[Kristin_Gail]

My studio construction is lagging far behind schedule, and I'm now finding myself over-planning and re-thinking the innards while I wait for walls.

I had it all planned out, the flow of clay from wet to wheel to dry to glaze to kiln ... Then I started looking at old CM, SP, PMI, CT magazines ... and it appears I'm the only fool who sits at a wheel with my back to the wall. If I went this route, I'd be making a fair amount of changes in the layout (which would be easy, as it's empty now).

But about that wheel: Is it all a matter of having solid shelving surrounding you on three sides? Is that why so many potters face the wall? There's something about this positioning that feels uneasy to me. But obviously there's a reason for it. Please do enlighten me.

[Lucille Oka]

No, my wheel faces a doorway and there is a doorway behind me and a table to my right and a window beyond that for northern light but it is facing west.

Shouldn't this post be in the weekly question for CAD?

Have your wheel where it feels most comfortable for you. There are no set equipment placements and the layout is for your comfort.

This post has been edited by Lucille Oka: 08 February 2013 - 04:57 AM

[OffCenter]

Kristin_Gail, on 06 February 2013 - 10:41 PM, said:

My studio construction is lagging far behind schedule, and I'm now finding myself over-planning and re-thinking the innards while I wait for walls.

I had it all planned out, the flow of clay from wet to wheel to dry to glaze to kiln ... Then I started looking at old CM, SP, PMI, CT magazines ... and it appears I'm the only fool who sits at a wheel with my back to the wall. If I went this route, I'd be making a fair amount of changes in the layout (which would be easy, as it's empty now).

But about that wheel: Is it all a matter of having solid shelving surrounding you on three sides? Is that why so many potters face the wall? There's something about this positioning that feels uneasy to me. But obviously there's a reason for it. Please do enlighten me.

You should never have your wheel facing a wall. That's just asking for someone to sneak in and shoot you in the head.

Jim

[Mark C.]

There are no rules for this- its where it makes the most sense for you. When I had one wheel it was in front of a window with shelves on 3 sides-now In the throwing room my throwing wheels face a 6 foot window with flat surfaces on 3 sides and my trimming wheel faces a wall in a corner with 2 sides-I have a stoneware wheel in other room near a window. I tend to like a window as I'm in the studio so much every now and then looking out at the birds and bamboo does me some mental good.I'll see if I can find a photo.
Mark

[Peter]

OffCenter, on 06 February 2013 - 08:10 PM, said:

Kristin_Gail, on 06 February 2013 - 10:41 PM, said:

My studio construction is lagging far behind schedule, and I'm now finding myself over-planning and re-thinking the innards while I wait for walls.

I had it all planned out, the flow of clay from wet to wheel to dry to glaze to kiln ... Then I started looking at old CM, SP, PMI, CT magazines ... and it appears I'm the only fool who sits at a wheel with my back to the wall. If I went this route, I'd be making a fair amount of changes in the layout (which would be easy, as it's empty now).

But about that wheel: Is it all a matter of having solid shelving surrounding you on three sides? Is that why so many potters face the wall? There's something about this positioning that feels uneasy to me. But obviously there's a reason for it. Please do enlighten me.

You should never have your wheel facing a wall. That's just asking for someone to sneak in and shoot you in the head.

Jim

Oh, I always wondered what the mirror was for..........................

[Mark McCombs]

My wheel is in the corner of the room facing a wall with a window.

Nice to be able to see out.

[trina]

I am a window girl...

[Natania Hume]

I had the same quandary in my new studio. I started out facing the room and the doorway, but realized that if I turned around I had more places within reach to hang tools, and I could prop a mirror to see the silouettes of pieces I'm throwing (and keep a lookout for gunmen). There is a window to my left though, so not sure if I would have done that without the window...

[atanzey]

I have one wheel facing the wall (which also happens to have a window) and one wheel facing out into a room with no windows (two separate work areas). I don't see any big functional differences with either. I don't have wall mounted shelves. The wheel facing the wall seems to be easier to get under to clean, but that's probably just this particular setup. I would consider what you'd rather see when you look up, or if there's anything in the room you need to keep an eye on (other people, pets, etc.), along with your shelves, bat storage and tool area.

