The Best Full-Size Slab Rollers for Ceramic Studios

 
Bailey DRD / II ceramic slab roller machine

The Bailey DRD / II gear reduction slab roller pictured here with the shorter 51” table.

 

Slab rollers are great for slab-built pottery, tiles, and sculptures. While you might be able to get by with a rolling pin, if you use slabs regularly, a slab roller should be an integral part of your studio And while full-size slab rollers can take up a chunk of space, having the ability to easily make slabs is worth it.

This post covers all the full-size slab rollers on the market from five manufacturers: Bailey, Nidec Shimpo, North Star, Brent, and the Hi Roller. For a guide to smaller portable or table top slab rollers, click here.

Top Pick: Bailey DRD / II Gear Reduction models

Bailey DRD / II slab roller with 69 inch table

The 24 inch wide Bailey DRD / II slab roller pictured here with the 69” table. Note the two wheels for ease of moving the table.

The Bailey DRD / II slab rollers with the gear reduction feature are the best slab rollers on the market. These slab rollers are a joy to use, can quickly take up to 2 inches of clay down to an even slab, and are extremely durable and long lasting, suitable for a professional, academic, or personal studio.

The machine features steel rollers, a large 34” wagon wheel handle for easy turning, and one adjustment knob that raises and lowers the top roller. The slab roller can be adjusted from an ultra-thin 1/16” up to 1 1/2” .

This machine feature a reverse-thread handle adapter to prevent damage to the machine, but be careful—what this means in practice is that you can unscrew the wagon wheel handle and it will fall off. (Make sure students are trained on this machine.) On the shorter 51” table, the 34” handle is quite large but it is easy to use and turn, even with large amounts of clay.

The only other (small) drawback is that if one is not careful, canvas can be pulled under the feed table and ends up wrapping around the bottom roller. But once one is accustomed to the roller, it becomes second nature to avoid this.

Bailey makes a few different rollers, but the DRD / II gear reduction models are what you want. The cost about $100 extra for the gear reduction but they are simply the best slab roller on the market.

The Bailey DRD / II gear reduction models are available in a 24” width as a machine only ($1,380), with a 51” table ($1,780), or a 69” table ($1,999). The 30” models have the same option and generally cost about $200 more.

Budget Pick: Nidec Shimpo SR-3050 Slab Roller

Nidec Shimpo ceramic slab roller machine

The Nidec-Shimpo Slab Roller

The Nidec-Shimpo SR-3050 slab roller is a studio workhorse that will turn out great slabs. It features a double roller that sits in the middle of a 30 x 50 inch table with a wagon-wheel handle. Slab thicknesses can range from an ultra-thin 0.1” up to 3 inches, and the top roller is adjusted by moving the two handles.

Adjusting the two rollers can be a bit annoying and the table is somewhat small, but all things considered, this is a great roller that is listed around $1,100 and often can be found for around $900. The short feed area can be fixed by adding a wing or placing the machine next to another table.

The Bailey DRD II and the Shimpo slab roller are just two of many full-sized slab rollers on the market. Keep reading for a complete guide, or click here to read about small and portable table top rollers.

Table of Contents

  1. Top Pick: Bailey DRD / II Gear Reduction Roller

  2. Budget Pick: Shimpo Slab Roller

  3. How to Shop For a Slab Roller

  4. North Star Slab Rollers

  5. The Hi Roller Vertical Slab Roller

  6. All Bailey Slab Rollers

  7. Brent Slab Rollers

  8. Slab Accessories

  9. Summary

How To Shop For A Slab Roller

It can be confusing to shop for a slab roller, as Bailey and North Star in particular make a variety of slab rollers that can be ordered with a variety of table sizes and features. Here’s a guide of how to shop and pick out rollers.

1. Start With Roller Width

Full size table top rollers range from 24 to 40 inches wide. In practice, your widest slab will probably be about 2 inches less than that. Even a 22 inch wide slab can be quite large! But if you are doing large tile projects, the 30 or 40 inch models will be needed. For an individual studio, a 24 inch roller might be quite large—maybe a table top roller is what you need.

2. Table Size

The important considerations here are the size of the table where you feed in the clay, the size of the “output” area, and the total size of the table. In addition to width, the table size will determine how long of a slab you can make. Once again, I’d suggest that a 22” wide slab by say 24” long is quite large! But if you have a larger table, you have more working area.

Shimpo, Brent, and the Hi Roller machines come in one size. But Bailey and North Star let you choose the table size. With Bailey it’s a 51” or 69” long table, and North Star options are 48” or 72” inches, and North Star also sells prop-up “wings” that extend the table. With Bailey and North Star, you can also buy the machine only and build your own table.

With any roller, measure the complete table and make sure it is suitable for your studio.

3. Rollers

Most high-quality rollers have a double roller. This will give your slab pressure from both sides, and results in a more even slab. Brent Rollers just have a roller on one side, which along with the heaviness of the table is why we don’t recommend Brent rollers.

