I don't know if this is a good way to make a pottery wheel or not, but this is exactly how a instructional video should be made. This is one of the best "How to " videos I have ever seen,prefect editing, clear and concise information and most importantly, all information pertained only to that project being worked on. Keep up the good work ,Lou.
Maybe a variable speed fan motor would work better. As you pull the clay and it becomes thinner, one will want to slow the wheel speed. Pretty good idea and very detailed instruction, just needs some kinks worked out.
I was skeptical on your comment and I concede you nailed it. That is a great DIY tutorial. You can watch as a beginner and gain some questions or much more advanced and still have deeper questions while being totally satisfied. A+
a fan speed control switch will accomplish what you want, but it's a good idea to make sure the switch is compatible with the fan before putting it all together (sometimes the brand of each matters). A dimmer switch meant for a light will not work on a fan.
HowToLou I would change one thing on this potters wheel. I would raise the motor a bit higher, then I would cut the plywood that is going to be the surface for the clay about 1" wider than the top of the bucket. By doing that, the wood would extend over the sides of the bucket and not allow any water or clay to drop into the bucket. Actually, you can also put a lid on the bucket with a cutout in the middle of the it making it just large enough so that the wooden top can be screwed into the motor. The plastic lid would definitely ensure that no water would make it down to the motor area. I think that you did a great job on this Lou, my hats 🎩 off to you. 😎
+Frank Daniels - thanks for the ideas. Actually, the top plate is inside the bucket by design. Any water that sits on top of this "spinning umbrella" gets thrown off and hits the inside walls of the bucket and drips down to the bottom and never touches the motor or electronics. You do have to drill a hole in the side of the bucket to let it drain, which I forgot to show. If you put the plate above and outside the bucket, it will spray water everywhere.
many potters work without a drip pan, they normally just work more efficiently with less water. one half inch is normally not enough of a barrier to be throwing in your living room, so you'd probably be in the garage or outside anyway. a problem with letting the water drip down to the bottom is that even if you let it drain, there will be significant buildup of clay deposits on the bottom, which is a significant silicosis hazard if you plan to use the wheel a lot. idk maybe you could rinse it too. anyway thanks for the really nice video
This is what I was thinking. The video is FANTASTIC and super helpful however I would definitely want to include a catch tray for both water and excess clay , especially where i want to be working with tara cotta. Otherwise though, I have this video saved!
CLEANING CONCERNS - build as shown. Cut bottom of bucket off. Insert entire thing into a 2nd bucket (for structural strength and to catch water). You will have to make holes in the side of the second bucket for string and power cord (large enough to pass plug through). To clean, simply take second bucket off and you have full access to interior underside. Of course, as before, you still have to remove the top wheel to clean under it. Great video. I plan on building one for my kids.
Made mine last night. Thank u so much for the video. My kids are already loving it. They are also using the wheel for drawing and other arts. Took me about 5 hrs to make. The only thing i did different was to use the power wire from an old hair drier. Because of the water i wanted built-in GFCI. Again. Thank u!
As a skilled potter, allow me to caution anyone attempting this. Throwing clay is a very messy watery business. And you have very little protection for the electrical components. you did a great job creating this, but if I may suggest, creating it with the plastic top to the 5 gallon bucket in place, then another large bat or circle over that, then you can have the 'circle' over that. Then water and slip or very wet clay will spin off onto the large circle underneath.
I am a wheel throwing potter since 1977. My favorite wheel is my Shimpo RK and cost close to $1300. I also have a Brent CXC $1500. I am going to build your $50 ceiling fan pottery wheel and give it to my grand daughter. I am sure I could turn a beautiful pot on this creative solution to the expensive professional wheels. I will say that a variable speed control is a must for any pottery wheel. The wheel head also needs a lot of torque from the motor because of the pressure required to center the clay. It's probably perfect for a young newbie. Use a Formica sink cut out for a wheel head to keep the water from rotting the plywood. Excellent tutorial. Two thumbs up.
torque is the key issue with this design, I made it, and it just don't have it. can only throw small items I think, centering large ball of clay just stops the wheel.
@@ClownWhisper will you just shut up. You are throwing a fit on everyone’s post except of course those that have made it and confirmed it works and is safe. You claim to be a potter but that doesn’t mean crap, every other potter on here has stated that this is a good project and works fine. Don’t like, don’t make it. Now shut up
I think the quality and clarity of this video is superb, it sounds like you've really put some thought into this tutorial. I'm currently taking a clay class and I've just begun throwing so I'm not an expert on the topic and I'd love to have my own wheel to learn to throw better, however variable speed and a strong motor with a foot pedal would definitely be needed to make this homemade wheel better, along with plaster inside the bucket for weight and to reduce the wobble. The most important improvement though, would have to be lifting the wheel slightly above the buckets rim and placing a larger metal disk for the wheel that can be removed more easily to clean a rimmed clay catch all plate that could rest on the rim of the bucket. Also the catch all plate needs to be at least three inches wider in diameter from the metal spinning disk. If you made these improvements, I think cleaning would be easier. Oh and a ground wire to keep us all safe. I look forward to seeing more of your videos. Thank you for trying to find cost effective solutions for making these contraptions. I went to a clay shop and a professional wheel costs upwards of $1000+ dollars. So I'd spend up to $200 for materials if you can perfect your tutorial with these improvements. More people like yourself, who care about reducing expenses, would make this world a much better place.
Should also have installed a ground wire because you are working with water & electricity - three prong cord - one extra wire may save your life. Nice construction.
hello! just finished building mine.. totally loving it! i used flower pots instead of bucket and a lazy suzann for the tray, i also got a pedal to regulate the speed... totaly having a blast turning right now!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!! BRILLIANT!!
Mastery. A simple little video, but every person making an DIY instructional video should watch this. Great detail. Did it so wide range of people with different tools and talents could find this very helpful. Thank you.
This does work...I tried it. It was great that this motor had 3 speeds, and it also had a reverse. But here are the problems I encountered. First of all, the slowest speed was still plenty fast at times. The main problem was that... my motor at least... had no torque to it. If you applied pressure to the wheel as you need to do when you center your clay...the wheel stopped spinning. It didn't have enough power to keep spinning. It only took a few times, and I burned up the motor. Maybe if all you are planning on throwing is little things, this might work for you...but my experience wasn't that great.
It was a Harbor Breeze. With 3 speeds and a reverse direction. Didn't appear to be a cheap one, but it was an old used one. It had no torque, and the slowest speed was too fast to do anything very big. It did work though...I just didn't have any luck with mine. Glad yours worked better.
+Pike Evans See my comment above on what determines the speed of the motor. The low ceiling fan setting starves the motor and for a ceiling fan that has constant drag, that works; but won't for a pottery wheel where you introduce drag as you work with the clay.
+Pike Evans - Mark is correct that the dimmer is starving the motor to slow it down, but that is actually ok, if you use it correctly. Set the fan at it highest setting. With no hands on the wheel, it spins too fast. Adjust the dimmer pedal to slow it down. As you put pressure on the clay, also adjust the dimmer pedal to give full power, so you have maximum torque to work the clay. You are not using the poedal to "set the speed". You are transferring the power from your foot to your hands and back.
one thing I would recommend is not throwing directly on the head.... put pins in and use a plastic bat as the head has holes in it from the screws that hold it to the motor and you could get liquid seeping down through. also it keeps the wood head from warping due to water
Two thumbs up for the project. I am in the process of making it right now. Not expecting much like a real potter wheel, but i think it might be a great wheel for a startup child. Concerns i have is the electrical being under the the wheel, i understand that the wheel will be like an umbrella but every once in a while if you press hard enough you will stop the spin and water might drip. Since i encountered the same problem as one of the other people with a wire coming off. I took on the project of taking apart the motor, removing all the wires and substituting them with longer wires... (this involves some soldering, alot of patience to take apart the thing) now i will have the electrical part outside of the bucket away from the water. I will also add an old plastic chopping board to the bottom of the wooden board to eliminate the possibility of water seeping through onto the motor, rubber gaskets possibly where i screw the top board. I think this is a fun project, and thank you so much for the great video.
