How to make a potter's wheel with your own hands - a practical guide. How to make a potter's wheel with your own hands Do-it-yourself potter's wheel from a washing machine

A potter's wheel for a novice master is an expensive pleasure. The simplest circle of a foreign company costs about $500. That is why our craftsmen were tasked with making a potter's wheel from a washing machine so that the project could then be implemented by hand at home. As a basis, you can take both an activator and a drum type machine. But first things first.

We prepare everything you need

We will consider making a potter's wheel with our own hands using the example of an activator washing machine. You can even buy such a machine, and if you have an old and at the same time working washing machine, then you will save about 1,500 rubles more.

Important! The activator in the washing machine must be located at the bottom of the machine strictly horizontally, without tilting.

In addition to the washing machine, we will need a dozen more necessary parts, without which it will not work to make a potter's wheel with our own hands. Namely:

  • a piece of moisture resistant plywood;
  • the simplest microcircuit that regulates engine speed with a switch;
  • moisture resistant varnish and paint;
  • White Spirit;
  • wheel turned to size;
  • plastic medicine bottle
  • any switch;
  • insulating tape;
  • silicone sealant;
  • tin for soldering;
  • bolts, washers, nuts and screws.

In addition to materials, some more tools are needed, it is also better to prepare them in advance. Nothing special, just:

  1. felt-tip pen;
  2. wooden ruler;
  3. a hacksaw with small teeth, it is possible for metal;
  4. sharp knife;
  5. a set of screwdrivers and keys;
  6. pliers;
  7. multimeter;
  8. soldering iron.

Making a circle and protecting

We begin the alteration of our primitive washing machine with our own hands. The alteration is not God knows what, but as a result, savings of several tens of thousands of rubles. So, let's start by partially disassembling the body of the activator washing machine in order to determine the location of the most important parts - the motor, electrics and drive mechanism. We will remove the drive belt, pulley and other parts with our own hands to expose the shaft.

At this stage, we have the first difficulty, namely, we have a shaft, some kind of drive mechanism and a motor, but we do not have an impeller on which the rotating circle will be fixed. What to do? We have no choice but to take the dimensions of the shaft and order the impeller from the turner. The turner should carve something similar to the part shown in the picture below.

We will not indicate the dimensions, since they are purely individual and will depend on the size and type of the washing machine that will be taken for alteration. We carefully paint the turned part, and then put it aside for a while.

Before painting, the part must be carefully sanded with your own hands, removing traces of rust and dirt.

Now we need to cut out a circle from a piece of moisture-resistant plywood, as shown in the figure below. We impregnate the circle with varnish, which we mix with white spirit in advance, on this circle we will have a clay blank.

We will assemble two parts of the impeller, put the wheel on the shaft with our own hands, thus preparing the part for installation on the drive mechanism. The working part of the circle, which will hold the rotating workpiece, must be well centered. Otherwise, the workpiece will rotate unevenly, which will lead to problems when making clay objects.

Next, we need to protect the drive mechanism from moisture and corrosion. To do this, we take an ordinary plastic bottle from vitamins or medicines and put it on the shaft, after which we securely fasten the impromptu part with a nut. On this, the assembly of the working part of the potter's wheel can be stopped, let's move on to the body of the washing machine.

We don’t need most of the washing tank, so we take a hacksaw and cut the tank without mercy, leaving only the bottom with the activator and low sides around the edges. With the body of the potter's wheel and the movable mechanism, everything is now the most difficult - connecting the engine and electrician.

We connect the engine

About that, we have repeatedly written in other publications of our site. Nevertheless, we will describe this process once again, taking into account the peculiarities of converting a washing machine into a household potter's wheel.

First, we need to determine the identity of each wire sticking out of the activator-type washing machine engine. It is better to do this, guided by the electrical circuit diagram, but if it is not at hand, you will have to use the “poke method”. We need to find the wires:

  • engine speed controllers (if any);
  • going to the stator winding;
  • two wires going to the brushes.

