Steven Walker on tue 3 nov 09
Hello all,
I'm still looking for a beginner wheel. No luck finding a used wheels so
far. I was thinking about a tabletop wheel (Artista) but am now leaning
toward a Clay Boss or Shimpo VL Lite since they aren't that much more money=
.
But cost is a major consideratoin. I've searched for info on each machine
and have seen a lot written about the Clay Boss but can't find much info on
the Shimpo VL Lite. The one thing that jumps out at me as I compare wheels
is that Speedball says the Clay Boss centers 100 pounds of clay and Shimpo
says the VL Lite centers 25 pounds of clay. That seems like a big
discrepancy for similar weight machines and motors. Are there any reviews
on the Shimpo VL Lite? I can't seem to find any googling either.
Thanks,
Walker
steve graber on tue 3 nov 09
i guess some basics are needed to know as well.=3D0A=3D0A=3D0Ais clay somet=
hing y=3D
ou think you'll do for a long time?=3DA0 then i'd say get a wheel you will =
us=3D
e now, yet also grow forward with.=3DA0 =3D0A=3D0Ayou already note that use=
d whee=3D
ls are hard to come by.=3DA0 which also means they maintain a nice resale v=
al=3D
ue.=3DA0 so if you dropped out on clay in a number of years, you'll get mos=
t =3D
of your money back anyway.=3DA0 =3D0A=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A=3DA0Steve Graber,=
Graber's Pott=3D
ery, Inc=3D0AClaremont, California USA=3D0AThe Steve Tool - for awesome tex=
ture=3D
on pots! =3D0Awww.graberspottery.com steve@graberspottery.com =3D0A=3D0A=
=3D0AOn La=3D
guna Clay's website=3D0Ahttp://www.lagunaclay.com/blogs/ =3D0A=3D0A=3D0A=3D=
0A----- Or=3D
iginal Message ----=3D0A> From: Steven Walker =3D0A> T=
o: C=3D
layart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG=3D0A> Sent: Tue, November 3, 2009 8:01:30 AM=3D0A> =
Subj=3D
ect: Beginner wheel (Clay Boss vs Shimpo VL Lite)=3D0A> =3D0A> Hello all,=
=3D0A> =3D
=3D0A> I'm still looking for a beginner wheel. No luck finding a used wheel=
s =3D
so=3D0A> far.=3DA0 I was thinking about a tabletop wheel (Artista) but am n=
ow l=3D
eaning=3D0A> toward a Clay Boss or Shimpo VL Lite since they aren't that mu=
ch=3D
more money.=3D0A> But cost is a major consideratoin.=3DA0 I've searched fo=
r in=3D
fo on each machine=3D0A> and have seen a lot written about the Clay Boss bu=
t =3D
can't find much info on=3D0A> the Shimpo VL Lite. The one thing that jumps =
ou=3D
t at me as I compare wheels=3D0A> is that Speedball says the Clay Boss cent=
er=3D
s 100 pounds of clay and Shimpo=3D0A> says the VL Lite centers 25 pounds of=
c=3D
lay.=3DA0 That seems like a big=3D0A> discrepancy for similar weight machin=
es a=3D
nd motors.=3DA0 Are there any reviews=3D0A> on the Shimpo VL Lite?=3DA0 I c=
an't s=3D
eem to find any googling either.=3D0A> =3D0A> Thanks,=3D0A> Walker=3D0A=3D0=
A=3D0A=3D0A =3D
Kelly Savino on tue 3 nov 09
The Clay Boss is a decent wheel, but seriously -- the splash pan is crap. I=
have a couple in the guild classroom and one in my own studio... it's not =
so bad when I'm working on my own wheel, because I know I can't brace a for=
earm on the pan and I have learned to work around that. But in a learning s=
tudio, it is a constant source of irritation. If students don't snap it in =
right, or if I am across from them helping hands-on and bump it, the small =
end jumps up under the spinning wheel head and makes a horrible grinding no=
ise. All the splash pans at the guild have grind marks from people throwing=
with the pan on crooked.
The Thomas Stuart wheel is smooth and quiet but enormous, too big for small=
people, and the edge of the built in catch basin is too sharp to lean on f=
or heavy centering.
The old shimpos are sturdy and strong but sound like a John Deere. I almost=
have to yell over them to demo. After a a couple hours of that hum I breat=
he a sigh of relief when students turn them off, and go home. It's like the=
flourescent light bad-ballast noise: just background annoyance. Also, they=
can't be cleaned up without a bucket and sponge, and the little plugs alwa=
ys fall out and end up in the slop bucket, and some beginner ends up with a=
puddle between his/her shoes. They are also too heavy to move when you mop=
.
