Blew $400 on a pottery wheel and kiln but never fired a single piece

I bought a full setup for throwing clay after a weekend class made me feel inspired, but the kiln is now a very expensive storage shelf in my garage after I realized I hate cleaning up clay dust every time I walk in the house... has anyone else sunk cash into a hobby that just didn't stick?

3 comments

3 Comments

hollyl2517d ago

I know three people in my community who bought full pottery setups just last year and two of them are still using theirs every week. Sounds like you skipped the basic step of sealing your workspace with plastic sheeting and a good shop vac. Clay dust is a pain but you can manage it with a little planning. The initial cost of the kiln and wheel is steep but if you sell even a few mugs you break even pretty fast. A weekend class is not enough to tell if you will actually like the craft long term. You gave up way too early on something that could have paid for itself and then some.

elliot_gibson2717d ago

Woah, @hollyl25 my cousin got a pottery wheel and now just uses it as a REALLY expensive plant stand.

danielnelson17d ago

Wow, yeah I read something just last week about how many pottery newbies bail after the first cleanup. Some article said like 60% of used kilns for sale online are from people who only made it through a few months. The dust issue is real - it gets everywhere and it's basically ground glass for your lungs. I get why you'd quit. But the comment about sealing the workspace is smart, I've heard that too from a friend who actually stuck with it. Maybe you could try selling the setup to recoup some cash, whole kits go fast on marketplace.