We open the supply wire and install a switch on it. We cut a groove for the switch in a convenient place in the case. All wires are carefully insulated. If possible, then you need to put rubber cambric on each wire or, at worst, wrap each wire with electrical tape.

Next, we mount and connect the device that regulates the engine speed. Such a device is connected to the supply wire and two wires that control the speed of the motor. After that, we put the pulley in place, put on the drive belt, insert and fasten the shaft with the impeller. Then we assemble the body, pass the groove with a sealant so that water does not get into it once again and that's it, the assembly of the electric potter's wheel can be considered complete.

In any case, the engine speed will have to be reduced, otherwise, at a speed of 500-700 rpm, the clay billet, under the action of centrifugal force, will fly into the wall.

In conclusion, we note that it is possible to assemble an excellent electric potter's wheel for beginners with your own hands without a special tool and special technical knowledge. The main thing is that there is a desire, tools and materials, and, of course, hands that are not used to being bored. The rest is a matter of technique, good luck!

With the help of this instruction, you will be able to make a potter's wheel with your own hands with adjustable rotation speed.

Making a potter's wheel with your own hands

Step 1. We prepare the necessary

So, let's begin. Here is a list of what I used:

10mm drill

A handful of self-tapping screws

Pedal from an old sewing machine

old drill

Multiple terminals for wiring

Silicone sealant

Carriage bolt and nuts

Turntable (I bought mine for 240 rubles)

Extension

Step 2. Drilling a Hole

This is a very simple procedure as most 5 liter pails have a raised mark in the center. It is in this place that a 10 mm drill drill a hole. Then make a 15mm wire hole in the bottom quarter of the bucket.

1. Center


Step 3. Now let's work with a drill

It is at this stage that mistakes can be made. The first thing to do is to check whether the current and voltage in the two devices that will be the basis of our product match. The easiest way to check this is by reading the information on the product tags. Why is it so important? If your pedal is rated for a lower amperage, it will overheat, smoke, or even catch fire.

In my case, it works from 25 amps, and the drill - from 2. So there is nothing to worry about.

1. Look how shiny it is.

Step 4: Reworking the Plug

First, mark the two center wires with duct tape. We will connect these wires together later.

1. These two wires are connected inside

Cut off the plug that connected to the sewing machine. As a result, you should have a pedal in one hand and a plug in the other.

Pull all the wires through the hole you drilled on the side of the bucket.

Remember those two wires you marked? Twist them together and secure with the wiring terminal.

To prevent accidents, I treated the connection with silicone sealant. Connect the remaining two wires to the waterproof extension socket.

Fix one wire on the copper contact, and the second on the silver one. But what to do with the green contact? In my case, it remained unused, since the device was not provided with grounding.

Warning:

Remember that I am not an electrician. The wiring will be placed inside the bucket, where moisture can get in, so it is better to take extra precautions: carefully insulate all splices and connect the ground. I wanted to connect a ground fault circuit breaker, but I wasn't sure if the device would work correctly with it. But I have an outlet with such a switch at home, and it is to it that I connect my potter's wheel.

Let's continue. It's time to test and make sure everything works correctly. Connect the pedal to the socket and the drill to the new plug. Press the drill trigger and gently press the pedal. If nothing happens, check all connections and try again.

Step 5. Making a Circle

It's time to take apart my turntable. The tray I used had a raised mark in the center.

Also, the center can be determined by the location of the rod in the lower part. Drill a hole in the turntable lid.


1. Don't lose this item.

Insert a carriage bolt into the hole so that its head is on top of the cover.

Turning the cover over, you will notice that there is a small gap between the bolt shaft and the surface, it is better to fill it with silicone sealant.

Now you will need two 6mm nuts. Thread one of these onto the bolt and tighten until the head of the bolt is slightly sunk into the tray lid.

