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Pottery wheel bats are flat discs that attach to a pottery wheel head and are extremely useful tools in a ceramics studio. Pottery wheel bats are available in a variety of sizes and shapes and are made from different materials, including plastic, wood, and plaster. Pottery bats are typically fabricated with two holes that fit snugly onto a pair of bat pins that are inserted into the potter’s wheel head. Older pottery wheel heads may not have holes for bat pins; however, these can be easily added with a drill at 10" on center. Once the bat is attached to the wheel head, the potter can work directly on the the bat, which is then lifted off the wheel head with the thrown pot and without disrupting their work.

Pottery wheel bats are beneficial in multiple ways and are used by many potters. Because the bat (along with the pot that is thrown on it) can be easily removed from the potter’s wheel head, there is no need to directly handle the pot, so the shape and form is not disrupted. This is a great feature when you are making larger, difficult-to-handle forms that you’d rather not touch when it comes time to remove them from your wheel head! Working on a bat also eliminates potential reactions between certain clay bodies and the potter’s wheel head -- you may find that throwing some porcelains directly on to your wheel head without a bat may results in pitting or oxidation on your aluminum wheelhead. Pottery wheel bats can not only help protect your work, they also help to protect your valuable equipment.

There are many different versions of pottery bats, and all types have both advantages and disadvantages. Plastic bats are ideal because they are resistant to water damage, and therefore tend to last a long time. While they are also relatively inexpensive, the downside of plastic bats is that they do not release from clay easily, so even if the bottom of the pot has been cut with a wire, it may still be difficult to remove the pot from the bat. Speedball’s colorful line of plastic bats come shaped in both circles and squares. While circular bats are the traditional version of pottery wheel bats, square bats are beneficial in that they take up less space on your ware shelf. Amaco’s Plasti-bat is another popular version of the plastic bat, and is also available in a variety of sizes.

Pottery wheel bats made of medex or masonite are also inexpensive bats that are used by many potters. Because these materials are susceptible to water damage, however, the lifespan of these bats is typically less than that of plastic bats. The benefit of using wood or masonite bats is that they release from clay more readily than plastic, as wood and masonite have absorptive properties. This makes removal of the thrown pot from the bat fairly easy.

Please browse through our products to see which size, shape and material bat is right for you!