Banding and Decorating Wheels

How to Use a Decorating Wheel
Use of a decorating wheel in making pottery is a skill that will take some time, practice and plenty of patience. Most beginners often produce many pieces that are rather off balance and interesting in appearance. In time, many learn to create amazingly beautiful pieces of pottery. There are basic types of decorating wheels. Manual and electric decorating wheels are available for those who wish to learn pottery making.

• Manual decorating wheels are equipped with a foot pedal that the potter must pump. This causes the wheel to move. Some find pumping the pedal and working with their hands in the clay to be a challenging skill.
• Electric decorating wheels are used by a greater number of potters. These wheels have a wheel head that is able to spin clockwise as well as counter clockwise. Left-handed potters find this a great benefit. This type of wheel has a foot peddle that is for adjusting wheel head speed.

Activa Sculpting Wheel		Amaco Decorating Wheel		Amaco No. 5 Decorating Wheel		Shimpo Banding Wheels
Price: $8 - $11		Price: $11 - $14		Price: $26 - $38		Price: $53 - $85
Brand: Activa		Brand: Amaco		Brand: Amaco		Brand: Shimpo
The Wheel by Activa is a practical and economical alternative to cumbersome sculpting stands with turntables.		Conveniently compact and stackable for classroom use, this lightweight plastic wheel makes banding, modeling, sculpting, and decorating accurate and easy.		This decorating wheel features an all aluminum 7" diameter head with concentric circles, rotates on a ball bearing, and is weighted at the rim for greater momentum.		Ideal for decorating, sculpting, carving, and hand-building, Shimpo banding wheels are designed to provide extra-smooth, even rotation for even the most delicate of applications.
Utrecht Sculpture Stand
Price: $0 - $75

Once you have chosen your preference of wheel, you must select the clay for your project. Color and texture varies among clay. Firing temperatures also varies among different types of clays. Another factor in the type of clay chosen is the kiln that is being used for firing. Only certain types of clay can be used in an electric kiln or a gas kiln.

Potters will also need a bat. This is a wooden or plastic plate-like flat object that is fitted to the top of a wheel head. Clay is manipulated to the bat. Once the shaping and molding is done, you will remove the bat and take your piece to air dry. You can then attach another bat and begin molding an additional piece.

Once you have acquired the right tools for making pottery, you are now ready to use the decorating wheel. In the following are some simple tips and instructions that may be of some benefit.

• Choose an older chair that will not be harmed from the possible mess. Position the chair and sit directly in front of the wheel.
• Place clay directly in the center of the wheel. Clay that is not centered will be extremely difficult to work with. It makes the wheel unbalanced in rotation.
• Clay should be tossed onto the wheel to allow it to properly adhere to the surface. This helps to create a grip that is somewhat sticky.
• Start your wheel spinning at a lower speed. Clay should be maintained in the center of the wheel with your hands.
• Clay should be forcefully manipulated into the shape of a cone. Remember force the clay to the center of the wheel with the strength of your entire body.
• Increase the wheel speed to moderate or fast. With wet hands, work the clay with your body strength.
• Using both of your hands, guide with one hand and push clay into a flat shape with the other.
• With both hands at the bottom of the clay mound, manipulate the clay in an upward motion. Use both hands and press to accomplish this technique.
• After this, you can begin to open up your mound of clay from the center.