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kickwheel to electric support group

updated fri 16 mar 01

 

cd on wed 14 mar 01


Tim,
I experienced many of the same problems that you mention when I finally =
switched to an electric from my home made kickwheel (circa 1970 =
vintage). The partial solutions that I have come up with are these...I =
have raised the electric wheel up and now throw in a standing position, =
which is totally unlike sitting at the kickwheel, but yet somehow, seems =
more comfortable to me. The second thing that I have done is to train =
myself to keep my foot (away) from the foot pedal, and I have learned to =
incrementally slow the wheel down after each successive pull. I find =
that this disciplined "slowdown" comes closer to the kickwheel "coast". =
I really think that for a kickwheel trained potter an electric wheel =
rotates (much) faster than what we are accustomed to. I actually did =
some playing around with some resistors and potentiometers on my wheel, =
( where I was able to control the rpm's, specifically by the resistors) =
and was surprised how much of the pot I actually throw at speeds of =
around 50 rpm's, especially the "finishing stages".
So.. except for centering and trimming slooooow that baby down, and =
keep your foot off of the gas pedal except when you need to change =
speeds..think of that old friend coasting in space, I really think =
speed, or really, rather slowing down the speed, is the key..if ya can't =
count the rpm's you may be going too fast.
If you decide to start a 12 step group..kickwheelersanon.org let me =
know.

Just remembered one additional thing that I have done. I took off my =
splash pan..my old kickwheel did not have one and I was able to get =
"closer" to the piece..made a big difference to me.. Splash pan is =
reserved solely for cathcing flying trimmings (at high wheel speeds).

Jennifer F Boyer on thu 15 mar 01


Were we told what kind of electric wheel the new one is? Keeping
my foot off my Pacifica pedal wouldn't work at all. The pedal is
very sensitive(easy to kick it into HIGH) and it's better to
keep my foot on it, like a car gas pedal. But I'm sure there
are a wide variety of foot pedals out there....
Jennifer

cd wrote:
>
> Tim,
> I experienced many of the same problems that you mention when I finally =
> switched to an electric from my home made kickwheel (circa 1970 =
> vintage). The partial solutions that I have come up with are these...I =
> have raised the electric wheel up and now throw in a standing position, =
> which is totally unlike sitting at the kickwheel, but yet somehow, seems =
> more comfortable to me. The second thing that I have done is to train =
> myself to keep my foot (away) from the foot pedal, and I have learned to =
> incrementally slow the wheel down after each successive pull. I find =
> that this disciplined "slowdown" comes closer to the kickwheel "coast". =
> I really think that for a kickwheel trained potter an electric wheel =
> rotates (much) faster than what we are accustomed to. I actually did =
> some playing around with some resistors and potentiometers on my wheel, =
> ( where I was able to control the rpm's, specifically by the resistors) =
> and was surprised how much of the pot I actually throw at speeds of =
> around 50 rpm's, especially the "finishing stages".
> So.. except for centering and trimming slooooow that baby down, and =
> keep your foot off of the gas pedal except when you need to change =
> speeds..think of that old friend coasting in space, I really think =
> speed, or really, rather slowing down the speed, is the key..if ya can't =
> count the rpm's you may be going too fast.
> If you decide to start a 12 step group..kickwheelersanon.org let me =
> know.
>
> Just remembered one additional thing that I have done. I took off my =
> splash pan..my old kickwheel did not have one and I was able to get =
> "closer" to the piece..made a big difference to me.. Splash pan is =
> reserved solely for cathcing flying trimmings (at high wheel speeds).
>
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Jennifer Boyer mailto:jboyer@adelphia.net
Thistle Hill Pottery
95 Powder Horn Glen Rd
Montpelier, VT 05602 USA
802-223-8926
http://www.thistlehillpottery.com/

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