4. Handle / Crank Mechanism

Most of these large rollers come with a wagon wheel handle, but some have a crank. A wagon wheel makes it easy to turn, but does take up more room. Consider the Bailey rollers with the short table: a 34” wide wagon wheel handle is paired with a 51” table. It’s a bit crowded. Smaller table top rollers generally have a crank rather than a wagon wheel.

5. Gear Reduction / Safety Mechanisms

Any slab roller should be treated with respect and they can be damaged if they are turned the wrong way or too much clay is forced through the rollers. Bailey makes a gear-reduction model that is even easier to turn, and also has a reverse-threaded wagon wheel so that you can’t turn the gears the “wrong” way and damage the machine.

6. Durability

All of the machines reviewed here are well built and will be long lasting if not abused. In my experience, the Bailey, Shimpo, and North Star machines hold up best under intense use in academic or community studios. The Hi Roller is fussy but can make nice albeit small slabs. The Brent rollers are extremely heavy and basically bomb proof welded steel, but if the shims get wet they can warp and the wires can snap if used improperly. So many academic studios have Brent rollers but the other four manufacturers make machines that are simpler, lighter, and easier to maintain.

North Star Slab Rollers

The North Star 30 inch wide Super Roller with table.

North Star makes two styles of slab rollers: the “standard” line has crank-driven 2 1/2” double rollers available in 18”, 24”, and 30” width as machine only, table-top portarollers, or in 48” long tables. (Our top pick for a portable roller is the 18” Portaroller from the North Star standard series.) The two larger rollers in the standard line can also be ordered with wagon wheel handles.

The “super” series features wagon-wheel driven 4” wide double rollers with a gear reduction in 24”, 30”, or 36” width in 72” long tables. If you are a production shop or a busy academic studio, the Super series is what you want, whereas the standard line is great for individual studios.

North Star also makes a variety of accessories, such as fold-out wings to extend the length of tables, and extra shelves for the roller table.

These are great rollers. The only drawback compared to the Bailey DRD / II models is that North Star has two height adjustment knobs, rather than one that moves the entire top roller. North Star mentions that this makes “tapered slabs” possible, but truth be told, that’s a concept I’ve only heard mentioned in their marketing copy.

North Star Standard rollers range from around $1100 to $1200 for a roller and table.
Super series rollers start at around $1500 for the 24” roller and table, and go up to $2355 for the 36” roller and table. All the models are available for less as machine only, if you want to build your own table.

The Hi Roller Vertical Slab Roller

The Hi Roller vertical clay slab roller machine

The Hi Roller Vertical Slab roller is a space-saving machine that is easy to crank.

The Hi Roller is an interesting entry for the full size slab roller because it can be wall mounted or stand on its own, taking up very little space while providing great (if somewhat small) slabs. The rollers can be adjusted easily with a dial, clay is placed near the rollers, and a small crank easily moves the clay down between two pieces of canvas. Then, the clay is cranked back up, often sticking just enough to the canvas until you remove it.

This all sounds great, but in practice, this is a fussy machine. Sometimes the clay drops below the rollers and won’t come back up, and it’s hard to make large slabs. So there is some trade off but if floor space is a premium in your studio, this is the roller for you.

The Hi Roller is generally available for around $1,450-$1,500.

Bailey Slab Rollers

Bailey makes a somewhat confusing array of slab rollers so hopefully this outline of their product line will help.

The Bailey 40” DB Drive Board roller with electric motor.

The DRD / II slab roller from Bailey is the top pick for a slab roller (see top of post) and is available in a 24” or 30” model in either direct drive or gear reduction models. It’s worth the extra $100 for the gear reduction—why not make it easier to crank out slabs? The DRD / II models have 2 1/2 inch diameter rollers.

The original DRD model is still in production, and is available in 30” or 40” width. The DRD features 4” diameter rollers, designed for professional studios or heavy use by academic studios. These are amazing, big rollers. They are also available with electric motors.

Finally, Bailey also makes the DB or Drive Board rollers in 30” or 40” widths. These machines have a single roller on top and a drive board that travels with the slab, allowing for more even compression and protecting the slab from bunching or bogging down in the machine. These are best for tile and architectural tile work.

Brent Slab Rollers

Brent SR-30 Slab Roller

The Brent SR-30 Slab Roller

Brent makes three slab rollers with a wagon wheel (the SR-14, SR-20, and SR-30) and one model (the SRC) with a crank handle. All are rather overbuilt with heavy steel bases, and single wheels that move over the top of the slabs, and have wires underneath the roller table covered in sticky grease. The slab thickness is adjusted by adding or removing canvas-covered shims.

These slab rollers are quite common but I would avoid them whether new or used. Here’s why:

> Adding or taking out shims is a pain. Also, this process generally results in a lot of dust being created.

