Shimpo Rk-Whisper Pottery Wheel With Splash Pan

Nidec SHIMPO RK-WHISPER Potters Wheel

RK-Whisper Potter's Wheel :

SHIMPO 2024 PROMO HAS ARRIVED!

Order RK-Whisper and get a $40 gift certificate to Sheffield Pottery.

Promo runs from November 1st until December 31st.

Gift Certificate will be emailed to you shortly after your wheel ships out to you.

NOW WITH SHEFFIELD POTTERY EXCLUSIVE HEAVY DUTY PACKAGING
Includes Splash Pan and bat pins.
We wrap the box with 1" thick industrial cardboard to prevent shipping damage!

All school orders in the 48 CONTIGUOUS STATES consisting of 5 or more SHIMPO VL or RK-WHISPER wheels will receive a FREE ADJUSTABLE STOOL with each wheel and FREE SHIPPING!

The RK-Whisper represents the next generation of potter’s wheels. Responsive, high torque at all speeds, powerful and quiet. Not just quiet, but QUIET ! This wheel is by far the quietest on the market!

At just 30 decibels, the sound level is actually characterized as that of a whisper or rustling leaves: For comparison, ambient noise in a library is 40 db, normal speaking is 60db.

The exterior of the RK-Whisper resembles the old RK-10 ring-cone wheels, but that’s where the similarities end! This new wheel features a brushless DC motor and direct drive (no belts) system. The motor is electronically controlled and operated by a fixed foot pedal and hand lever. It’s reversible, and the steel body is durable under all conditions. A 12” wheel-head and two-piece splash pan are included as standard features.

SHIMPO RK-WHISPER pottery wheel includes all of the benefits of the Direct Drive Motor with a compact design.

Features of the RK-Whisper

Drive System; direct drive DC brushless motor
100 lbs centering
12″ light alloy casting wheel-head, drilled for bat pins
Attached foot pedal with speed lever
Incrediby quiet; no belts, no vibration
Wheel-head acts as a banding wheel when the pedal is at stop
Pedal stops the wheel head immediately; no belt means no extra rotation when stopped
Higher torque; no belts
Maintains a specific set speed when stepping away to center, even with slow speeds with 100 lbs of clay
5 year warranty


-Staff Pick-
"There are some really great things about this wheel that really like. When you get a new wheel, one of the first instructions in the manual is to level it. Well., most wheels do not include a way to do this. The RK, however, has leveling feet built in!.
The small foot print the wheel is nice and the generous shelf the is part of the splash pan affords enough space for your throwing tools and water.
The wheel features the same super quiet motor as the VL-Whisper: and it really is whisper quiet which makes for such a nice throwing experience whether alone or in a busy studio with a lot of wheels going.
Note that the RK whisper does have a slightly smaller wheel head than the VL, but that doesn't really matter because most of us us bats. It has standard 10" pins so you can go as big as your biggest bat!
The wheel has a speed control pedal attached on the right side, but the great thing is the hand operated speed control (like a stick shift). With most wheels, you are going to have one foot on the pedal and the other on the floor: this makes you physically uncentered to some extent. By using the "stick shift", you are able to both of your feet flat on the floor making for a more ergonomic approach to the wheel.
I also find that people mess around with their wheel speed too much. With the hand operated control, it tames that a lot: you simply set it pretty fast for centering, pull it back a bit for pulling walls, back a bit more for finishing. Taking out the variable of the speed always changing will always help you throw better!
There is always talk of the Shimpo Whisper wheels not having enough torque. That is potentially true if you want to center 100 pounds or clay at a time. However, to throw big ware, generally what you would do is to throw a 10 pound bowl and then begin to coil build. So the torque really is not an issue. In fact, for coil-building, one thing you want is a free-spinning wheel head and the Shimpo Whisper wheels are the only wheels on the market that will free spin when in the pedal off position. (Note: it does not free spin fast like a Shimpo banding wheel, but enough that you can do the hand driven coil-building techniques.
So all in all, a really great wheel with classic styling, and coming in a little less expensive that other pro wheels, it's a great wheel and a great value!" -Tim


***This product may be harmful to a person who has a pacemaker. Serious injury or death could occur. Consult a physician before using.***
***Warning: The use of high acidic clays can be damaging to the surface of the aluminum wheel head, and may cause pre-mature oxidation, and pitting. We encourage the use of a bat between the surface of the aluminum wheel head, and the clay whenever possible.***

RK-Whisper Potter's Wheel
Brushless DC Motor	Smooth, quiet, powerful, no maintenance
Electronic Controller	Maintains desired speed under all load conditions
Broad Speed Range	Allows optimum speed under all load conditions
Reversibility	Accommodates left and right hand users
Built-in Breaker	Motor is protected from overload
Fixed Foot Pedal w/ Hand Lever	Compact design saves space
Wheel-head Turns Freely At 0 RPM	Serves as a banding wheel
Two-piece Splash Pan w/ Built-in Table	Completes the package
Warranty	5-year

Motor	½ HP, 400 W, AC 115V, 60 Hz
Drive System	Direct drive DC brushless motor
Speed Control	Fixed foot pedal with hand lever
Wheel-head Speed	0~250 rpm
Wheel-head Direction	Clockwise/Counter-clockwise
Centering	100 lbs.
Wheel-head	12" light alloy casting, drilled for bat pins
Dimensions	20 x 21 x 20"
Ship Weight	135 lbs.