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