Pottery Wheel Recommendations

[Caroline E]

Hello all, 

I need to purchase 2 new pottery wheel for our ceramics studio classroom. We currently have all Brent pottery wheels, but I would like to see if I can purchase one that is more cost efficient but will not lose quality. I know there are several other companies to choose from other than Brent, but I do not have experience with any others. Can anyone please share their recommendations for a regular studio size pottery wheel that is a good investment but less expensive than Brent? Can anyone speak on their experience with Shimpo, Pacifica, or Speedball wheels? 

Thanks so much for any help in advance!

Caroline

[Min]

I don't know how the price compares to Brent but I like my Bailey wheel with the removable splash pan. (bumping this thread, hope to get more replies)

[Mark C.]

speedballs are Chinese  and so are shimpos now. Pacifica is made by laguna

the best quility wheels are Brents Baileys and Skutts these days .

These will hold resale value best and last a really long time

I have 4 Brents myself now as I sold.a few over the pastr few years

[Jayanta Dey]

I am considering buying a Soldner wheel - made by Bluebird manufacturing.  I did not see it on the list from Mark C - and I am hoping that I am making the right decision.

[Mark C.]

Soldners are fine wheels I just do not think about them since he died. My biggest issue with them is they are so large. My studio is to small for one. The foot pedals are super smooth.

[Pres]

I put 4 top of the line Baileys in the Ceramics Studio at the HS I taught at over 25 years ago. They are still running well, and I still demonstrate on them from time to time. I still center about twenty # when throwing off the hump, and haven't had any torque lag in any of them. I got them with removable splash pans as @Minsays except for one that is with a fixed pan and drain. It is mostly used for smaller work and trimming even though the motor is the 1hp as all of the others are.

 

best,

Pres

[oldlady]

my personal choice is a Pacifica, bought in late 1970s with only the belts replaced from wear.  i do not count the damage from lightning that required something done with the foot pedal.   i do not use a splash pan and built the table workspace around the wheel.   see my album.

i dislike brent wheels because of their noise.   really awful in a setting where several are being used at once.  did use bailey during an NCECA event in Tampa and liked it's solid construction.   the bailey wins in that two wheel race.  

 

 

 

[Denice]

Do you have any kick wheels in your class room,   I have always thought you could develop good throwing skills on a kick wheel.  I had one until I was 68,  I  was old and have MS and my legs weren't as strong.   Marc found a Brent for me on ebay that was local, it works but I still miss the magic of the kick wheel.       Denice

[neilestrick]

I have 9 Skutt wheels, and love them. Their 1/3hp models can handle just about anything you would want to make.

[Pres]

I learned on motorized kick wheels @oldlady, and found the slow down speed up worked well when throwing smaller. Then as I got to throwing larger, I found that the kick wheel would torque down making centering more about time. When I started at the HS we had one small amaco 2 speed. . . .terrible. Added an Amaco motorized kick, and then a Lockerbie I think it was. However, I wanted more wheels and less space use so I sold the 3 wheels and bought a two CI wheels, one with a 1/2 horse, and one with one hp. Then we added a wheel or so a year with money from the adult classes I taught. Kicks are great if you don't worry about space or torque slow down, but in the end the modern wheels save space and are more efficient.

 

IMHO

best,

Pres

[Caroline E]

You guys are always amazing with your quick responses. Thanks so much for your recommendations and time!! I'll keep following along if anyone adds anything else. 

[Denice]

I had never used a electric wheel until I bought one.   None of the classes or programs I took had one,  the closest thing was a motorized kick wheel and only a few of them.   The motorized kick wheel was too jerky the kick wheel was much smoother.  A few years ago I had my knee pop out of place,  a emergency doctor took a x ray.   He came back and told me about my knee but also mentioned that I had a real strong leg and bones.  He asked me how that happened?   I was in to much pain to think about my leg being my kicking leg so I told him I had no idea.   Denice

[neilestrick]

@Caroline Ennis One of the best features of the Skutt and Bailey wheels is the large splash pan. It keeps the studio much cleaner.