Layth Sudairy - Very nice modifications. Once you get it done, please upload a video, showing your wheel and improvements to HowToLou@gmail.com, and I will post it on my web site for others to see. Thanks, Lou
Layth Sudairy I'd be concerned about that, too, but wonder if one couldn't just make a more effective umbrella, something like half of a plasic container (like those awful plastic barrels of cheeze puffs you see) sealed like an upside down bowl to the bottom of the upper disc? Your idea sounds great but a little out of my depth -- I could just about do the project as shown : )
THIS IS AMAZING!!!! I will definitely be making this, the cheapest potter's wheel I found was 350 and that was used, so this is much more cost effective. Thank you for this.
A good idea would be to stick a plastic crawfish platter between the bucket and motor, so you wont' have to worry so much about everything below the motor getting wet. It could also be removed for cleaning.
Thanks Lou. Following your video, I took a ceiling fan from a dumpster; and came up with a 3 speed, bi-directional, rotary table, for bottle cutting. Thanks again!
This is a brilliant idea, a well-executed prototype and great instruction. May seem somewhat dangerous given the water that comes off a wheel head. You've 'properly' isolated the electrical issues in the peanut butter jar except for the penetrations for powercord and switch string. Btw, good choice on the string as a non-conductor control point between power and human. A pull chain is inappropriate when the device contains water and electricity. String is good. Plastic line is better. A drain hole in the bucket (remember the bucket bottom will have clay end up in the bucket off the wheel and even the clay buildup from dripping water can plug a single hole) or a number of drain holes at different levels is a third level of protection as water should never accumulate to touch the peanut butter jar. So that's your safety barrier. It ain't UL Listed but it's an excellent pragmatic solution for people who crave the feel of spinning clay but can't afford the ridiculous prices on even used electric wheels. They can adapt their handling to manage three different speeds. Variable speed ala light dimmer can be wired in on the outside of the bucket and wired straight into the jar with the switch on high speed. Not a great solution but, again, cheap and replaceable. Now if you can figure out how to build a pottery kiln in a refrigerator, the pottery world is at your feet.
Nicely done! Have to tip my hat at how well the video is made. very clear, lots of tips, no unnecessary chit chat. moves along. Only at the end, (the Potterywheel itself) i would of had the wheel be broader then the bucket. Now the bucket will collect clay droppings and water
+liefdegator1 - that was by design, not accident. A wheel above the bucket would splatter water and clay everywhere. This design catches it. Cut a hole in the side to empty occasionally.
Excellent tutorial. I love how you show the basic tools and then the ones that may not be available, but work better, so anyone can try their hand at it without having a lot of the more expensive power tools.Fortunately, I do have them, and will enjoy trying this soon.
HI Lou. Great video! your instructions were clear and concise and gave me the confidence to build this for myself, waay the most complicated thing I have built for myself, also gave me an excuse to buy new tools ;). I added a variable speed fan controller also. Results were a little disappointing, torque was low so I guess I didn't get a large enough motor. It might be strong enough to throw cups or smaller items with patience I guess.
A couple of suggestions,use a three prong cord and hook up the ground,get a rheostat (a dimmer switch might work) to control the rpm for better control.nice idea and good video.
I love the idea! Just want to add that cheap solutions are not always ideal. If you want a professional unit.... We'll then go buy one. Keep it coming Lou.
You could use this for small projects for kids. Maybe add a rheostat like another poster said. Maybe look for a higher torque motor for bigger projects. But for the project and end result in itself, I give it two thumbs up. Nice work HowToLou!
I like the way you made the video easy for those who don’t have the fancy tools to make it possible and made genius ways to get the centre or screw holes perfect
Well.....I made my incredible pottery wheel. Thank you so much for this info. I am a 77year old woman, and could follow your instructions. The cost here in South Africa, Bucket R52.00, Second hand ceiling fan R225.00, Plank R170.00 = R447.00 R15.00 = $1
Perefect step by step instructions for a DIY project. You are some analyst who should be doing computer technology. Incredible instructions. You can even be writing manuals for engg. Companies.
Nice easy design, im building one this week. Make shure your not barefoot operating this device. Please add a ground wire to the motor, then use a 3 wire grounded plug insted of a 2 wire setup, it could save your life, then make sure you are plugged into a GFCI, or add one, construction sites use them most often. Remeber the wet clay come in contact with the four rotating 10-32 mount screws, which are threaded into the motor, if the motor fails internally with no ground, then the user gets it.
Couldn't have said it better myself. Always three prong, always GFCI protected. If your house is older than the 80's make sure its grounded properly by calling an Electrican.
I agree with those statements, but you could also drop the entire setup down into the bucket another 1 inch and put a second wood wheel on the top. Connect the top wood wheel to the lower on the outside using wood screws and you have a built in insulator as well since the metal screws on top are several inches from the metal screws attaching to the main motor. The water won't get to the screws at the motor because it will constantly spin to the outside.
Thanks for the hint. I've got my eye on a pedestal fan and some old chairs to make a table. As I'll be using an existing plug in don't need to bother with wiring or burning houses down accidentally.
Best video on this project I found...I was thinking, you could leave the light wire and attach a light to the bucket... And a dimmer as someone else mentioned... Again, great video... Thanks
Improvement type to design....If you are planning on using this with wet clay, why use indoor grade wire nuts? I would recommend instead using (waterproof) automotive quality butt connectors for your wiring connections. You can get them just as cheap if not cheaper than indoor grade wire nuts. ***Also if want extra water proofing you can get rubber shrink (usually sold right next to automotive grade butt connectors at your local auto parts store) and sheath all of the wiring with an overcoat of rubber waterproofing.
+Jena Lewis My main concern would be the water falling into the motor housing. Make sure and use a three prong AC plug and ground the motor housing. The may help prevent from getting shocked; but, I am wondering how long the motor is going to last if any water makes if off/over the edge wheel head.
We just got a fan motor last weekend and my son and I will start building the rest soon. I am considering setting the head above the level of the bucket so we can use batts and so water is less likely to leak into the bucket.
+Mark Hancock - The original design had the head level below the bucket specifically to catch water. The head is a spinning umbrella over the motor that centrifuges water to the sides of the bucket. After considerable use, I took the head off to find the motor bone dry, as expected. Also, induction motors are known for being best able to operate in humid environments.
+HowToLou 1) Good to hear the motor stays dry. 2) Wouldn't putting the head above the bucket accomplish the same thing? Did you try that? I know the disadvantage would that the bucket would not work as a splash pan; but, my son would like to be able to use a commercially available bat and the smallest bats we can easily get are 12" where the buckets are 11". A bucket-in-a-bucket design could be the best of both if you could find an outer bucket that would work.
Sweet I have always wanted a potters wheel! You have shown how to do this so well! Thank you! Now I’m off to collect the parts I don’t have on hand! Keep up the great tutorials!!!
Silicone the lid to provide a degree of water resistance. Tie a single knot in the power cord after threading it through the jar to prevent it from being pulled out. Given that the plastic jar is a good idea for the electrics, a larger one between the motor and the top plate would protect the motor. But this is a great idea.
as you increase your potting skills, you will want to have a more direct control over the speed of the wheel. May I suggest a rheostat or potentiometer on a hinged foot pedal?