> Single roller, only pressure from the top rather than a double roller.

> Heavy. So heavy. You’ll need a forklift or about 6 people to move these. They are unnecessarily heavy.

> Hard to maintain. Have fun repairing the guide/crank wire when it snaps! (Misuse by students can easily break this wire)

> Warped shims: I once used a Brent roller that had water damage and all the shims were warped, resulting in uneven slabs.

And finally, expensive. All that metal costs money. These rollers ranged from $2,000 up to $3,700. Sure, if properly maintained and used you will get fine slabs, especially if you never change the slab thickness. But any other machine will be better.

Slab Accessories

A few things that will make working with slabs easier:

Slab Mats

Slab mat

Slab mats are available in a variety of sizes and are great for rolling slabs or handbuilding.

Slab Mats are a plastic fabric with one side smooth and the “working” side has a bit of a fuzz. They are less flexible than canvas, but are also great for putting through rollers, moving slabs around, or just as a working surface to protect your table tops. Most normal clay uses (fettling knives, craft knives, needle tools, etc) won’t cut through these. Small sizes can also be used as small bats for handbuilding, or get a larger piece to run through your roller.

Canvas

Unprimed, raw canvas is a great working surface that can be laundered.

For slabs, unprimed canvas is also great for rolling and moving around the studio. With a canvas blanket, you can cut to your desired shape and either hem or leave the edges unhemmed. Canvas can be washed over and over again by hand or in the washing machine. Frequent washing will help keep the dust down, and does soften the material over time. #12 / 12 oz canvas is a great place to start, or go slightly thicker with #10 / 15oz canvas.

Rolling Pin

Solid maple rolling pin

A solid maple rolling pin is a useful studio tool that is easy to clean.

A solid maple rolling pin is a must-have for any ceramic studio, even if you have a slab roller. For small things, it’s usually easier to roll by hand. Pair this with a few wooden slats or yard sticks, and you’ve got an adjustable slab rolling system.

A solid rolling pin is better than a rolling pin with bearings or moving parts, because there is nothing to break and it is easy to clean the entire rolling pin with water. Rolling pins come in a variety of sizes but a 24” wide rolling pin is still easy to maneuver but large enough to make really big slabs. At around $30, this is an affordable studio tool that will last forever.

Summary

This post has covered every large or full-size slab roller on the market, including models from Bailey, North Star, Nidec-Shimpo, Hi Roller, and Brent.

The top pick is the DRD/II gear reduction slab roller from Bailey, but there are lots of options for a wide variety of budgets. All of these rollers, if properly used, will make great slabs but there are some superior options (Bailey, Shimpo, North Star) based on price, weight, and quality of features.

What slab roller do you use in your studio? Let us know in the comments.

Best Ware Carts and Mobile Shelves for Pottery, Ceramics, and Sculpture Studios

Ware Carts can add a lot of storage space to your studio and are great for holding in-progress work. If you get a model on wheels, it will make your studio even more flexible and allow you to maximize space.

There are six ware carts made for ceramic studios, but you can also use wire shelving and even bakery carts. This post will cover every type of ware cart I’ve seen in ceramic studios, along with recommended picks. In truth, any of these will be quality additions to your studio. You’ll just need to select the cart that works for your space, and budget.

The Brent Ware Cart: our top pick for a ware cart / mobile shelving in a ceramic studio.

The Brent Ware Cart: our top pick for a ware cart / mobile shelving in a ceramic studio.

Top Pick: Brent Ware Cart

The Brent Ware Cart is my favorite ware cart for a few reasons. It has the typical Brent overbuilt / bombproof construction; it’s tall; and it’s made with round steel pipe. As ware carts are designed to move, the round sides are comfortable to grab and roll. It’s a small difference, but a detail that really makes this cart stand out. The center top bar is also less conspicuous, and I like the rounded look. Brent makes a few other carts, including a mobile shelf cart, if you want to go for a matching look too.

This cart ships flat and assembles by bolting together the cross bars and adding plywood shelves. It comes with 4” locking casters, and measures 35 inches wide, 24 inches deep, and 72 3/4” tall. The shelves are 24” x 32” and it can hold up to 9 full shelves, or you can use it with a combination of 12 x 32” half shelves.

The Brent Ware Cart typically retails for around $700 plus $150 for the shelves, or you can cut plywood yourself to make the 32” wide shelving.

Budget Pick: Wire Shelving on Wheels

Seville Classics 2’ x 4’ x 6’ tall heavy duty wheeled wire shelving.

Seville Classics 2’ x 4’ x 6’ tall heavy duty wheeled wire shelving.

Ceramic-specific ware carts retail for between $425 and $700 plus shelves, but for less than half that you can get heavy duty wire shelving on wheels. The wire shelving is not ideal for greenware that is too wet, but you can use boards to store wet pieces on it. And it is great for pieces that are leather hard, for drying tiles, or for any other sort of storage.

