shawnhar Posted May 9, 2018 Report Share Posted May 9, 2018 Kick wheel with a motor, looks like it's in excellent condition. What would be a fair price and would you choose it over another wheel? Anything to look out for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted May 9, 2018 Report Share Posted May 9, 2018 That's a good wheel. They take up a lot of space, though. But if you want a kick wheel it's either that or a TS. Do you have experience working on a kick wheel? If not, it may not be to your liking. It's a different process than working on an electric. I would never pay more than $500 for a used wheel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawnhar Posted May 9, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2018 Thanks! - All we had in high school 30 years ago was kick wheels, not sure how the motor comes into play though, I assume you have to get it going before using the motor and there will be some kind of clutch to stop it maybe? Might be able to try throwing it since it's at the studio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcia Selsor Posted May 9, 2018 Report Share Posted May 9, 2018 Lockerbies are like a Cadillac of wheels.. Smooth but very heavy. Once you put it in place, leave it there. Motorized Lockerbies I have known have a drive wheel that engages the fly wheel (you don't need to get it going first), and stopping it is done with your foot dragging on the fly wheel. Still the heavy fly wheel doesn't take long to get going with the motor, then you can disengage and the weight of the fly wheel keeps it going for a long time. They are a very good old fashion ed wheel. Marcia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted May 9, 2018 Report Share Posted May 9, 2018 I would never go back to a kick wheel-to big -to slow. Around here people have a hard time selling them-do not pay more than 200$ kick wheels are just to slow for production work even with a motor. Takes to long to start and stop flywheel -my 2 cents get electric smaller wheel-much better option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted May 9, 2018 Report Share Posted May 9, 2018 The motor is really only good for centering, IMO. For pulling it's difficult to work the clay and the motor at the same time. I highly recommend kicking the wheel once or twice to get it moving before engaging the motor- that takes a lot of stress off the motor from starting up from a dead stop. Like Mark said, kick wheels slow down the throwing process, which may or may not be a bad thing for you. The other big difference is that they don't run at a constant speed like an electric wheel. They slow down the moment you touch the clay. So you end up with it going too fast at the start of a pull, too slow at the end of a pull. Throwing big is a challenge for that reason. It's a totally different rhythm to throwing than electric wheels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawnhar Posted May 9, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2018 You guys rock! Given the drawbacks, I will have to pass on the wheel and wait a while longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted May 9, 2018 Report Share Posted May 9, 2018 They are great for learning-I learned on 5 different wheels-one was a kick wheel.I am found of them just like I like steam power cars but do not want to own one. Like Neil says the moment you apply pressure to clay it slows Save your $ for an electric wheel-my 2 cents Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted May 9, 2018 Report Share Posted May 9, 2018 I learned on a Randall motorized kick wheel, which was similar in many ways to the Lockerbie. I found the transition over to the motorized wheel (Brent C) at the time was embarrassing as grad school was where it happened. I had a full bucket of water, a large #10 ball of clay, on the wheel getting ready to center. . . I ended up throwing the bucket and the clay into the prof's legs/feet as he was walking by. He stayed away from me the rest of the Summer! Wait for the smaller motorized wheel. best, Pres Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted May 9, 2018 Report Share Posted May 9, 2018 Pres said it best you have not lived until a large amount of clay goes flying and takes the water bucket with it. Sadly I did not only learn this once but it happened a few times in the past 45 years. lets see needle tool stuck in hand-well you can see pottery can hurt you. The take away is do not wear a tie while throwing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted May 9, 2018 Report Share Posted May 9, 2018 The tie bit. .. .I had to wear one every day in classes. We were not allowed not to. I would usually tuck it into the shirt. However, one day I came in from a meeting, after lunch, was working with Ceramics 1's handbuilding, forgot the tie, when a Ceramics II asked for wheel help. Short of the long, I ended up with the tie stuck in the clay, wrapped around the shaft pulling my head into clay and the wheel head. . .can you say Concussion! Yeah, dizzy the rest of day, and large goose egg. Shook it off as I did not want to admit my own stupidity. best, Pres Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawnhar Posted May 10, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2018 The moment you regret having a wheel with the most torque possible... Iv'e cut myself with the metal rib, stabbed myself with the needle tool and had my glasses pulled off, but being grabbed by the tie! That's a whole other level of possible injury. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rae Reich Posted May 10, 2018 Report Share Posted May 10, 2018 The gradual slowing of the kickwheel is what taught me how the speed of the wheel needs to match the speed of my actions on the clay. If you don't require speedy production for your work, I think the lack of machine noise and a more leisurely mode of throwing allows for thoughtful inventiveness of form. That said, you can control the rate of speed pretty well with an electric wheel too. I would love to have a motor for my Lockerbie, my knees aren't what they used to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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