How To Make A DIY Electric Pottery Wheel
When it comes to learning how to make a DIY electric pottery wheel, there are a number of considerations that need to be made. There are those who may believe that making a reliable electric DIY pottery wheel is beyond their grasp. I myself used to believe that too, and not that long ago either. However, the process of creating a home made pottery wheel is much easier than you may have realized.
That’s why I am here to help out and share some tips with you on how to do this project. You do not have to be an expert as far as pottery or electrical knowledge is concerned and you do not need any prior experience. Learning how to make a DIY electric pottery wheel does not require any sort of massive tutorial.
It is important to remember that the electric wheel will be around water so you will need to take the proper precautions in order to avoid electrocution.
Other than that, the process is much easier than most realize. Be sure to read on and learn more about the best electric DIY portable pottery wheel and the steps that you can take in order to create one of your own.
Step 1: Gathering All of the Necessary Materials
Before you can get started in earnest, you need to make sure that you have all of the necessary tools. There are a few basic parts that those who are planning to create their own pottery wheel will need to gather in order to successfully complete the project in a timely fashion.
For starters, you are going to need a 3/8 drill bit. Once you have acquired this item, you are also going to require a decent amount of drywall screws. Grab a good sized handful so that you can be sure you have enough for the task at hand. Don’t worry about any overages. You can simply save these screws for other projects that you are going to complete.
After all, once you have learned how to make your own DIY pottery wheel, there is nothing that will be beyond your grasp. An old sewing machine pedal, a few wire nuts and and old drill are also needed. Get yourself some silicone caulk, a Lazy Susan (these are not that expensive, by the way), a carriage bolt and nuts and some extension cord receptacles as well. From there, you are good to go.
Step 2: Creating a Hole In Your Bucket
Obviously, the bucket is the centerpiece of the whole operation and it is impossible to proceed until you have procured the right one. Once you have obtained all of the items above, it is time to create a hole in your bucket. This is the step that just about anyone can accomplish, regardless of their skill level. Who can’t puncture a bucket if they need to?
However, it is important to note that there is a certain level of rhyme and reason taking place here. If you are using the typical five gallon bucket, there is a place where the hole can go that should be obvious to anyone with a functional set of eyes. There is a small molding mark on the vast majority of these buckets and this gives you an easy place to put your hole.
The hole should be 3/8″ once it is drilled and you will also need to drill a secondary hole roughly three quarters of the way down the bucket. This hole needs to be roughly 1/2″ wide so that the cord has plenty of space to go through. For those who have never taken on a task of this magnitude, this is one of the easiest steps of all.
Step 3: And Now….The Fun Can Truly Begin
This is where the true nitty gritty begins to take place. While just about anyone with functioning arms and legs can achieve the first two steps, this is where we separate the contenders from the pretenders. This is the step where the powered bit is going to come into play. Read closely because this is where mistakes are often made.
Don’t make the mistake of skimming and assuming that you are already well aware of how to handle this step. It is one of the most common mistakes that is made by those who wish to learn how to make their own DIY pottery wheel. The first and arguably most important thing that needs to be done is matching up the voltages.
The drill and the old foot pedal that you took from the old sewing machine will both need to be at the same level of voltage and amperage. If they are not, you are in for a world of hurt. In order to find out more about this aspect of the proceedings, you are going to need to look at the detail plates. They will let you know more about this important information.
Once you have taken a proper look at the detail plates, it is time to make sure that you are not going to catch on fire. Let’s say that you decide not to align the amperage and the voltage. You are actually placing yourself at serious risk. Overheating takes place when the amperage and voltage is not lined up. There is no reason to put yourself at increased risk by searching for wiggle room that simply is not there.
Make sure that to follow this particular step to the letter. If you do not, there is no telling what will happen next. With that being said, let us move on to the next step, shall we ?
Step 4: Time To Perform Plug Surgery
Pick up the plug that you are going to be using and take a moment to properly mark it. The two wires in the middle are the ones that are going to have to be marked because we will be returning to them later on. A failure to do will cause you a great deal of annoyance during the latter stages of the DIY pottery wheel building process.
For best results, use a Sharpie or a piece of tape as a means of marking the wires. Now, we are at the point where some whacking and chopping can finally be done. This may seem deceptively simple to some but we are urging you to pay close attention before any mistakes are actually made. It is not as simple as grabbing your cutting implements and hacking away.
The foot from the old sewing machine that you are using will now be operated on. You are going to have to cut this part so that the surgery can take place. Cutting the plug’s end off should leave you with two separate piles that are both going to play a rather important role during the steps that are still to come. The end of the power plug and the foot pedal both need to be kept safe in the meantime.