For wire shelving used as a ware cart, I’d go for 24” deep shelving such as the Seville Classics 24” x 48” x 72” tall unit with 3 inch casters. The whole unit is rated to hold 500 lbs. This is lower than the 750 to 1000 lbs that a ceramic ware cart will hold, but should be plenty for most studios.

amazon basics wire shelving on wheels.jpg

Ultra-Budget Pick: Amazon Basics Wire Shelving on Wheels

For a mobile wire shelving unit that is perfect for smaller studios, you can’t beat the $60 Amazon Basics mobile wire shelving. It’s got 5 shelves, measures 14” deep x 30” wide x 64.75” tall. It’s not as strong or big as a ceramic ware cart but it should hold up under individual / light duty use. Just don’t expect these to survive in an academic or community studio with heavy use.

Budget Pick: Bakery Carts

The Gridmann Bakery Cart with locking casters.

The Gridmann Bakery Cart with locking casters.

Bakery carts are another option for ceramic studios. They aren’t as sturdy or designed for the weight of clay or plaster, but can work for light-duty purposes. They are also cheaper and are often easy to find used. They tend to be smaller, built around the size of an 18” x 26” sheet pan. You’ll need to cut your own plywood shelves or with the narrow width, you can also make shelves with drywall.

Bakery carts are especially popular with tile makers as they really expand your storage area and they work with homemade, drywall shelves.

There are many option, but a solid one is the Gridmann Bakery Cart, which retails for around $150 plus the cost of shelves. In many ways, bakery work is pretty similar to ceramics so maybe these carts would be an ideal option for your studio.

These are just a few of the options for a studio. The post continues below with information on every ware cart on the market.

A Note on Plywood Shelves: Most ware carts have the option of adding precut shelves. You can also make your own with 3/4” interior-grade plywood. Cut it yourself with a plunge saw or table saw, or have a lumber yard cut it for you. You could use 1/2” plywood, but that will bend or warp over time. 3/4” plywood is a better investment as it is more likely to stay flat. It’s worth it to get the best grade of plywood you can afford, you’ll be happy you did years down the road.

If you get a narrow cart, such as a bakery cart, you can also make shelves out of drywall. Just be sure to cover the edges with duct tape or gummed paper packing tape, so that you won’t get drywall crumbs all over your studio.

Table of Contents

  • Top Pick: Brent Ware Cart

  • Budget Pick: Mobile Wire Shelving and Bakery Carts

  • Runner up: Bailey Ware Truck

  • North Star Ware Cart

  • Axner Ware Cart

  • Laguna Ware Cart

  • Debcor Ware Cart

  • Bakery Carts

  • Summary

Runner Up: Bailey Ware Cart

The Bailey Ware Cart, pictured here with the 13 shelf option.

The Bailey Ware Cart, pictured here with the 13 shelf option.

The Bailey Ware Cart is another great option that is about the same size as the Brent Ware Cart but has more shelves and is cheaper. Made of square steel bars and angle iron, it measures 24” deep x 34 1/2” wide x 74 1/4” tall. It has 6” casters and is available with 13 or 26 shelves. The 13 shelf unit retails for around $500 while the 26 shelf unit is around $650. The 26 shelf unit has a 2.5” spacing and is great for studios that do a lot of tile work, whereas the 5” spacing on the 13 shelf unit should work for most studios.

The Bailey Cart has a boxy shape, is easy to roll, and will be a piece of studio furniture that will last for decades. I have used these in a variety of studios and really like them, especially for tile work. When considering this unit, do note the top bars in the front and back. You will either have to use the top shelf for shorter ware, or as is more common, not use the top shelf or two.

Other Ware Cart options:

North Star Ware Truck

The North Star Ware Truck has easy-to-change shelf supports.

The North Star Ware Truck has easy-to-change shelf supports.

The North Star Ware Truck is characterized by it’s flexible shelf supports that hook in place without any tools. It’s a flexible, easy to use design. (You’ll have to gauge how often you need to change the set up of your ware cart to know if this makes sense to you.)

The entire unit is 39” wide, 24” deep and 67” tall and has 6” locking casters. It’s a bit shorter than most ware carts. It can hold up to 22 shelves, but it comes standard with 8 brackets, which gives you 4 shelves in addition to the bottom shelf. This package typically costs around $700.

This is a well thought out cart and is a great option if you want something shorter. Personally, I’d go with a taller cart like the Brent or the Bailey, but the North Star is one of the more flexible options.

Axner Ware Cart

The Axner Ware Cart is almost square, with shelves measure 32” x 36” inches.

The Axner Ware Cart is almost square, with shelves measure 32” x 36” inches.