And then I ran into a problem: my old device for drilling did not have a reverse, which meant that when rotating the nut would loosen. There are several solutions to this problem.

1. use another device.
2. Use a bolt and nut with a left-hand thread.
3. figure out how to fix the nut.

I chose the third option. With the help of a chisel and a hammer, I slightly deformed the first tightened nut, then tightened another one, deformed it again, and filled everything with silicone to be sure.

Step 6: Putting All the Parts Together

At this stage, you will have to be creative. You will need to center the drill and attach it to the bottom of the bucket at the right angle. I was lucky because it came with a mounting bracket, which made installation much easier. To align the tool with the 6mm hole I drilled at the beginning of the job, I used a wedge made from a 50x100mm piece of wood and some self-tapping screws.

1. Useful find.

Coat the bottom of the turntable with a fair amount of silicone and place it on top of the bucket so that the bolt hits the drill chuck exactly. Tighten the chuck.

Connect the drill to the pedal plug. Pull the trigger all the way and lock it in that position.

Step 7. It's time to have some fun

The device is ready and you can test it in action. After the silicone has dried, unplug the potter's wheel and spray it with water to check for leaks. If water gets inside, you need to seal the cracks with silicone.

Congratulations, you have made an excellent potter's wheel, now you can test it in action.

Test results.

I have been using my product for a while. I note that it works great, but I can give you some tips for upgrading:

1. It is better to provide a speed limiter in the pedal (it can be a thin bar placed under its cover). Without a limiter, the rotation speed will be too high, because of this, not very good pots are obtained, and sometimes the clay flies completely.

2. I sculpted a complex product, while my device worked continuously for 2 hours. After turning it off, I noticed that the drill got very hot. So now I put some wooden bars under the bucket. This provides better air circulation and cooling.

3. You can use a more powerful tool as a basis. Mine works fine, but if you put a lot of clay on the wheel, you can hear that it is difficult for him to cope with the load.

Oct 8, 2017 abraxams

Watching a potter while making a product on a potter's wheel is a magical sight. This article will show you how to make a potter's wheel with your own hands and start creating things. If your goal as an artist is to create unique items, then this type of potter's wheel is perfect for you.

Just find a 360-degree rotating bucket, use a few items from home and you'll be done in 10 minutes. The project is inexpensive and works just as efficiently as any potter's wheel. With a little practice I can center, twist and turn this potter's wheel well. After correcting the oscillations, centering is now automatic thanks to the concentric circles on the potted plant tray.

The foot potter's wheel is inexpensive, lightweight, portable and takes up little space. What's great is that there's no soldering, no heavy machinery, and she works on her feet. The best part is it doesn't require electricity.

Here is a short compilation of all my videos after I learned how to throw mop buckets on a potter's wheel after 50 throws in 14 days.

Step 1: Collect materials

What you will need:

  • Circular Mop Bucket
  • Plastic pots or boxes to increase the height of the potter's wheel
  • plastic pallet
  • Strong adhesive such as polyurethane or a hot glue gun
  • Level

Here is a video from the first day of assembly and a performance test of the pottery. Everything was strange and incomprehensible until I eliminated the hesitation.

Step 2: Glue it all together


Surprisingly, the lightweight materials worked well when I filled the bottom bucket with small rocks. I placed the weights around the center hub and that somehow helped slow down the spin a lot as the circle was moving too fast and wobbly and things were getting out of control. Not all buckets for 360-degree mops are built the same way. Some mechanisms are better than others and run more smoothly.

Glue all the buckets and trays in the correct order. Use a level to make sure everything is running smoothly.
The design of this potter's wheel can be changed in many ways - it's up to your personal taste. You need to find buckets and flower pot trays that reach the height you feel most comfortable with. If you need to redo your design, the hot glue can be easily removed by spraying some lysol alcohol and using pliers.

