Are you thinking of buying a used pottery wheel but not sure what you should look out for and how much you should pay. Wheels pop up on for sale sights quite frequently and in many cases,snapped up instantly. Often when you get the wheel home you realise that there is a few things wrong with it. I shall attempt to set out what you need to know before you buy.

As a general rule I would avoid wheels that no longer have spare parts available unless they are in excellent condition or are very cheap and you have or know someone with some mechanical skills. These brands are Tetlow, Fact, Kraus, Ward, Jonwig, Jumping Jack and the list goes on.. Most of these wheels are really well made and we’re top of the line in the1960’s- 1980’s. My favorite wheel at Lismore Uni in the early 1980’s was a standup Fact brand wheel. Brilliant design and ease of use. Tetlow wheels come up for sale fairly regularly and are well made. There is a guy on the south coast NSW who services them and has a limited supply of replacement dive wheel tyres. Expect to pay up to $500 for a Tetlow in good nick ‘. ‘. Unfortunately the popularity of ceramics wained a lot after the 1980’s and all but one Aussie manufacturer disappeared from the market. The one remaining Australian maker is Venco who still make great products. A lot of wheels were imported from overseas and some of the better brands are Shimpo (Japan), Brent (USA), Alsager (Podmore UK), Talisman and Cowley (NZ). All of the above mentioned overseas brands have spare parts available, particularly Brent from the USA. In case you do get an overseas brand I will list some of the places you can source parts. Brent wheel parts are available for order through Keane Ceramics and you will need to speak to Babette Keane to make sure you get the correct components. There is some differences between parts suitable for Australia and the USA due to voltage differences. Parts for Shimpo wheels are available from Krueger Pottery Supplies in the USA. The Ceramic Shop in the USA also sells Brent and Shimpo parts. Parts for Talisman and Cowley wheels are available from Wellington Pottery Supplies in NZ. Parts for Venco wheels are available from most pottery stores in Australia.

Often, when you see a Venco wheel for sale on Facebook marketplace or Pottery Equipment for Sale NSW and ACT ( other states have similar versions) you need to say “sold “ straight away or you’ll miss out. Once you have a pending purchase then you need to ask some questions about the condition of the wheel ( if not already stated in the description with the advert). The two main things that can affect the value of the wheel are, the condition of the drive wheel and how new the grommets are. If you can inspect the wheel before handing over cash, all the better. The age of the wheel is a good indicator about the condition of grommets and drive wheel. Ask for a photo of the underside of the wheel showing motor and drive wheel. The drive wheel will have in most cases, a date written on it in texta, usually month and year. 9/04 ,6/78 etc. If the drive wheel is earlier than say 2000 then it might have problems. If you have a close visual inspection and feel the rubber ring you can gauge its condition. The cost for a new one is about $250. The next thing that you want to check is the grommets. Just grab the foot pedal and see if it moves around and rattles in the hole. Visual inspection should let you know if the grommets are there. If one is missing then all will need to be replaced. A new set of grommets will cost about $50. If you take it to a repairman it may cost up to $350 depending on who you go to. I charge $150 for a full grommet replacement and overall condition inspection. You should also ask about the motor. If you can do an in person inspection then ask for the wheel to be turned on. While idling without the pedal being pressed, listen for any noise. The motor should be relatively quiet so any loud grinding or squeaking noise can indicate faulty bearings. A bearings replacement and service from a motor rewind shop will cost anywhere between $100-$200.

The big question is how much should you spend. I see Venco wheels priced between $500 and $1200 regularly. The cost of a new one with 2 years warranty is about $1500 so take that into consideration. I really think that unless the wheel is relatively new and in top condition you shouldn’t pay more than $1000. The age of the wheel won’t matter much if it has been fully serviced before sale. In this case anything made prior to 2012 I would expect to pay between $700 -$1000. If the wheel needs new grommets and drive wheel subtract the cost from a starting point of $1000 which comes down to about $600. Any other problems like badly worn and loose wheelheads, faulty or noisy motor, excessive rust etc then I would suggest less than $200. For me a wheel with all of those problems is only good for a few spare parts that can be salvaged.

Hope this helps and if you want more information please contact me through Umina Beach Pottery.