The Axner Ware Cart is the biggest cart reviewed here. 36” wide, 32” deep, and 84” tall, this boxy behemoth will hold more ware than you’ll know what to do with. It has the potential for 11 shelves and is listed at a 1000 lb max load with 6” casters. Truthfully, this is the one ware cart I’ve never used in person. But it’s big! A deeper version of the Bailey ware cart in a way, that I’m sure is made with good quality from Axner / Laguna. At $500, it’s a good deal.

Halve shelves are listed at $10 each, it would be $220 for all 22. You could probably cut your own for cheaper.

Laguna Ware Cart

The Laguna Ware Cart in the distinctive Laguna teal paint job.

The Laguna Ware Cart in the distinctive Laguna teal paint job.

The Laguna Ware Cart has a center support column that can accommodate 18 half shelves. A distinctive design, it is easy to load even on the top shelf. The drawback is that it’s harder to grab and roll this cart, and you can occasionally catch yourself on the protruding shelf supports.

The cart measures 24” deep x 38” wide x 58” tall with 4” casters, with the shelves measure 12 x 36”. The cart retails for $425 and includes six shelves. It’s a good deal, but it is a shorter shelf and it’s just harder to grab and move this cart when you want to.

Debcor Ware Truck

The Debcor Ware Truck

The Debcor Ware Truck

The Debcor Ware Truck is the shortest option for ceramic ware carts, measuring 24” deep x 32” wide x 54” tall with 4” locking casters. The half shelves measure 12” x 28”, or 24” x 28” for full shelves. Like the Laguna Ware Cart, the Debcor Truck has a top cross bar that doesn’t interfere with loading ware. Although it’s shorter, this could potentially be a great option if you use the top layer for loading tall work.

This cart retails for $575 with 12 plywood half shelves. The cart can accommodate 8 full shelves or 16 half shelves, so you may want to cut a few extra.

Summary

Shelving on wheels just makes every studio better, and a quality ware cart is an investment that will last for decades while maximizing studio space. This post has covered every ceramic-specific option I’m aware of, along with wire shelving and bakery carts. The Brent Ware Cart is my favorite, followed closely by the Bailey Ware Cart, but truthfully, any ware cart is a better option that immobile shelving or no shelving at all.

What do you use for mobile shelving in your studio? Let us know in the comments.

Wall Mounted Clay Extruder Buyer's Guide

Clay extruders are an efficient way to make hollow forms, coils, and other shapes. They are basically tubes with a die attachment and a lever, and there are just enough models on the market to make it a bit confusing to choose. This guide will cover recommended models, and includes a comparison chart of all the models on the market so that you can pick the best extruder for your studio.

The models covered here will make hollow forms ranging from about 2 inches wide to 8 inches wide, although most models will extrude forms around 3 inches wide. They will also make solid coils and other shapes, and all models have blank dies that you can customize to suit your needs or some manufacturers will make custom dies. The smaller sized barrels, such as the Bailey 4” wide extruder, will be the best choice for most studios. But there are larger models and upgrade picks to consider too.

When choosing a model, consider how you will be using it. If you will mostly make solid coil, handle, or other shapes, stick with a 4” wide model as that will be easiest to manage. If you will be making mostly hollow forms, any size model will be relatively easy to extrude; just choose a model that will be big enough for your needs. Other options to consider are the lever style, die options, and ease of cleanup.

The North Star Big Blue Extruder, the only extruder on the market with a round “wagon wheel” handle. It’s wall mounted with a variety of dies.

The North Star Big Blue Extruder, the only extruder on the market with a round “wagon wheel” handle. It’s wall mounted with a variety of dies.

TOP PICK

The top pick and I believe most innovative extruder on the market is the North Star Big Blue Extruder. Featuring a wagon wheel handle, it is easy to use, has a large capacity barrel, and is durable and long lasting. It’s one of the more expensive extruders (aside from powered extruders) but the size, versatility and easy of use more than compensate for the high price point. The gear system allows you to turn the handle and extrude with ease, and the barrel can hold up to 25 lbs of clay. The Big Blue extruders typically retail from around $900 to $1090.

The Bailey 4 inch extruder features a wall mount, lever handle, and interchangeable dies.

The Bailey 4 inch extruder features a wall mount, lever handle, and interchangeable dies.

BEST FOR MOST STUDIOS

For most studios, a basic Bailey 4” extruder is a great option. The 4 inch square barrel allows you to make hollow forms up to 3 inches in diameter, but it’s not so large that it’s hard to extrude the clay. This extruder typically costs around $400 and the die kit is an additional $130. It’s one of the better options when you consider price and the die options, but drawbacks include installing the dies and that the barrel is welded to the wall mount, making clean up harder.



If you are looking for a handheld, mini extruder, or “clay gun,” check out our Handheld Extruder Guide here.

A complete review of wall mounted clay extruders follows.

