My Favourite Tool for Stabilising When Trimming

Spinners have become a much larger tool in my arsenal of trimming devices than I would have ever imagined, they distribute downward pressure, which is great for when you’re finishing vessels with thin bases. They make it easier to keep this hand steady, as your fingertips aren’t being spun by the rotating clay component, rather they rest on one part of the spinner, (the black portion), as the white part spins freely. They’re fantastic for ripping coarse clays, as it saves the pads of your fingers from being rubbed raw and I sometimes even use them as guides for the shape of the foot itself. They won’t fit everybody’s style of working, but for my highly finished, trimmed to high-heaven pots, they’ve been a wonderful addition to my toolkit. Unfortunately, the person who used to make mine, Richard Carter, has retired from making spinners, although I’m sure a good lot of you managed to get one. Either way, there are other producers of similar tools, such as @monkeystuff_co, @momotools_bymariamonasterio, @diamondcoretools, @hsinchuenlin. All those sold by the above are a bit different but they function in the same way and you can equally use something like a metal bottle cap or a coin, it has to be smooth so your finger glides over it, yet those with a ball bearing inside them that separates the two parts are easily my favourite. There’s also heaps of much more similar spinners on Etsy, but I can’t necessarily vouch for their quality. #toolsofthetrade #tools #spinner #craft #maker #pottery #ceramics