Throwing large forms on the wheel presents particular challenges. Address one of those challenges—the limitations of standard bats—with just a piece of wood and a couple of tools.
Lately, I have been working larger and larger in scale and I wanted to make a 16 in. (41cm) bat (instead of the typical 12 in. (30cm)). I picked up an offcut piece of particleboard for about a dollar (1€) and managed to make a bat in less than 30 minutes. Here’s how.
Materials and Tools
Piece of wood at least 3/8inch (1 cm) thick
Drill bit the same diameter as your bat pins
Tape
Ruler
Jigsaw
Round and straight files (optional)
Sandpaper
Measuring and Drilling Holes
Begin with a piece of wood that is slightly larger than 16 in. (41 cm). I used particleboard here, but the best wood to use is plywood. You can get away with particleboard or MDF if you are careful with it (don’t let it get too wet for too long). Stick a piece of tape over your wheel head to mark exactly where the holes should be drilled (1). Make sure the tape you’re using isn’t stretchy. Accuracy here is crucial. Transfer the tape to your board.
Using a drill bit the same diameter as your bat pins, drill through the tape where marked (2, 3). I found it helpful to pre-drill with a smaller bit first. Once your holes are drilled, check to see if the board fits over your bat pins. It is better to err on the side of too tight than too loose. This is where a round file comes in handy. I needed to file my holes a little before they fit perfectly. You can also use sandpaper wrapped around a pencil to remove extra material (if needed) or to smooth the edges.
Cutting and Finishing
Place your bat on the wheel head and use the turning of the wheel to mark a perfect circle in pencil (4). Be careful to not hurt yourself on the jagged edges of the board as it spins. Once you’ve drawn a circle, use a ruler to check that it’s the right size. Once you’re happy with the marked size of the bat, cut out the circle with a jigsaw. Use clamps to secure the board to your work surface while you cut (5).
For finishing, I put the bat back on the wheel and go over the edges with a straight file and some sandpaper for a nice, smooth finish (6).
Then, your bat is ready to go! I plan to use this one for dry work, so the untreated material works fine for me. But if you want to extend the working life of your bats, you can always coat them with marine varnish to increase water resistance.
the author Mia Mueller is the artist behind Pottery to the People, a platform that promotes affordable access to learning pottery across the globe. To learn more, please visit www.potterytothepeople.com.
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Throwing large forms on the wheel presents particular challenges. Address one of those challenges—the limitations of standard bats—with just a piece of wood and a couple of tools.
Lately, I have been working larger and larger in scale and I wanted to make a 16 in. (41cm) bat (instead of the typical 12 in. (30cm)). I picked up an offcut piece of particleboard for about a dollar (1€) and managed to make a bat in less than 30 minutes. Here’s how.
Materials and Tools
Measuring and Drilling Holes
Begin with a piece of wood that is slightly larger than 16 in. (41 cm). I used particleboard here, but the best wood to use is plywood. You can get away with particleboard or MDF if you are careful with it (don’t let it get too wet for too long). Stick a piece of tape over your wheel head to mark exactly where the holes should be drilled (1). Make sure the tape you’re using isn’t stretchy. Accuracy here is crucial. Transfer the tape to your board.
Using a drill bit the same diameter as your bat pins, drill through the tape where marked (2, 3). I found it helpful to pre-drill with a smaller bit first. Once your holes are drilled, check to see if the board fits over your bat pins. It is better to err on the side of too tight than too loose. This is where a round file comes in handy. I needed to file my holes a little before they fit perfectly. You can also use sandpaper wrapped around a pencil to remove extra material (if needed) or to smooth the edges.
Cutting and Finishing
Place your bat on the wheel head and use the turning of the wheel to mark a perfect circle in pencil (4). Be careful to not hurt yourself on the jagged edges of the board as it spins. Once you’ve drawn a circle, use a ruler to check that it’s the right size. Once you’re happy with the marked size of the bat, cut out the circle with a jigsaw. Use clamps to secure the board to your work surface while you cut (5).
For finishing, I put the bat back on the wheel and go over the edges with a straight file and some sandpaper for a nice, smooth finish (6).
Then, your bat is ready to go! I plan to use this one for dry work, so the untreated material works fine for me. But if you want to extend the working life of your bats, you can always coat them with marine varnish to increase water resistance.
I have a video tutorial of this whole process on my website: www.potterytothepeople.com/free-pottery-tutorials/water-reservoir.
the author Mia Mueller is the artist behind Pottery to the People, a platform that promotes affordable access to learning pottery across the globe. To learn more, please visit www.potterytothepeople.com.
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