MagpieToo Posted March 23, 2015 Report Share Posted March 23, 2015 Hello, I am a beginner potter. I came to pottery late in life about four years ago and have been away from it for almost a year. I primarily take classes at a local studio and am scheduled to return to classes soon. I would like to purchase a table top pottery wheel for home to use to practice throwing during times I cannot go to the studio. There are only two that I see on the market, close in price, the Shimpo Aspire and the Speedball Arista. If anyone is familiar with these wheels, I would appreciate your views on each and which one you feel is the best choice. Thank you, for any guidance you would like to share. I appreciate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PRankin Posted March 23, 2015 Report Share Posted March 23, 2015 I use the Speedball Artista on a counter top at home and throw standing up. It is a little larger and more powerful than the Aspire. If you are not going to throw anything very large than it is a great wheel. I rarely make anything more than 6 or 7 pounds on it but I know it has the power for 25 pounds of clay. I didn't buy the foot pedal because the reviews weren't very good and I find I hardly change the speed while throwing anyway so the hand knob works well for me. I start with a faster speed for centering then slow it down a little when pulling. I also take the wheel outside in my backyard because it's so portable and set it up on a bench and sit while throwing. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denice Posted March 23, 2015 Report Share Posted March 23, 2015 You might try filling out some of you profile and let people know at least what part of the world or the US your from. I saw one the other day at a ceramic store that someone had traded in on a full size wheel for $150. Someone in your area might know of a deal. Denice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giltex Posted March 23, 2015 Report Share Posted March 23, 2015 I bought the Artista 9 years ago when I started throwing. Didn't want to spend a lot until I could see if I could throw on a wheel. Like the above poster I mainly throw less than 10 pounds and the wheel worked well for me. Had to replace the belt one time. I did buy the foot pedal for better control. Used this wheel for a couple of years then bought a studio model that is stationary. I am using the Artista today giving a demo a a nearby retired teachers meeting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chesari Posted March 24, 2015 Report Share Posted March 24, 2015 I have the Artista and I like it a lot. This wouldn't be the best wheel for throwing larger pieces - it slows down noticeably when I'm centering 5 or more pounds of clay, not too many horsepower in that little motor. I think that would be true for any tabletop wheel though, and for 95 percent of the stuff I throw, this wheel works great. It also has the standard 10" bat pin spacing, so you can use it with any old bat - with the Shimpo tabletop model you can only use Shimpo bats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.