This is the SAVIAC wheel, designed by David Ballantyne (1913-1990) of Poole Pottery in Dorset,England. It is a collaboration between a potter and an engineer.My version is not, I think one of the geared models, but with its cast iron flywheel it has good momentum.
Search After Values In An age of Crisis.
I would like to know more about why he named them thus, but it is suitable for the "interesting" times we live in.
No, that wheel wasn't cleaned especially for the photos! Unlike some people, I prefer to work clean, throw with slip and put any slop clay separate ready to be recycled.
No point in making work and wasting time!
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6 comments:
Anything with a pedal eh?
Lovely to see the picture of the wheel! I threw my first pot unaided on one like that when I was 4 (apparently!) but with David's capable hands close by in case of collapse! The name was 'Striving' After Values in an Age of Crisis. SAVIAC workshops was set up after the war through which he had been a conscientious objector set to working on the land clearing ditches and similar. The wheel was designed and made in association with Peter Stoodley (a potter who had worked at Poole but joined David in the ceramics dept at Bournemouth & Poole College of Art and who became his lifelong friend & colleague. The wheel wasn't made at Poole but at David's home in Dorset. Lots more about all of this in David's obituary in Ceramic Review 1995/6(?) Glad I chanced upon this! Best wishes, Steve (Ballantyne)
How brilliant to see this. I was a student at Bournemouth College of Art in the mid 60's when David took me under his wing after the 2nd year of Pre-Dip was suddenly axed. 3 years later, David gave me a copy of his plans for this wheel & my partner built one, complete with hand cast concrete fly wheel. I am still throwing on it & really enjoy its very special 'feel' and, of course, it always reminds us both of such a wonderful person.
Lyn, very interested to see your post. You might be interested in this site the family made about him: http://www.davidballantyne.net I've just discovered local to me, one of the very early versions of his SAVIAC wheel and the potter, who for health reasons can't use it any more, has given it to me! The pedal needs some repair - do you still have a copy of the plans I could see?
Steve Ballantyne
I'd love to see those plans too..mine needs a little TLC!
Just a thought, the website might not be available to some as it isn't https
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