Great idea. You may want to use a variac (variable transformer) instead of a potentiometer. They cost most ($50), but don't reduce the total power, as you reduce the speed.
I had the same idea, and I congratulate you for the detailed video. While looking into commercially available pottery wheels, they are using at least a 500 Watt motor, in order to overcome the resistance when applying your hands / pressure into the pottery. I don´t believe that a 50 or 60 Watt ceiling fan motor can accomplish the task, as they would not have enough torque. ¿ what results did you get with this DIY ? Does the motor provide enough power or torque ?
nice job! you might want to tie a knot in the power cord to keep it from being pulled out, they sell extension chains for those pull switches that would look better. I will be making one of these for sure, again, nice job and good luck on future projects!
Hi, about 5 years back I made one pottery wheel using a ac fan motor. The fan motors are capacitor run induction motor. They have very low wattage and low starting torque. Moreover with speed control the torque becomes feeble at low speed. As a result as you try to centre the clay or try to work on the clay, it slows down and stops.
Now all you need is a variable speed foot petal. The other thing I thought of, would be to add a couple pins so you can use a removable bat instead of throwing directly to the wood.
Great video! A solid basis. I will see about adding a variable foot pedal and using a metal stool for the base. I'm also looking for a cotton candy machine bowl to put the wheel inside of. Thanks for the inspiration.
OK that looks like fun, I need a potters well for myself and have no money, so I will probably make at least one or two of these, I do have a question, what do you recommend for the ceiling fans RPM's, just want to make sure we are talking the same speeds for best wheel, Thank you so much for showing us this, really opens up a whole world of pottery for those of us that live on budget. I am a full time psychology student and would like to offer some relaxation pottery and art expression in the form of pottery to my patients, these little beauties of yours really help get that idea up and running.
+Dr Nancy H Franco - Get a ceiling fan with a large wingspan. They all have similar RPMs. Motor power is the most important factor, and blade size directly reflects that. Look on craigslist or at garage sales to get one cheap. Also, get an on/off foot switch, typically used to control wood router tables. They cost under $20. Leave the fan set to the highest speed, but only step on the switch when your hands are on the clay, or it can go too fast. Lastly, cut a hole in the side of the bucket, about 3 inches from the bottom, to drain water. Your project sounds wonderful. Good Luck!
Tried it. I wasn't able to get my clay centered, but that may just be me. True issues I had was that the motor wasn't strong enough to keep going when I was trying to center my clay. The Second is that the excess clay/water has to go somewhere and that's right into the bucket, with no real way to get it back out. Maybe with the bottom removed it would be better - messier, but able to be cleaned up. Third problem I had was that since the whole thing doesn't weight much I had to wrap my feet around the bucket to keep from knocking it over. I'm still keeping it and planning to use it more like a banding wheel. Thanks for the video - it was worth a try.
This was pretty great. I really like your delivery. Too many videos features a presenter who talks slowly and repeats himself endlessly. Not you! I subscribed...so where might I find a video of a potter using this wheel?
I admit, I am not a potter. I played with the wheel and made a few small pots, with my non-existent skills, and then I moved on to other projects. I mainly like to build stuff. Hopefully, a real potter will build and use one and post a video.
I TOTALLY agree!! Although I realize not everyone is going to be the sharpest tool in the shed, I figure if you're brave enough to try projects DIY, certainly one could also keep up with a [perfect] demonstration like he gave. Take good care :0)~
I didn't notice any drainage in the bottom. Did I miss it? Do you have problems with water collecting in the bottom? Very nice BTW, I'm asking, because this is my next project.
I just loved this video, but my question is when you go and throw your clay and center it with pressure won't that slow the wheel down. I can stop my fan blade with my hand should I use one in making a wheel with a stronger motor?
great video! the way you explained everything was so clear and understanding. Think I will try to build one. I am not a Potter but would like to start.
Very inventive. There will always be tweaks to such a project (and that's why we pay big money for it all thought out) - but this is a good idea. 1st thing that came to mind is that you will find it hard to throw a decent pot without control on speed.
i think the wheel needs to be higher and larger than the bucket because when you work clay on a wheel, you get water and clay scraps that will fall into the bucket...would be hard to get out. did you ever take it to a potter to see if it holds up? I'd love to know before i attempt to make one.
+All About Retta - I specifically designed it with the wheel inside the bucket to rduce splash out. I later posted in the comments that it would be a good idea to cut a a hole in the side of the bucket, maybe 4 inches square, and 4 inches up from the bottom of the bucket, as a clean out. Yes, I did take it to professional potters, and they found it to be a little too fast, but you could add a sewing machine pedal toslow it down. It is also possible to stall it, if you apply pressure too quickly. This is by no means as good as a professional wheel, but way better than a toy wheel from Matel, and is cheap to build, especially if you can get an old fan from a garage sale or CraigsList.
@@HowToLou HI 😊 I am very excited to make one of these potters wheels.. I would be interested in making one with a sewing machine pedal. Would you mind explaining how I would do that? Or even sharing a link you support. Thank you 😊
Fantastic idea! Great job making this too, by the way. Glad I came across it. I want a wheel but not sure if I want one bad enough to pay a fortune for a new one. What if I decide I’m no good at pottery! Thanks for the great idea. I’m going to try this!
Excelllent vid, great design executed by skilled hands. Rube G. would be proud. My take...best parts: totally portable, choice of extremely dependable fan motor. Now....where's that ol' compound bucket I had ?
thank you so much brother. now its very easy for me. i think washing machine motor will be good enough for me.... again thank you so much for your time....
I recommend a treadmill motor (can be found on craigslist for free in many areas and is what I used) these are variable speed motors and work better and are smaller than a washing machine motor. add a rheostat and a wha wha pedal for a guitar wire these in series and you have amazing fine tuned speed control comparable to most production wheels
after feeding the power cord through the bucket, you should have put a washer, or just tied the cable in knot for some kind of strain relief. Eventually, someone will unplug it by pulling on the whole unit - potentially yanking those wire connectors.
We loved your video, thank you. It's inspired us to make this but also to ask some questions. so, it's been 7 years, and I'm imagining your wife has used the wheel. We're looking into this now, and wondering, what would you have done differently? Is it powerful enough/. Should we use something else, for example, a washing machine motor?
The nice thing about ceiling fan motors is that you can usually get them for free, and you can mount the wheel to them directly. They are super simple to turn into a pottery wheel, and are a little weak, but a great option if you want to see if you like the hobby, without spending a ton. If you are an experienced potter, or have taken a class and are sure you want to do this hobby, then a stronger motor is a better plan. A washing machine motor or garage door would be much more powerful, but harder to build, because you need a belt or chain drive and bearings and a spindle and a mounting flange for the wheel. The hoverboard craze has made DC motors much more available at very reasonable prices, so that could be a good option today.
Just a thought...for added security regarding electric shock hazard....adhere an improvised plastic lip all the way around the edge of the top wheel t hang down and prevent water buildup in the motor
+Nunya Biznis - The other option is to drill a hole near the bottom of the bucket. The spinning wheel acts both as an umbrella over the motor and a centrifuge that throws water against the inside of the bucket. From there, the water runs down the inside and out the drilled hole. The motor stays completely dry.
+Nunya Biznis - True. I guess even a 1/2 inch drip edge would force any water that runs off the edge of the wheel to go straight down and not run back under the wheel to the spindle. Good idea. Of course, this only is useful when the wheel is stopped. When it is running, the water, dripping of the edge, would get flung to the outside walls.
