Michael Flaherty on thu 7 apr 11
Just wondering what are your thoughts on these wheels? I'm buying a new=3D=
20=3D
wheel for the sculpture studio at the university where I work and it has =
=3D
come=3D20
down to these two options. I've always enjoyed the Brents - they are stu=
=3D
rdy=3D20
and powerful, plus the control/pedal is my favourite. Not to mention tha=
=3D
t it=3D20
comes with a 10 year (!) warranty.
My supplier is trying to sell me a Shimpo VL Whisper - he says they get f=
=3D
ar=3D20
less returned for repairs than the Brents. I have to admit I've always f=
=3D
ound=3D20
Shimpos to be a bit of a disappointment - I've never liked how the contro=
=3D
ls=3D20
work (I don't like the way they glide to a stop, although I've been told =
=3D
the VL=3D20
stops on a dime), and the splashpans are generally a nuisance. It's the =
=3D
lack=3D20
of attention to these details that has been the let down. the Shimpo is =
=3D
also=3D20
about $200 cheaper, and probably quieter, but also a few pounds heavier, =
=3D
and=3D20
comes with only a 2 year warranty.
I think I'd be interested in the Shimpo *if* I could get some confirmatio=
=3D
n of its=3D20
durability, and if there have been improvements in the controls since I l=
=3D
ast=3D20
bought one 8 years ago.
Which would you buy?
Sumi von Dassow on fri 8 apr 11
Michael
I have Brents and Shimpos and also Thomas Stuart wheels where I teach.
The Shimpos are the old kind
with the foot pedal attached to the wheel body, and most students don't
like them because they are too small BUT
they have needed much less maintenance than the Brents and they are
quieter. Several of the Brents gave us trouble
with jumping and/or slowing while in use so all our newer wheels are
Thomas Stuarts (Skutt bought Thomas Stuart
recently so now they are Skutt wheels) and have been pretty happy with
them. Plus they have a reverse, which
at least the older Brents don't have. I'd be inclined to give the Shimpo
a try though I've never used the VL Whisper.
Sumi
> Just wondering what are your thoughts on these wheels? I'm buying a new
> wheel for the sculpture studio at the university where I work and it has =
come
> down to these two options. I've always enjoyed the Brents - they are stu=
rdy
> and powerful, plus the control/pedal is my favourite. Not to mention tha=
t it
> comes with a 10 year (!) warranty.
>
> My supplier is trying to sell me a Shimpo VL Whisper - he says they get f=
ar
> less returned for repairs than the Brents. I have to admit I've always f=
ound
> Shimpos to be a bit of a disappointment - I've never liked how the contro=
ls
> work (I don't like the way they glide to a stop, although I've been told =
the VL
> stops on a dime), and the splashpans are generally a nuisance. It's the =
lack
> of attention to these details that has been the let down. the Shimpo is =
also
> about $200 cheaper, and probably quieter, but also a few pounds heavier, =
and
> comes with only a 2 year warranty.
>
> I think I'd be interested in the Shimpo *if* I could get some confirmatio=
n of its
> durability, and if there have been improvements in the controls since I l=
ast
> bought one 8 years ago.
>
> Which would you buy?
>
>
>
--
Sumi von Dassow
www.herwheel.com
sumi@herwheel.com
Johanna San Inocencio on fri 8 apr 11
if you are basing your decision on your experience with the older Shimpo =
=3D
model with the square base, it is not an accurate comparison. The Shimpo =
=3D
VL will stop on a dime if you want it to. The pedal is very responsive =3D
and you can adjust it to your preference. The other thing I love about =3D
the Shimpo VL is it is QUIET! Every other wheel I have used in the =3D
studio has either a whine or a hum or some other sound it makes. The =3D
splash pans on the VL whisper are also much different than the original =3D
Shimpo design. I asked a lot of questions and tried out different wheels =
=3D
before I bought mine and I am very satisfied with it.
Johanna
On Apr 7, 2011, at 12:35 PM, Michael Flaherty wrote:
> Just wondering what are your thoughts on these wheels? I'm buying a =3D
new=3D20
> wheel for the sculpture studio at the university where I work and it =3D
has come=3D20
> down to these two options. I've always enjoyed the Brents - they are =3D
sturdy=3D20
> and powerful, plus the control/pedal is my favourite. Not to mention =3D
that it=3D20
> comes with a 10 year (!) warranty.
