Tom Wirt/Betsy Price on wed 15 nov 00
Have to agree with Tony (geez I hate to do that)...try before you buy.
I use one for demonstrations...one of the original group brought over
from England by MacKenzie when he helped set up schools. While they
were designed for production throwing, 25 lbs is about the limit you
can center with your leg power....and you are limited in height,
although I once threw and 18"-er by putting logs on either side of the
wheel, getting her rolling as good as possible and then standing up
for 4 or 5 revolutions of turn before having to sit and get it
rolling again....kind of like the old Japanese stick wheels. But they
have a rhythm that is mesmerizing to throw on, and you'll learn more
about clay than you ever will from an electric or a heavy flywheel
kick.
For my money, the treadle wheel takes more energy than a heavy kick
wheel, although one of our list physics majors could prove me wrong.
You have to work the leg all the time because there is no real weight
in the wheel. And increasing the weight would, IMHO, lose the feel of
the wheel. (I just love poetry).
These are really right=handers wheels. You kick with the left because
otherwise your kicking motion would put too much bounce in your
throwing. Very awkward.
There are a lot of poor imitations lurking around in the US, too.
After the originals came over from England, there were many copies
made. Most very poorly. The original ones were made of solid mahogany
with a teak seat. I saw a new one, in the box still, advertised for
$2000 USD. There is also someone in Minnesota making them according
to the original plans. The original Leach wheels were very tall.
Many of the new ones are downsized to fit better. There are also some
stand up ones around...Kurt had them at River Falls Wisconsin.
The treadle lever swings front to back on every one I've seen. There
are plans for one in the Harry Davis book "Potters Alternatives" (no
longer in print). Be warned, the joinery is tricky with double angle
mortises all over the place. And if the joints aren't tight, it'll
wobble all over the place.
Once upon a time I thought about building one, until I saw one.
Tom Wirt
----- Original Message -----
Subject: Re: using a treadle wheel
> >I've recently been researching plans for building a treadle wheel.
I am
> >interested in using one because I don't like working on an electric
wheel
> >and enjoy a kick wheel, but would like something easier on the
knees and
> >less labor-intensive. I've never used a treadle wheel, so I'm
wondering if
> >my expectations are correct? Also would like to know more about the
action
> >of using a treadle wheel...
> >=>Is the foot pumping motion a back-and-forth one or an up-and-down
one?
> >=>Is the amount of time spent pumping the pedal comparable to the
amount of
> >time spent kicking on a kickwheel? (kick for a while, let the
flywheel go
> >till it slows down, kick some more...)
> >=>The pictures I see of treadle wheels have the pedal on the
left...Is this
> >standard? I am right-handed and kick with my right foot, use an
electric
> >pedal with my right foot. The idea of using my left seems a little
awkward.
> >=>Where does the foot doing the pumping rest when it's not pumping?
> >Thanks very much for any info!
> >Zoe
> >
Zoe Poster on wed 15 nov 00
I've recently been researching plans for building a treadle wheel. I am
interested in using one because I don't like working on an electric wheel
and enjoy a kick wheel, but would like something easier on the knees and
less labor-intensive. I've never used a treadle wheel, so I'm wondering if
my expectations are correct? Also would like to know more about the action
of using a treadle wheel...
=>Is the foot pumping motion a back-and-forth one or an up-and-down one?
=>Is the amount of time spent pumping the pedal comparable to the amount of
time spent kicking on a kickwheel? (kick for a while, let the flywheel go
till it slows down, kick some more...)
=>The pictures I see of treadle wheels have the pedal on the left...Is this
standard? I am right-handed and kick with my right foot, use an electric
pedal with my right foot. The idea of using my left seems a little awkward.
=>Where does the foot doing the pumping rest when it's not pumping?
Thanks very much for any info!
Zoe
clennell on wed 15 nov 00
>I've recently been researching plans for building a treadle wheel. I am
>interested in using one because I don't like working on an electric wheel
>and enjoy a kick wheel, but would like something easier on the knees and
>less labor-intensive. I've never used a treadle wheel, so I'm wondering if
>my expectations are correct? Also would like to know more about the action
>of using a treadle wheel...