If the wheel of the circle is below your waist level, then you can use the lever and your body weight to lift the walls of the product. Thus, your body will be positioned more ergonomically and it will help to avoid back pain.

Step 3: Start spinning - examples of work





Show 4 more images





Initially I started with a hard piece of clay that was really hard to shape. Also, the higher the circle was, the more it swayed. I looked under the mop bucket and noticed that the pieces were twisted unevenly.

I removed the buckets, rearranged them, and placed small rocks and sand in the inner spinning bucket. After that, everything became more stable. The wobble is still there, especially at fast speeds - however your skills will improve and you will start enjoying the job very soon.

The second time I used pliable and prepared brown stoneware clay.

Step 4: Rolling Method

In Asia, there is a rolling method, when a clay product is started to be rolled right on the wheel. After seeing the method used by Korean and Japanese potters, I decided to try this path myself. Their method saves energy, water and clay waste becomes smaller.

Rolling method:

  1. Roll out or flatten a round tile on the wheel
  2. Attach thick walls to it.
  3. Slowly turn the wheel and start processing.
  4. Below is an example of how I made a lid for a cookie container and a cup on the wheel.

Step 5: Firing products


How to fire clay creations if you don't have access to a kiln?

Several inventors have successfully used the clay kiln to fire bricks. The rocket furnace consumes little fuel, but is capable of maintaining temperatures up to 650 degrees Celsius (or more).

Little smoke comes from it, and your clay products will become durable.

Watch the video on how you can make a rocket oven and use it as an oven. (Note, to prevent scalding of food, the inventors installed a baffle plate between the flames from the rocket oven at the bottom inside the cooking chamber.)

Another option is the barrel oven, which can easily be used as a kiln. Materials include oven tray, metal barrel and pipe. The kiln uses very little wood and reaches temperatures of 1,100 degrees Celsius—hot enough to fire the shard and glaze.

A third idea might be to use a collapsible metal BBQ camp stove or rocket stove that can fire small items.

The fourth idea is a barrel-type oven using sawdust.

It cannot be said that pottery has become very popular, but the interest in it among many of our compatriots has begun to return. Do-it-yourself clay crafts are interesting for all ages and genders: children and the elderly, boys and girls, men and women.

To be successful, three conditions must be met.

  1. Have clay. Even for urban dwellers, this task is feasible, you can always find tips on finding clay on the Internet. And in the villages, almost every farmstead has clay underfoot.
  2. Have a potter's wheel. Difficulties may arise here. For the more prosperous part of our society, it is not a problem to buy such a device, although it is not cheap. As for the rest, they can make a circle on their own, below in this article we will give detailed recommendations.
  3. To have a wish. This is where unexpected problems can arise. Unfortunately, for many, the desire to do something with their own hands quickly passes. The reasons are various, from physical and moral fatigue, to ordinary laziness and unwillingness to show strength of character.

If you are sure that you can fulfill all three conditions without any problems, then you can proceed to the main thing - the manufacture of a potter's wheel.

Equipment typesnand I

Nothing can be done without preparation, it is recommended to carefully and slowly consider each new business, draw up a preliminary plan of action, evaluate your material capabilities and practical skills. Before you start making a potter's wheel, you should find out its types, technical features, strengths and weaknesses.

As the excavations of historians show, the potter's wheel can be called one of the first machines invented by mankind. Moreover, the decision was so successful that even today there have been no fundamental changes in the design, it has the same separate elements. Only the drive differs, and professional potters still prefer the foot drive. Such circles have been used for many hundreds of years.

Machine components

  1. Flywheel. It is made of stone, metal or heavy wood, can have a diameter of up to one meter. The task of the flywheel is to accumulate kinetic energy and gradually release it as needed to form clay products.
  2. vertical axis. Transmits rotation from the flywheel to the potter's wheel. To reduce friction forces, rolling bearings or special bushings with a low slip coefficient are used.
  3. Potter's wheel. It produces products from clay.
  4. Bench for sitting. It can be made on the same frame with the machine or be separate.

