A pottery wheel is an important part of the process when it comes to the molding process. Sure enough, you can mold your piece with your hand. However, achieving a uniform structure or shape with hand molding could almost be impossible. So, you would need a reliable pottery wheel to work through the angles and curves when creating a bowl, cup, or essentially anything that can be achieved with some creativity.
However, selecting the right pottery wheel can be a decision that requires attention and a lot of research. So, let us make things easier for you. We have picked a popular pottery wheel and reviewed it for you.
Speedball Clay Boss Potter’s Wheel: Features
Let us first talk a bit about the company. Speedball is a brand dedicated to creating unique and scalable technologies for ceramic artists with varying skill levels. From underglazes/glazes to pottery wheels, the brand creates products that are an ultimate blend of value and performance.
Talking about its star product, the Speedball Clay Boss Potter’s Wheel offers high-quality performance without being heavy on your pockets. The product possesses capabilities and features that pottery artists mostly demand.
Clay Boss Potter’s Wheel features a high-quality 0.5 HP industrial-quality motor along with a 100lb clay centering capacity. With so many features to utilize, this potter’s wheel has become the go-to standard for most pottery enthusiasts. The wheel features a sturdy polyethylene-based tabletop that helps you keep going regardless of how fast the wheel spins.
Further, the splash pan is made up of two parts that can be opened up and cleaned with ease. The wheel head is about 14 inches which help you craft pieces that range from small to large sizes. The machine also features a foot pedal that is smooth to operate with varying speed control. On average, the wheel’s speed can go from 0 to 240rpm.
The reversing plug helps you with a quick direction change and is ideal for potters that are left or right-handed. It also features a sophisticated and sensitive load-sensing wheel control that helps keep the speed unchanged even when changing loads. Moreover, the machine is backed by a 10-year manufacturer warranty. It also comes with removable and high-quality bat pins and bats to help lift the finished pottery from the wheel to the rack.
Its new and improved motor features a quiet brush which eliminates any unnecessary noise during the molding process. Further, the wheel can be used by anyone regardless of their height. The machine features a height adjustment design to help you use your legs with ease. The sturdy steel-based frame doesn’t rust even with the water splashing that happens on a regular basis with the clay molding process.
Perfect Potter’s Wheel for Beginners
Speedball Clay Boss Potter’s Wheel is designed for hobbyists, entry-level students, & artists that are exploring the basics. The small size of the pottery wheel makes it perfect for portability and to be kept in a studio with a small space.
Now, let us check out the specifications of the Clay Boss Pottery Wheel.
| Product Dimensions | 30 Inches X 25 Inches X 18 Inches |
| Product Weight | 68.9 pounds |
| Wheel Head | 14 Inches |
| Manufacturer/Brand | Speedball Art Products |
| Motor Power | 0.5 HP |
| Wheel Speed Range | 0 to 240rpm |
| Warranty | 10 Years |
| Reversible | Yes |
| Centering Clay Weight | 100lbs |
Lighter and Compact Design
If you have just started working on your journey to decode pottery, you don’t necessarily need a commercial-grade electric pottery wheel. In this scenario, Speedball Clay Boss Pottery Wheel is the perfect option for you. It is more compact as compared to traditional kick wheels available in the market. Moreover, it doesn’t take up a lot of space. It is so light in weight that potters can easily travel with them anywhere desired. So, you can attend your desired pottery demonstrations at any local fair.
Ease of Use
Given that you don’t have to control this wheel manually, attention can completely be concentrated on throwing and centering clay. Once you gel well with the use, you can make the pieces faster and with a negligible or zero glitch. Moreover, Clay Boss Potter’s Wheel is ideal for use with heavy clay as it centers well. So, if you plan on creating ornaments or bigger vessels, using this pottery wheel would serve you well.
Scalable Rotational and Adjustable Speeds
The pottery wheel’s speed and rotation help determine the shape and quality of the clay. Kick wheels will only spin at the speed with which you can kick. This can lead to physical exhaustion and would alter the way you work with the clay. However, Speedball allows you a chance to control its wheel’s rotational speed. This can help you experiment with clay molding speed and help you craft the best pieces with glitch-free shapes.
Safety
One issue faced with most electric pottery wheels is that it tends to be vulnerable to electric shorts due to water being used. However, this pottery wheel by Speedball is electric-proofed to ensure that you don’t face any random accidents during the crafting process due to spillage.
Noise
Given that most electric wheels operate on motors, they tend to get noisy at times. You wouldn’t want to disturb the people around you with so much noise. When you select Speedball Clay Boss Potter’s Wheel, you wouldn’t have to worry about unnecessary noise that can be very distracting.
If you do not know the best ways to operate the pottery wheel, you can take a look at the instructional DVD.
Conclusion
The best thing that attracts potters to Speedball Clay Boss Potter’s Wheel is the pocket-friendly pricing. Without creating any mess or spillage, you can create some amazing designs and shapes with your clay. The motor doesn’t draw in a lot of power in the crafting process, given its 0.5HP motor. Moreover, the design is very durable as compared to cheaper models. The stable machine design doesn’t shake a lot or slip easily. So, from a safety point of view, you can rely on Speedball Clay Boss Potter’s Wheel.
