October 25, 2012 ·by jackwelbourneceramics ·in Research· Leave a comment
For my technical project I have decided to build my own wheel. There are three main types of potter’s wheels: the electric, treadle and momentum. There are strong points to all of these wheels but they all have some drawbacks as well.
First the electric wheel: there are quite a few brands of electric wheel, with Alsager, Reyfeco and Shimpo being some of the better known. Electric wheels are great when it comes to power with the motors on. Even the smaller less powerful models are able to handle good quantities of clay. However some of the main drawbacks to them are that you need a power source and they need semi regular maintenance. They are also loud and expensive with a new Rayfeco being in the region of sixteen hundred pounds.
Treadle type kick wheels have strengths in the control one has over the speed when in use and the connection to the process as a whole, with the power being provided by only the maker. This does make you feel more connected to the piece your making. This wheel design has many draw backs for me though. The size of the pot you can create on the wheel is limited by the fact that you have to sit down on it to be kicking. The flywheel’s used in most cases don’t have much weight to them meaning kicking is continuous and often quite forceful. This constant kicking can lead to you feeling off balance and uncomfortable in your own anchorage. This type of wheel is also notorious for being bad for your back or kicking leg, with people who have used them for any real period of time having problems later.
The last and my favorite type of wheel is the continental kick wheel or momentum wheel. This wheel relies on you building up the speed of a heavy flywheel and using the falling momentum to throw your pots. These wheels have strength in the fact they are cheap, use no power, have no vibration, require very little maintenance and allow you to be more connected with your work at the same time, without having to constantly kick. A motor can be adapted to help power them as well. They’re also silent and are great for making large ware. They do have drawbacks though, including the fact that they are very heavy and immobile.
I plan on building a momentum wheel. I like the simple design, ease of use and the way it’s silent and encourages economy of making. To start off my research I have gathered a couple of plans and articles about momentum wheels. The plans are all quite similar but have their own individual strengths. I think that keeping the design as simple as possible is a good idea due to limited materials and time until deadline. I also plan on trying to visit more makers and try more wheels to expand my knowledge and understanding of what I want from my own wheel.
Tags: momentum wheel, potters wheel
