shu10 Posted November 30, 2016 Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 Hey guys! I found a second hand pottery wheel last weekend and even though I'm newer than a newbie to pottery, I bought it even though the motor catches on fire when turned on (the seller also said it hasn't been turned on in 15 years!) I removed the belts and turned it on and no fire, the motor works perfectly. I read a little about wheel maintenance but nothing to this extent. I was hoping someone out there can give me a little insight on what steps I could take to get this machine useable? What are the best places to order replacement parts? Any trusted links for information for beginners? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted November 30, 2016 Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 It's pretty shim-sham, and not at all safe looking for sure. The first thing you need to do is build some sort of cover for all the moving parts. You don't want water or your fingers in there. As for parts, you're going to have to do a lot of googling. McMaster-Carr and Grainger will probably have a lot of what you'll need, though. Does it have speed control? You might be able to hook up a dimmer switch, depending on what time of motor it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diz Posted November 30, 2016 Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 OMG!! That wheel brings back memories! It looks just like the wheel I started on at our local art center (close to 40 years ago) . The wheel sits on a table with the rope almost hanging to the floor, and then to engage the motor to turn the wheel, you step on the hanging board at the end of the rope. It makes for a very primitive electric wheel. There were 6 of us in my first class with 2 'wheels' - we took turns (in more ways than 1). We did learn to make pots. Despite the basic primitive wheel, I fell in love with clay and throwing. Several years later I decided to take a 'real wheel class' at Edina Art Center in the Twin Cities, an hour drive each way. When I called to register, I asked the gal who was registering me for class "how many people will I have to share a wheel with?" and after a long pause she replied "each student has their own wheel to use". My response was '"SIGN ME UP" and I made that drive for classes for 10 years - great teachers there! Now i finally have my own wheel and love to share the knowledge that other potters have so generously shared. You do not mention where you are from, but you can replace the motor and belts easily (try a hardware store or farm supply) and do some of those safety measures that Neil measures. Once you begin having fun with it, you don't want to loose any work time because a finger or such got caught in the mechanics of the wheel. The wheel may be bare bones (in more ways than one) but it is a wheel....and a step towards a bigger and better wheel. Good luck and happy potting!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcia Selsor Posted November 30, 2016 Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 had 3 of those in my classroom in 1975 along with 8 home made kick wheels. The body is from an old Amaco. Probably from the 50s and there was a lever for the knee to control the speed. I had a lot of Viet nam vets in my classes, many were amputees. They used this type of wheel. Marcia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shu10 Posted November 30, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 Woah! Thanks for the info guys! I knew it looked old, but I didn't realize how old. Diz: I'm from Montreal, Quebec. So far what I saw from the machine is that it has an on/off switch on the power wire and the seller told me the rope was to control the speed? I hadn't tested it out because all eyes were on the sparking motor So cool that you had such great teachers to keep the passion going! I'll be looking into taking classes myself Neil: First order of business will be replacing the belts and trying to figure out what causes the fire and then I will take your advice and cover up the moving parts. The motor is on an of/off toggle switch located on the wire... I assume it can easily be changed to a dimmer? The motor is also a bit "open" as you can see the wires are popping out a bit. Is this safe? If I can't find a store for replacement parts, does anyone have a reputable online seller they can direct me to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
graybeard Posted December 1, 2016 Report Share Posted December 1, 2016 I kinda Like it! I built my first wheel out of old Kenmore cloths dryer parts. actually 2 dryers and a dimmer switch. Graybeard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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