Beginner's Question--Potter's Wheel
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Beginner's Question--Potter's Wheel Buck 06-01-2007
Posted by Buck on June 1, 2007, 12:01 pm
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They're all over the place, of course, and have dozens of characteristics
and quirks.

I remember two things (From how long ago I will not mention!):

1. A MASSIVE foot powered wheel that seemed to hold momentum forever. No
power required except the legs. Are these antiques, (or at the very least)
vintage now?

Any DIY possibilites?

2. A little kick lever powered rig with an aluminum top wheel, that seemed
to want to fly apart when you were pedaling it up to speed, and DID NOT hold
momentum.

Well, there are now a myriad of these little electrical ones all over the
web, and they do look simple, but I want something that just doesn't
vibrate.

They look so light that I have suspicions.

Any Help?

thanks.

Buck

(P.S. Good sources of equipment and raw materials in the SF Bay Area. Tools,
clay, glazes?)

Thanks Again



Posted by steve slgraber@aol.com on June 1, 2007, 1:02 pm
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most pottery wheels you can buy today new or used are pretty good.
the bad ones have long disapeared. i have two Brent electric wheels.
very strong, very stable. lockerby kick wheels with their motor
attachement capability are very good for both kicking and electric
assistance.

i had a home built wheel years ago, bought it from someone for cheap.
today i'd sooner buy one then make one although "it's just a wheel" so
it should be easy to make one.

see ya

steve
www.graberspottery.com


> They're all over the place, of course, and have dozens of characteristics
> and quirks.
>
> I remember two things (From how long ago I will not mention!):
>
> 1. A MASSIVE foot powered wheel that seemed to hold momentum forever. No
> power required except the legs. Are these antiques, (or at the very least)
> vintage now?
>
> Any DIY possibilites?
>
> 2. A little kick lever powered rig with an aluminum top wheel, that seemed
> to want to fly apart when you were pedaling it up to speed, and DID NOT hold
> momentum.
>
> Well, there are now a myriad of these little electrical ones all over the
> web, and they do look simple, but I want something that just doesn't
> vibrate.
>
> They look so light that I have suspicions.
>
> Any Help?
>
> thanks.
>
> Buck
>
> (P.S. Good sources of equipment and raw materials in the SF Bay Area. Tools,
> clay, glazes?)
>
> Thanks Again



Posted by Andrew Werby on June 1, 2007, 3:48 pm
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> They're all over the place, of course, and have dozens of characteristics
> and quirks.
>
> I remember two things (From how long ago I will not mention!):
>
> 1. A MASSIVE foot powered wheel that seemed to hold momentum forever. No
> power required except the legs. Are these antiques, (or at the very least)
> vintage now?
>
> Any DIY possibilites?

[I've seen kickwheels built from car parts; a VW as I recall. But these are
pretty simple machines; all you need is a bottom thrust bearing, a flywheel
(a tire filled with concrete) an axle, and a top plate with axial bearing,
plus a wooden frame to hold all that and sit in. I still like my kickwheel
for trimming, but it's hard to beat the electrics for throwing, especially
for larger pieces.]
>
> 2. A little kick lever powered rig with an aluminum top wheel, that seemed
> to want to fly apart when you were pedaling it up to speed, and DID NOT
> hold momentum.

[I haven't seen one of those for quite a while.]
>
> Well, there are now a myriad of these little electrical ones all over
> the web, and they do look simple, but I want something that just doesn't
> vibrate.
>
> They look so light that I have suspicions.
>
> Any Help?
>
> thanks.
>
> Buck

[There are some wheels sold as toys, that really don't work at all for
things larger than a teacup. But the professional brands are pretty good;
modern electric speed controls are cheaper than the mechanical systems that
used to prevail, and actually do function pretty well.]

'
>
> (P.S. Good sources of equipment and raw materials in the SF Bay Area.
> Tools, clay, glazes?)
>
> Thanks Again
[The SF Bay Area has lots of good ceramic supply places: Leslie Ceramics in
Oakland, Claypeople in Richmond, Ceramics and Crafts on Bryant St. in SF;
Sherry's in San Carlos - I'm sure there are more.]

Andrew Werby
www.unitedartworks.com



Posted by Marco Milazzo on June 2, 2007, 12:00 am
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"The Self-Reliant Potter," an old book by Andrew Holden has plans for
a DIY treadle-wheel and a DIY kickwheel -- but I wouldn't recommend
building either. Wheels are relatively simple machines, but they
have to be very well made, or they're inferior to manufactured wheels
-- which is usually the case.

Get a second job, or make some hand-built pieces and sell them -- or
do anything to get the modest amount of money necessary to buy a good
second-hand wheel. You'll be better off in several ways. There
should be many to choose from in your area.

Marco


On Fri, 01 Jun 2007 16:01:57 GMT, "Buck"

>They're all over the place, of course, and have dozens of characteristics
>and quirks.
>
>I remember two things (From how long ago I will not mention!):
>
>1. A MASSIVE foot powered wheel that seemed to hold momentum forever. No
>power required except the legs. Are these antiques, (or at the very least)
>vintage now?
>
>Any DIY possibilites?
>
>2. A little kick lever powered rig with an aluminum top wheel, that seemed
>to want to fly apart when you were pedaling it up to speed, and DID NOT hold
>momentum.
>
> Well, there are now a myriad of these little electrical ones all over the
>web, and they do look simple, but I want something that just doesn't
>vibrate.
>
>They look so light that I have suspicions.
>
>Any Help?
>
>thanks.
>
>Buck
>
>(P.S. Good sources of equipment and raw materials in the SF Bay Area. Tools,
>clay, glazes?)
>
>Thanks Again
>

Posted by Buck on June 2, 2007, 4:35 pm
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Money is not a problem.

But no matter how much one has, spending on a loser that winds up in a
storage shed and is eventually thrown away is, to say the least, irritating.

I have a few mis-fires from the realm of woodworking that I remember well.

Thanks,

Buck


>
>
> "The Self-Reliant Potter," an old book by Andrew Holden has plans for
> a DIY treadle-wheel and a DIY kickwheel -- but I wouldn't recommend
> building either. Wheels are relatively simple machines, but they
> have to be very well made, or they're inferior to manufactured wheels
> -- which is usually the case.
>
> Get a second job, or make some hand-built pieces and sell them -- or
> do anything to get the modest amount of money necessary to buy a good
> second-hand wheel. You'll be better off in several ways. There
> should be many to choose from in your area.
>
> Marco
>
>
> On Fri, 01 Jun 2007 16:01:57 GMT, "Buck"
>
>>They're all over the place, of course, and have dozens of characteristics
>>and quirks.
>>
>>I remember two things (From how long ago I will not mention!):
>>
>>1. A MASSIVE foot powered wheel that seemed to hold momentum forever. No
>>power required except the legs. Are these antiques, (or at the very least)
>>vintage now?
>>
>>Any DIY possibilites?
>>
>>2. A little kick lever powered rig with an aluminum top wheel, that seemed
>>to want to fly apart when you were pedaling it up to speed, and DID NOT
>>hold
>>momentum.
>>
>> Well, there are now a myriad of these little electrical ones all over
>> the
>>web, and they do look simple, but I want something that just doesn't
>>vibrate.
>>
>>They look so light that I have suspicions.
>>
>>Any Help?
>>
>>thanks.
>>
>>Buck
>>
>>(P.S. Good sources of equipment and raw materials in the SF Bay Area.
>>Tools,
>>clay, glazes?)
>>
>>Thanks Again
>>



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