Choosing A Pottery Wheel.....

Picking out a pottery wheel, my method behind the myriad of choices. It is a tough choice and it gets more difficult when you are buying multiples! There is little real information on overall satisfaction from potters themselves about wheels and their highs and lows.  Yes,there are forums, and discussion threads, and large sales companies who write up the products they are selling.  There are some very detailed reviews on wheels available online.  What I was searching for was a more "ethereal" view point from the potters themselves and how the connect with the wheels they use.  Although I am sure I did not hit ever nook and cranny of information out there, I am confident in my choice, basically because of the way I feel when I use it, and my overall level of comfort with the design.

Basically, I am a Pacifica GT800 potter, and I will tell you why....  I have thrown on Brent, Thomas-Stuart, Creative Industries, and Shimpo wheels of varying ages and styles (including the stick shift version), and not being a kick wheel user, I did not investigate those options.  Of the wheels I have used I just keep coming back to my Pacifica.

While a number of the manufacturers listed are substantial and venerable for sure, for my purposes, and the students I anticipate working with, I believe the Pacifica wheels will do a wonderful job.

I am not going to go through all the other styles and tell you what I liked and disliked about each and how they stack up against one another. Instead I thought I would simply share what I LOVE about my Pacifica GT800  which I have been using, basically on a daily basis, for the past 6 years.

Me Throwing on a Shimpo Wheel

First, it is solid.  It doesn't move, rattle, clank.  It stays still and lets the wheel head do its job.
Next, it is QUIET.  Very important to me because for me wheel work is often meditative and quite is paramount.  No distracting noises, none. The splash pan is super easy to put on and take off and I never seem to hit that "oh, I have the pieces reversed" dilemma. I really like the non-porous work table that is built right in.  It has lots of room for tools, water buckets, and all those other nick knacks you just have to have when you sit down to throw. Finally, I think it is important to purchase enough throwing power so that as you progress and build your skills you are not limited by the size of your horsepower.  The GT800 has 1.0 hp which is all I will ever need.

So, this was my process.  It was not scientific, but I am confident my students will enjoy throwing on these wheels for many, many QUIET years to come.