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The Magic Pedal


KachemakKaren

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I have an older Pacifica wheel and am having trouble with the pedal. I bought the wheel used seven years ago. From the start it would not run at a slow speed without holding the pedal down. If I remove my foot it lurches to fast. Yesterday I stopped the wheel, removed the bat and walked away... about thirty seconds later the wheelhead started spinning like mad on it's own. If the pot had been on the wheel it would have flown across the room.

 

So I'm wondering if I should replace the pedal or just go for a whole new wheel. Pacifica makes a Magic Pedal conversion kit but it's expensive and I don't want to go this route if it isn't going to hold a slow speed when I take my foot off the pedal. Does anyone have experience with it?

 

Karen

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HI Karen,

It looks like the Magic Pedal conversion kit would take care of your problem, but it is kind of pricey. What you might try first is taking the foot pedal to a local electrical repair service, one that rewinds motors. It sound like your problem is with the rheostat inside the foot pedal since it won't run slowly. Most of these places will give you an estimate of what it would cost to repair the unit and if the cost is reasonable, go that route. If the cost is more than half of the price of the Magic Pedal, go with the new unit. Either way, you would be way ahead of the cost of a new wheel.

JohnnyK

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have had trouble with that pedal too. I had it fixed once and it still doesn't work right- can't get it to stop on some days when It will just slow down to a crawl. Other days it works correctly. I just live with it and look longingly at the new shimpos at the local city run studio that I visit once in awhile.

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But no one has tried the replacement Magic Pedal?

 

I've been drying out in AZ rather than working on the pedal issue. Maybe it would be worthwhile to keep the Pacifica for trimming and purchase another wheel for throwing. Was thinking of a Thomas Stuart with the SSX upgrade.

 

Karen

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 We just passed 40 inches a few days ago-thats only a tad over 3 feet-I'll be in Az at Tempe Art show in early April myself-should be hot by then.

Lots of wares to make until then.2 kilns cooling now.
 
The potentiometer should be an easy install on any foot pedal. There is a guy at Laguna Clay in City of Industry that only deals with wheel issues like yours-you want to speak to him. I know this from our local clay supplier not from owning a Pacifica wheel. I do not know his name but I would ask for this person.
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