Devany Posted October 16, 2011 Report Share Posted October 16, 2011 Five years ago I bought a Brent wheel on eBay and it is a workhorse. Love it. They retain their value though, it was only $150 cheaper than a brand new one. But I did not have to pay for shipping. If you don't mind buying used, sites like eBay and Craigslist are your best option. A lot of times people invest in equipment early and realize they are not that into it or just don't have the room or time to invest. Then they end up selling their stuff a lot cheaper than market value. Also check the location of the sellers because shipping on wheels can be ridiculously expensive. I just bought a Skutt 1027 kiln on eBay for 400 dollars its in great condition and works fine the guy I got it from is moving out of state and can not afford to move all of his equipment. Got a great deal on some molds and chemicals too. So if your patient and don't mind pre-used equipment their are lots of great deals out their. happy hunting Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benhim Posted October 21, 2011 Report Share Posted October 21, 2011 I purchased a Brent Model B on craigslist for $300. I'd recommend buying used, but don't buy cheap equipment, get the good stuff e.g. Brent, Lockerbie etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinah Posted October 22, 2011 Report Share Posted October 22, 2011 Pres- What's a drive puck? You see my point. Not everybody can go to the local 'supply house' and know to pick up a drive puck! It is safer for me to buy new, pristine, not to say I won't have my own problems down the line with drive pucks, but I hope not. "Drive puck" Hmmmm, I don't know as that is the technical name, but it is the rubber wheel that attaches to the motor that is pushed up against the flywheel on a kick wheel to move it. These wear out after years of use(if someone is careful) or after a few years(especially in a school atmosphere). They can be purchased from ceramic suppliers, or commercially from companies that service other equipment. They are usually 4" in diameter, and a worn one will be about 2" in diameter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinah Posted October 22, 2011 Report Share Posted October 22, 2011 LOL! A drive puck! I just had a conversation with a gal about a wheel with dual fly-wheel + electric drive; and she described this gizmo which leans over to engage the whatsit. I said the cone sort of kisses the surface doesn't it to make it move? Ha. Drive puck. Love it. Also this week looking at The Potter's Encyclopedia of Color, Form, and Decoration by Neal French who uses "snip" to describe the spouts of various jugs. Totally a new addition to my ceramics vocabulary. Also, I'm just north of Seattle, selling on ($300) a very gently used Brent Mini SRC Slab Roller (shims and cloth) as I've upgraded to a Shimpo SR30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted October 22, 2011 Report Share Posted October 22, 2011 LOL! A drive puck! I just had a conversation with a gal about a wheel with dual fly-wheel + electric drive; and she described this gizmo which leans over to engage the whatsit. I said the cone sort of kisses the surface doesn't it to make it move? Ha. Drive puck. Love it. Also this week looking at The Potter's Encyclopedia of Color, Form, and Decoration by Neal French who uses "snip" to describe the spouts of various jugs. Totally a new addition to my ceramics vocabulary. Also, I'm just north of Seattle, selling on ($300) a very gently used Brent Mini SRC Slab Roller (shims and cloth) as I've upgraded to a Shimpo SR30. Drive puck,-I've read articles where people used hockey pucks to replace their friction drive wheel. The whole thing can get pretty funny-I always used to tell the kids to use the proper name for tools, not thingy, but double end ribbon tool. Their reply would be what do you use when you don't know the name? Guess I'm guilty ast charged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pyewackette Posted November 7, 2011 Report Share Posted November 7, 2011 I bought my Shimpo VL-Lite from Clay-King 3 or 4 years ago when they were having a late spring sale (I think this was in May). The total cost was, I think, about $400, including shipping (I'm in S.C. about a 1-hour drive from where the company's located). I still look at Craigslist from time to time for kilns and wheels, just to see what's out there. Sometimes you get lucky - that's how I got my Cress kiln, shelves, posts, boxes of cones, etc. Well dang it that wheel is now $562 new (with shipping)! Are you sure you bought your wheel only 3 or 4 years ago? Or maybe you got a discount on shipping for being so close? LOL! I'm in the market for a wheel also. I thought I had a handle on a used Shimpo RK2 but the seller has not responded (craigslist). He was asking $295. There was a used Brent B but the guy wanted $650 plus he's like an hour and a half away. At this point I think I'm down to either the Shimpo VL-Lite @ $562 or a Bailey wheel (Pro-50) @ $700. The thing about the Bailey wheel is that you can get the little work shelf for only $20. I had thought about the Brent IE but Brent charges the earth for their workspace addons. I know someone who is a strong proponent of the Shimpo Aspire, which admittedly would currently only cost me $352 delivered, but that odd sized wheel head bothers me. Perhaps more than it should, actually, now that I look at the relative prices side by side. It is half the price of the Brent and $200 less than the VL-Lite. $200 to $350 buys a lotta clay .... I'd like to hear more from the owners of any of these wheels. I have a tough decision to make. Keeping in mind that it is unlikely I will ever throw more than 10 lbs of clay at a time. Does anybody have any experience with the Shimpo Aspire? I've got 2 people pushing for that wheel, one of whom claims Simon Leach tried hers out and liked it so much he's thinking of getting one for himself... