Pottery Wheel Torque And Stopping Speed?

[podgen]

I currently have access to Brent and Pacifica wheels. I'm thinking about buying a wheel of my own.

 

I liked that the pacifia was quieter than the Brent. But it didn't seem like the Pacifica had enough torque when starting from a stop or very low speed. I was throwing a large coil around the outside of the bat and was fairly easily able to stop the wheel from starting up with my hands on the clay. I have never been able to do this on a Brent.

 

I also didn't like how the Pacifica seemed to take longer to slow down than the Brent when I turned the foot pedal to off.

 

How is the torque on the Bailey, Skutt, and Shimpo wheels? And also the slow-down times?

 

Thanks!

[Guest JBaymore]

I have been using the same Brent CXC for about 35 years or so in my studio. Absolutely love it ....except for the noise level. I replaced one diode in the power supply in all that time of professional use. Great commercial for Brent wheels of that period. It is a real workhorse. It is the model just after they changed from the direct gearbox drive to the four belts.

 

At my college we have a lot of both Brents (C and CXC) and Shimpo Whispers.

 

At one point I was really seriously considering getting a Whisper because of the lovely quietness. Very seductive, and GREAT in a classroom setting so that the noise level stays down with a buch of students all throwing at once.

 

However, then I did a demo of a larger bowl throwing technigue I have been using for many years (pounding to center, pounding to open, etc.) with my students and discovered that with 50 lbs of clay the Whisper was so darn easy to stop. At low speed.... which is how I throw, ............ it had so little torque it was amazing.

 

I talked to Shimpo about a more powerful version of the Whisper.... and they said it was in the works...... but so far.... no joy. (When I am over there, I notice that Shimpo has a lot of gear in Japan that they do not import here. A lot of it is more expensive stuff... and that is likely why; the American market would not routinely support the more expensive equipment.)

 

So the Pacifica is not alone with that torque issue I am afraid.

 

best,

 

................john

[Lucille Oka]

I have been using the same Brent CXC for about 35 years or so in my studio. Absolutely love it ....except for the noise level. I replaced one diode in the power supply in all that time of professional use. Great commercial for Brent wheels of that period. It is a real workhorse. It is the model just after they changed from the direct gearbox drive to the four belts.

 

At my college we have a lot of both Brents (C and CXC) and Shimpo Whispers.

 

At one point I was really seriously considering getting a Whisper because of the lovely quietness. Very seductive, and GREAT in a classroom setting so that the noise level stays down with a buch of students all throwing at once.

 

However, then I did a demo of a larger bowl throwing technigue I have been using for many years (pounding to center, pounding to open, etc.) with my students and discovered that with 50 lbs of clay the Whisper was so darn easy to stop. At low speed.... which is how I throw, ............ it had so little torque it was amazing.

 

I talked to Shimpo about a more powerful version of the Whisper.... and they said it was in the works...... but so far.... no joy. (When I am over there, I notice that Shimpo has a lot of gear in Japan that they do not import here. A lot of it is more expensive stuff... and that is likely why; the American market would not routinely support the more expensive equipment.)

 

So the Pacifica is not alone with that torque issue I am afraid.

 

best,

 

................john

 

 

John,

Can you tell me to which Shimpo Whisper are you referring there appears to be two the RK2 Whisper and the VL Whisper?

 

 

[Marcia Selsor]

I had a classroom of Brents in Montana and then of Whispers when I taught in Hawaii. Both were good classroom wheels.

I own a Bailey. My Bailey has a quiet hum and the torque is fine for me. The Bailey would be a good classroom wheel too.

I like throwing in peace and quiet, so the gentle hum is nice..not noisy.

 

Marcia

 

 

[Seasoned Warrior]

I had a classroom of Brents in Montana and then of Whispers when I taught in Hawaii. Both were good classroom wheels.

I own a Bailey. My Bailey has a quiet hum and the torque is fine for me. The Bailey would be a good classroom wheel too.

I like throwing in peace and quiet, so the gentle hum is nice..not noisy.