I have a jig saw and for sure, I can never get a good, even circle with it. Shaky hands is not the only problem. The blades are too deep to make fine turns, depth being the dimension measuring from the front of the blade, the teeth, to the back of the blade. I remember seeing carpenters, as a child, in my home town, a machine that had two long arms, with a blade stretched between the ends of these arms, that allowed for a large piece of wood to be placed and cut in all kinds of shapes. The extent to which you could turn the piece of wood being cut, as far as I can remember, and how acute the angles traced were, makes me imagine that the blades were almost circular, like a coarse thread/wire cutting through the wood. You are right, a coping saw blade is the closest I see these days to what I remember seeing then. I know that these blades were used to make cut-outs or the silhouettes of people, which would later be lined and filled with serial-bulb lights for hoardings and similar applications. The closest utility I see today to making really sharp turns while cutting wood, where you can cut forward and almost come back along the same line, is a trimmer, using the thinnest cutting/grinding bit. Thank you Mr Austin.
***** - This is a very wide turn and a jigsaw would work fine. The band saw I used had a 1/2" blade. A jig saw only has 1/4" so it is even more turnable. To get a perfect circle. attach a short board to the side of the jigsaw and nail one end of the board to the center of the circle you want to cut. As you spin around the circle, the board will constantly keep your jigsaw at the perfect radius.
+HowToLou IF the "short board" is attached in such a way that along the board the front edge of the blade is in line with the screw. I just built a circle cutting jig for my band saw.
The work is good... but i think it will create an issue for slowing the speed. and another big issue is, if we put a weight like 5 kg, so then does it work well or not. Because fan motor heat up fast.
+Kamal Ahmed - You can add a sewing machine pedal or even a foot controlled on-off switch to control the speed. I think 5kg may be too heavy for this wheel. I would keep it around 2kg (5lb). If you want to build a stronger wheel, you might look for a washing machine motor.
I will be using some of the concepts from this in the development of my schools satellite altitude determination system's testing rig. This has given me lots of ideas for the testing rig.
I really liked this video, so detailed, precise, practical, recycled and useful. Thanks so much for sharing and for take your time in editing and explaining the hole video in an excellent way. 👍🏽
Great tutorial, the only change I would make would be to lower the whole mechanism about another 1/2 inch into the bucket. Also you might try an AC speed controller on the motor.
I am thinking the wood will deteriorate over time. What other material can you use? Also, I am thinking some water may get down inside the bucket with time. Is it possible to have it lifted higher? I am thinking it will protect everything the bucket ang give more life to the wheel? Thank your for posting. It was very informative. I think I can make something like a functional pottery wheeler. Can you do something with making a garden fence? Thank you.
You would use 3/8 inch plexiglass. It’s harder to cut, but would last forever. I ended up drilling a hole in the side of the bucket, a couple inches from the bottom. Sorry I don’t have a garden fence video. Here is a wood shutter video that might give you inspiration. How To Make Real Wood Shutters for $30 th-cam.com/video/g58xOusl7WU/w-d-xo.html
Thank you so much brother. I also wanna know that if I start work on and i try to set my clay on the center ( you know it increases the preasure ) so, does it stop spinning or not? because fan motor and washing machine motor stops easly when you put a force on anti clockwise.
+Kamal Ahmed - This wheel You is much stronger than a toy wheel, but not as strong as a real one. You can put some pressure on it, but if you put too much, too fast, it will stop, You just have to go a little slower with what you make. Washing machine motors are actually much stronger. Its harder to move wet clothes, than air, so they need a bigger motor. Here is a video where I take apart a washing machine. You can see the motor, there: th-cam.com/video/eEG9vX4rpmo/w-d-xo.html
The gasifier is interesting. Apparently these can be used to provide gas from burning wood to fuel lanterns and a stove. I am not sure how that would be plumbed. Let me know what you think
You need to ground the motor housing/mount and use a three-wire plug that's plugged into a GFCI. This design won't disconnect the current/protect you if water gets into the motor.
That was amazing. I wish you lived closer to me, I would get you to make me one. Unfortunately, I don't have the tools to make it, but what a brilliant idea!
I would also move the switch to the outside of the bucket and make it a variable speed connection. You can use a relatively high speed for some parts of the throwing process, but you need to bring the speed down as you finalize the piece. You might also consider adding a layer of quickcrete at the bottom of the bucket to make it a bit more stable. Great idea!!
Good tutorial, however, it would be beneficial to add some variable resistance to the cables, then connect that to the motor. This will allow for different speeds. A home made pedal could also be easily added.
I don't know if this is a good way to make a pottery wheel or not, but this is exactly how a instructional video should be made. This is one of the best "How to " videos I have ever seen,prefect editing, clear and concise information and most importantly, all information pertained only to that project being worked on. Keep up the good work ,Lou.
Maybe a variable speed fan motor would work better. As you pull the clay and it becomes thinner, one will want to slow the wheel speed. Pretty good idea and very detailed instruction, just needs some kinks worked out.
This
Is.
EXCELLENT
AND NO STUPID MUSIC ♫♪ IN THE BACKGROUND!!!! Kudos
I was skeptical on your comment and I concede you nailed it. That is a great DIY tutorial. You can watch as a beginner and gain some questions or much more advanced and still have deeper questions while being totally satisfied. A+
john smith I came to give the same feedback... 4 years late but still. Lol
You can add a dimer switch to control the speed of your wheel as well. Cool do it yourself tutorial man.
Do not use a dimmer on a fan motor.
a fan speed control switch will accomplish what you want, but it's a good idea to make sure the switch is compatible with the fan before putting it all together (sometimes the brand of each matters). A dimmer switch meant for a light will not work on a fan.
HowToLou I would change one thing on this potters wheel. I would raise the motor a bit higher, then I would cut the plywood that is going to be the surface for the clay about 1" wider than the top of the bucket. By doing that, the wood would extend over the sides of the bucket and not allow any water or clay to drop into the bucket.
Actually, you can also put a lid on the bucket with a cutout in the middle of the it making it just large enough so that the wooden top can be screwed into the motor. The plastic lid would definitely ensure that no water would make it down to the motor area. I think that you did a great job on this Lou, my hats 🎩 off to you. 😎
+Frank Daniels - thanks for the ideas. Actually, the top plate is inside the bucket by design. Any water that sits on top of this "spinning umbrella" gets thrown off and hits the inside walls of the bucket and drips down to the bottom and never touches the motor or electronics. You do have to drill a hole in the side of the bucket to let it drain, which I forgot to show. If you put the plate above and outside the bucket, it will spray water everywhere.
many potters work without a drip pan, they normally just work more efficiently with less water. one half inch is normally not enough of a barrier to be throwing in your living room, so you'd probably be in the garage or outside anyway. a problem with letting the water drip down to the bottom is that even if you let it drain, there will be significant buildup of clay deposits on the bottom, which is a significant silicosis hazard if you plan to use the wheel a lot. idk maybe you could rinse it too. anyway thanks for the really nice video
@@Crazybird920 this was my thought too. The excess clay needs somewhere to go. Not just for the motors sake but for recycling as well.
This is what I was thinking. The video is FANTASTIC and super helpful however I would definitely want to include a catch tray for both water and excess clay , especially where i want to be working with tara cotta. Otherwise though, I have this video saved!
CLEANING CONCERNS - build as shown. Cut bottom of bucket off. Insert entire thing into a 2nd bucket (for structural strength and to catch water). You will have to make holes in the side of the second bucket for string and power cord (large enough to pass plug through). To clean, simply take second bucket off and you have full access to interior underside. Of course, as before, you still have to remove the top wheel to clean under it.
