Instructions on How to Build a Pottery Wheel

It costs far less to build your own pottery wheel.

Pottery, just like other fields of life and art, has also been subject to the rising cost prices. It seems fairly clear that smaller numbers of people are going to be willing or even able to pay out larger and larger sums of money on future artistic interests. People will have to search for other methods of buying needed tools and materials in the future. Below are some instructions for making your own kick style pottery wheel.

Things You'll Need

• One 14 foot 4 x 4
• One 30 foot 2 x 4
• Two 1 inch x 24 inch x 24 inch plywood
• One 1 inch x 24 inch x 24 inch plywood
• Thirty-two 6 inch x 1/2 inch bolts
• Two 5 inch x 3/8 inch bolts
• Eight 7 inch x 1/2 inch bolts
• Four 5 inch x 1/2 inch bolts
• Four 1/4 inch x 4 inch lag bolts
• Four 3/8 inch x 2 inch lag bolts
• One 1 inch x 36 inch steel stock shaft
• One 1 inch flange bearing
• Four 2 inch "U" bolts
• Two pulley wheels
• Tar Paper
• Dowel rods
• 90 lbs. cement

Instructions

Creating the Frame

1. Cut the 4' x 4's and the 2x4's into thirty inch pieces.

2. Create the bottom of the frame and make a square from four thirty inch 2x4's.

3. Attach four 4x4 pieces upright in the corners. Use the six-inch bolts for this.

4. Place one 4 x 4 lengthwise in the center of the frame's bottom. Secure this by using four small blocks and additional 6-inch bolts.

5. Cut three 283/4 inch 2 x 4's. Use these as cross supports leaving the front open. This structure should be placed level so that the person who uses this wheel may have her feet resting at a comfortable position. Attach with 6 x 1/2" bolts.

Making Work Table and Seat

1. Attach four 30 inch 2 x 4's with 7 inch x 1/2 inch bolts to the uprights putting the bolts in both the back and front. This will give support to the work table and its seat.Attach a single piece of plywood that is 12 inches x 30 inches to the supports using eight wood screws.

2. Secure the flange bearing to the center of the crosspiece's bottom by using 3/8 inch lag bolts. Using 2 x 4's, make a support for pillow block bearing. Then find the work top's center and make certain to center the bearing structure here. Drop the plum-bob to the bottom bearing's center. Insert shaft through the bearings. To secure, use the 9 inch x ½ inch bolts.

3. Find the center of the piece of plywood that measures 24 inches x 24 inches by using a compass and making a 23 inch circle. This will help you cast the flywheel.Cut this out and in the center, drill a linch hole. Attach the pulley two inches from the steel shaft's bottom with epoxy glue or an arc welder.

   Secure the plywood circle that you just made to the shaft using two "U" bolts.

4. Drill four 5/8 inch holes into the plywood.Cut tar paper by making a seven inch high mold and putting it around the plywood circle.Put dowel rods into the holes.Mix cement; pour five inches into the mold.Pull dowel rods up and down as the cement becomes hard to keep them loose.When cement is almost set, replace with bolts measuring 5 inch x ½ inch bolts.It may take as long as two days for the cement to fully harden and dry. Then you are ready to give your pottery wheel a try.

References

• Pottery and Ceramics Tools Building a Kick Wheel
• Build Your own Potter's Kick Wheel