>=3D20
> My supplier is trying to sell me a Shimpo VL Whisper - he says they =3D
get far=3D20
> less returned for repairs than the Brents. I have to admit I've =3D
always found=3D20
> Shimpos to be a bit of a disappointment - I've never liked how the =3D
controls=3D20
> work (I don't like the way they glide to a stop, although I've been =3D
told the VL=3D20
> stops on a dime), and the splashpans are generally a nuisance. It's =3D
the lack=3D20
> of attention to these details that has been the let down. the Shimpo =3D
is also=3D20
> about $200 cheaper, and probably quieter, but also a few pounds =3D
heavier, and=3D20
> comes with only a 2 year warranty.
>=3D20
> I think I'd be interested in the Shimpo *if* I could get some =3D
confirmation of its=3D20
> durability, and if there have been improvements in the controls since =3D
I last=3D20
> bought one 8 years ago.
>=3D20
> Which would you buy?
William & Susan Schran User on fri 8 apr 11
On 4/7/11 1:35 PM, "Michael Flaherty"
wrote:
> I think I'd be interested in the Shimpo *if* I could get some confirmatio=
n of
> its
> durability, and if there have been improvements in the controls since I l=
ast
> bought one 8 years ago.
> Which would you buy?
Personally I wouldn't buy a Brent since Amaco took over Brent wheel
production. I have bought one for school, actually the handicap version for
a student in wheelchair and was disappointed in the way the motor sounded
and the operation of the wheel - I mean it works, but I would buy other
brands over this one.
We do have a couple original Brent model B's that are waiting for room to
return to service.
In my studio I had an old Pacifica electric that I built the frame (back
when they had those for sale) and decided to upgrade. Read about all the
brands, went to NCECA and looked at all the brands, talked to the vendors
and in the end went with the Shimpo VL Whisper.
This is a direct drive wheel, instant response with foot pedal and instant
stop. When pedal is not engaged the wheel head is free spinning - very easy
to rotate by hand. When I first set up the wheel it wouldn't go when I
pressed down the foot pedal. I called Shimpo troubleshooting and the rep
stayed on the phone and talked me through opening and making a small
adjustment to the pedal. He also stayed on the phone until I had thrown a
pot and conformed satisfactory operation of the wheel. That was two or thre=
e
years ago and the wheel has performed flawlessly.
FYI - top speed of this wheel seems slower than some others I've worked on,
but I've actually grown to like that and it is rare that I use the top spee=
d
anymore.
Oh yeah - absolutely quiet!
Bill
--
William "Bill" Schran
wschran@cox.net
wschran@nvcc.edu
http://www.creativecreekartisans.com
Steve Mills on sat 9 apr 11
I started with a treadle wheel, went from that to a climb-on electric, then=
c=3D
e to an antipodean cone drive, and finally to a VL.=3D20
On the way I used various Brents et al which I found (like the climb-on and=
c=3D
one) strong but noisy.=3D20
I like the VL for its silence, stability, and strength; I can hear all the =
s=3D
ounds around me, though it made me realise how much I relied on the motor w=
h=3D
ine to gauge speed!
My two-penny-worth!
Steve M
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
www.mudslinger.me.uk
Sent from my Ipod touch
On 7 Apr 2011, at 18:35, Michael Flaherty =
w=3D
rote:
> Just wondering what are your thoughts on these wheels? I'm buying a new=
=3D20=3D
> wheel for the sculpture studio at the university where I work and it has =
c=3D
ome=3D20
> down to these two options. I've always enjoyed the Brents - they are stu=
r=3D
dy=3D20
> and powerful, plus the control/pedal is my favourite. Not to mention tha=
t=3D
it=3D20
> comes with a 10 year (!) warranty.
>=3D20
> My supplier is trying to sell me a Shimpo VL Whisper - he says they get f=
a=3D
r=3D20
> less returned for repairs than the Brents. I have to admit I've always f=
o=3D
und=3D20
> Shimpos to be a bit of a disappointment - I've never liked how the contro=
l=3D
s=3D20
> work (I don't like the way they glide to a stop, although I've been told =
t=3D
he VL=3D20
> stops on a dime), and the splashpans are generally a nuisance. It's the =
l=3D
ack=3D20
> of attention to these details that has been the let down. the Shimpo is =
a=3D
lso=3D20
> about $200 cheaper, and probably quieter, but also a few pounds heavier, =
a=3D
nd=3D20
> comes with only a 2 year warranty.