Great video. I plan on building one for my kids.
Made mine last night. Thank u so much for the video. My kids are already loving it. They are also using the wheel for drawing and other arts. Took me about 5 hrs to make. The only thing i did different was to use the power wire from an old hair drier. Because of the water i wanted built-in GFCI. Again. Thank u!
As a skilled potter, allow me to caution anyone attempting this. Throwing clay is a very messy watery business. And you have very little protection for the electrical components. you did a great job creating this, but if I may suggest, creating it with the plastic top to the 5 gallon bucket in place, then another large bat or circle over that, then you can have the 'circle' over that. Then water and slip or very wet clay will spin off onto the large circle underneath.
I am a wheel throwing potter since 1977. My favorite wheel is my Shimpo RK and cost close to $1300. I also have a Brent CXC $1500. I am going to build your $50 ceiling fan pottery wheel and give it to my grand daughter. I am sure I could turn a beautiful pot on this creative solution to the expensive professional wheels. I will say that a variable speed control is a must for any pottery wheel. The wheel head also needs a lot of torque from the motor because of the pressure required to center the clay. It's probably perfect for a young newbie. Use a Formica sink cut out for a wheel head to keep the water from rotting the plywood. Excellent tutorial. Two thumbs up.
torque is the key issue with this design, I made it, and it just don't have it. can only throw small items I think, centering large ball of clay just stops the wheel.
not a design issue - just requires a more powerful motor. A lot of ceiling fans are actually quite weak, like the one I used.
@@ClownWhisper will you just shut up. You are throwing a fit on everyone’s post except of course those that have made it and confirmed it works and is safe. You claim to be a potter but that doesn’t mean crap, every other potter on here has stated that this is a good project and works fine. Don’t like, don’t make it. Now shut up
I think the quality and clarity of this video is superb, it sounds like you've really put some thought into this tutorial. I'm currently taking a clay class and I've just begun throwing so I'm not an expert on the topic and I'd love to have my own wheel to learn to throw better, however variable speed and a strong motor with a foot pedal would definitely be needed to make this homemade wheel better, along with plaster inside the bucket for weight and to reduce the wobble. The most important improvement though, would have to be lifting the wheel slightly above the buckets rim and placing a larger metal disk for the wheel that can be removed more easily to clean a rimmed clay catch all plate that could rest on the rim of the bucket. Also the catch all plate needs to be at least three inches wider in diameter from the metal spinning disk. If you made these improvements, I think cleaning would be easier. Oh and a ground wire to keep us all safe. I look forward to seeing more of your videos. Thank you for trying to find cost effective solutions for making these contraptions. I went to a clay shop and a professional wheel costs upwards of $1000+ dollars. So I'd spend up to $200 for materials if you can perfect your tutorial with these improvements. More people like yourself, who care about reducing expenses, would make this world a much better place.
Should also have installed a ground wire because you are working with water & electricity - three prong cord - one extra wire may save your life. Nice construction.
hello! just finished building mine.. totally loving it! i used flower pots instead of bucket and a lazy suzann for the tray, i also got a pedal to regulate the speed... totaly having a blast turning right now!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!! BRILLIANT!!
+Elodie Massa - you bet. If you get a chance, please send a video to HowToLou@gmail.com, and I will post it in my gallery. Thank you
Mastery. A simple little video, but every person making an DIY instructional video should watch this. Great detail. Did it so wide range of people with different tools and talents could find this very helpful. Thank you.
This does work...I tried it. It was great that this motor had 3 speeds, and it also had a reverse. But here are the problems I encountered. First of all, the slowest speed was still plenty fast at times. The main problem was that... my motor at least... had no torque to it. If you applied pressure to the wheel as you need to do when you center your clay...the wheel stopped spinning. It didn't have enough power to keep spinning. It only took a few times, and I burned up the motor. Maybe if all you are planning on throwing is little things, this might work for you...but my experience wasn't that great.
Your fan was a cheap one from China. LOL or you had a low power high speed fan.
It was a Harbor Breeze. With 3 speeds and a reverse direction. Didn't appear to be a cheap one, but it was an old used one. It had no torque, and the slowest speed was too fast to do anything very big. It did work though...I just didn't have any luck with mine. Glad yours worked better.
+Pike Evans
See my comment above on what determines the speed of the motor. The low ceiling fan setting starves the motor and for a ceiling fan that has constant drag, that works; but won't for a pottery wheel where you introduce drag as you work with the clay.
+Pike Evans - Mark is correct that the dimmer is starving the motor to slow it down, but that is actually ok, if you use it correctly. Set the fan at it highest setting. With no hands on the wheel, it spins too fast. Adjust the dimmer pedal to slow it down. As you put pressure on the clay, also adjust the dimmer pedal to give full power, so you have maximum torque to work the clay. You are not using the poedal to "set the speed". You are transferring the power from your foot to your hands and back.
its true..if you give pressure it will stop
one thing I would recommend is not throwing directly on the head.... put pins in and use a plastic bat as the head has holes in it from the screws that hold it to the motor and you could get liquid seeping down through. also it keeps the wood head from warping due to water
Two thumbs up for the project. I am in the process of making it right now. Not expecting much like a real potter wheel, but i think it might be a great wheel for a startup child. Concerns i have is the electrical being under the the wheel, i understand that the wheel will be like an umbrella but every once in a while if you press hard enough you will stop the spin and water might drip. Since i encountered the same problem as one of the other people with a wire coming off. I took on the project of taking apart the motor, removing all the wires and substituting them with longer wires... (this involves some soldering, alot of patience to take apart the thing) now i will have the electrical part outside of the bucket away from the water. I will also add an old plastic chopping board to the bottom of the wooden board to eliminate the possibility of water seeping through onto the motor, rubber gaskets possibly where i screw the top board. I think this is a fun project, and thank you so much for the great video.
Layth Sudairy - Very nice modifications. Once you get it done, please upload a video, showing your wheel and improvements to HowToLou@gmail.com, and I will post it on my web site for others to see. Thanks, Lou
Layth Sudairy I'd be concerned about that, too, but wonder if one couldn't just make a more effective umbrella, something like half of a plasic container (like those awful plastic barrels of cheeze puffs you see) sealed like an upside down bowl to the bottom of the upper disc? Your idea sounds great but a little out of my depth -- I could just about do the project as shown : )
Thanks for explaining this so clearly for dummies like me. Can’t wait to make this for my wife.
THIS IS AMAZING!!!! I will definitely be making this, the cheapest potter's wheel I found was 350 and that was used, so this is much more cost effective. Thank you for this.
A good idea would be to stick a plastic crawfish platter between the bucket and motor, so you wont' have to worry so much about everything below the motor getting wet. It could also be removed for cleaning.
Good Lord, how did you ever figure this out. It, and you, are amazing and a very good instructor. I am a 65 y/o woman, and I know I could do this.
+Jeanice Hays - Thanks. I just love to build things :)
Made it, no problems, went perfectly. Thanks Lou
Does it work though?
plz post a video if you still have it
@@daleenross2977 maybe it would work for throwing things one pound or abouts.
Thanks Lou. Following your video, I took a ceiling fan from a dumpster; and came up with a 3 speed, bi-directional, rotary table, for bottle cutting. Thanks again!
Great adaption!!
great video ! clear and precise. Thought I would be a bit nervous about water dripping down to the motor...
This is the clearest and most concise video I've seen on this topic. Thank you for your time and effort.
