Patty Potter on tue 4 jun 02
Hello, everyone.
I currently live in a flat and I'm shortly going to move to a house, where
I plan to set up a little studio of my own to practise at home, but I'm not
sure whether I want to get an electric wheel or a kick-wheel. I've been
doing pottery for a very short time, and I've used both an electric wheel
and a kick-wheel. I've read some potters use only one type of wheel.
However, I feel comfortable with either one. But I'm just a beginner and
I'd like to hear your opinions/views, if you'll indulge me, in case you
prefer one over the other and why. I'm trying to find out the benefits I
should be able to expect from one type or the other in the long range, that
is, when I become a master potter. :-) Also, I've seen kick-wheels
advertised with an added motor and this got me thinking that perhaps a
potter would like to have both because one's better for some kind of work
while the other's better for a different kind of work. I will greatly
appreciate your input.
Pat
PS: I take this opportunity to thank the people who directed me to the
multilingual dictionary. I posted a thanks message before but it seems to
have been lost. Thanks a lot, it was just what I needed.
Dave Gayman on tue 4 jun 02
Strong opinion, having started on an electric: kickwheel with motor for
centering.
With this option, you can put your feet and legs where you want. You're
not constrained to having a foot on a speed-control pedal.
You can work and finish pots at any speed, with just a couple of kicks.
You can finish lips and feet at very low revolutions per minute.
You can work blissfully free of hums, squeals, grinds, rumbles, or whines,
except during centering.
The motor for centering is usually a smallish protected motor with a rubber
drive wheel that turns on the outer circumference of the flywheel. It's
usually brought into play by stepping on a pedal. Once you've centered
your pot, you're off and running.
But note that this option is not for huge pots, where you want power at
relatively low speeds to draw up the walls from 50 pounds of clay... if
you're making large pieces, electric is better.
Dave
At 02:41 PM 6/4/2002 -0400, you wrote:
>Hello, everyone.
>
>I'm not
>sure whether I want to get an electric wheel or a kick-wheel.
Longtin, Jeff on wed 5 jun 02
Hey Patty!
No relation to Peter by chance?
Kickwheels are a great way to refine your throwing technique. In my opinion
they give you a greater understanding of the relationship between speed and
throwing,i.e. the benefits of speed, the benefits of not speed.
With electric wheels you have a greater ability to make "tight" pots easily
and quickly. With a kickwheel you have to work a little bit harder.
If you follow the "traditional" kickwheel method your pots will be more
"gestural", more "loose" looking.
Kick, kick, kick, center the lump...kick, kick, kick, drop a hole.
Kick, kick, kick, first pull...kick, kick, kick, second pull.
Kick, kick, kick, third pull...kick, kick, kick, trim lip.
Kick, kick, kick, finish lip...and the pot is done!
All the while making pots without that annoying hum of an electric!
It's a beautiful thing!
FYI: If you like your pots to be more tight you'll be doing a lot of
kicking.
It's up to you
Take care
Jeff Longtin
in minneapolis...still waiting for summer...
-----Original Message-----
From: Patty Potter [mailto:patpot@HOTMAIL.COM]
Sent: Tuesday, June 04, 2002 1:41 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Electric vs. kick-wheels.
Hello, everyone.
I currently live in a flat and I'm shortly going to move to a house, where
I plan to set up a little studio of my own to practise at home, but I'm not
sure whether I want to get an electric wheel or a kick-wheel. I've been
doing pottery for a very short time, and I've used both an electric wheel
and a kick-wheel. I've read some potters use only one type of wheel.
However, I feel comfortable with either one. But I'm just a beginner and
I'd like to hear your opinions/views, if you'll indulge me, in case you
prefer one over the other and why. I'm trying to find out the benefits I
should be able to expect from one type or the other in the long range, that
is, when I become a master potter. :-) Also, I've seen kick-wheels
advertised with an added motor and this got me thinking that perhaps a
potter would like to have both because one's better for some kind of work
while the other's better for a different kind of work. I will greatly
appreciate your input.
Pat
PS: I take this opportunity to thank the people who directed me to the
multilingual dictionary. I posted a thanks message before but it seems to
have been lost. Thanks a lot, it was just what I needed.
____________________________________________________________________________
__
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
Patty Potter on thu 6 jun 02
Muchas gracias for all the sensible responses.
I like the idea of a kickwheel with a motor attached. My husband, who has
offered to build the wheel (isn=92t he a dear?) asked me what kind of motor
=
I
would be needing. I put on my best smartalecky face and said, =931/3 HP=94
v=
ery
smugly. But then he stumped me with all these questions (I hope my
translations are accurate enough), for example:
Should it be synchronic or asynchronic?
How many RPM? (I think the lowest in the market is 1500 RPM in Argentina.
Would that be OK?)
Does the motor have an internal clutch?
Since you guys were so kind before, I=92ll venture to ask if any of you can
provide me with this sort of information. Thanks a lot in advance.
Pat
BTW, Jeff, I=92m not related to Peter, nor to Harry for that matter.
Actually, Patty Potter is my nom-de-guerre --or should I say nom-de
terre? ;-) for this list. My official name is Patricia Bogni.
| |
|
