| Pottery Batts or bats (either spelling | | | | very slowly. |
| is acceptable) are round covers that go | | | | 4. Keeping the wire flush to the bat's |
| over the head of a potter's wheel when | | | | surface and as taut as possible; bring |
| throwing a pot or vase. It protects the | | | | the wire toward you in one slow, |
| wheelhead from getting gummed up with | | | | continuous motion. |
| clay and can be removed, vase and all to | | | | 5. Stop the wheel and carefully remove |
| allow the vase time to dry elsewhere | | | | the bat from the wheel head. The pot is |
| should another project require the | | | | probably still too wet to touch, but it |
| immediate use of the wheel. Originally | | | | has been cut from the bat. The suction |
| these bats where made of wood or plaster | | | | between the two has been broken and you |
| and it can be very difficult to remove a | | | | need not worry of them reattaching. |
| dried vase or pot from one without | | | | Place the bat with the pot somewhere to |
| damaging the unfired clay. Here are | | | | dry. |
| step-by-step instructions on how to | | | | 6. When the pot is hard as leather |
| safely remove a pot or vase from a bat. | | | | (Approximately one to three days) gently |
| 1. Begin with the bat still firmly | | | | lift it from the bat and store it to dry |
| attached to the potter's wheel and the | | | | sufficiently before it's fired. |
| pot attached to the bat. The pot should | | | | Tips- New bats made from flexible |
| still be slightly wet, it's best to cut | | | | silicone or rubbers exist now which can |
| them from the bat immediately after you | | | | make this task much easier. Generically |
| finish shaping them. | | | | they're called Plasti-bats. With one of |
| 2. Get a good grip on the wire; wrap the | | | | them you needn't cut the pot from the |
| ends around your hands if it helps. | | | | bat. Simply wait until the pot has dried |
| Stretch your wire as taught as possible | | | | a bit and peel the bat right off. |
| across the far end of the bat. The pot | | | | Warning- Wait too long to cut your pot |
| should be between you and the wire. | | | | free from the bat and it will likely |
| 3. Start the potter's wheel rotating | | | | crumble. |