clay lover Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 Is the speed of the wheel a factor for you when you are centering and coning up and down? Is a bigger, higher HP wheel an advantage? Some say they handle 75 lbs, some say 200lbs, both are WAY more clay than I will ever center. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcia Selsor Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 I prefer slow wheels. Centering may depend on the thrower, but too fast can hinder success in my opinion. Marcia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JBaymore Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 SLOW>>>>SLOW >>>>>>>SLOW. Speed is the Dark Side........ decieve you it will. Also...............don't confuse speed of revolution with torque (power). Wheel HP affects torque rather than than speed. best, ....................john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benzine Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 I center at anywhere in between 75-100% of my wheel's speed. For larger amounts of clay, I'll actually start slower, as any uncentered spots push back less. As I get it closer and closer to being centered, I'll increase the speed of the wheel. I do have a wheel in my classroom that has a pretty high top speed. I recommend, to my students, that they don't go that fast. For them, just starting out, high speeds tend to make things go bad really fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 I have my students center at about 50% of the top speed. Too slow or too fast and things get difficult. I center at a higher speed than my students, as I have better control than them. As the amount of clay goes up, the centering speed should go down. Torque and HP help when you're either working with very large amounts of clay, or when you're working further out on the wheel head. Throw a large platter, and you'll notice the difference when you're out at the edge of a 20" wide bat. Different wheels make better use of horsepower than others. A 1/3hp Thomas Stuart has a 100lb centering capacity, same as a 1/2hp Brent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phill Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 at my production job I center as fast as possible. im throwing 150-200 a day so i need to center in a few seconds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JBaymore Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 I center quickly with SLOW wheel speed. Speed is not the magic solution. best, ...................john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLN studios Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 I center on the wheel at the fastest speed. fast as possible. But it depends on your skill level and you clay wetness. If you center to slow you risk the clay getting water logged before you even make the first pull. Center to fast without enough water the clay rips and pulls. If you are a beggine i suggest on the slowe side till you get a feel for you clay body Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stellaria Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 I always thought you were supposed to center fast - just shy of top speed. I may have to give slower centering a try! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyler Miller Posted July 18, 2014 Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 Centering is when my wheel is at its fastest, but I'm still only going maybe 25% of what an electric wheel can do. Mo' speed, mo' problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clay lover Posted July 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 I've got the TS 1/2 HP and use it at 75% to center, slower for pulling and other work, depending. I'm asking because I have 3 other wheels in my studio right now and 2 of them are much lighter and slower wheels, with lower HP. When I started moving around among my beginning wheel students helping with centering, I actually had to work at centering the 2 lb balls on the smaller wheels where on my TS the same clay is instantly centered. Got me to wondering. And one of my beginner students wants to buy a wheel and I hesitate to recommend the lighter wheels with my experience today. Any thoughts? The TS is very nice, solid, smooth great foot pedal sensitivity. May have spoiled me for the others? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benzine Posted July 18, 2014 Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 All I have to say is, "LUDICROUS SPEED GO!!!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clay lover Posted July 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 ??????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colby Charpentier Posted July 18, 2014 Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 Max speed on an electric wheel seems fitting. If it has some go-go, why not use it? Hop on a kick or treadle and it's a different story... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted July 18, 2014 Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 I've got the TS 1/2 HP and use it at 75% to center, slower for pulling and other work, depending. I'm asking because I have 3 other wheels in my studio right now and 2 of them are much lighter and slower wheels, with lower HP. When I started moving around among my beginning wheel students helping with centering, I actually had to work at centering the 2 lb balls on the smaller wheels where on my TS the same clay is instantly centered. Got me to wondering. And one of my beginner students wants to buy a wheel and I hesitate to recommend the lighter wheels with my experience today. Any thoughts? The TS is very nice, solid, smooth great foot pedal sensitivity. May have spoiled me for the others? Ultimately, you get used to what you have. But if they plan to use the TS in class, then they might not enjoy they're smaller wheel at home by comparison. The price point between the lower priced decent wheels and the higher priced wheels is only about $300, so it's easy enough for a student to save up for another few months to afford the better wheel. I highly recommend the TS wheels- lots of smooth power, smart design, but not the most expensive. I've got 11 of them, 10 are the 1/3hp, and I haven't made anything that slows them down yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcia Selsor Posted July 18, 2014 Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 I learned on a kick wheel. I still center very fast at a slow speed. I throw and form very fast at a slow speed as well. I have a friend is Spain who throws on a slow wheel and he throws 1000 pieces per day. catch that... Not 100 or 200 but 1000 . The speed of the wheell isn't what dictates the function of the outcome. it is the skill of the hands. The potter who throws 1000 pots per day pictured in the book Wheel Thrown Pottery by Don Davis is Jose Molla from Agost. I took the photo. Marcia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JBaymore Posted July 18, 2014 Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 The speed of the shell isn't what dictates the function of the outcome. it is the skill of the hands. Amen... and amen. My favorite wheel is a Korean/Japanese wood kickwheel. No momentum to speak of. best, ........................john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clay lover Posted July 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 Neil, I think your way, I just don't want to over load her with my prejudices. For me if I'm going to spend $700, I would rather spend $1,000 and get the better item. What brands do you consider the "lower priced, decent ones"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Bridge Pottery Posted July 18, 2014 Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 My bigger hp wheel has a slower top speed than any wheel I have been on. Even then I think I am around the 50% mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schmism Posted July 18, 2014 Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 for 2lbs and under i center at what is likely 75% of max. Slower wheels this may be max speed. 3lbs and over is done slower, likely around 50% speed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Beller Diesel Posted July 18, 2014 Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 Spaceballs!!! The Movie!! You just made my day, HeeHee! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc McMillan Posted July 18, 2014 Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 I tend to go fast when centering and then slow way down when pulling and forming. Pulling and forming is where I find the wheel being too fast to be a big problem. Again...that's me. Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted July 19, 2014 Report Share Posted July 19, 2014 I center large pieces slowly. Center the hump slowly, but center top for piece fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph Fireborn Posted July 19, 2014 Report Share Posted July 19, 2014 I center at increasing speeds. I start the centering process by smacking the clay inwards as it spins slowly with the palms of my hand, then as i increase speed to center. I rarely get to max speed. Usually 2/3 speed when I am centered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benzine Posted July 19, 2014 Report Share Posted July 19, 2014 My bigger hp wheel has a slower top speed than any wheel I have been on. Even then I think I am around the 50% mark. Have you thrown on one of the two-speed Amacos? I tell my students, those wheels have two speeds; kind of fast, and a little bit slower than that. Spaceballs!!! The Movie!! You just made my day, HeeHee! Thank you for getting that, and not just assuming that I lost my mind, like everyone else....hehe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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