Noah 0 Posted April 21, 2020 Report Share Posted April 21, 2020 Hi! I had just bought myself a used pottery wheel, a Thomas Stuart kick wheel just like in the image with the motor attachment and everything. When I originally picked it up the owner showed me how the motor worked, but as I am reassembling the wheel in my backyard I can't get the motor to work. Any help or suggestions would be super appreciated since I really know nothing about motors! Happy to take pictures or anything else. Thanks for reading, Noah Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ronfire 141 Posted April 22, 2020 Report Share Posted April 22, 2020 Cant get the motor to run or connect with the wheel ? Noah 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Noah 0 Posted April 22, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2020 Turn on but also maybe connect with the wheel. When I saw it run when I picked it up I saw how you push down on the lever and it moved the motor to make contact with the wheel and started spinning. Now when I have it connected to the frame it seems like pushing on the lever doesn't move it or turn it on. I see some movement on the spring but nothing major (in the picture above the spring I'm seeing is the coil between the cable and the clamp on the outside) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
neilestrick 4,586 Posted April 22, 2020 Report Share Posted April 22, 2020 As you push on the black lever on the right side of the picture with your foot, it pivots the motor to make contact with the wheel. The pivoting motion is what turns on the motor. Try repositioning the attachment to the frame. Perhaps it's not pivoting enough to engage the motor switch. Noah 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Noah 0 Posted April 23, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2020 I think you're on the right track that my issue is really that I don't get the pivot motion. I have a little video here of my trying to push down on the lever to no effect https://www.dropbox.com/s/yketnjmep0wj4s4/20200422_170033.mp4?dl=0. I see where it is supposed to pivot and I can pry it open with my hands, but the lever only seems to make the coil move back and forth. Since I'm not an electrics guy I didn't try prying it open while it was plugged in just to be on the safe side. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Noah 0 Posted April 23, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2020 Also if there's any good keywords to search for I'm happy to try and do my own research but whenever I search for words I think are relevant I just get either electric pottery wheels for sale or car motor related results. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
neilestrick 4,586 Posted April 23, 2020 Report Share Posted April 23, 2020 @Noah The pedal is not pushed down, it is pushed away from you, so the motor pivots into the flywheel. If it won't pivot, then you may need to lube the pivot mechanism. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Noah 0 Posted April 23, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2020 Yeahhhhhhh that was it. Those moments when you have to ask for help on the internet and then feel really stupid when you find out what it was. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mark C. 4,860 Posted April 23, 2020 Report Share Posted April 23, 2020 Hopefully its all coming togther and working now Quote Link to post Share on other sites
neilestrick 4,586 Posted April 23, 2020 Report Share Posted April 23, 2020 @Noah No worries! I have used other wheels with motors that you do push down, which feels like a more natural motion. The pushing away thing took me a while to get used to when I had mine. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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