A banding wheel is a small, hand-turned turntable that lets you spin a piece while you build, decorate or glaze it. Unlike a pottery wheel it has no motor, so it turns only as fast as you push it.
What Is Banding Wheel?
Banding wheels are named for one of their oldest jobs: painting even bands of slip, underglaze or glaze around a pot by holding a loaded brush still while the wheel turns. They are just as useful for hand building, because you can turn a coil pot or slab piece to work on every side without picking it up.
Most have a heavy cast-iron or aluminium head on a sealed bearing, and the weight is what makes them spin smoothly. Lighter plastic versions are fine for small work and classes, but a heavier head carries on turning longer and wobbles less.
For beginners, a banding wheel is one of the most useful tools to own after the basic hand tools. It makes coil building, carving and glazing much easier at home, and it doubles as a stand for photographing finished work. In a studio you’ll often see them lined up on the glazing bench, where they make it far easier to wax a foot or band a rim in a steady, even line.
This pottery glossary entry from Le Studio Art Space is general educational content. Always follow the clay, glaze and kiln makers’ data for your own materials and equipment.