Additionally, a bowl is sometimes installed to collect waste and clay residues.

Regardless of the material of manufacture, drive, dimensions and other factors, the basic engineering scheme of the potter's wheel does not change.

What types of circles by type of drive are currently used?

type of driveBrief Description of Features
A traditional potter's wheel that has been used for many hundreds of years. The master with one foot gives the flywheel rotational movements, hands at this time are free and are engaged in the manufacture of handicrafts. The flywheel has different sizes and weights, the values ​​of the accumulated energy depend on these parameters. It must be understood that a heavy circle is more difficult to rotate with your foot, it has a large inertia force. Such machines are the easiest to make on your own, it is easier to learn how to work on them. In addition, the foot mechanisms almost do not break. The reason is very simple - they have nothing to break. The fewer parts a mechanism has, the higher its reliability, this is an axiom of the actions of designers.

Appeared in England during the development of industry. The design at that time was advanced and successful; in the middle of the century before last, mass production even began. The author of the mechanical potter's wheel is known, this is the potter Bernard Leach. The flywheel was driven by a pedal, and it was connected to the axis by a crank mechanism. The disadvantages of the device are that it is quite difficult to bring a heavy flywheel out of rest.

Such a drive greatly facilitated the work of the craftsmen, all the mechanical work was performed by an electric motor. The machine worked without a heavy and large flywheel, the dimensions and weight were significantly reduced. The disadvantages of the machine are attachment to electrical networks, the mechanical complexity of the design, and a rather high cost. Pottery is always associated with water and clay, and these are the main enemies of mechanisms. Electric circles are much more likely to fail and require periodic maintenance. In addition, in damp rooms, the risks of electric shock to people increase significantly.

In the article we will consider the manufacturing technology of only the simplest and most reliable circles.

iMold Basic Pottery Wheel Prices

iMold Basic compact potter's wheel

It will not be difficult to make such a potter's wheel if you know the main principles and requirements. We will stop on them. What nodes does the potter's wheel consist of and what are the requirements for them?

frame

The supporting frame to which all other parts of the mechanism are attached. The main requirements for the frame are rigidity and stability. It is subject to heavy loads, including dynamic ones. If during the manufacture of clay crafts the machine twitches, then this causes a marriage.

For the manufacture of our frame, it took two meters of board 40x200mm and seven meters of bar 40x50mm. The strength of the legs of the machine is increased by jumpers, all connections are made in half a tree, self-tapping screws and bolts are used from hardware. Under a flywheel with a diameter of 1 m, the distance between the legs of the frame must be at least 60 cm, otherwise it will not fit into the free space and adjustments will have to be made to the design.

Axis

We make it from a pipe Ø 25mm, bearings fit perfectly on it. Axle length 83 cm. Finding them in the village is not a problem. The lower bearing is roller thrust. The resource of operation of such bearings is huge, they will work forever on a potter's machine, if they are not deliberately filled with water and beaten with a sledgehammer.

A mounting hole Ø 52 mm is drilled under the lower bearing and the cage is tightly clogged. A through hole is made in the upper bar of the frame, the upper bearing together with the housing is fixed to it.

working disk

It is made from several layers of plywood, the total thickness of the disc is at least five centimeters. If it is thin, then the axis is fixed only from the outside, and the disk staggers during operation. As practice shows, the axle must enter the disk to a depth of at least three centimeters, only in this way is the strength of the fit ensured.

A technological hole for the pipe (non-through) is drilled in the center and a metal flange with a stopper is screwed. Due to this element, the upper disk is rigidly fixed to the end of the pipe and rotates with it.

Flywheel

It can be made solid from boards or empty from sheet plywood. The first option is expensive and time-consuming, the second is much easier. In the future, the empty cavity of the flywheel is filled with sand, it becomes heavy and copes with its tasks perfectly.

