Hulk

Been thinking (on an' off) 'bout this one, and although I'd like to proclaim that form is first, Min's chicken/egg is where I fall back to, particularly when looking at pots. That the form is first in fact - temporally - well, there's that; for working with pots, form is first for me.
There is, often, something compelling about an oops pot that makes it special, hearty agreement there.
Just over four years ago, found this forum (looking for wheel, then kiln reviews and info); am still finding the topics, posts, personalities ...interesting, thought provoking, informative, compelling.

A 4” square of chamois, or artificial equivalent as for car washing, in my right hand for throwing. It delivers a minimum - just right - amount of water to the pot and can wrap around fingers that could be abraded by the wheel head.
Needle tool. It’s handy to put the back end of wood-handled needle tool in the pencil sharpener to make a it a reversible drawing/decorating tool. For throwing and handbuilding. 

I have a small thumb tool that is almost worn away,  I have bought replacements for it but they don't feel right.    Denice

I think the other side has nuts. I believe you will need to remove the cover on the bottom and maybe the flywheel to get to them to reinstall. Good time to see if the belt has a crease in it from storage which might work out after running for a bit. Take pictures along the way, mark anything that will help you reassemble, it should be fairly straightforward. 

@Linchimb Really sounds like belt noise because of the speed difference. Did you inspect the belt? New bearings generally come pre lubricated and shielded so not something someone can lubricate easily.
one member solved this by running her wheel for hours until the belt wore in 
“[UPDATE] I ran my wheel for 7 hours at high speed and the knocking sound stopped. It started to dissipate around 4-5 hours in. Now it's operating without the annoying sound and just regular wheel hum. The belt just had to "warm up" and become more flexible again after having sat in a box for a while in one position—it had to loosen a stiff "kink" from being stored before purchasing. 
Edited yesterday at 05:14 AM by nattergab “

Several!
Large sponge*
Needle tool - made from a small screwdriver, the end ground to a point - the handle and overall length is "just right" for me
Two wooden knife tools
Metal ribs - for exterior, I'm wearing away inexpensive generic kidneys now, preserving the more expensive brand name bowl curve one for interiors only
Trimming tool made from a hack saw blade
That's five, aah, yep, I need them!
There are a few other tools that see frequent use - bit o' chamois, cheap plastic caliper, ballpoint pen, loop trimmer, chattering tools (made from hack saw blades), wood ribs, drill bits, small kitchen knife - it'd be tough without the five tho'...
*I cut a very large sponge into two somewhat large sponges, one to use while working, the other sits in the corner of the built in splash pan, where I set tools that are difficult (for me) to pick up. Smaller sponges also cut from a very large into purposeful shapes and sizes; I use a rounded corner bit a lot.

Several!
Large sponge*
Needle tool - made from a small screwdriver, the end ground to a point - the handle and overall length is "just right" for me
Two wooden knife tools
Metal ribs - for exterior, I'm wearing away inexpensive generic kidneys now, preserving the more expensive brand name bowl curve one for interiors only
Trimming tool made from a hack saw blade
That's five, aah, yep, I need them!
There are a few other tools that see frequent use - bit o' chamois, cheap plastic caliper, ballpoint pen, loop trimmer, chattering tools (made from hack saw blades), wood ribs, drill bits, small kitchen knife - it'd be tough without the five tho'...
*I cut a very large sponge into two somewhat large sponges, one to use while working, the other sits in the corner of the built in splash pan, where I set tools that are difficult (for me) to pick up. Smaller sponges also cut from a very large into purposeful shapes and sizes; I use a rounded corner bit a lot.

