Why I throw my plates on a bat instead of a wheel head

When I make a plate, I want its surface to feel calm, open and slightly alive. The shape may look simple, yet a broad ceramic form asks a great deal from the clay. It needs to stay centred, support its own weight and dry without pulling itself out of shape. My choice of throwing bat is part of how I manage all three.

A bat is a removable surface fixed to the pottery wheel. Instead of throwing directly on the wheel head, I attach a plaster, wooden or plastic disc, build the plate on it, then lift the whole piece away when the throwing is finished. For wide, shallow forms, that small change makes a significant difference.

My plates carry influences from the Pacific Northwest and the Mediterranean coastline: weathered rocks, tide pools, pale sand, dark water and the irregular edges of leaves. I want the finished object to retain some of the movement made by my hands. The bat helps me preserve that movement while keeping the technical process controlled.

This approach also suits the way I work in Barcelona, where a piece may move from my studio to a gallery, a workshop table or an Australian collector’s home. Whether someone finds a plate through Amelia’s ceramic work, at a market or during a clay-and-wine afternoon, it should arrive with its character intact.

Wide forms need a stable beginning

A plate spreads across the wheel much more than a cup or small vase. As I open the clay and draw the walls outward, the rim becomes vulnerable to wobbling. Any slight movement underneath can travel through the form, leaving a soft ripple or an unwanted change in thickness.

The bat gives the clay a broad, steady platform from the first pull. I can compress the base, establish the centre and stretch the form without worrying that the wet clay is gripping directly to the metal wheel head. This is especially helpful when I am throwing large decorative plates with generous, low profiles.

The bat protects the shape after throwing

The most important reason is simple: I do not have to move a wet plate by hand. A freshly thrown plate is heavy, flexible and easy to distort. Lifting it from the wheel head can create finger marks, a raised rim or a subtle twist that becomes obvious after firing.

Once I finish throwing, I remove the bat from the wheel and place it on a drying board. The plate stays supported from underneath while the clay firms up. Later, when it reaches the soft leather-hard stage, I can lift it safely, trim the foot and refine the edge without asking the form to survive an unnecessary transfer.

Removing the plate without a struggle

Throwing directly on a wheel head often means waiting for the clay to become firm enough to move. That slows the rhythm of a studio day, particularly when I am making a group of matching or related pieces. With several bats ready, I can continue working while earlier plates rest undisturbed.

This matters during workshops, too. A beginner may make a beautiful wide platter and then lose its shape while trying to slide it off the wheel. A bat offers a clear, practical solution. During hands-on sessions with wine and tapas, it lets participants focus on the pleasure of making rather than rushing to rescue a fragile object.

Different bats create different working conditions

I use bats according to the clay body, scale and finish I want. Plaster absorbs moisture from the underside of the clay, helping a broad plate firm up evenly. Wooden bats are useful for a familiar, slightly forgiving surface, while plastic bats are easy to clean and dependable when I am producing a series.

The connection between the bat and wheel also matters. A bat that shifts by even a small amount can make centring frustrating and introduce uneven pressure. I check that the pins or bat mat are secure before I begin. In a warm Barcelona studio, or during a humid Brisbane summer, controlling moisture and movement becomes part of the same decision.

A useful choice for Australian collectors

Australian buyers understand the appeal of handmade ceramics, but distance adds practical considerations. A plate travelling from Barcelona to Melbourne, Sydney or Perth needs careful packaging, and a form that has remained flat and evenly dried is more reliable in transit. The bat does not make a piece unbreakable, yet it helps reduce the warping that can complicate packing and display.

I also think about how these works live in Australian homes. A textured plate might sit on a timber table in Hobart, catch the bright coastal light of Adelaide or become a centrepiece for a relaxed Sunday arvo in Sydney. At Melbourne makers’ markets, people often turn a piece over, feel its weight and inspect the foot. A clean, stable base supports that tactile experience.

The small tool behind the finished surface

The bat is easy to overlook because it disappears from the finished work. It does not appear in photographs of a glazed plate, and it rarely becomes part of the conversation about colour, texture or inspiration. Still, it influences the stage when those qualities are most vulnerable.

My preference for throwing plates on a bat comes from repetition and observation. I have seen how a supported form dries, how a rim responds to trimming and how a small technical choice affects the final silhouette. The result is not a perfectly mechanical plate. It is a piece with room for the hand, the kiln and the natural world to leave their marks.

I share studio notes, new work and creative discoveries through the Paintbox Letters, where the quieter parts of making can have their own space. For me, pottery is built from these practical decisions: the amount of water, the pressure of a thumb, the timing of a lift and the surface beneath the clay.

Explore the available and sold works at Amelia Creations, follow along on Instagram and join the mailing list for new pieces, workshop dates and clay experiences. If you are in Australia, keep an eye out for international releases and allow extra care for shipping handmade ceramics across the distance.