Banding wheels are useful tools to have in your pottery studio.
I get a lot of questions about banding wheels so let’s talk a bit about them today. I have 3 in my studio and will use one over another based on what I’m doing at the time. You can definitely get by with only one, I just usually have a lot of stuff going on in my studio so having multiples makes sense for me.
The 3 I use are:
- CSI Turntable – This is a very affordable, general use model. I use this a lot when spraying glaze.
- Amaco Decorating Wheel No. 5 – This is in the middle of the range price-wise. I really like using this one when working on plates because it comes apart making it very easy to flip the plates back onto a ware board.
- Shimpo BW-22L – The most expensive of the 3 I have and for good reason. This heavy banding wheel offers ultra-smooth rotation, even at slow speeds that seems to go on forever.
Here’s the video with all the details.
https://vimeo.com/299084061
Can’t wait to add a shimpo to my collection. I have several as well. In a pinch, a cheap plastic Wilton cake lazy susan works okay too. Has noticeable wobble, and the weight has to be evenly distributed for it to turn without any catches. But it’s a great economical option for those starting out too. 😉
The shimpo is well worth the investment. I bought my at NCECA a few years ago and love it!
Jess 🙂