This is a brilliant idea, a well-executed prototype and great instruction. May seem somewhat dangerous given the water that comes off a wheel head. You've 'properly' isolated the electrical issues in the peanut butter jar except for the penetrations for powercord and switch string. Btw, good choice on the string as a non-conductor control point between power and human. A pull chain is inappropriate when the device contains water and electricity. String is good. Plastic line is better.
A drain hole in the bucket (remember the bucket bottom will have clay end up in the bucket off the wheel and even the clay buildup from dripping water can plug a single hole) or a number of drain holes at different levels is a third level of protection as water should never accumulate to touch the peanut butter jar. So that's your safety barrier.
It ain't UL Listed but it's an excellent pragmatic solution for people who crave the feel of spinning clay but can't afford the ridiculous prices on even used electric wheels. They can adapt their handling to manage three different speeds. Variable speed ala light dimmer can be wired in on the outside of the bucket and wired straight into the jar with the switch on high speed. Not a great solution but, again, cheap and replaceable.
Now if you can figure out how to build a pottery kiln in a refrigerator, the pottery world is at your feet.
Nicely done!
Have to tip my hat at how well the video is made. very clear, lots of tips, no unnecessary chit chat. moves along.
Only at the end, (the Potterywheel itself) i would of had the wheel be broader then the bucket. Now the bucket will collect clay droppings and water
+liefdegator1 - that was by design, not accident. A wheel above the bucket would splatter water and clay everywhere. This design catches it. Cut a hole in the side to empty occasionally.
Thank you so much for taking the time to show this 🙏 I’m only 8 years late in finding this 😆 Your instructions are great !
I tell ya what, I'll give you $50 and take that one there off your hands.
homesweetgliese 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂👍🏼
I'm with you on that one. I'll be happy to pay $50 for them to build it and ship it to me.
I support that idea too!!
Hahahahaha right thats alot of fucking work...
homesweetgliese 😂😂😂😂
Excellent tutorial. I love how you show the basic tools and then the ones that may not be available, but work better, so anyone can try their hand at it without having a lot of the more expensive power tools.Fortunately, I do have them, and will enjoy trying this soon.
this has to be one of the best diy ideas on you tube and so well explained-great video, thank You!
I am a potter (ceramist) i'll try to make this pottery wheel at home, it is an accomplished masterful thing you did..
HI Lou. Great video! your instructions were clear and concise and gave me the confidence to build this for myself, waay the most complicated thing I have built for myself, also gave me an excuse to buy new tools ;). I added a variable speed fan controller also. Results were a little disappointing, torque was low so I guess I didn't get a large enough motor. It might be strong enough to throw cups or smaller items with patience I guess.
+Michael Dausmann - thanks for that comment. Yes, this is no commercial wheel, but way better than a toy wheel, for near the same price.
A couple of suggestions,use a three prong cord and hook up the ground,get a rheostat (a dimmer switch might work) to control the rpm for better control.nice idea and good video.
+Chuck Cassel - Good suggestions. Several people have suggested a sewing machine pedal.
I love the idea! Just want to add that cheap solutions are not always ideal. If you want a professional unit.... We'll then go buy one. Keep it coming Lou.
You could use this for small projects for kids. Maybe add a rheostat like another poster said. Maybe look for a higher torque motor for bigger projects. But for the project and end result in itself, I give it two thumbs up. Nice work HowToLou!
Bro, if you thought of this on your own, you're brilliant!!!!!
I like the way you made the video easy for those who don’t have the fancy tools to make it possible and made genius ways to get the centre or screw holes perfect
Well.....I made my incredible pottery wheel. Thank you so much for this info. I am a 77year old woman, and could follow your instructions. The cost here in South Africa, Bucket R52.00, Second hand ceiling fan R225.00, Plank R170.00 = R447.00 R15.00 = $1
Showed this to my hubby and he said,"how much money do you need to buy one, here it is...." LOL
Sandy Mann Hahah! Exactly.
Lol
Lol
Ha ha... a good potters wheel cost a thousand bucks.
Lol 😂
Perefect step by step instructions for a DIY project. You are some analyst who should be doing computer technology. Incredible instructions. You can even be writing manuals for engg. Companies.
+Cecil D'Souza - Good call! I am a software engineer 😃
Thanks for the great video! Nice to meet on the Internet a creative person with Golden hands and a smart head!
Nice easy design, im building one this week.
Make shure your not barefoot operating this device.
Please add a ground wire to the motor, then use a 3 wire grounded plug insted of a 2 wire setup, it could save your life, then make sure you are plugged into a GFCI, or add one, construction sites use them most often.
Remeber the wet clay come in contact with the four rotating 10-32 mount screws, which are threaded into the motor, if the motor fails internally with no ground, then the user gets it.
Couldn't have said it better myself. Always three prong, always GFCI protected. If your house is older than the 80's make sure its grounded properly by calling an Electrican.
I agree with those statements, but you could also drop the entire setup down into the bucket another 1 inch and put a second wood wheel on the top. Connect the top wood wheel to the lower on the outside using wood screws and you have a built in insulator as well since the metal screws on top are several inches from the metal screws attaching to the main motor. The water won't get to the screws at the motor because it will constantly spin to the outside.
Great video, design and instructions. Thanks for your time, effort, and information, Lou!
Thanks for the hint. I've got my eye on a pedestal fan and some old chairs to make a table. As I'll be using an existing plug in don't need to bother with wiring or burning houses down accidentally.
Best video on this project I found...I was thinking, you could leave the light wire and attach a light to the bucket... And a dimmer as someone else mentioned... Again, great video... Thanks
Improvement type to design....If you are planning on using this with wet clay, why use indoor grade wire nuts? I would recommend instead using (waterproof) automotive quality butt connectors for your wiring connections. You can get them just as cheap if not cheaper than indoor grade wire nuts.
***Also if want extra water proofing you can get rubber shrink (usually sold right next to automotive grade butt connectors at your local auto parts store) and sheath all of the wiring with an overcoat of rubber waterproofing.
Jena Lewis - Great ideas!
+Jena Lewis
My main concern would be the water falling into the motor housing. Make sure and use a three prong AC plug and ground the motor housing. The may help prevent from getting shocked; but, I am wondering how long the motor is going to last if any water makes if off/over the edge wheel head.
We just got a fan motor last weekend and my son and I will start building the rest soon. I am considering setting the head above the level of the bucket so we can use batts and so water is less likely to leak into the bucket.
+Mark Hancock - The original design had the head level below the bucket specifically to catch water. The head is a spinning umbrella over the motor that centrifuges water to the sides of the bucket. After considerable use, I took the head off to find the motor bone dry, as expected. Also, induction motors are known for being best able to operate in humid environments.
+HowToLou
1) Good to hear the motor stays dry.
2) Wouldn't putting the head above the bucket accomplish the same thing? Did you try that? I know the disadvantage would that the bucket would not work as a splash pan; but, my son would like to be able to use a commercially available bat and the smallest bats we can easily get are 12" where the buckets are 11". A bucket-in-a-bucket design could be the best of both if you could find an outer bucket that would work.
Sweet I have always wanted a potters wheel! You have shown how to do this so well! Thank you! Now I’m off to collect the parts I don’t have on hand! Keep up the great tutorials!!!
Silicone the lid to provide a degree of water resistance. Tie a single knot in the power cord after threading it through the jar to prevent it from being pulled out. Given that the plastic jar is a good idea for the electrics, a larger one between the motor and the top plate would protect the motor.
But this is a great idea.
as you increase your potting skills, you will want to have a more direct control over the speed of the wheel. May I suggest a rheostat or potentiometer on a hinged foot pedal?
Great idea. You may want to use a variac (variable transformer) instead of a potentiometer. They cost most ($50), but don't reduce the total power, as you reduce the speed.