[Marcia Selsor]

My wheel faces the window. Nice view.
Marcia

[minspargal]

I also face a window.

[kathi]

I face the front of the studio, which is mostly glass doors and windows. My roosters come up to the window and visit.

[Pres]

Kristin_Gail, on 06 February 2013 - 10:41 PM, said:

My studio construction is lagging far behind schedule, and I'm now finding myself over-planning and re-thinking the innards while I wait for walls.

I had it all planned out, the flow of clay from wet to wheel to dry to glaze to kiln ... Then I started looking at old CM, SP, PMI, CT magazines ... and it appears I'm the only fool who sits at a wheel with my back to the wall. If I went this route, I'd be making a fair amount of changes in the layout (which would be easy, as it's empty now).

But about that wheel: Is it all a matter of having solid shelving surrounding you on three sides? Is that why so many potters face the wall? There's something about this positioning that feels uneasy to me. But obviously there's a reason for it. Please do enlighten me.

My wheel faces a window from the opposite side of the room. Behind me is and old workbench, with lower shelves where I put place tools at times. The view out the window allows good view of the back deck, and the weather. When teaching, I never had a window in my room so I never knew what the weather was until the end of the day 5pm or 10pm when I got out of the building. Real luxury today.

[Marcia Selsor]

I have a 10" x 20" vertical mirror to the left of the window. This is so I can see the shape of what I am throwing without getting off the wheel.
I think it is an advantage.

Marcia

[TJR]

My new studio has windows on all four sides. Two are high up to allow for light without people seeing in. My wheel backs onto a wall where my ware is placed. To the left, I have a low table with all my bats underneath and clay on top.It is to the left of my wedging table, so there is a bit of a flow.
The two doors are on the opposite side of the room. One is frozen shut. It never occurred to me to place my wheel where I could see someone coming in to shoot me. I don't generally like having my back to the action.
TJR.

[SShirley]

Just yesterday I moved both wheels to face the windows. No great view there - they face the alley, but I will get lots of sunlight. Probably too much. We'll see. I may be moving back eventually.

[JBaymore]

My main throwing wheel sits looking out custom windows that I installed a bit low so that they provide a good view of the Souhegan River driectly in front of me with a sloping hillside on the other side of the river, the gas kiln just off to the left, and the nobiorigama a bit further away off to the right.

The working setup has a heavy 3" thick pine shelf/deck located surrounding the wheel on three sides (and the identical throwing station to the right of it) and is designed so that wedged clay sits to the right of the wheel on the deck and there the deck as well as a pegged removable shelf ware rack above it to the left of the wheel that I can reach without moving much. Work flow right to left.

It is pictured in Steven Branfman's "Potters Professional Handbook".

best,

......................john

[Denice]

When I took throwing in school all of the wheels faced the wall, the instructor said it would be helpful to have a mirror on the wall close to the wheel if we had one at home. I guess that's how I got started facing the wall. My wheel is in a corner with a shelf on one side that I find very handy and a south window, the window lets in a lot of sunshine but to much to work in and the view is of the neighbors garage. I could move my wheel and have some great scenery, but I'm easily distracted and would prefer not to know what a great day is it outside. You should put you wheel where you are the most comfortable.

[neilestrick]

You all have windows in your studio?!? I suppose you all have air conditioning, too? Spoiled rotten potters....

[Meg]

I started out with my back to the windows, facing the room. I have a tiny studio and everything is very tight together so I had to squeeze by the wheel in order to sit down. But I kept it that way until recently, because I liked the shelving on my right side (I'm right handed). Now I'm facing the windows, and I cut myself a shelf-board that fits around the splash-pan, made from plywood, to hold my tools.

I have spent a ridiculous amount of time over the years standing around re-examining the layout and rearranging so I could fit in another piece of equipment or set of shelving. My studio is 15' x 15' and I have a 16 cu. ft kiln, a 3.7 cu. ft kiln, a pugmill, a slab-roller, 2 wheels, a long work-table, and 5 shelving units (~3' each) in there. Don't ask me how.