About.com Rating

The Bottom Line

"The Wheel" is a useful and affordable substitute for a banding wheel or sculpting table. I also like its streamlined profile and light weight, which make storage a breeze. More than worth its price, and having several on hand make working multiple projects much, much easier.

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Pros

• Very affordable. A fraction of the cost of a metal banding wheel.
• Smooth motion, even when loaded with weigth.

• Thin profile makes it very easy to store.
• Plastic makes it very easy to clean.

Cons

• Moves so easily that it might move when you don't want it to.
• Wish it came in larger sizes as well.

Description

• Made of durable plastic with stainless steel ball bearings. Full rotation: 360 degrees plus. Cleans easily.
• 10.75 inches (26 cm) in diameter; 1.5 inches (38 mm) tall. plus. Can hold 30 pounds and still move easily.
• Concentric rings on upper surface makes it easy to center projects for banding work.

Guide Review - A Potter's Review of "The Wheel" by Activa

I wish I had found "The Wheel" a lot sooner! It is a great substitute for metal banding wheels or wooden sculpting tables, especially when working on relatively small and mid-sized projects. That it is such an affordable price makes it all the better!

I have put this product through its paces, too. I've loaded it with thirty pounds of clay (the highest weight The Wheel is rated for) and it still moved smoothly and without any bowing of the plastic deck.

I left the weight on overnight, and still no problems.

I've also used it extensively for both sculpting and forming work and for decorative work using glazes and underglazes. Under all conditions, The Wheel performed very well indeed.

The one problem I encountered was that The Wheel was more responsive to any direction from me than any other turntable I've used. Simply, it moves at the merest touch. After a short time, however, I found that I adjusted to this and haven't had a problem with it since.

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