Building Pottery Wheels

Pottery is a beautiful art form and craft hobby to take up. It not only can be a stress reliever, but you can create wonderful homemade pieces. You can take pottery classes which can get expensive or buy a pottery wheel which is also expensive, or you can make your own wheel. Building your own pottery wheel takes a few items, but it can be built by anyone with the proper tools and techniques.

Things You'll Need

• Protective eyewear Wrench set Gloves Phillips screwdriver Drill 1/2-inch drill bit 1-inch hole drill bit 12 1 1/2-inch nails 8 1 1/2-inch screws 4 6-by-1/2 inch bolts and nuts Wood clamp 10 feet of 4-by-4 lumber 12 feet of 2-by-4 lumber 38-inch long piece of 2-by-8 lumber 38-by-38-by-1 inch plywood sheet .25 to .75 horsepower vertical shaft electric motor 20-by-1/2 inch electric motor driveshaft 1-inch flange bearing with 1/2-inch shaft insert hole

Instructions

1. Cut four pieces of 2-by-4 lumber into lengths 36 inches long. Nail these four pieces together with two 1 1/2-inch nails on each joint and create a square base.

2. Cut your 2-by-8 lumber into a 38-inch long piece. Nail the board down to the center on the square base with two 1 1/2-inch nails on each side. (This is where the motor will be bolted down in the center.)

3. Cut four 30-inch long 4-by-4 pieces of lumber. Clamp a 4-by-4 cut piece firmly in a corner. Drill a 1/2-inch centered hole through the 2-by-4 and through the 4-by-4. Push a 6-by-1/2 inch bolt through the hole and screw the nut onto it tightly. Do this in every base corner.

4. Set the 38-by-38 inch piece of plywood on top. Screw two 1 1/2-inch screws into each corner of the plywood into the top of the 4-by-4 lumber.

5. Bolt down the .25 to .75 horsepower vertical shaft electric motor perfectly in the center of the 2-by-8 on the base of the frame. Buy a 20-by-1/2 inch shaft to connect to the electric motor. (Electric motors are generally 8 to 10 inches high so the 20-inch shaft will put the shaft 3 to 6 inches above the plywood and the perfect height to connect the pottery wheel.)

6. Drill a 1-inch hole in the center of the plywood with a hole drill bit. Place the 1-inch flange with the 1/2-inch shaft hole into the plywood, screw it down with the usual four small screws given in the bracket packet.

7. Lower the 1/2-inch shaft through the 1/2-inch flange and onto the electric motor. Screw the set screw into place to firmly attach the shaft to the motor.

8. Purchase a pottery wheel (from any craft or hobby store) with a standard 1/2-inch shaft set screw connection. Screw the pottery wheel onto the top of the shaft protruding through the plywood. Plug in the motor.

Tips & Warnings

• Wear protective eyewear and gloves.