Table of Contents

  1. Top Pick: North Star Big Blue Extruder

  2. Runner Up: Bailey 4, 5 or 9 inch extruders

  3. North Star 4 inch extruder

  4. Scott Creek 4 or 5 inch extruder

  5. Brent Extruders

  6. Other Wall Mounted Extruders

  7. Powered Extruders

  8. Extruder Tips

  9. Extruder Comparison Chart

  10. Summary

Top Pick: North Star Big Blue Extruder

The North Star Big Blue Extruder.

The North Star Big Blue Extruder.

The North Start Big Blue Extruder combines a big barrel capacity with an easy-to-turn wagon wheel handle and a wide selection of dies. It does cost a premium, typically $900 to $1090, but the size and versatility makes it a wonderful addition to any studio.

The Big Blue has a 6 x 6 x 12 inch tall aluminum barrel that will hold up to a full 25 lb bag of clay. The dies can extrude up to a 4.5 x 4.5 inch wide hollow form, and the dies are a sturdy, hard plastic.

To use the extruder, the die and bottom brace are attached to the barrel with two hex screws. The dies have helpful channels to lock into place. Then, the barrel is filled with clay, and this whole unit is slid up and in and attached to the machine. On one hand, this is an advantage as the dies and clay can be added at a workbench, but the drawback is that you have to move up to about 30 lbs in to place and secure it on the ledge “lip” that will hold the barrel securely. Overall, I find it easy to use, but you want to make sure that you don’t drop a clay-filled barrel on your feet so a shelf or stool underneath can help.

The wagon wheel handle and rack and pinion gears are the real selling point for me, as it makes it much easier to extrude large amounts of clay for extra long tubes and coils. Every other extruder on the market uses some form of a lever handle, which can be dangerous if left sticking out into your space, and they can be hard to pull down. The wagon wheel handle is also relatively compact, or at least it doesn’t stick out into your space.

The Big Blue Extruder is not cheap, typically priced anywhere from $900 to $1090, and the dies cost about $40 each. But, it’s an amazing machine that if properly cared for, will work for decades. I simply keep it clean and add some grease to the gears from time to time.

Runner Up / Best for Most Studios: Bailey 4”, 5” or 9” Extruders

The Bailey 4 wall mounted extruded with a 4” barrel.

The Bailey 4 wall mounted extruded with a 4” barrel.

Bailey makes a great line of clay extruders that are well built and available at a lower price point than the North Star Big Blue. The Bailey models feature a barrel welded to the wall mount, dies that attach with a brace, and a plunger with a lever that slides up and down the pole.

The models include a 4” barrel, a 5” barrel, and a much larger 9” barrel. The 4” and 5” models are available in mild steel or stainless steel—you’ll want to go with stainless if you are using porcelain and are worried about rust. Bailey also makes two sizes of die kits, one kit fits both the 4 and 5 inch barrels, while there’s a larger kit for the 9” extruder. There’s also an extension kit that adapts the small dies to the bigger barrel. If you want, there’s also an upgraded powered version with a variety of stands and other tools suitable for a production studio. When considering the Bailey models, keep in mind the cost of the die kit because the models only come with one coil die and two blank plates, so you’ll definitely have to buy dies.

Overall, it’s a flexible system that is well engineered and is suitable for a wide variety of studios. On the 4 and 5 inch models, the die is attached to the bottom of the barrel via a brace with swinging arms, which are then screwed tight with wing nuts. Then, clay is added to the barrel, the plunger is inserted and you pull the lever to extrude the clay. The 9” model only differs in that the die is held on with C clamps. On all models, hollow form dies are held in place with a cross bar—it screws on to the dies so if you are frequently using multiple hollow forms, plan to buy extra cross bars to save time.

The Bailey 9” extruder can make hollow forms up to 8” in diameter.

The Bailey 9” extruder can make hollow forms up to 8” in diameter.

It’s a bit cumbersome to attach the dies but once in place, these are easy to use. One drawback is the Baileys are harder to clean as the barrel is mounted to the wall. If you have time, let any clay inside dry completely, scrape it out, and then wipe clean with a large sponge. It’s helpful to oil moving parts and the dies as needed, to prevent rusting. It’s also easy to lose the wing nuts with the Bailey models, so keep track of those! If you are doing a serious amount of extruding, you’ll also want to research the various expansion boxes and powered models that Bailey makes.

Understanding the models

The 4” models will hold 11 lbs of clay. The 5” will hold 17 lbs of clay. The die kit is the same for both of these models, ranging from 2 to 3” diameter for hollow forms. The 5” models allow you to extrude longer or more forms, but it may be harder to pull the lever with the increased volume of clay.

Standard 4” typically costs between $310 and $390, while the Stainless 4” ranges from $345 to $435, and the die kit costs about $130. The Standard 5 typically retails for $340 to $425. There is also a Stainless 5 option, but it’s only available with a custom build.

The 9” model will hold up to 29 lbs of clay andtypically retails for between $520 and $650, and the die kit for this model costs around $150.

