Pugmill and quarter

I was throwing a large platter using the quarter trick. First one I throw the rip collapsed on me. So the clay went to the Bluebird 440 pugmill. After finishing the piece, I could not locate the quarter. I checked all over the wheel area. I knew I took out from the clay. That was yesterday.

Today, I suspected the quarter got inside the pugmill with the clay. There is a sight chance it jams up inside and damages. So I disassemble the pugmill. First I pour a cup of water and the run the pugmill to loosen the clay, then unhook a spring and a shaft inside the vaccum chamber, push in the shaft. Remove all screws and pull out the barrel. Once everything is exposed, I started to comb through the shafts looking for the quarter, and found the quarter on interior of the barrel. That was relief.

I noticed the triangle thing needed to replace. This combined with the shaft in the air camber make it the de-airing process works. I do not know how though. If groove on this triangle thing becomes deeper, it stops de-airing. I need to replace it every five years or so. All I need is to unscrew two nuts and replace it with new one. After putting together the barrel in reverse way, I need to expose the fan, so I can manually turn the drive shaft to see the shaft in the air chamber is working correctly. In the past, I did not read the manual carefully, I turned on the motor and jammed the shaft and the triangle thing, and destroyed the shaft couplers and inserts, which connect the motor and the mixing shaft.

Now, everything is working order again.