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Inconceivable
Jul. 29th, 2015 09:44 pmI'm reminded of a scene from The Princess Bride, where Inigo says to Vizzini, "You keep saying that word. I do not think it means what you think it does." I'm not all all sure someone understands what a potter's wheel is.
Someone dropped off this device at Club Mud over the weekend. Well, dump-and-dash is more accurate: it appeared in the parking lot between 5 pm Saturday and 9 am Sunday.
At first glance, it appears to be some kind of home-brew kick wheel. At least, it has all the right parts: a flywheel, drive shaft, very nice collar bearings. A wheel head with pin-register for throwing bats.
Except it's all wrong. It's very tall, so you have to work at it standing up. The flywheel is a small diameter car tire, with no extra weight, so it won't have much torque or spin duration. The head is light gauge (1/4 inch) aluminum, and set so close to the table top that I can't see any way to fit a splash pan. And the frame is both too large--can't comfortably reach the wheel head on top to center and throw--and too small--can't kick the flywheel without stubbing your toe on the frame. So even if it was intended as a stand-up kick wheel, I don't see how it could be used for one.
I suppose it could be banding wheel, for decorating on, but if that's the case, it's way more complicated that it needs to be. An old portable record player would do a better job.
My general impression, is of a cargo cult potter's wheel, built by someone who'd seen pictures, maybe even a parts list, but had really no idea how to fit them together and make it work.
Someone dropped off this device at Club Mud over the weekend. Well, dump-and-dash is more accurate: it appeared in the parking lot between 5 pm Saturday and 9 am Sunday.
At first glance, it appears to be some kind of home-brew kick wheel. At least, it has all the right parts: a flywheel, drive shaft, very nice collar bearings. A wheel head with pin-register for throwing bats.
Except it's all wrong. It's very tall, so you have to work at it standing up. The flywheel is a small diameter car tire, with no extra weight, so it won't have much torque or spin duration. The head is light gauge (1/4 inch) aluminum, and set so close to the table top that I can't see any way to fit a splash pan. And the frame is both too large--can't comfortably reach the wheel head on top to center and throw--and too small--can't kick the flywheel without stubbing your toe on the frame. So even if it was intended as a stand-up kick wheel, I don't see how it could be used for one.
I suppose it could be banding wheel, for decorating on, but if that's the case, it's way more complicated that it needs to be. An old portable record player would do a better job.
My general impression, is of a cargo cult potter's wheel, built by someone who'd seen pictures, maybe even a parts list, but had really no idea how to fit them together and make it work.