My left hand in the right place.
The right hand handles the "tools" but the left hand holds the clay in the proper place.  
LT
 

Hi folks, I was working a workshop this last weekend, talking about tools, when it hit me that I used one particular tool in preference to most of the others. This got me to wondering if others out there have a "go to" tool. A tool that you turn to whenever working with the clay because it seems just so right. My tool is the spoon end of a bamboo spoon from a moderately priced bamboo kitchen tool set. I use it to open up bowls and dishes, either flat or deep bottom forms, to shape/inflate pitchers and vases, large or small. It is almost the entire tool set in many cases. My second most favorite tool is a throwing stick that I use to open up chalice cups and mugs along with the occasional bottle form.
QotW: Do you have a favorite tool for throwing or hanbuilding that you can not do without?
best,
Pres

Interesting question!
For me it is surface rather than form. I admire a well made pot, and while one should not try to cover up a poorly made pot with glazes or underglazes, I think the true personality of the potter and the pot is seen in the surface details. 
Betty

My so-called "Artist Statement" is WYSIWYG: It's Intentional. 
For me, the aesthetic decisions that comprise making work are:  some external or internal sight/sound/thought that generates some spark that--often unbidden--presents itself as having something to do with creative expression; conscious reflection/idea exploration;  maybe a dose of nostalgia (anything from the warm & comforting "happy-happy" to the icy fire of the worst of the worst);  hopefully some well-reasoned discernment and, then; physically & mentally attending to form and surface (I don't think of glaze as surface, only the clay body),  and finally;  anything applied on top of the clay, including glaze and any after-fire embellishments.

I find this to be a bit of a chicken or egg question. I love the look of pots when they are freshly thrown. I see bisque as a bit lifeless and glazed pots, like we all know glaze(s) can make or break a pot. Years ago the local potters group I used to belong to had a hands on project where we all make a bisqued mug or two and then put them on a table and someone else took the mug home and glazed it. It was interesting to see my familiar mug shape with someones else's glazes on them. Functionally they were fine but they didn't look right to me. Tying this back to the QoTW, I think that we consider the finish (washes, glazes etc) for a piece before or as the pot is being designed or formed. For finished work I don't know if there can be a conscious decision to separate the two during the first initial look but I'll definitely look past the surface to the form if given the inclination.

I think that it's the glaze that makes the piece. No matter what you do the piece, it's the glaze and what you do with the glaze that gives the piece its life!

A perfect pot is one that with "imperfections" galore and is interesting! 
LT

Been there done that, at some point you have to come to balance with imperfection, perfection and purpose. I have never made a perfect pot.
 
best,
Pres

I think designing and making a surface decorations that goes with that form is the most important part of the process for me.   I make a lot of coiled and slab type pieces and for some reason after they are fired they don't look as well balanced as they did in the green ware stage.   A good design on it distracts from many imperfections, I am usually the only one who notices them or cares.  Some people call me a perfectionist,  I have gotten better at tolerating imperfection.   I use to go through my shop and throw away all of my work and start anew on a regular basis.  Denice

Hi folks, I have been considering aesthetic decisions of late and thought. . . throw it out to the community!  When it comes to making your work, are you more concerned with surface or with form?  I have often started worked on pots trying to get a great functional form for the pot I am making, and yet in the end much of my effort in the work is about texturing the surface, either through decorating in the wet clay or through layers of glaze and inglaze decoration. I keep remembering an old art adage: reward those who look closer at the small parts of your work. I love surprises in the glazing where one glaze interacts with another to give me something new or how one glaze breaks over a texture to expose a different aspect of another glaze. One of ther reasons for years I worked to fire slow down to form crystals in the glazes.
QothW: Which intrigues you and motivates you most when working with or looking at pots: Form or Surface? 
 
best,
Pres

My next project is a landscape mural, I haven't started rolling out clay yet.   I am waiting for my knee to get better before I lift a bag of clay,  I have the drawing blown up to the correct size and all of my clay.   I am working with 6 different clay's they are different colors and textures.  There will be very little glaze on the mural,  I am going to make up some new test tiles to make sure everything works together.   This is my smallest mural so far, it is only 3x5 feet, it is a exterior mural so I am using stoneware clay fired until it is vitrified.  I don't know if I will ever start working small again.   I have big hands and starting to get arthritis in them.    Taking zoom photo's of your work is a great idea,  I haul a tall ladder into my studio and climb to the top and take photos of the mural I am working on.  It gives me a idea of what it looks like from a distance.   Denice

