The wheel is a machine to shape clay into round, ceramic ware. The wheel has a rotating platform where a potter manipulates clay using their hands and tools.  

How to use it:

1. Wet clay is placed on the rotating platform of the wheel. 

2. The potter uses their hands and tools to shape the clay while the wheel is spinning. 

3. Once the desired shape is achieved, the pot is cut from the wheel and left to dry. 

4. After the pot has dried to leatherhard, it is trimmed using the wheel too.

5. After drying to bonedry, the pot is fired in a kiln to harden the clay.

Use your hands to turn the clay into a rough ball. This will help you center the clay easier.

Using the weight of your body, CONTROL the clay into the middle of the wheel. Use your hands to help shape and turn the clay into a disk with a flat top and rounded sides. 

You should be going about 90-100% speed. FAST!

Use your fingers to find the EXACT middle of the clay and wheel. Push down until there is about 1/4 inch left for a base.

You should be going about 60-80% speed. Medium speed.

Use your fingers to open the mouth of the pot and create a base. Pull your fingers on the inside toward you as you keep control of the outside of the pot with the other hand.

You should be going about 60-80% speed. Medium speed.

Use your fingers to start pulling up walls. It is kind of like pinching the clay between your fingers to guide the clay upwards. 

If you want to make a cylinder, start by pulling the clay up and in to the center to make the clay look like a volcano. Then you can straighten it out on the 2nd-4th pulls. 

If you are making a bowl, start by pulling the clay straight up or a little bit out. On the 2nd-4th pulls you will guide the walls into a bowl shape.

You should be going about 40-60% speed. Slowish speed.

After you get the desired height and width, use a sponge to clean all the edges and smooth any imperfections. Use a sponge also to remove excess water. 

Then use a rib to remove slip from the outside wall and remove extra clay from the base. This will help you tremendously when you trim the bottom.

Turn off your wheel! After you are all done with your project, splash water all around the wheel top (not on the project). Use a wire tool to cut under the project and slide water underneath. With your fingers, push from the back bottom of the project and slide it toward the edge of the wheel. Transfer the project from the wheel to a bat, then wrap the project and bat in a plastic bag and set it on the drying shelf. 

Once the project has dried to leatherhard, you can trim it. 

Place the project upside down on the wheel. Add recycled clay coils to the outside of the project on the wheel. Press the recycled clay into the wheel, NOT the project. ) This is to hold the project in place.

Now you can start trimming. Turn the wheel slowly and gently use the ribbon tools to remove the excess clay. As you remove the clay, keep some in the base to use for a foot. When it is done, put the project uncovered on the Bisque Firing Shelf with your period number.

You should be going about 40-60% speed. Slowish speed.