Peter Pugger VPM-20SS 120V 1P

We love the Peter Pugger pug mills! Peter Pugger was the innovator of this type of equipment for the pottery industry and they continue to offer quality products that are built to last. When they said, “Let the machine do the work for you”, they weren’t joking! Presenting Intellectual Mixing Technology (IMT)! Throw any combination of unfired clay into the machine, shut the door and hit mix. The machine now has the ability to provide real-time monitoring of the clay consistency as it is being processed in the machine. As the clay softens, the Pugger-Mixer responds by accelerating up to twice the speed as previously offered. Yes, we have the fastest cycles times on the market, but why stop there! Realtime monitoring of the clay, coupled with our patented vacuum deairing design, makes this machine the most capable studio processor available today.

The machine is equipped with a safety stop feature so that people cannot operate the machine with the hopper door open. The optional safety lock out feature is most popular with schools. It is a keyed lock out which prevents the machine from turning on without a key.

FEATURES
Stainless Steel: Shaft, augers and paddles of stainless steel, along with a stainless steel mixing/pugging chamber ensures rust-free clay processing.

Large Hopper: The oversized hopper door allows for easy loading of up to 45 lbs. of clay per batch.

Batch Mixing Capability: Full batch mixing and blending capability allows for moisture adjustment before pugging.

Pugmill Output: Switch to PUG after a batch is completely mixed, and the Power Wedger unloads itself in the form of 3? diameter deaired logs.

Vacuum Deaired: Each batch can be deaired by starting the vacuum pump during the last stage of mixing, leaving an air-free product when pugged out (no need to run the clay through the pugmill multiple times). Once the entire batch of clay has been deaired, switch the pugmill to PUG, and press start. Any remaining deaired clay in the machine can be stored for later use without having to remix or deair. Our patented vacuum design (Click here for full list of patents) allows us to deair the entire batch of clay without the use of cumbersome vacuum/shredding screens, or down time due to a clogged pugmill! No other mixing pugmill on the market matches the Peter Pugger’s effectiveness at deairing clay. We guarantee it!

It is not necessary to continuously hand-feed the Power Wedger as with standard pugmills. Load a full batch, close the lid and turn it on – this eliminates exposure to moving paddles. The Power Wedger shuts off automatically when the lid is opened. All machines are equipped with a thermal overload for protection against overheating.

Vacuum is provided by a 1/2 HP double-headed rocking piston type diaphragm pump. These new technology pumps are the simplest and quietest vacuum source available. They are maintenance-free and long lasting. The VPM-20 Power Wedger does not require a large vacuum pump because the clay is continuously exposed to vacuum in the sealed mixing chamber. Once the clay chamber is evacuated, the vacuum pump can be turned off.

With the removal of four bolts, the entire cone section can be removed so it can be conveniently washed off. The paddles are then easily accessed for cleaning (additional bolts removed from the picture below to demonstrate complete disassembly). Cleaning is necessary only to avoid cross contamination. Since the machines are completely sealed, moist clay can be stored indefinitely without drying out.

Sealed Chamber: Here in our Northern California Factory, each pugmill casting has precision CNC machined o-ring grooves incorporated into them which allows the pugmill to effectively store moist clay indefinitely! No other pugmill on the market provides this level of precision when it comes to properly sealing all pugmill surfaces.

Intellectual Mixing Technology: Real-time monitoring of clay consistency can be accomplished while mixing. Similar to an automatic transmission, the Pugger-Mixer can automatically speed up or slow down based on the hardness of the clay being processed. The operator can also control the speed by controlling the variable speed knob.

Patented Vacuum Chamber: The Patented Vacuum Chamber serves as a separation chamber between the processing chamber (where clay is mixed and pugged) and the gear drive system. In the event the pugmill is overfilled, the excess clay is collected in the vacuum chamber where it can be easily accessed and redirected back into the processing chamber in time for the next batch (if necesary). The Vacuum Chamber door is designed to disengage before excess clay can generate enough pressure to damage the gear drive system. This is a key design feature for mixing pugmills where clay is being forced up against the rear of the processing chamber during the mixing cycle. Peter Pugger is the only mixing pugmill to provide extra protection against vacuum and bearing seal exposure resulting in maintenance free operation (Click here for full list of patents).

Variable Speed Control: This allows the operator the ability to speed up or slow down the pugmill. This is especially useful when extruding through dies. Because of the back pressure generated by a large amount of clay being forced through a small orifice, the speed control allows the operator to slow the pugging as required. In turn, perfect deaired configurations are easily extruded through the Pugger-Mixer. There are additional advantages if you are a “single potter studio”. The ability to slow the pugging allows for time to place pugged clay into containers or bags.

Stainless Work Surface: The stainless steel work surface creates a durable work surface for convenience of the operator while loading.