Hey everyone,
first and foremost, thank you. Thank you for your input, and thank you for your time! @Pyewackette again, thank you for your thorough feedback. I don't think you're fickle... it's just wanting something better. Wow, I really did learn a lot from this thread, and it sounds like Skutts and Soldners are great machines. Shimpos seem great as well. I genuinely haven't heard anything negative about them. And yes, what you CAN FORCE a wheel to do vs what it's designed to do in normal operations are different things.
Pyewackette, I agree with what you said about the VL-Lite; People have to know what its potential and limitations are, and be comfortable with them. I think i have an idea about who their target audience was for that wheel. Yes, the Whisper along many other wheels, is an upgrade no doubt about it, but after genuinely considering my needs and limitations, the VL-Lite might really be it. First of all, I'll be limited by the size of my kiln! I don't own the land, so I can't build one with a large chamber. The stack can't be more than 7 feet, meaning the chamber will be 2 feet or so? Also, if i managed to build a larger kiln and needed bigger wares, I'd just use my kickwheel (Korean). Weird, but I prefer coil-throwing large pots. 
For future forum members who might be looking at how much can be thrown on the VL-Lite; I'm in contact w/ a potter who claims to regularly center and throw 18lbs on it. However, he has been throwing for 6 yrs and more importantly, he learned and developed on a kickwheel. He claims this made him a sensitive/non-aggressive thrower b/c... well It's pretty obvious... kickwheels spin slower and lose momentum with pressure. I researched this and sure enough it's generally true. I myself learned and developed on a Lockerbie in HS. Since then, I've noticed that many potters who learned on an electric wheel center at high speeds and use lots of pressure b/c the machine can handle it. (Can anyone second this? From observation or personal experience?) Anyways, all this to say, yeah, it sounds like the VL-Lite can handle 15 lbs, and anything above that will require good hands and experience.  Biggest lesson i've learned from all this is, with regard to the Shimpo VL-Lite, know it's purpose & limitations; and more importantly, know your needs. Really, think about your current and future needs and stay within your means. Hope this helps anyone looking at the VL-Lite or other wheels for that matter.
Everyone, thank you. It's a big purchase, so thank you all again for helping me process. I'm curious to hear from y'all about soft & hard/aggressive throwers. Which one are you? Also, I'd love to hear about plaster bat and molds? I'll research plaster bats, but would love to hear about them.
Blessings to you and your loved ones. Thank you.
 

I am throwing with a "imperceptible grog" white Spanish clay. @JohnnyKYes, water and clay dried there after throwing but in a humid environment for a few days, so corroded. I´d never seen this before and sort of freaked. I will be taking MUCH better care in the future. I throw directly on the wheel but will transition to plaster bats soon... she´s my baby and I just want her sparkle back! Ha ha. 
Thanks EVERyONE. Adore this community. 
xoxo H

The wheel head depicted, looks like scoring, wear, and tool marks, and  - but not enough surface worn away where it's easily perceptible (where it looks unflat*).
Excepting that one deep scratch, it doesn't look bad at all, lots of life left. Maybe wipe if off and let it dry when you're not using it.
The only time I'd take any abrasive to the wheel head (or tool, like a file or scraper) would be to remove ridges or somewhat that sticks up. What's done is done; I'm not seeing any reason to remove material to clean up the markings/pits/scratches/divots.
If working directly on the wheel head, there's going to be wear.
If leaving a clay pad (wet dirt), or somewhat else wet on there for days, likely there's going to be some pitting or deposition.
*some of the older wheels in the local JC lab have significant wheel head wear. They don't run out (wobble up and down or shift side to side) at all, hence, they work just fine. When the material is so worn away that the head is weakened, well, that should take a while, and by then...

