Shimpo Nidec PTA-01 Ball Mill

Shimpo is introducing its line of ball mills. What is a ball mill, you might ask? It’s a device in which you place glaze, slip or other materials into special porcelain jars and the mill will tumble the item using porcelain balls that are in the jar. These balls help to break down materials into finer particles. So what makes using a ball mill different than say something like a pug mill for mixing? Many potters will use ball mills to “get creative” with their glazes. Shimpo’s ball mills can be used to grind stones, chemicals or other materials that you can then use to experiment with your glazes. The ability to grind and mix is now at your fingertips.

A Ball mill can also be used to create many things including Terra Sigilatta. Terra Sigilatta is an extremely fine slip that can be painted on to clay bodies and burnished. It creates a polished finished without glazing. The Terra Sigilatta technique looks fantastic in pit fires because the clay will hold the shine while being colored by the fires in the pit. If fired to a glaze temperature the burnish usually looses it shine. Terra Sigilatta can be used in many different ways, but is not food safe.

Ball mill jars sold separately.