How to Make a Bowl on the Pottery Wheel
A pottery wheel is a spinning device used to shape rounded ceramic objects. While they aren't as romantic as portrayed in the famous scene from the movie "Ghost," they are very adept at making a good, solid bowl. That's not to say operating this machine is easy; you need a steady hand, gentle touch and plenty of patience. Stick your hands into some wet clay today and tomorrow you could be eating your cereal from your own creation.
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Instructions
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1
Add your clay to the center of the wheel, the amount of clay depends on the size of the bowl you want to make. Add water and press it against the wheel to ensure it is stuck.
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2
Start the wheel spinning at medium speed and press down any gaps between the clay and the wheel.
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3
Wrap both hands around the base of the clay and gently squeeze your hands together as you move upwards. Your goal is to shape the clay into a cone, so repeat this step until you do.
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4
Hold the side of the cone with your left hand and press down on the tip of the cone with the right-side of your other hand's palm. Push down until the clay is back to the same height that it started at, before you turned it into a cone.
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5
Repeat Steps 3-4 a total of three times each. On the final coning, push the clay into the center of the wheel if it isn't already.
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6
Insert your thumb into the top of the clay in the center and stop when the clay reaches your knuckle. Add a small amount of water.
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7
Place two fingers from your right hand into the hole. Support the outside of the clay with your left hand as you gently pull out on the hole with your right hand's fingers. Stop when you reach the bowl size that you desire.
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8
Stop the wheel and stick a sharp object in the bottom of the bowl to check if it is at most 1/2 inch deep. If it is deeper, turn on the wheel and gently move a sponge from the center to the side of the bowl to remove some of the base.
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9
Support the bowl with one hand as you softly grab and pull up on the rim with the other. This is to raise the height of the bowl.
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10
Nip the outer side of the rim while smoothing out the top of the rim with the index finger of your spare hand.
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11
Support the outside of the pot gently with your right hand and use your shaping wedge on the inside of the bowl to fix any misshapen or uneven sections.
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12
Cut off any excess from the bowl's base with a carving tool and stop the wheel. Allow the bowl to dry.
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