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benhim Posted November 7, 2011 Report Share Posted November 7, 2011 There are 3 or 4 Lockerby kick wheels on Craigs list in my area right now for 300 to 400 bucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pyewackette Posted November 7, 2011 Report Share Posted November 7, 2011 Ummm, thanks, but I'm not in your area. Anybody who IS in your area would probably find that information very helpful. In my area, there were only the 2 wheels listed in the past several months and neither seems to be available anymore. And that's stretching the definition of "my area" quite a bit as one of the two was about an hour and a half away. One way. Therefore I'm in the market for a new, but affordable, wheel. I've actually switched from the Bailey PRO-50 to the Bailey ST as I don't see that I get that much more actual usability (for me) with the more expensive wheel. So I'm looking at either the Shimpo VL-Lite @ $562 delivered, or the Bailey ST @ $664 delivered. I absolutely cannot go over $700 for a wheel. A question about the Shimpo, according to the manual you must not only switch power off to the wheel head, but you must also actually physically unplug it from the wall before switching wheel head directions. I'm ambidextrous and throw either direction. I may eventually settle on one but for now I haven't. Switching directions reduces my overall fatigue. In order to unplug the wheel from the wall, I'd have to squeeze past my oil-filled radiator space heater to get into the other room and move furniture. (Very restricted space. Don't ask, LOL!) So if there's some electrical/mechanical reason to have to unplug it from the wall even after you've switched the power off, it would be a royal pain in the tuckus and makes the Bailey look that much more attractive. True, you have to unplug it too - but you do it right there at the wheel, not at the wall. Does anybody know the real truth of the matter for the Shimpo? They didn't know for sure at Shimpo US. I've e-mailed Shimpo Japan to try to find out but this wheel isn't even on their website so my bet is its something they only market over here. I'd really like to hear people's personal experiences with either of these wheels, or if there's some really good reason I should again consider the Shimpo Aspire (the odd wheel head and not being able to straddle it while working are two big minuses for me right now). I'd also like to hear the pros and cons of whether or not the Bailey ST is worth $100 more than the Shimpo VL-Lite. Thanks for trying, and thanks to anyone who can give me some help/info here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen B Posted November 8, 2011 Report Share Posted November 8, 2011 Yes, pottery wheels do go on sale. Usually, when a manufacturer is releasing a new model the older model goes on sale, just like cars. I have noticed that this usually happens in the summer. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rissierae Posted November 8, 2011 Report Share Posted November 8, 2011 I got my Lockerbie from an auction at our local University. It's in good shape, but I too, am ok with fixing it if/when it does need repairs. I don't know anything about fixing wheels, but would be happy to learn when the time comes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcia Selsor Posted February 12, 2012 Report Share Posted February 12, 2012 I got a 1940s Amaco wheel with a leather drive puck. The speed control worked with the drive puck moving underneath the wheel head from the center to the outer edge. $50 back in1972. It looked like something out of the Srmy during WWII. I built a kick wheel after that with pie sections in the fly wheel that could be filled with gravel. It made it very portable. Marcia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted February 12, 2012 Report Share Posted February 12, 2012 Yes they do-check the web-Winters sales going on now. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted February 15, 2012 Report Share Posted February 15, 2012 I do not know where you are located but heres one used I do not know this person or if the wheel is still for sale This is from the link I posted in business about used stuff for sale. I have an older Brent wheel for sale. It runs fine. There is no splashpan with it. Needs a good home where it will get used and loved. Pick-up only. Located in north Central Penna---Wellsboro area. Asking $250 for it. Call Lyn @ 570-353-7434. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted February 15, 2012 Report Share Posted February 15, 2012 Pottery wheels are always on sale. They are never sold for list price any more. Same with kilns. List price on a Brent CXC? $1550. No one has ever paid that price. People have gotten so used to the discounted pricing that they don't recognize the sale price any more! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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