 

Marcia

 

 

 

 

I have a Brent and an older Lockerbie, my favorite is the Lockerbie. I converted the power feature on my older Lockerbie to a variable frequency drive and a three phase motor which maintains even torque throughout its entire speed range. I like the Lockerbie because it can also be used as a kiickwheel and I like a kickwheel sometimes. I also like that I sit more upright at the Lockerbie, for some reason I tend to slump to one side at the Brent and I find it hard on my back. I have a jiggering arm on my Brent and torque does not seem to be a problem.

 

Best regards,

Charles

[podgen]

At one point I was really seriously considering getting a Whisper because of the lovely quietness. Very seductive, and GREAT in a classroom setting so that the noise level stays down with a buch of students all throwing at once.

 

However, then I did a demo of a larger bowl throwing technigue I have been using for many years (pounding to center, pounding to open, etc.) with my students and discovered that with 50 lbs of clay the Whisper was so darn easy to stop. At low speed.... which is how I throw, ............ it had so little torque it was amazing.

Thanks, exactly the kind of response I was looking for. Sounds like maybe Shimpo is out along with the Pacifica. I wonder if it is less of an issue with the Bailey and Skutt wheels. at .5hp or maybe 1hp.

 

I own a Bailey. My Bailey has a quiet hum and the torque is fine for me. The Bailey would be a good classroom wheel too.

Have you ever been able to stop your Bailey from starting up or stopped it at low speed?

[OKpotter]

At one point I was really seriously considering getting a Whisper because of the lovely quietness. Very seductive, and GREAT in a classroom setting so that the noise level stays down with a buch of students all throwing at once.

 

However, then I did a demo of a larger bowl throwing technigue I have been using for many years (pounding to center, pounding to open, etc.) with my students and discovered that with 50 lbs of clay the Whisper was so darn easy to stop. At low speed.... which is how I throw, ............ it had so little torque it was amazing.

Thanks, exactly the kind of response I was looking for. Sounds like maybe Shimpo is out along with the Pacifica. I wonder if it is less of an issue with the Bailey and Skutt wheels. at .5hp or maybe 1hp.

 

I own a Bailey. My Bailey has a quiet hum and the torque is fine for me. The Bailey would be a good classroom wheel too.

Have you ever been able to stop your Bailey from starting up or stopped it at low speed?

 

 

All,

I've had a Shimpo Gold since the late 80's and it's still strong as a goat, but over the last few years the noise level has grown until I can no longer tolerate it. I recently bought a "like new" used Pacifica which suffers from the low torque problem also. I'm just wondering if I might be able to convert the controls of the Pacifica for use on my Shimpo...I'm thinking the result may be a quiet goat. Any of you have opinions or help with this type of conversion? Do you think it might work?

[podgen]

All,

I've had a Shimpo Gold since the late 80's and it's still strong as a goat, but over the last few years the noise level has grown until I can no longer tolerate it. I recently bought a "like new" used Pacifica which suffers from the low torque problem also. I'm just wondering if I might be able to convert the controls of the Pacifica for use on my Shimpo...I'm thinking the result may be a quiet goat. Any of you have opinions or help with this type of conversion? Do you think it might work?

 

Maybe you can get to the noisy part and lubricate it or replace a component

[clay lover]

I recently bought a Thomas Stuart. The low speed torque is excellent. It is quieter than the Brent, but not as quiet as advertised. Supposedly that improves as it breaks in.

[scoobydoozie]

I recently bought a Thomas Stuart. The low speed torque is excellent. It is quieter than the Brent, but not as quiet as advertised. Supposedly that improves as it breaks in.

 

 

 

Did you get the SSX drive?

[joshL]

Depending on one's focus I actually think the noise helps. Maybe it's just me but I like AC brent wheels because the pitch of the noise allows me to have a feel for the speed of the wheel vs the visual of everything. The less my mind has to focus on one thing the better and if you have ears and they are doing nothing besides listening to music, sometimes it's good to put them to use in my opinion. A lot of women I tend to notice for for the shimpo but I just think it's visual thing because it's white. If brent made white wheels they would probably sell more of them to women. haha.

 

Not to be sexist but that was a few years being in a studio and noticing every new woman go straight for the shimpo.