Banding wheel

A banding wheel looks a little like a small, low pottery wheel, but it has no motor, it simply spins freely on a bearing when nudged by hand. Potters set a piece on top and give it a gentle spin to rotate it smoothly while they paint a band of color around a pot's rim, apply a line of slip trailing, carve a decorative pattern, or simply check that a hand built form looks even from every side before it dries further.

It is especially useful for hand builders who do not otherwise use a motorized wheel at all, giving pinch pots, coil pots, and slab forms the same smooth rotation a thrower gets for free from their wheel, without needing the power, speed, or centering ability that wheel throwing requires. A heavy, stable base matters more than most people expect, since a light or wobbly banding wheel makes it hard to apply a steady band of color or a clean carved line while spinning it with the other hand.

Banding wheels come in various sizes and materials, cast iron, aluminum, and durable plastic are all common, and a larger diameter surface accommodates bigger platters and bowls more comfortably than a small tabletop model. A frequent oversight for hand builders new to the tool is trying to use an ordinary uneven table surface or lazy susan instead, which lacks the smooth, low friction spin a proper banding wheel bearing provides for genuinely even decorating results.