From plywood 9 mm thick, it is necessary to cut two identical circles with an electric jigsaw and pull them together using small wooden blocks. The thickness and, accordingly, the weight of the flywheel depend on their size. A strip of plywood 4 mm thick is screwed along the perimeter onto the self-tapping screws; before screwing the surface, it is imperative to lubricate it with wood glue. The heavier the flywheel, the more it accumulates kinetic energy, which is very important for working on the machine. The element is fixed to the axis with a metal flange installed exactly in the center of the circle.

After all the components and parts are prepared, you can start assembling.

Step 1. Attach the bottom board of the frame to the legs. It is fixed with bolts, it is not necessary to tighten it strongly, this is done only after assembling and checking all the elements.

Step 2 Install the lower thrust roller bearing race into the hole.

Step 3 Put the axle on the flywheel, put the washer to adjust the height. Install the assembled assembly in place.

Step 4 Set the top bar. Put it on the axis, screw it to the legs with bolts.

Screw the upper ball bearing to the bar, lock the axle in the flanges.

Step 5 Attach the upper working disk to the axis. Install a foot brace.

Step 6 Tighten the bottom bolts until tight. To increase the rigidity of the structure, one more stop should be placed diagonally. You can use an ordinary wooden handle from a bayonet shovel.

Step 7 Pour sand into the flywheel, close the hole. You can start working on the machine.

Prices for popular models of screwdrivers

Screwdrivers

Step-by-step instructions for making a circle with an electric drive

We will consider a simple manufacturing option from improvised materials. You will have to find only an electric motor from a washing machine or other household appliance and a wheel from a bicycle.

Step 1. Cut two corners about 50 cm long with a shelf width of 45 mm. On the side faces with a grinder, cut out recesses of 1 cm and 5 cm.

Step 2 Weld these corners together, you will get the upper platform of the supporting frame of the machine, in the future all other elements are mounted on it.

Step 3 Pass the axle shaft with the flange into the hole, put a ball bearing on top of it. Adjust the position of the parts, install them in a strictly vertical position and grab the bearing.

Important. During welding, do not overheat the outer race, do not allow metal tempering.

Prices for popular models of welding machines

Welders

The loads on the nodes of the potter's wheel are insignificant, there is no need to completely scald the bearing, it is enough to grab it in several places.

Step 4 Make a hole in the axle shaft and insert a threaded stud. Then it must also be welded, achieve complete alignment of the parts.

Step 5 Put the wheel rim from the bicycle on the axle, fix its position with the nut. Both front and rear wheels can be used.

Step 6 From the other end of the welded corners, drill four holes to fix the electric motor. The distance between them and the diameter is selected depending on the parameters of the housing flange, each engine has its own characteristics. In our case, an engine from an old washing machine was used. It comes with a set of high-capacity capacitors, due to which it can be operated from a single-phase home network.

Step 7 Cut the metal between the holes with a grinder, remove the strips. Due to this refinement, it will be possible to adjust the tension of the drive belt, it will not slip, the wheel will rotate at the same speed.

Step 8 At the bottom of the frame, adjust any stops to secure the bearing race. Along the perimeter of the frame, weld four vertical posts for the potter's wheel table.

Step 9 From a piece of sheet iron, cut a plate of suitable size. We use the door of an old refrigerator, cut a hole in it for the axis of the machine. The hole can be made with a grinder.

  1. Draw a circle in the right place. The diameter should allow the axis to rotate without problems.
  2. In a circle, cut several diameters with a grinder, the more there are, the better.
  3. Fold up all the triangles and cut off the vertical ends.

Put the sheet in place, drill holes in it and the frame and screw it with bolts. Now we need to make a circle for the work of the master. We also make it from sheet steel, only the thickness of the metal should be at least 2 mm.

Making the top circle

Step 1. Weld the metal to the axle flange, the connection must be strong, the safety of working on the potter's wheel depends on this.

