The Joy of New Tools

New Pottery Wheel Installed (it will never be this clean again!)

The Thought Process

I've been thinking about getting a new wheel for a while. When I first set up my shed as a tiny pottery studio, I wasn't sure that it was going to work out, and was reluctant to spend A LOT of money on kit and equipment for something that might not turn into anything. I found a cheap wheel online (actually two so that I could use one for spare parts) and got started.

And, to be honest it kinda worked. The wheel fit in the shed, I fit in the shed, and after a few months a kiln fit in the shed! However, the more I used my wheel, the more I became aware of its shortcomings. It had a slight wobble, it leaked and the foot pedal (which controls the speed) didn't work properly resulting in sudden bouts of acceleration. I made the most of it and I could throw on it, but it was becoming increasingly obvious that an upgrade was required. The problem with this pottery adventure is that it's not cheap and every time I looked at pottery wheels, the prices were prohibitive.

Then, probably due to sneaky internet cookies, Instagram started showing me ads for "The Daisy Wheel" by Kilncraft. It was still an "investment" but more within my budget. I started to think about how to make it happen.

A few months later came The Spring Fair at The Lion - my local pub. Despite a very soggy start to the year, I did my best to prepare lots of new stock for the fair.

Explainer: Clay likes to dry slowly otherwise it can crack or warp, I work in a shed which is either very cold and damp or very hot and dry, this makes the drying process a challenge. This January and February, pots that normally take a week to dry out took about 3 weeks. I had to slow down.

Inevitably, after the Fair I decided to do a deep clean and a bit of maintenance on my wheel. all went well until I switched on the wheel and absolutely nothing happened. As is my usual way, I decided to walk away for a bit and then sneak up on it and see if it had changed its mind, to no avail. It was time to accept fate and buy a new wheel.

1kg+ clay thrown vases - mug at centre was about the biggest I could throw before (500g)

The Action

And so I turned back to Instagram and got in touch with Kilncraft. The process of ordering and arranging transportation was remarkably smooth. The wheel turned up and then it was a question of installing it. First up, it was MUCH heavier than my old one (which showed me how flimsy it really was), so the lovely landlord at The Lion carried it through to the shed for me (cherish your local pubs). It was easy to set up and came with a whole load of goodies including an adjustable stool, bats and tools and then I go stuck in!

I cannot describe how much better it was immediately! Suddenly pulling up the walls of a cylinder felt smoother and less like potluck. Reliable & controllable speed from the pedal makes for walls that are more consistent. The whole thing just feels more solid, the pan doesn't leak, and I can now reliably throw larger amounts of clay. It's a revelation. I'm also throwing my usual forms faster. Turning pots (i.e. tidying up the bottoms) is also a smoother and more predictable process. All in all I'm a very contented potter.

I will always be happy that I did not invest in expensive kit straight off, I really didn't know if I could turn my potting shed into a pottery studio. I've built up my tools and equipment slowly, this has allowed me to think really hard about what I actually want to make and what I need to do that. I've tried lots of different techniques but with limited storage and space to work, I've also learnt quickly: how to reclaim clay (recycling clay from the turning and throwing processes), how to mix and store glazes, how to keep the space clean and usable and how to ensure I keep it feeling fresh and exciting to do.

As I write, the first batch of throwing on the new wheel is in the kiln on a bisque fire (first firing). You may also be interested to know that I've got a new sieve (with a very fine mesh) which is critical for mixing up glazes and ensuring that any impurities don't make their way into the final mix. The sieve may be the more humble of the two but there is a particular joy in working with high quality tools that do the intended job well and I look forward to seeing the results in the pots once they are finished.

I filled up the Pottery Shed with Bowls, Mugs and More.

Thanks for reading!