My favorite wheel is the little Brent model A, shaped like a sideways mailb=
ox and goose poop green. (I painted mine.) It fits between my knees and I c=
an grip it, like riding a horse... it's small enough to chuck in the back o=
f the van... it has the guts to center a lot of clay. Mine has taken some s=
erious abuse over the last 17 years and runs like brand new.
As for motor strength: I wouldn't buy a lightweight hobby wheel, unless you=
are a cups-only guy and will be for life (in which case consider a York ki=
ck for under $100) -- but I wouldn't sweat the "Centers 300 pounds!" claims=
, either. I am becoming increasingly aware that having the physical strengt=
h and skill to muscle enormous quantities of clay to center (and I have bot=
h) doesn't make it a good idea. In an effort to preserve my joints (thumbs,=
wrists, elbows, shoulder and spine... see archives for potter ailments) I =
center large quantities one workable ball at a time, each one dropped atop =
the previous already centered one. I can throw pickle crocks and bee hives =
and casseroles as big as Tony's -- but I am not going to kill myself fighti=
ng all that clay to center at once. I plan to still be making pots when I a=
m Edith Franklin's age.
(Edith has titanium joints now, by the way -- she's the mostly bionic woman=
. Watch for her at NCECA, she'll probably be in tights and a superhero cape=
.)
My two cents... I throw/teach on Brent, Shimpo, Stuart, Creative Industries=
, Pacifica and Soldners. I own a Brent, Clay Boss, Pacifica and a couple od=
dity wheels... I'd run into a burning studio to rescue the Brent. (Oh, and =
my little Dolan knife with the curvy handle and triangular blade... )
Yours
Kelly in Ohio... opinions R us.
http://www.primalpotter.com (website)
http://primalmommy.wordpress.com (blog)
http://www.primalpotter.etsy.com (store)
Elizabeth Priddy on wed 4 nov 09
They fixed the splashpan. The new ones ship with the redesigned pan. It i=
s sturdier plastic, much like the Brent pan, and fits together in a better =
way.
I helped design it, as I hated the original one for the same reasons as bel=
ow. I had been using 6 of them at a claycenter and hating every one of them=
for six months. So at NCECA, I located the owner of the company and we sp=
ent a little time sketching a better pan. Then we talked later about the m=
odification and the new splashpan is sturdier, the edge is thicker for rest=
ing your arm, and the sliding lock in place mechanism is easy and intuitive=
.
And I get nothing for this, I just hink that wheel is a good product now th=
at the splashpan problem is fixed.
Look at the website to see the new one.
http://www.creative-ind.com/products/Tools%20&%20Accessories//197.html
I have never used a Shimpo VL Lite.
The York would be my preferred wheel for beginners.
And as to centering 100 pounds. Technique is how good potters do that, not=
torque and speed.
- ePriddy
Elizabeth Priddy
Beaufort, NC - USA
http://www.elizabethpriddy.com
--- On Tue, 11/3/09, Kelly Savino wrote:
> From: Kelly Savino
> Subject: Beginner wheel (Clay Boss vs Shimpo VL Lite)
> To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Date: Tuesday, November 3, 2009, 7:44 PM
> The Clay Boss is a decent wheel, but
> seriously -- the splash pan is crap. I have a couple in the
> guild classroom and one in my own studio... it's not so bad
> when I'm working on my own wheel, because I know I can't
> brace a forearm on the pan and I have learned to work around
> that. But in a learning studio, it is a constant source of
> irritation. If students don't snap it in right, or if I am
> across from them helping hands-on and bump it, the small end
> jumps up under the spinning wheel head and makes a horrible
> grinding noise. All the splash pans at the guild have grind
> marks from people throwing with the pan on crooked.
>
>
Fred Parker on wed 4 nov 09
'Way back when, Sears only sold their own brand of power tools
("Craftsman"). They marketed them based on the "horsepower" of each.=3D20
Somehow, they managed to reach a point where absurdity ruled over logic a=
=3D
nd
truth. They became so drunk on this "horsepower" thing that they must ha=
=3D
ve
hired battalions of physicists to sit around and calculate bizarre
"instantaneous" horsepower outputs for power drills etc. They had little=
=3D
hand-held 3/8" drills that allegedly developed incredible amounts of
horsepower. Of course cheaper drills developed slightly less and more
expensive drills developed even more.
It was all bullshit, based solely on assumptions that the typical Sears
customer was completely ignorant of anything scientific -- like the
definition of horsepower. Eventually America produced a bumper crop of
engineers and scientists for the space race and then when the fuel crunch=
=3D
of
the 1970's forced automobile engine horsepower levels to begin sounding l=
=3D
ike
Sears drill motors folks began catching on and Sears had to change their
marketing philosophy. They almost went under before they caught on.
