Pottery Pottery Basics

Important Features of an Electric Potter's Wheel

By
Beth Peterson
Beth Peterson
Beth Peterson is a pottery expert, sharing her knowledge about producing pottery on the wheel, as well as handbuilt ceramic sculpture, and the Raku firing technique of pottery making. She also teaches mask making to children and adults. Beth has over 30 years of experience crafting with clay.
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Updated on 11/17/19
Potter at work
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In the thousands of years pottery has been practiced, one of the farthest-reaching innovations is the introduction of electric-powered potter's wheels (or pottery wheels). Electric potter's wheels allow potters to produce volumes of work even faster than before.

Electric wheels are also lighter and much more easily moved than wheels that use a heavy flywheel. This has allowed potters greater freedom in sharing their craft since they can take an electric wheel with them and do demonstrations.

  • 01 of 06

    Motors

    The motor is the heart of the electric potter's wheel. Wheels are now made with variable speed control, with most allowing 0 to 240 RPM or higher. Horsepower can range from 1/6 to 1 1/12 horsepower, which impacts how much torque (or power) the motor delivers to the wheel head. The way the motor is constructed also has a bearing on torque.

    Torque determines how much clay by weight the wheel is able to center. Commercially available wheels can all center at least 20 pounds of clay, and one can center up to 400 pounds.

    Something to consider: the power of a big motor is great if you are making big pots, but if you are throwing average-sized pottery, you will rarely want more than 20 to 50 pounds of clay on your wheel at one time.

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    Reversibility

    Many wheels are now being made so that the rotation of the wheel head can be reversed. This allows the wheel to accommodate left-handed throwing as well as right-handed throwing. Reversibility is a great boon to those potters who prefer to throw left-handed or who throw both right- and left-handed.

  • 03 of 06

    Noise

    Noise has been one of the points strongly argued between kick wheel enthusiasts and those using electric wheels. When electric wheels first became widely available, many potters objected to the noise that the motors produced.

    At this point, electric wheels have gone through some changes, including changes in noise levels. Most currently available wheels are not obtrusively noisy, and many make their quiet operation a large part of their sales pitch.

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    Foot Pedals

    Nearly all electric wheels are controlled through foot pedals, although a few models do use hand controls. Optimally, pedal-motor integration and function should give you​ smooth operation of the wheel at all times, including during acceleration and at very low RPMs.

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  • 05 of 06

    Wheel Head or Bat Pins

    Wheelhead pins, or bat pins, exist in order to attach the bat to the wheel head for throwing. The standard in the industry has evolved to two 3/8-inch pins placed at 10 inches on center. There are some models which do not follow this configuration, however, so be sure any extra bats you buy are right for your particular wheel head.

    Some wheel heads also have removable pins, which allow for trimming directly on the wheel head.

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    Pottery Wheel Brands

    • Brent wheels are probably the best known. Most potters find them highly reliable.
    • Soldner is pricy but some models can handle an extraordinary amount of weight. They also have a model that can be used in a wheelchair.
    • Creative Industries has been re-engineered but has a reputation for not being quite as reliable.
    • Shimpo is known for its super-quiet operation.
    • Pacifica has worked to marry smooth operation with high torque.
    • Skutt Potter's Wheels is the result of a merger between Skutt (known for their electric kilns) and Thomas Stuart wheels.
    • Store brands are worth a look. Companies like Bailey and Campbell's offer their own wheels, often at a good price.