How high should my pottery wheel be?

There is no right or wrong height for a potter’s wheel. You can adjust the height for your comfort and try to observe the following: Have the front of your seat about an inch higher than your wheel head. Tilt your seat towards the wheel about 10 degrees.

Which way should the potter’s wheel spin?

Right handed potters should let the wheel spin anti-clockwise and left-handed throwers should switch the direction of the wheel head to a clockwise motion. Throwing on the wheel is easier if you use technique instead of force.

What is centering on a pottery wheel?

When your clay is centered, it looks like your clay is standing still as it’s spinning on the wheel. Another way to tell is to close your eyes and feel the clay. When your hands are no longer moving your clay is centered. It’s a wonderful feeling once you center. You feel one with the wheel.

When do you need a potters wheel for teaching?

In a teaching setting they are a godsend when a dozen or more wheels are running all at once and you are trying to speak to the class. But just like Neil says above, they have NO torque. When I demo throwing large stuff (30-35 pounds and up in one piece), I have to shift to the Brents we also have in the studio.

Is the head of the potters wheel secure?

The wheel head is secure, but pops right off when you need it to. There is a wheel extension, so you can throw on really large bats if you want that option.

Are there any higher power potters wheel in the US?

I talked to Shimpo directly about production of higher power/torque wheel in the US, but as of yet… no solutions apparently are in the offing. (Also note that Shimpo produces numerous pieces of very nice equipment in Japan that they do not import to the USA….the price points of those items are too high for the US market.)

What kind of wheels are used in potters wheel?

The typical ones in volume numbers have been Brent model Cs or CXCs and Shimpo RKs or Whispers. With a smattering of Randall kickwheels and Lockerbie kickwheels (LOVE those wheels!!!!!) The Brents seem to be the workhorses…. standing up well to “student abuse”. As did the older RKs,….. built like battleships.