Marek & Pauline Drzazga-Donaldson on sun 7 aug 05
Dear Vince,
I agree 100% with you about retaining the Leach Wheel the way it was
intended, just get used to the vagiaries of its use and buy a motorised
wheel. But where do you get the notion of it being efficient. It is a
mastery of bastardization - using an efficient device, the momentum
kickwheel, and making it more than 300% less efficient by adding a treadle.
Sorry mate cannot agree with you on that one.
Happy potting Marek www.no9uk.com www.moley.uk.com
Vince Pitelka on sun 7 aug 05
> I agree 100% with you about retaining the Leach Wheel the way it was
> intended, just get used to the vagiaries of its use and buy a motorised
> wheel. But where do you get the notion of it being efficient. It is a
> mastery of bastardization - using an efficient device, the momentum
> kickwheel, and making it more than 300% less efficient by adding a
> treadle.
> Sorry mate cannot agree with you on that one.
Marek -
I have known many potters who used Leach style treadle wheels. I do not own
one, and have never used one enough to really get the rhythm, but they are
certainly far more efficient than a kick wheel if one just gets used to the
rhythm. One has only to watch a skilled potter using a Leach style treadle
wheel, with the slow, steady pumping movement of the foot on the treadle, to
see that this is a very efficient means of harnessing the energy of the leg
and transforming it in to the rotary motion of the wheel - much more
efficient than kicking at the flywheel on a normal kickwheel.
That said, there have certainly been some inefficient treadle wheels, but
the Leach design, when well constructed, is a beautiful basic machine.
Best wishes -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Technological University
Smithville TN 37166, 615/597-6801 x111
vpitelka@dtccom.net, wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/
Marek & Pauline Drzazga-Donaldson on mon 8 aug 05
Dear Vince,
throwing on momentum wheels is the most efficient and rythmic method I know.
The addition of a treadle in the engineering sense makes it less efficient
than a momentum. Both methods, the treadle and the superior (in my mind)
momentum wheels require the potter to be at one with the clay, to be fully
in tune with the motions, speeds, torques and pace. One of the funniest
sights (regarding throwing on a kick wheel) was a "named Potter" furiously
trying to smack a load of speed into the wheel - what a waste, just nice and
easy, relaxed at at peace. Whatever works, works. Good to hear from you.
Happy potting Marek www.no9uk.com www.moley.uk.com
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