My point is this: if you are a beginning potter there will be many moons
indeed before you will ever consider centering anything NEAR 100 pounds o=
=3D
f
clay. If and when you ever reach a point where you are throwing 25, 50 o=
=3D
r
100 pound objects you will surely have a market for them and you can buy =
=3D
an
industrial-strength, diesel-fired potter's wheel then if you want one.=3D20=
=3D
Wheel manufacturers who make such claims, in my opinion, insult their
audience of potential customers.
I've used a "Big Boss" for five years or so with no complaints. I starte=
=3D
d
with a "Clay Boss" and had some problems, which the company took care of =
=3D
and
upgraded me to the "big Boss" for my trouble. I bought the "Clay Boss"
purely for cost reasons, just starting out. The "Big Boss" is basically =
=3D
a
"Clay Boss" said to have a slightly larger motor. I can't tell the
difference. I've never even thought about centering anything more than t=
=3D
en
pounds and I have to be fully rested for that.
The Truth is, they all spin clay around. It's not the wheel that makes a=
=3D
beautiful pot. It's not the splash pan either. I have the old style
plastic pan and it works just fine. Sure, it could be improved but so co=
=3D
uld
most of us on this list. But what makes for beautiful pots is not the wh=
=3D
eel
or the pan or the stool or the extruder or the gadgets. What makes
beautiful pots is making a really big bunch of them.
Fred Parker=3D20=3D20=3D20
On Tue, 3 Nov 2009 10:01:30 -0600, Steven Walker wr=
=3D
ote:
SNIP
The one thing that jumps out at me as I compare wheels
>is that Speedball says the Clay Boss centers 100 pounds of clay and Shim=
=3D
po
>says the VL Lite centers 25 pounds of clay. That seems like a big
>discrepancy for similar weight machines and motors.
Randall Moody on wed 4 nov 09
My opinion on wheels is the same as it is on tools. Buy the best that you
can afford. I bought the wheel I did because it was the best that I could
afford at the time and the motor was rated very high. I may never throw 100=
+
lbs of clay but if the bug ever gets me I don't want to be limited by my
wheel. Technique is more involved with big clay than power. I centered 50lb=
s
on my old kickwheel when I had it. Then I realized that my throwing skills
were not up to being able to successfully throw that much clay.
--
Randall in Atlanta
Lee Love on wed 4 nov 09
On Wed, Nov 4, 2009 at 12:43 PM, Randall Moody wr=
=3D
ote:
> on my old kickwheel when I had it. Then I realized that my throwing skill=
=3D
s
> were not up to being able to successfully throw that much clay.
Electric wheels have created the idea in our heads that we need to
throw big pots out of a single lump of clay.
--
Lee, a Mashiko potter in Minneapolis
http://mashikopots.blogspot.com/
"Ta tIr na n-=3DF3g ar chul an tI=3D97tIr dlainn trina ch=3DE9ile"=3D97tha=
t is, "T=3D
he
land of eternal youth is behind the house, a beautiful land fluent
within itself." -- John O'Donohue
Birgit Wright on wed 4 nov 09
Hello Walker=3D3B A friend of mine started a pottery school about 6 years =
ag=3D
o in Owen Sound Ontario=3D2C (I was one of her first students)=3D2C She bo=
ught=3D
a number of Artista Wheels=3D2C maybe 8 or 10 =3D2C called Arteest-ta by =
some=3D
students. She thinks they are ideal=3D2C they are still in use. You could=
a=3D
sk her about them. Kate McClaren at Mudtown Pottery=3D2C mudtown@bmts.com.
Birgit Wright=3D20
> Date: Tue=3D2C 3 Nov 2009 10:01:30 -0600
> From: copiahdad@GMAIL.COM
> Subject: Beginner wheel (Clay Boss vs Shimpo VL Lite)
> To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
>=3D20
> Hello all=3D2C
>=3D20
> I'm still looking for a beginner wheel. No luck finding a used wheels so
> far. I was thinking about a tabletop wheel (Artista) but am now leaning
> toward a Clay Boss or Shimpo VL Lite since they aren't that much more mon=
=3D
ey.
> But cost is a major consideratoin. I've searched for info on each machine
> and have seen a lot written about the Clay Boss but can't find much info =
=3D
on
> the Shimpo VL Lite. The one thing that jumps out at me as I compare wheel=
=3D
s
> is that Speedball says the Clay Boss centers 100 pounds of clay and Shimp=
=3D
o
> says the VL Lite centers 25 pounds of clay. That seems like a big
> discrepancy for similar weight machines and motors. Are there any reviews
> on the Shimpo VL Lite? I can't seem to find any googling either.
>=3D20
> Thanks=3D2C
> Walker
=3D20
_________________________________________________________________
Windows Live: Make it easier for your friends to see what you=3D92re up to =
on=3D
Facebook.
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=3D3D9691816=3D
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