Overall, for most studios I would recommend the 4” model as that will be the easiest to extrude and 11 lbs of clay will result in a decent amount of extruded forms.

North Star 4” Stainless Extruder

The North Star 4” Stainless extruder comes with the 3 dies picture and the lockout plate.

The North Star 4” Stainless extruder comes with the 3 dies picture and the lockout plate.

In addition to the Big Blue Extruder, North Star makes a lever-style extruder with a 4” wide steel or upgraded stainless barrel. The lever is fixed, as opposed to the sliding style of the Bailey, making it a safer to operate. (There’s a chance of pinched fingers with the Bailey if you’re not careful). There’s also a lever extension that will help make extruding easier. The trade off with the fixed lever is the barrel is smaller, holding just 8 to 9 pounds of clay. But, this should still extrude hollow forms that are 15 to 18 inches tall or more, you’ll just have to reload the barrel a bit more frequently.

The North Star 4” Standard Extruder is made with mild steel.

The North Star 4” Standard Extruder is made with mild steel.

The compact size, fixed lever, simplicity of use, and optional stainless upgrade make this a great extruder for most studios. The steel barrel typically retails for around $370, while I’ve seen this stainless anywhere from $409 to $519, and the extruder does come with 4 coil dies. You will need to purchase the hollow die set separately.

Another consideration with either of these models is that there is a 6” expansion box that allows you to use the same dies as used in the Big Blue Extruder. If you wanted to keep open an upgrade possibility, this is the model for you.

The Stainless option exists for those who work in porcelain and want the smallest possibility of rust possible. But if you keep your extruder clean and maintained, it should stay rust free.

This extruder is available at many clay suppliers or direct from North Star.

Scott Creek 4” and 5” Extruders

The Scott Creek 4” Extruder

The Scott Creek 4” Extruder

Scott Creek makes a 4” round barrel and 5” square barrel extruder with an interesting twist: a stair-step lever crank that you move up and down as needed. These extruders also have a great feature: a quick-release die cap to make installing and switching dies a breeze.

Both models feature an aluminum barrel, which will never rust and can be used with porcelain. The barrels also can be removed from the wall mount for easy cleaning, which is a noteworthy feature for an extruder!

All in all this is a great system. You pay extra up front for features such as the aluminum barrel and quick-release end cap, but the ease of use will more than make up that cost over traditional steel extruders.

Scott Creek 5 inch extruder.gif

The 4” round barrel typically costs around $400 and the dies range from $52 to $140, and the 5” square barrel costs around $440 plus the dies. There are also expansion boxes for each model and associated dies, and Scott Creek makes table mounts and and a free-standing extruder stand.

With all this great stuff (especially that quick-release cap) I still would favor the Bailey system over these because of the flexibility of using the same die sets in different Bailey models. With the Scott Creek, you are locked in to that size die, or the specific expansion box that goes with that model. But if you take a look and find that the die sets and sizes work for your needs, then by all means, get one of these extruders. It will be a workhorse and there are many positive reviews of these models.

These extruders are available at speciality ceramic suppliers or directly from Scott Creek.

Brent Extruders

The Brent HD Extruder features a removeable barrel and quick-release end cap.

The Brent HD Extruder features a removeable barrel and quick-release end cap.

Amoco Brent makes two extruders, the STD and HD, that combine a lot of the best features of other manufactures in a typical overbuilt Brent style, allowing it to take all kinds of use (and abuse) such as what you might find in an academic studio. But you will pay extra, with each model clocking in around $650 to $700. This review will focus on the HD as it has some upgrade features and can often be found for a bit less than the STD, around $650.

The Brent HD extruder has a 4” round steel barrel that will hold up to 10 pounds of clay. The barrel attaches to the wall bracket with 2 quick-release pins, making it easy to remove and clean. It also has a twist-and-turn end cap to hold dies, making it way less fussy than the Bailey extruders. Another thoughtful feature is a built-in hook to hang the end cap when not in use. Finally, it has a “clutch” lever to facilitate either raising or lowering the plunger and lever.

In addition to the wall mount, Brent makes a table mount and a mount designed to fit on a Brent slab roller. Like Brent slab rollers, this is an overbuilt workhorse that does come at a premium price. A drawback is a relatively limited selection of hollow dies. In general, all round barrel extruders just don’t have as much space and die options as a similar-sized square barrel.

If you have a Brent slab roller or love Brent products, then go with this extruder. It’s well built and has a lot of features, but for the main thing that you want an extruder to do—extrude shapes, especially hollow forms!—this extruder has limitations. But custom dies might solve your problems. For more info on this model and dies, the Brent website has the best info but you might find it for sale for less at online retailers or ceramic suppliers..

Other Wall Mounted Clay Extruders

There are a few more extruders that are on the market. But with limited availability, I’m reluctant to recommend these until they are sold at more locations and it’s clear there will be long-lasting product support from the manufacturers. But if you see features and prices that work for you, go ahead and order a whole set up.

