Tom & Betsy on thu 26 jul 07
I did find it. Got this in 2004
Tom Wirt
Hutchinson, MN
claypot@hutchtel.net
320-587-2599
www.claycoyote.com/blog
Dear Tom Wirt,
I've just come across your plea for information on the Leach wheel. So, in
case you're still interested...
The wheel was designed by my father Dicon Nance (1909 - 2002) when he was an
early apprentice at the St.Ives pottery in the during the 1920's. He was
appalled by many of the laborious methods that were adopted there (Bernard
Leach was not a very practical man). The wheel was one of many practical
solutions my father devised. As far as I know it's design was quite original
and for the following reasons was perhaps the most successful:
a) 3 legs prevented it from rocking on the uneven flagstone floor.
b) the treadle was suspended from a chain which could be adjusted to match
the length of ones lower leg so it described the same arc as ones foot.
c) the bearing on the crank shaft was made of leather to tolerate this arc.
d) a fly wheel, which had lead inserts to adjust according to the weight of
clay being thrown, was mounted within reach of the other foot which could be
used to assist with stopping and starting.
When he left the pottery he left the design with Bernard's son David.
However, David later sold the design for quite a sum to a manufacturing
company in Newton Abbot, Devon UK which is how they became available
world-wide. Although the wheel is now recognised as the archetypal English
wheel, my father never got a penny for designing it and worse, the design is
invariably credited to David Leach!
So now you know! I hope this answers your question
Regards
Jonathan Nance
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