I had the same idea, and I congratulate you for the detailed video.
While looking into commercially available pottery wheels, they are using at least a 500 Watt motor, in order to overcome the resistance when applying your hands / pressure into the pottery. I don´t believe that a 50 or 60 Watt ceiling fan motor can accomplish the task, as they would not have enough torque. ¿ what results did you get with this DIY ? Does the motor provide enough power or torque ?
nice job! you might want to tie a knot in the power cord to keep it from being pulled out, they sell extension chains for those pull switches that would look better. I will be making one of these for sure, again, nice job and good luck on future projects!
Hi, about 5 years back I made one pottery wheel using a ac fan motor. The fan motors are capacitor run induction motor. They have very low wattage and low starting torque. Moreover with speed control the torque becomes feeble at low speed. As a result as you try to centre the clay or try to work on the clay, it slows down and stops.
Now all you need is a variable speed foot petal. The other thing I thought of, would be to add a couple pins so you can use a removable bat instead of throwing directly to the wood.
+one234569and10 Both great ideas!
Great video! A solid basis. I will see about adding a variable foot pedal and using a metal stool for the base. I'm also looking for a cotton candy machine bowl to put the wheel inside of. Thanks for the inspiration.
OK that looks like fun, I need a potters well for myself and have no money, so I will probably make at least one or two of these, I do have a question, what do you recommend for the ceiling fans RPM's, just want to make sure we are talking the same speeds for best wheel, Thank you so much for showing us this, really opens up a whole world of pottery for those of us that live on budget. I am a full time psychology student and would like to offer some relaxation pottery and art expression in the form of pottery to my patients, these little beauties of yours really help get that idea up and running.
+Dr Nancy H Franco - Get a ceiling fan with a large wingspan. They all have similar RPMs. Motor power is the most important factor, and blade size directly reflects that. Look on craigslist or at garage sales to get one cheap.
Also, get an on/off foot switch, typically used to control wood router tables. They cost under $20. Leave the fan set to the highest speed, but only step on the switch when your hands are on the clay, or it can go too fast.
Lastly, cut a hole in the side of the bucket, about 3 inches from the bottom, to drain water.
Your project sounds wonderful. Good Luck!
Tried it. I wasn't able to get my clay centered, but that may just be me. True issues I had was that the motor wasn't strong enough to keep going when I was trying to center my clay. The Second is that the excess clay/water has to go somewhere and that's right into the bucket, with no real way to get it back out. Maybe with the bottom removed it would be better - messier, but able to be cleaned up. Third problem I had was that since the whole thing doesn't weight much I had to wrap my feet around the bucket to keep from knocking it over. I'm still keeping it and planning to use it more like a banding wheel.
Thanks for the video - it was worth a try.
Thanks, it worked well for me!! with less than 20$!
This was pretty great. I really like your delivery. Too many videos features a presenter who talks slowly and repeats himself endlessly. Not you!
I subscribed...so where might I find a video of a potter using this wheel?
I admit, I am not a potter. I played with the wheel and made a few small pots, with my non-existent skills, and then I moved on to other projects. I mainly like to build stuff. Hopefully, a real potter will build and use one and post a video.
I TOTALLY agree!! Although I realize not everyone is going to be the sharpest tool in the shed, I figure if you're brave enough to try projects DIY, certainly one could also keep up with a [perfect] demonstration like he gave. Take good care :0)~
I didn't notice any drainage in the bottom. Did I miss it? Do you have problems with water collecting in the bottom?
Very nice BTW, I'm asking, because this is my next project.
Not a bad ideal at all, like it. Wondering if have several speeds?
+Kathey Hickey Van Otten - A sewing machine pedal can help change the speed.
I just loved this video, but my question is when you go and throw your clay and center it with pressure won't that slow the wheel down. I can stop my fan blade with my hand should I use one in making a wheel with a stronger motor?
great video! the way you explained everything was so clear and understanding. Think I will try to build one. I am not a Potter but would like to start.
What a magnificent presentation! If you're not a school teacher in real life, you should be!
Id recommend tying a knot on the inside part of the power cord to keep it from coming out if its pulled on.
Get a piece of formica and glue it to the top. It will protect your wood from moisture damage.
Very inventive. There will always be tweaks to such a project (and that's why we pay big money for it all thought out) - but this is a good idea. 1st thing that came to mind is that you will find it hard to throw a decent pot without control on speed.
i think the wheel needs to be higher and larger than the bucket because when you work clay on a wheel, you get water and clay scraps that will fall into the bucket...would be hard to get out. did you ever take it to a potter to see if it holds up? I'd love to know before i attempt to make one.
+All About Retta - I specifically designed it with the wheel inside the bucket to rduce splash out. I later posted in the comments that it would be a good idea to cut a a hole in the side of the bucket, maybe 4 inches square, and 4 inches up from the bottom of the bucket, as a clean out.
Yes, I did take it to professional potters, and they found it to be a little too fast, but you could add a sewing machine pedal toslow it down. It is also possible to stall it, if you apply pressure too quickly. This is by no means as good as a professional wheel, but way better than a toy wheel from Matel, and is cheap to build, especially if you can get an old fan from a garage sale or CraigsList.
i think its amazing! my husband wants to make one for me...i'll tell him about the sewing machine pedal. thanks!
@@HowToLou HI 😊 I am very excited to make one of these potters wheels.. I would be interested in making one with a sewing machine pedal. Would you mind explaining how I would do that? Or even sharing a link you support. Thank you 😊
Fantastic idea! Great job making this too, by the way. Glad I came across it. I want a wheel but not sure if I want one bad enough to pay a fortune for a new one. What if I decide I’m no good at pottery! Thanks for the great idea. I’m going to try this!
Excelllent vid, great design executed by skilled hands. Rube G. would be proud.
My take...best parts: totally portable, choice of extremely dependable fan motor. Now....where's that ol' compound bucket I had ?
eddie kay - Thanks. I found an old fan motor and bucket. They just seemed like a pottery wheel kit :)
thank you so much brother. now its very easy for me. i think washing machine motor will be good enough for me.... again thank you so much for your time....
I recommend a treadmill motor (can be found on craigslist for free in many areas and is what I used) these are variable speed motors and work better and are smaller than a washing machine motor. add a rheostat and a wha wha pedal for a guitar wire these in series and you have amazing fine tuned speed control comparable to most production wheels
after feeding the power cord through the bucket, you should have put a washer, or just tied the cable in knot for some kind of strain relief. Eventually, someone will unplug it by pulling on the whole unit - potentially yanking those wire connectors.
+Insidious DrNine - Great idiot proofing idea!
I'm going to make this, great idea. Does your motor have different speeds?
good idea, one improvement that i would do is put a AC dimmer for speed regulation regards from mexico
We loved your video, thank you. It's inspired us to make this but also to ask some questions. so, it's been 7 years, and I'm imagining your wife has used the wheel. We're looking into this now, and wondering, what would you have done differently? Is it powerful enough/. Should we use something else, for example, a washing machine motor?
The nice thing about ceiling fan motors is that you can usually get them for free, and you can mount the wheel to them directly. They are super simple to turn into a pottery wheel, and are a little weak, but a great option if you want to see if you like the hobby, without spending a ton. If you are an experienced potter, or have taken a class and are sure you want to do this hobby, then a stronger motor is a better plan. A washing machine motor or garage door would be much more powerful, but harder to build, because you need a belt or chain drive and bearings and a spindle and a mounting flange for the wheel. The hoverboard craze has made DC motors much more available at very reasonable prices, so that could be a good option today.
