Been super busy with work and taking my Dad to his chemo-therapy. Its busy season at my job and this year seems busier. I also have a vegetable garden and you know how that is, weeding, watering, picking, it also seems to take up any spare time. I haven't had a chance to work with my clay as I had planned. I feel sort of down when I can't be working with my clay, it helps me to unwind and relieve stress so to speak with my Dad and all.

I don't remember where I saw a demonstration of the Jasi slicer it was quite awhile ago and what got me thinking about it was I had gotten a cane slicer from Polymer Clay Express. I think it is called the "Precise-A-Slice-Cane-Slicer". Its a handy cane slicer but its not intended for a larger cane. I had mentioned a cane slicer to a friend of mine that I work with, and he came up with an idea which was absolutely fantastic. We have been working on that for some time now.
Mine works off a small PLC.  The computer determines the thickness of the slices simply by the operator inputting the numbers into the panel the numbers determine how the table moves and locks the table in place to be able to make the slice.  Each time after the number value is put into the panel all a person has to do is press the advance button to make the same slices each and every time.  The table can't be bumped loose or anything to change the thickness of the slices.We still are working on the panel, its somewhat antiquated looking, but it functions and does what its supposed to do.

When we also decided to make this we decided to construct this from materials if for any reason anything needs to be replaced a person can go to Lowe's or Walmart for replacement parts. Our table top has angles and measurements to make lining up your clay easy. I have been using it for awhile now and I can get thin as tissue slices and as thick as I need. The Computer panel has a button for reverse, forward, advance, stop, it is not plugged in, in the picture but I hope you can get an idea from my messy worktable what it looks like. It is fairly compact enough to take to a workshop if one needs to. Except for the panel is still being refined and all the computer equipment still needs to be put into a suitable case. The work table is 8 inches wide the workspace is 6 inches wide and the length of the workspace is 12 inches.  Just need to remember that an electrical outlet is needed if it is going to be used.
I have been occupying my spare time helping my friend and co-worker Jerry Miller make this.  When Jerry and I put this together we were thinking of  the concept behind guillotines and the principle used in the Precise Cane Slicer

I should have no excuse for not working with my clay, gadgets can be made but I find I have not learned how to create more hours in the day.