"Secret" procedure, technique, material, recipe - got any?
If so, how has your outlook on sharing with others changed over the years?
This came to mind when packing pots for first show/sale I participated in - there will be other potters there, will any ask how I do x,y,z? I'd settled on answering pretty much any question (heh, there haven't been any questions), although I may not share my low expansion liner glaze with just anyone.
When I was coaching, several times, other coaches tried to "trick" me into revealing my "secrets" - I didn't have any secrets, always willing to share how I designed and orchestrated training plans, taught techniques, etc. An overarching "secret" is planning and executing said plan is a lot of work.
During my mid life (ok, maybe a bit after mid life) return trip through college, I'd read some studies about information and "power," where hoarding secrets/information and therefore retaining power to oneself is on one end of a continuum, and empowering others - sharing - is at the other. I found some truth in the notion, and reflect on it quite often, to this day. 

Cheaply available second-hand, adjust this search for your location and currency
https://tinyurl.com/mw873skd

I found the  second half of Ian Currie's book - which examines several important glazes -- very interesting. Especially as it reflects that there are many mechanisms that make glazes interesting. Online at https://wiki.glazy.org/t/ian-curries-stoneware-glazes/367

On why, some of the sources that have helped me (and still are):
This forum, there's a variety of "takes," dedicated knowledgeable contributors, where just about everything pottery has an archive.
Several books, some periodicals, pick one, that'd be Susan Peterson's The Craft and Art of Clay; her unity section was the "oh, I get it now, thanks" for me.
Tony Hansen's articles (digitalfire.com) so helpful, e.g.
Concentrate on One Good Glaze (digitalfire.com)
I'll say there's an argument for trying several glazes as well, where one gets direct experience with more materials - more time, expense, and learning.
Crazing in Stoneware Glazes: Treating the Causes, Not the Symptoms (digitalfire.com)
High Gloss Glazes (digitalfire.com)
Bringing Out the Big Guns in Craze Control: MgO (G1215U) (digitalfire.com)
G1214Z (digitalfire.com)
That last is "Silky Matte" with links to other matts, etc., do you hear me there.
Just using the software - I'm using Hesselberth's GlazeMaster* - each number has meaning, row and column.
Mixing up glaze batches and trying them. I keep up with recycling clay and cleaning up fairly well, but have avoided circling back on doing something with abandoned glaze batches...
*Looks like there are ways to read Apple Books on non Apple devices; I'm a getting my own copy of his book and port it to my reader!

On why, some of the sources that have helped me (and still are):
This forum, there's a variety of "takes," dedicated knowledgeable contributors, where just about everything pottery has an archive.
Several books, some periodicals, pick one, that'd be Susan Peterson's The Craft and Art of Clay; her unity section was the "oh, I get it now, thanks" for me.
Tony Hansen's articles (digitalfire.com) so helpful, e.g.
Concentrate on One Good Glaze (digitalfire.com)
I'll say there's an argument for trying several glazes as well, where one gets direct experience with more materials - more time, expense, and learning.
Crazing in Stoneware Glazes: Treating the Causes, Not the Symptoms (digitalfire.com)
High Gloss Glazes (digitalfire.com)
Bringing Out the Big Guns in Craze Control: MgO (G1215U) (digitalfire.com)
G1214Z (digitalfire.com)
That last is "Silky Matte" with links to other matts, etc., do you hear me there.
Just using the software - I'm using Hesselberth's GlazeMaster* - each number has meaning, row and column.
Mixing up glaze batches and trying them. I keep up with recycling clay and cleaning up fairly well, but have avoided circling back on doing something with abandoned glaze batches...
*Looks like there are ways to read Apple Books on non Apple devices; I'm a getting my own copy of his book and port it to my reader!