Ceramic Cylinder Clay Placement

Video Transcript

"This is one type of potter's wheel; it has an electric motor and a 150 pound fly-weight on the bottom of the wheel to achieve momentum. And it has a recessed wheel-head and we're going to be using a plaster bat that fits in the wheel-head. One of the important things about working on the potter’s wheel is the bat level should be level with the height of the seat. And that allows you to sit on the wheel and look directly over the piece, and use your arms close to your body and your upper body weight as leverage to begin the centering process. It's more important to use your leverage then your absolute strength; it'll just give you more control over forming the piece. So the height of the seat in relation to the wheel-head or the bat is really important. The next step is with the clay that we've wedged, it should have a rounded bottom and if it doesn't then you can pat it to the bottom; and then with a little bit of water on the clay and the plastered bat, you'll place that as close to the center of the bat as possible. And the next step is just vigorously tap it down. The close to the center is important because it will make it easier to place your hands in the proper position and get it to the final centering on the plaster bat."