Buying Guide - Potter's Wheels

A potter's wheel is a significant investment. You want to be sure to select the one that best fits your intended use. Certainly, cost is a key consideration. You'll also want to think about who will be using the wheel, how often it will be used and where it will be used. We hope this guide helps you make the best decision for your students. It describes the 3 basic types of wheels and the advantages of each.

Electric Wheels
An electric wheel is propelled by an electric motor. Some electric wheels have two fixed speeds, but most are connected to a foot pedal that allows the potter to control the wheel's speed through a range, usually 0-240 rpm. Electric wheels are lighter than kick wheels and some are fairly easy to move from one location to another, but if you need to frequently move your wheel from room to room or need true portability a tabletop wheel may be a better choice.

The motor size of an electric wheel is expressed in fractions of horsepower. The amount of horsepower determines the centering capacity of the wheel-the amount of clay the wheel can keep centered in the wheel head while spinning. The greater the horsepower, the more clay the wheel can handle. A ¼-hp motor can center approximately 25 lbs. of clay, a ½-hp motor centers 50 lbs., a ¾-hp motor centers 75 lbs. and a 1-hp motor centers 100 lbs.

Kick Wheels
A kick wheel is a heavy potter's wheel propelled by a person's foot kicking the heavy cylinder at the bottom. Some beginners find it is easier to control the speed of a kick wheel than it is to control the speed of an electric wheel. Kick wheels are extremely durable and long lasting. They are also very heavy. They are probably best suited for a dedicated ceramics studio where they will remain in one location.

Motorized Kick Wheels combine some of the advantages of both an electric and kick wheel. Potter's have the option of kicking for fine speed control, while the electric motor makes it easier to center large amounts of clay.

Tabletop or Portable Wheels
If your school or art program does not have a dedicated ceramics studio or your art room does not have the space for a larger potter's wheel, a tabletop or portable wheel may be a good choice. The obvious advantage of a portable wheel is its smaller size and lighter weight, which make it easy to transport and store. Despite their smaller size, most portable wheels provide more than enough power for classroom use, with motors that typically can handle 20 to 25 lbs. of clay. Some have folding leg sets that can be purchased separately.

Accessories
Accessories for potter's wheels include splash pans and throwing bats. These items can be purchased separately to fit most potter's wheels, but a wheel that comes with a splash pan and/or bats included can offer a good value.

Removable splash pans help contain the mess of trimmed clay and water and make cleanup easier. A two-piece design allows for easy removal of the pan. Splash pans that are not removable may have a drain to remove excess water. Some do not and require more effort for cleanup.

Throwing bats are disks of plastic, wood or plaster set on the wheel head so that the ball of clay is thrown on the bat rather than the wheel head itself. That way the finished piece can be removed intact with its bat, without distortion. Most bats are circular, but depending on the size of projects and the size of your classroom, smaller square bats like those included with the VersaBat™ System can be a real space-saver while projects are curing.