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How The Texas Tiler Works

The Texas Tiler offers all the quality and versatility of industrial presses, but in a much smaller, much less expensive configuration that is totally safe.  Proven time and time again, anyone, even small children  can
use the Texas Tiler.
 
An open face die made of Ceramical or Hydrostone is made independently of the solid heavy duty aluminum casing and is placed in the casing thru a door opening and once in the casing, the die is locked in place by closing the side door and securing with a locking screw.  When the die is to be replaced with a different die, it is merely removed from the casing and the new die is set in and locked in place.

A pug of moist clay (earthenware, porcelain, stoneware) is placed in the impression of the die.  A piece of plastic film is placed over the clay and then, using a 16 oz mallet, the clay is tapped with light blows of the mallet until the cavity is filled with the clay.  The plastic is then removed and a solid hardwood squeegee board is used to scrape away all excess clay.   After the excess clay is removed, the piece is actually finished at this time, and only needs to be removed from the die.  To remove the clay from the die, the casing, which is attached to an axle, is actually flipped over upside down so that the clay may now fall onto a catchboard when it is released from the die.   Next, by applying air pressure which releases water from the die, the clay is released and falls onto the catchboard and is put away for drying.   You are now ready to make another piece.

A Die and a Mold

A mold is made of 'soft plaster', such as #1 Pottery Plaster .  The inside of the mold is usually shaped like the outside of the piece to be made.  The 'soft plaster' used to create molds are very absorbent in nature, as this material is designed to 'pull' water away from the clay, much like a sponge.  A mold may usually be used only once before it must be allowed to dry before another pressing, so a great many molds are required for any type of production work.

A die is usually made from gypsum cement, such as Ceramical™ or Hydrostone™.  A die usually uses a modeling clay usually used for throwing which is not further wetted.   The Texas Tiler only has one die instead of the traditional two halves found with most hydraulic presses, therefore all of the clay forms produced with the Tiler will have a flat back as regular tiles do. 

Each die has a porous mold duct tube embedded into it when the die is made.  As compressed air is sent through the mold duct tube, the air escapes into the 'hard plaster' of the die.  The escaping air pushes the water, absorbed into the "hard plaster" surface of the die from the clay during pressing, back towards the clay pressed, releasing it very cleanly from the surface of the die.

After pressing the clay into the shape of the die, a paddle bat is then placed under the die before using the air to release the clay. The formed clay object is then released and caught very gently with the paddle bat. That finished clay object is set aside to dry and the entire pressing process can be immediately repeated.

DOWNLOAD - Tutorial - How to use the Texas Tiler

DOWNLOAD - Tutorial - Making Dies for the Texas Tiler