Pottery wheel bats are flat discs that attach to a pottery wheel head and are extremely useful tools in a ceramics studio. Pottery wheel bats are available in a variety of sizes and shapes and are made from different materials, including plastic & wood. Pottery bats are typically fabricated with two holes that fit snugly onto a pair of bat pins that are inserted into the potter’s wheel head. Older pottery wheel heads may not have holes for bat pins; however, these can be easily added. Once the bat is attached to the wheel head, the potter can work directly on the the bat, which is then lifted off the wheel head with the thrown pot and without disrupting their work.
Pottery wheel bats are beneficial in multiple ways and are used by many potters. Because the bat (along with the pot that is thrown on it) can be easily removed from the potter’s wheel head, there is no need to directly handle the pot, so the shape and form is not disrupted. This is a great feature when you are making larger, difficult-to-handle forms that you’d rather not touch when it comes time to remove them from your wheel head!