@@HowToLou Thanks so much for your reply!
Just a thought...for added security regarding electric shock hazard....adhere an improvised plastic lip all the way around the edge of the top wheel t hang down and prevent water buildup in the motor
+Nunya Biznis - The other option is to drill a hole near the bottom of the bucket. The spinning wheel acts both as an umbrella over the motor and a centrifuge that throws water against the inside of the bucket. From there, the water runs down the inside and out the drilled hole. The motor stays completely dry.
+HowToLou I think I would still want the bottom of the wheel to be such that water can't run down the spindle into the motor
+Nunya Biznis - True. I guess even a 1/2 inch drip edge would force any water that runs off the edge of the wheel to go straight down and not run back under the wheel to the spindle. Good idea. Of course, this only is useful when the wheel is stopped. When it is running, the water, dripping of the edge, would get flung to the outside walls.
+HowToLou My thoughts exactly. Awesome project, by the way!
Wow great presentation! Love it. Now to get my son to make it. Brilliant
I have a jig saw and for sure, I can never get a good, even circle with it. Shaky hands is not the only problem. The blades are too deep to make fine turns, depth being the dimension measuring from the front of the blade, the teeth, to the back of the blade.
I remember seeing carpenters, as a child, in my home town, a machine that had two long arms, with a blade stretched between the ends of these arms, that allowed for a large piece of wood to be placed and cut in all kinds of shapes. The extent to which you could turn the piece of wood being cut, as far as I can remember, and how acute the angles traced were, makes me imagine that the blades were almost circular, like a coarse thread/wire cutting through the wood. You are right, a coping saw blade is the closest I see these days to what I remember seeing then. I know that these blades were used to make cut-outs or the silhouettes of people, which would later be lined and filled with serial-bulb lights for hoardings and similar applications.
The closest utility I see today to making really sharp turns while cutting wood, where you can cut forward and almost come back along the same line, is a trimmer, using the thinnest cutting/grinding bit.
Thank you Mr Austin.
***** - This is a very wide turn and a jigsaw would work fine. The band saw I used had a 1/2" blade. A jig saw only has 1/4" so it is even more turnable. To get a perfect circle. attach a short board to the side of the jigsaw and nail one end of the board to the center of the circle you want to cut. As you spin around the circle, the board will constantly keep your jigsaw at the perfect radius.
+HowToLou IF the "short board" is attached in such a way that along the board the front edge of the blade is in line with the screw. I just built a circle cutting jig for my band saw.
The work is good... but i think it will create an issue for slowing the speed. and another big issue is, if we put a weight like 5 kg, so then does it work well or not. Because fan motor heat up fast.
+Kamal Ahmed - You can add a sewing machine pedal or even a foot controlled on-off switch to control the speed. I think 5kg may be too heavy for this wheel. I would keep it around 2kg (5lb). If you want to build a stronger wheel, you might look for a washing machine motor.
Great idea. I plan to make one. Maybe the variable Sewing machine foot control could vary and make for easy stopping. Thanks for this video.
This is great! How was the follow up with the skilled potter? Did you get any feedback?
He made a couple of pots, but said it was a little too fast. I slowed it down with a variac
i wonder if there would be a way to add a sewing machine pedal to it so you could control the speed of the wheel?
+crazybeautiful25 - yes, others have asked that same question, and I do think it would work
You just made me one very happy lady THIS IS PERFECT for a penny pincher like myself who thought she would never have a wheel 😍😍
I will be using some of the concepts from this in the development of my schools satellite altitude determination system's testing rig. This has given me lots of ideas for the testing rig.
Cool! That sounds like a neat project. Good luck with it.
I really liked this video, so detailed, precise, practical, recycled and useful. Thanks so much for sharing and for take your time in editing and explaining the hole video in an excellent way. 👍🏽
Thanks for sharing, I will use everything except pull. i will use a rheostat.
this is incredible Lou. Can't wait to check out more of our videos
Great tutorial, the only change I would make would be to lower the whole mechanism about another 1/2 inch into the bucket. Also you might try an AC speed controller on the motor.
Great idea! That lets me have a pottery wheel sooner than I thought I could. Thanks for saving me money!
Very impressive video , clear instructions
With a gear and belt system you can get variable speed or a flying wheel and ratchet and pedal you can make it electicity free
+MsPlastina1 - Yes, there are many ways to make a wheel. This design optimizes simplicity.
I am thinking the wood will deteriorate over time. What other material can you use? Also, I am thinking some water may get down inside the bucket with time. Is it possible to have it lifted higher? I am thinking it will protect everything the bucket ang give more life to the wheel?
Thank your for posting. It was very informative. I think I can make something like a functional pottery wheeler. Can you do something with making a garden fence? Thank you.
You would use 3/8 inch plexiglass. It’s harder to cut, but would last forever. I ended up drilling a hole in the side of the bucket, a couple inches from the bottom. Sorry I don’t have a garden fence video.
Here is a wood shutter video that might give you inspiration. How To Make Real Wood Shutters for $30
th-cam.com/video/g58xOusl7WU/w-d-xo.html
Brilliant, I Love it. a variable speed fan control switch, could make a big difference.
Thank you so much brother. I also wanna know that if I start work on and i try to set my clay on the center ( you know it increases the preasure ) so, does it stop spinning or not? because fan motor and washing machine motor stops easly when you put a force on anti clockwise.
+Kamal Ahmed - This wheel You is much stronger than a toy wheel, but not as strong as a real one. You can put some pressure on it, but if you put too much, too fast, it will stop, You just have to go a little slower with what you make. Washing machine motors are actually much stronger. Its harder to move wet clothes, than air, so they need a bigger motor. Here is a video where I take apart a washing machine. You can see the motor, there: th-cam.com/video/eEG9vX4rpmo/w-d-xo.html
Very good video. Would like to see you build a wood gasifier and am really interested in learn how to make an inexpensive biodiesel plant.
LOL! I will get right on those 😃. We are just starting a garden, so maybe the biodiesel one first.
That would be great. You have a good way of describing the steps.
The gasifier is interesting. Apparently these can be used to provide gas from burning wood to fuel lanterns and a stove. I am not sure how that would be plumbed. Let me know what you think
You need to ground the motor housing/mount and use a three-wire plug that's plugged into a GFCI. This design won't disconnect the current/protect you if water gets into the motor.
That was amazing. I wish you lived closer to me, I would get you to make me one. Unfortunately, I don't have the tools to make it, but what a brilliant idea!
Sonya Nicol how would you get him to sacrifice another fan
Hello! Great video. You really explain it well! Do you think/know if normal stand alone fans would work for this?
Normal fans spin way faster than ceiling fans, so they would not be good here.
@@HowToLou ok, thank you!😁
I would also move the switch to the outside of the bucket and make it a variable speed connection. You can use a relatively high speed for some parts of the throwing process, but you need to bring the speed down as you finalize the piece. You might also consider adding a layer of quickcrete at the bottom of the bucket to make it a bit more stable. Great idea!!
i think like a fan for the ceiling each time you pull the string would be slow fast and faster?
You should have used "Righteous Brothers - Unchained Melody" as background music starting in 12:35 .
Keep up the good work!
I love the step by step instructions. How much would you charge to make me one :-)
Sorry, I do not build them for other people. Show the video to all your handy friends. I am sure one can build it for you.
Sweet...not much of a potter but a excellent builder....thanks for that...
Good tutorial, however, it would be beneficial to add some variable resistance to the cables, then connect that to the motor. This will allow for different speeds. A home made pedal could also be easily added.
Omg!! I know this video is old, but this is by far, THE best tutorial video ever!!!