Pottery Wheel

The pottery wheel is the instrument on which the pot is thrown. There is a fair amount of debate regarding the date the potter's wheel was invented. While one school of thought believes that 6000 BC is the correct date of origin, another group pinpoints the year as 2400 BC.

Pottery wheels are of various kinds. Based on the Position they are to be used in, there are three types of potter's wheels:

•  The tabletop pottery wheel

•  Standing pottery wheel

•  The one that is placed on the floor

Depending on the Manner in which these wheels for pottery are Used, they are of four types:

•  Kick wheels for pottery

•  Treadle wheels

•  Electric wheels

•  Those that are set in motion by hand, using a long stick.

The kick wheel works by kicking the flywheel in a specific rhythm. This powers the wheel head.

The treadle pottery wheel is a more recently developed pottery wheel. It is easier to operate than the kick pottery wheel because the left foot is used to rock a treadle, rather than in a kicking motion.

The electric wheel uses electric power to spin, and has the advantage of not demanding any manual interference. Thus, when using this pottery wheel, the potter can concentrate completely on the work his hands are doing. However, it is to be acknowledged that for those who are very accustomed to the manual potter's wheel, the motion of the foot is hardly a hindrance to their work.

Power pottery wheels have made the process of throwing a pot simpler; however, this is perhaps also the reason they are not really favored by traditional artisans who believe that operating the wheel manually, is an art in itself.