mel jacobson on sun 28 sep 08
power is maybe the most talked about, and least
important factor in purchasing a wheel.
it is all about fit.
how does it fit you?
how many times in your life are you
going to throw a hundred pound pot?
how many thirty pound pots do you make a month..?
in most cases...never.
if you are a big pot maker...you know, that 60 pound
ball of clay...one after another...man, go for the big power wheel.
most home potters work in the 2-6 pound range.
any wheel will make pots like that for maybe 50 years.
i have an old skutt dc-1...it is perfect for my body size and
shape. i have rebuilt it a couple times...as i am used to it.
i could afford a new wheel...but, i don't want a new wheel.
the one i have works fine. and will for a long time.
i have a new axner/mid sized wheel...it is fine...don't use
it. (i did screw down the splash pan. just drilled right through
the pan into the deck..used self tapping screws...it does not wiggle.)
i have two brent c's, a lockerbie and an old shimpo.
don't use them. they are at the farm.
my main wheel is bolted to the floor.
things i hate in wheels.
1. flimsy take apart splash pans
2. bad foot pedals that move and roam.
3. short wheels...that fit no one.
4. static pulsing...on fast, spin down to stop.
5. wheels that are set to spin far too fast. and, just touch
the pedal and they are going 55,000 rpm's.
and the list goes on.
when you buy a wheel, take your own stool with you...the
one you really like...sit at many wheels, set your knee next
to the side frame. set your elbows on the splash pan. do you
have extreme support from the wheel...? many just wiggle.
who cares about the color? they all should be quiet.
if you can move the wheel by pushing your knee against it.
not for you. some you can move 10 inches while centering
a big ball of clay.
i just bought a brand new car.
what was important? seat belts. easy to click in place.
the seat...did it fit me? four wheel drive.
the one i found was a suzuki sx4. all wheel drive.
it fit me. my small suv almost drove me nuts...could not
buckle the seat belt. it was way in the back of my butt. the
seat was like a 1940 street car. this new car fits me like a
glove. and on the first trip...300 miles...8.6 gallons of gas.
i have a second car with a trailer hitch. it will not have the full
power of the suv, but it will do. i don't haul like i used to.
and, my daughter has a big suv...w/trailer hitch if we need to
haul a big load...better to share. we for sure, are going smaller.
but, like a wheel. logic, fit, understanding of how you throw and
use the wheel every day.
if you are a hand builder and throw a pot a day...get a kick wheel.
take your time...enjoy the process.
i have an old leach kicker at the farm...many try it, and enjoy
the process...but, i make a lot of pots, and, many in that
15-20 pound range.. my old skutt makes
that job easy.
mel
i do love the sleek burnt orange color of my new car.
from minnetonka:
website http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
clayart site:
http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
| |
|