Step 2 Assemble the machine and turn on the engine. With a grinder on a rotating metal, mark the circle. Stop the machine and cut off excess metal.

Step 3 Turn on the machine again and remove all rust from the surface of the sheet iron. First work with a grinder, then with an emery cloth, remove the burrs and sharp edges.

Prices for angle grinders (grinders)

Angle grinders (grinders)

Practical advice. Adjust the number of revolutions of the working circle by changing the diameter of the drive pulley. It is mounted on the rotor shaft of an electric motor.

If desired, the surface of the machine can be cleaned of old paint and rust and painted with resistant paints for outdoor use. But it is not necessary to do this, after a few days of work the potter's wheel will get dirty with clay and the paint will be invisible. This is the working state of the machine, do not pay attention.

Video - DIY potter's wheel

Pottery is one of the most fascinating and accessible crafts; it is never too late to learn how to make various clay dishes with your own hands. But for this you need to have a special workshop, working with clay in an apartment is very inconvenient. If there is a workshop, then it is advisable to expand the scope of your activities and start doing no less useful and exciting carpentry. Circular saw table- the first equipment that should take its place in the workshop. Manufacturing instructions

Most likely, every lover of clay products at least once wondered if it was possible to do it yourself. The potter's wheel is one of the oldest mechanisms that were invented by people, and pottery is one of the very first crafts.

Let's figure out what the potter's machine is made of and how to make a potter's wheel with your own hands. It is a frame on which an axis with a flywheel is vertically fixed below, and a desktop is located on top. You need to work on the potter's wheel while sitting on a chair, and the level of the table depends on the height of the person who will work. One thing is important - the table should be approximately at the level of the lower back. The flywheel should be located at a close distance, because it will need to be reached with the foot. It can be done from either side, depending on which foot will be more convenient to work with.

The main part of the machine can be made using wood. Let's take boards with a thickness of about 25 or 50 mm. You need to connect everything with spikes with glue, because the design must be strong enough.

The hardest part is the axle with bearings and the flywheel. To make an axis, you need to choose a bar made of hardwood (section 35 by 30 mm). For the manufacture of a tapered bearing, you will have to find metal. On the machine, a bearing is machined, consisting of two parts. The first part is a tube with an outer cone attached to the axle, and the second part is a tube with an inner cone attached to the frame. The material will serve. As for the outer cone, vinyl plastic or fluoroplastic is suitable here.

Before you fully assemble the machine, you will need to lubricate the bearings, you can do this or some other grease.

It remains to make the desktop itself and the flywheel. Without them, we will not be able to make a potter's wheel with our own hands. The table is made from a board, for example, from a piece of thick plywood about fifteen centimeters. It is necessary to cut a circle out of it, with a diameter of 20-25 cm. Exactly in the center of the circle, make a kolobashka about five cm high. There should be a hole that is equal to the diameter of the axle. The desktop is mounted as tightly as possible on the upper edge of the axis, it will be held there by

It should be said about the flywheel, because it must be massive. It is necessary that one push is enough for two or three dozen revolutions. If the flywheel is light, it will be hard to work, because you have to push it often enough. We will make the flywheel from two layers of boards, which we will glue in the form of a cross. In the center we make a hole for the axle. The diameter of the flywheel will be approximately 8 cm. Remember, the flywheel must be connected to the axle before installing the upper disk.

All parts of the potter's wheel need to be processed two or even three times, it is best to do this with hot drying oil. The fact is that pottery is a rather whimsical process, because water is constantly needed and splashes fly everywhere. You can also paint with oil paint a couple of times. The table can be covered with plastic or some other waterproof material.

As you can see, you can assemble a potter's wheel with your own hands with enough effort.

In today's toy market, you can find an alternative children's potter's wheel.

With it, children will be able to develop a love of work, beauty and creativity. It comes with a set of paints, with which you can immediately paint your creation.