>=3D20
> I think I'd be interested in the Shimpo *if* I could get some confirmatio=
n=3D
of its=3D20
> durability, and if there have been improvements in the controls since I l=
a=3D
st=3D20
> bought one 8 years ago.
>=3D20
> Which would you buy?
lena buch on sun 10 apr 11
My husband and I qwn 3 Shimpos and one Brent. We have had less trouble with=
=3D
all =3D0Aof the Shimpos combined than the Brent. the peddles on the brent =
ar=3D
e a constant =3D0Amaintenence adjustment. One of our shimpos is almost 40 y=
ea=3D
rs old and still runs =3D0Alike a champ. the new wispers are great also, I =
bo=3D
ught 5 for our pottery studio =3D0Aat school. It is a personal decision.=3D=
0AJu=3D
st my 2 Cents=3D0ALee=3D0A=3D0A=3D0ASumi=3D0A> Just wondering what are your=
thoughts =3D
on these wheels?=3DA0 I'm buying a new=3D0A> wheel for the sculpture studio=
at =3D
the university where I work and it has come=3D0A> down to these two options=
.=3D
=3DA0 I've always enjoyed the Brents - they are sturdy=3D0A> and powerful, =
plus=3D
the control/pedal is my favourite.=3DA0 Not to mention that it=3D0A> comes=
wit=3D
h a 10 year (!) warranty.=3D0A>=3D0A> My supplier is trying to sell me a Sh=
impo=3D
VL Whisper - he says they get far=3D0A> less returned for repairs than the=
B=3D
rents.=3DA0 I have to admit I've always found=3D0A> Shimpos to be a bit of =
a di=3D
sappointment - I've never liked how the controls=3D0A> work (I don't like t=
he=3D
way they glide to a stop, although I've been told the =3D0AVL=3D0A> stops =
on a=3D
dime), and the splashpans are generally a nuisance.=3DA0 It's the lack=3D0=
A> o=3D
f attention to these details that has been the let down.=3DA0 the Shimpo is=
a=3D
lso=3D0A> about $200 cheaper, and probably quieter, but also a few pounds h=
ea=3D
vier, and=3D0A> comes with only a 2 year warranty.=3D0A>=3D0A> I think I'd =
be int=3D
erested in the Shimpo *if* I could get some confirmation of =3D0A>its=3D0A>=
dur=3D
ability, and if there have been improvements in the controls since I last=
=3D
=3D0A> bought one 8 years ago.=3D0A>=3D0A> Which would you buy?=3D0A>=3D0A>=
=3D0A>=3D0A=3D0A=3D
=3D0A--=3D0ASumi von Dassow=3D0Awww.herwheel.com=3D0Asumi@herwheel.com=3D0A
Taylor Hendrix on mon 11 apr 11
I have purchased a VL Whisper with in the last two years, and I am
thrilled with my purchase. The wheel is indeed silent when in
operation, and from what I can tell, it has plenty of motor. It was
important for me that the wheel head freely rotate when the motor is
off and the VL Whisper delivers on that as well. I throw standing up
and have rigged the foot pedal for manual shifting. That works well. I
learned to throw on a Brent CxC and now that I have my VL Whisper, I
feel no need to go back. Brent wheels are great, but the VL Whisper
suites my needs just fine.
my two turnips worth,
Taylor, in Rockport TX
wirerabbit1 on Skype (-0600 UTC)
http://wirerabbit.blogspot.com
http://wirerabbitpots.blogspot.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wirerabbit/
On Thu, Apr 7, 2011 at 12:35 PM, Michael Flaherty
wrote:
> Just wondering what are your thoughts on these wheels? =3DC2=3DA0....
Steve Mills on tue 12 apr 11
While on the subject of the VL Whisper, I do have a small/medium sized warn=
i=3D
ng for big ware makers who own one.=3D20
UK Potter David Frith who makes very large Platters was working on one such=
p=3D
iece on his VL, trimming I think, when he "closed" the foot pedal quite sha=
r=3D
ply, but flywheel effect took over and the piece continued to spin.=3D20
When he pressed the pedal again, zilch! the wheel was dead!=3D20
It transpired that when the wheelhead continued to spin with the large plat=
e=3D
on it, it briefly ceased to be motor and became a generator burning out th=
e=3D
mother-board in the process!
So.....
If you throw or trim large diameter pieces, Be Warned: stop it MANUALLY as =
w=3D
ell as turning off the power!
Steve M
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
www.mudslinger.me.uk
Sent from my Ipod touch
>>=3D20
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