This is where the hole that you drilled into the side of the bucket is going to come in handy. Now, you are going to have your chance to thread the wires through this hole. Do you remember the part of this step where you were told to mark the plug? Hopefully, you listened. Now you can simply twist them together and from there, you can also wire nut them.
There is a slight possibility that these wires could get wet and that is the last thing that we want, right? That is why you are advised to use a little bit of silicon as a means of sealing up the connection. Grab a female extension cord plug at this time and wire the two wires inside of it. One wire will be attached to the silver colored screw and the other wire will be attached to the copper colored screw.
Depending on whether the foot pedal has a ground wire or not, you may also need to attach this wire to the green colored screw. If not, then this wire will not need any further assistance. Take the time to properly seal each and every one of your connections during this step because this will allow you to avoid the dangers of electricity.
It is now time to test it all out. Plug the drill into the receptacle and the speed control into the wall. This will let you know if you have handled everything correctly. The drill should be speeding up or slowing down, depending on how you are manipulating the pedal. If it is not working, this is a sure sign that you need to be resetting your connections.
Step 5: Creating The Spinning Part Of Your Wheel
This is where the Lazy Susan that you were instructed to obtain before is going to be used. Much like the bucket that you placed a hole in before, there is also going to be a molding mark on the Lazy Susan. Please drill the hole in the center at this time. Once you have accomplished this task, take a moment to remove the cover plug before proceeding.
Grab the carriage bolt and push it through from the top side. At this time, turn over the turn table. There should be some space around the bolt if you look down into the pivot. In order to seal it back into its proper home, you must slide the cape back down into the bolt.
The two 1/4″ nuts that you definitely have on hand are needed to complete this step as well. The first one is going to be used to seal the top of the Lazy Susan. Place the first one on and make sure that it is properly tightened. Use as many of the nuts as needed when it comes to making sure that it is tight enough. Don’t be afraid to use a little bit of elbow grease.
Step 6: Where It All Comes Together
This step does take a fair amount of ingenuity so be forewarned. It is not for the faint of heart. You have already made it this far and I have the utmost faith in you. The drill now must be mounted and it needs to be mounted at the correct angle. The drill needs to be centered and it must also be placed at a right angle in relation to the bottom of your bucket.
If you would like to make this step easier on yourself, there is nothing wrong with using a mounting bracket. Is there one in your drill case? If so, you are able to use that one. If not, feel free to procure one if it makes this step any easier for you to accomplish.
Lining up the drill is easier than you may think. The drywall screws can be used for this purpose and you can also utilize a 2 x 4 wood shim. The Lazy Susan also must be tended to. Don’t be shy about applying a generous amount of silicone to the back of the Lazy Susan. After that step is handled, place the Lazy Susan on top of the bucket.
The bolt must slide into the drill chuck and then it is time for the chuck to be tightened. You can now plug your drill into the receptacle of the peddle. Once the trigger has been pulled on the drill, you can then lock it into its full on position.
Step 7: And Now For The Truly Fun Part!
This is where the true joy will now begin. It is time to test out your DIY pottery wheel and make sure that everything is fully operational. This is the culmination of all your hard work. After you are satisfied with all of the operational testing procedures, it is time to take a closer look at your handiwork to make sure that there are no avoidable mistakes being made.
Finally, you will need to make sure that your silicone is dry before making the final adjustments. After the silicone has fully dried, you must take the time to spray the machine with water. This is how you are going to find any and all leaks that are taking place. It is a step that cannot be skipped for any reason so do not make the mistake of assuming your machine is free of leaks.
Even the most experienced builders construct machines with leaks and chances are high that you are not an expert. I know that I am certainly not !
If any leaks are discovered, simply patch them up with silicon and you are good to go. Now that you have finished your DIY pottery wheel, it is time to put it into action. Take this time to go make some awesome gifts for your friends and loved ones.
As you can see, the process of creating your own pottery wheel is actually much simpler than you may have realized. While there are certain steps that need to be taken that will be more complex than others, there is nothing wrong with taking your time and reading the directions carefully.
No prizes are going to be given out for speed. There is also nothing wrong with asking questions at your local arts and crafts stores and hardware suppliers. Chances are high that there will be people there who have handled projects like these in the past and I have usually found that they are typically more than willing to help.
In the meantime, embrace the process and have a little fun with it. In time, you will find yourself wondering why you never decided to take on a project like this one in the past.
Thanks to this helpful guide I have presented to you here, the process of creating your own pottery wheel has never been simpler !