>=>Is the foot pumping motion a back-and-forth one or an up-and-down one?
>=>Is the amount of time spent pumping the pedal comparable to the amount of
>time spent kicking on a kickwheel? (kick for a while, let the flywheel go
>till it slows down, kick some more...)
>=>The pictures I see of treadle wheels have the pedal on the left...Is this
>standard? I am right-handed and kick with my right foot, use an electric
>pedal with my right foot. The idea of using my left seems a little awkward.
>=>Where does the foot doing the pumping rest when it's not pumping?
>Thanks very much for any info!
>Zoe
>
Zoe; With so many questions my suggestion before building one is to use
one. Using a treadle wheel is like learning to ride a bicycle again. It is
not like a electric wheel and unlike a kick wheel. I just bought another
one yesterday. I am a wheel fanatic. I was lucky enough to get diana
Panicoli's old treadle wheel. It found it's way to within 5 miles of my
house. How could I turn it down??????? Yellow oak and finely crafted.
Beware of poor imitiations.. Your one leg gets no rest but before I give
instructions I suggest a trial run. The one's that Doug Gray makes are
BMW's . the old Leach plans are good but follow the details to a T.
A sound choice of a wheel for the guy/woman that is in love with process.
Cheers,
Tony
sour cherry pottery
tony and sheila clennell
4545 king street
beamsville, on.L0R 1B1
www.sourcherrypottery.com
clennell@vaxxine.com
Jeff Lawrence on thu 16 nov 00
Zoe was waxing poignant about treadle wheels...
Dear Zoe,
Throwing pottery on a treadle wheel is like water-color painting while
riding a unicycle.
I'm developing a slight tic just remembering the experience!
Jeff Lawrence ph. 505-753-5913
Sun Dagger Design fx. 505-753-8074
18496 US HWY 285/84 jml@sundagger.com
Espanola, NM 87532 www.sundagger.com
iandol on sat 18 nov 00
Was any other sort of wheel available to student classes in the nineteen =
fifties and sixties?? The first wheel I ever used was the treadle I =
built from a reclaimed two foot diameter knife grinding wheel. Had a bit =
of help from fitting and turning friends. Bottom bearing was a 3/4 ball =
bearing resting on a few 1/4 ball bearings running in a collar filled =
with grease. bottom of shaft was counterbored so that the bearing bedded =
true. First pottery class I attended had several Leech type wheels and =
one electric. No go on the electric until you could throw on the =
treddlies. Not only that, we threw with the wheel going clockwise, =
working on the left of the wheelhead. Had to completely relearn when I =
came Down Under.
Ivor.=20
Bonnie Staffel on sun 19 nov 00
Dear Zoe,
I am a little late in answering this group of posts. 50 years ago I used a
stand-up treadle wheel, built by George Fetzer in Columbus, for twelve
years. It is my caution that you do not get this type of wheel. The
treadle bar is on the left. You need the right leg stabilized for centering
and throwing. The left leg does not get tired. It is the leg you are
standing on which give you problems. Also your toes fall asleep. There
usually is a leaning board on the right. My back went askew by using this
wheel. When I was teaching in Denmark in 1987, I used a sit down kick
wheel. The fly wheel was about 36" in diameter. If you are young, this may
not be a problem, but at 67 years old at that time, it was rough on the
knees. They finally found an electric assisted kick wheel for me. This
solved my knee problem. I had a hard time adjusting to the constant
rotation of the wheel but you can get used to it like anything else.
My treadle wheel did not have a wide flywheel, but a smaller one which
weighed 75 lbs. I could start and stop it very easily. You can get hurt by
taking the foot off the treadle which goes back and forth with vigor. So I
kept my foot on it. The sit down wheels can also have a treadle, but you do
have to pay attention to where the treadle is when you want to reactivate
it.
Can you tell that I am not fond of this type of wheel? As soon as the
electric wheels became available, I bought one. A Creative Industries wheel
is whisper quiet if you are mainly looking for that attribute. I am sure
others are also, but you need to research other potters recommendations.
Hope this helps you.
Regards and happy potting, Bonnie Staffel of Charlevoix, MI
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