

I can't find them - I took the seat off a good while ago.... Obviously guessing, but hopefully educated guesses - and someone may just know - there are a very broad spread of other interests among the group members.

Ah, must have missed that.

I refer the honourable gentleman to :

If you can get a piece of dowel or similar the same size as the hole, screw it in and you'll be able to measure the threads you've created.

 

[Jonathan Webb]

Take close up picture of the bolt head in-between the seat and the splash guard for the wheel, and post it here. You can usually tell by the markings on the bolts head.

Thanks, Have just tried that but can't make anything out even scrubbed a bit with wire wool.

 

[Jonathan Webb]

There were no other fasteners of a similar size so in the end it was pragmatic to tap them out to 10mm - I needed the space.

 

[Bobtail4x4]

Be gentle with it!View attachment 454794

Christ, there was half a dozen in a farm sale the other year, they made £15 each, I was looking at the HUGE lathes from the same school clearout, they went for scrap money.