Crackpots Extruder

The Crackpots Clay Extruder

The Crackpots Clay Extruder

The Crackpots Extruder is a straight forward, fixed lever, round barrel extruder with a variety of interesting die options, especially from aftermarket die vendors on eBay. It typically retails for $199 or less, making it one of the most affordable wall-mounted extruders.

Find it at oldsashartisans.com.

 

Clay Master 4” Extruder

The Clay Master extruder is available at a few ceramic suppliers. It’s unclear who manufacturers this device and the die options are limited. But, other square 4 inch dies will most likely work with this extruder. It has a fixed or “anchored” handle and will hold about 8 pounds of clay. Find it at clay-king.com or other ceramic suppliers.

EX-115 4” Extruder

Another extruder with limited availability is the EX-115 4” Extruder. This model features a fixed lever, a round barrel, and square dies. Bailey or North Star dies will most likely work with this model. Find out more at clay-king.com.

Powered Extruders

If you have a production studio or just want an easier way to extrude, powered extruders are available. They are not the main focus of this article, but for more info check out these websites:

Bailey System 3 Power Drive, starts at $946 but you’ll need to order barrel, dies and other parts. See more at baileypottery.com

MudTools Push Extruder, $1,400. See more at mudtools.com.

Peter Pugger Hydraulic Extruder, $4999. See more at clay-king.com.

Extruder Tips

A few tips for getting the most out of your extruder.

  1. Keep it clean! A clean extruder stays rust free and functional. You can put a light oil on moving parts to keep things functional.

  2. For cleaning, get big blocks of clay out and if you have time, you can let other clay bits dry. Then knock them out and proceed with cleaning. It’s always easiest to clean completely dried clay.

  3. Use the most moist clay you can as this will be easier to extrude. But, if you are working with bigger forms, stiffer clay can hold more structure right away.

  4. Some people recommend spraying cooking oil inside extruders. I never do this for two reasons. 1) cooking oil can “gum up” if left sitting places and 2) while I do oil moving parts and hinges on extruders, there’s no need to mix any sort of oil with clay. Keep the barrel clean and use clay that is the right consistency, and it should be easy to extrude.

  5. Let forms “hang” for a bit before cutting off. This will allow them to stiffen up and stay true to form, which is especially important as you move into hollow shapes that are 4 inches in diameter or more.

  6. Protect your dies from being bent. Don’t over-push the lever or wheel as you can bend or ruin dies. If the machine won’t go any further, don’t push it.

  7. For project ideas, check out the books Extruded Ceramics or The Extruder Book.

Wall Mounted Clay Extruder Comparison Chart

This chart is organized first by barrel size and then alphabetically by manufacturer.

Model Typical Price Barrel
Shape		 Barrel
Diameter		 Barrel
Material		 Capacity Lever Detachable
Barrel		 Warranty
Bailey Standard 4 $309-$387 Square 4" Mild Steel 11 lbs Slide No 2 Years
Bailey Stainless 4 $346-$433 Square 4" Stainelss 11 lbs Slide No 2 Years
Brent STD $574-$675 Round 4" Mild Steel 10 lbs Slide No 1 Year
Brent HD $548-$685 Round 4" Mild Steel 10 lbs Slide Yes 1 Year
Clay Master $350-$420 Square 4" Stainless 8 lbs Fixed No ?
Crackpots $199 Round 4" Mild Steel 7 lbs Fixed No ?
EX-115 $350-$400 Round 4.5" Stainless 7 lbs Fixed No ?
North Star 4" Standard $370 Square 4" Mild Steel 8-9 lbs Fixed No Lifetime
North Star 4" Stainless $440 Square 4" Stainless 8-9 lbs Fixed No Lifetime
Scott Creek 4" $399 Round 4" Aluminum 8-9 lbs Stepped Yes 2 Years
Scott Creek 5" $460 Square 5" Aluminum 12 lbs Stepped Yes 2 Years
Bailey Standard 5" $340-$426 Square 5" Mild Steel 17 lbs Slide No 2 Years
North Star Big Blue $950-$1090 Square 6" Mild Steel 25 lbs Wagon Wheel Yes 2 Years
Bailey Standard 9 $517-$647 Square 9" Mild Steel 29 lbs Slide No 2 Years

Summary

Wall mounted clay extruders are a great tool in the studio. The are the best way to make hollow forms, such as tubes, squares, hexagonal or custom shapes. Most models also include a test tile form, which can speed up that process. Overall, all the extruders above will be long-lasting and durable. They differ on size, die options, lever options, and material. Overall, my favorite is the North Star Big Blue Extruder as I find it the easiest and most practical to use. But a simple lever option, such as the Scott Creek, North Star, or Bailey, are also affordable and durable.

What is your favorite extruder? Let us know in the comments.