Refractory model systems

[USGooner]

Greetings all, I am new to the forum but have been viewing posts for a while. There are some great pics of work! Anyway my question is what are some of you using as a model system or technique when you do a refractory case. My main thought was comparing the heller technique vs a pinned model such as zeiser or dva. Also if using zeiser or dva which is better? Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[chickenlicken]

Hi there. We use the giroform system which is essentially similar to zeiser although to my mind has improvements over the zeiser system. The main one is the use of magnets to hold the base still when drilling the holes in the base. Their sectional duplicating jig is also more flexible in use than the zeiser jig. I'm pretty sure that you can use the jog with zeiser as the plates look identical to the eye.
I've used the giroform system for the last 14 months and find that the accuracy is good, not perfect but pretty good. You can usually see if the die has shifted slightly. I just compensate on the glaze.

 

[USGooner]

Thanks chicken! Those systems are pretty pricy if I recall. We don't do a ton of refractory although I'd like to do more. Right now I'm using either a heller model or the unipin system which I don't really like. The dva system looks like a cheaper version of the giro/zieser, I was hoping for a review of that one. I think it's like 300 bucks and I can use our wn pindex style machine. Thanks again for your thoughts! Go gunners!