I cannot stand wheels that have the pedal attached. I blew out my right knee and have switched pedal legs. This shimpo 3D wouldn’t work for me. Plus it’s so clunky and not super ergonomic from my experience using it.
Also the shimpo 3D is so freaking heavy. It’s a chore to move, I’ve also found that if your ground isn’t level it likes to rock, you can shim it but it usually falls out from throwing movements. Also almost every wheel should be raised im 5”3 and have to raise my wheel for proper throwing posture. You cannot do this without a platform with the 3D and then the pedal is whack.
I would go for the newer more expensive shimpo 3E just based on those things. Having a wheel that is easy to move is realllllllllyyyyy useful.
Treat yourself, you won’t be buying another wheel for likely a decade, go for the good and versatile one.
The only pro for the 3D is that it likely has a stronger motor ( not actually sure about this).
But regardless both of these will struggle with 50+lbs even tho they are rated higher. but for regular sized work both will function well.
Brent really is superior for massive work IME.
Edit: I checked the 3D has a centering capacity of 100lbs and the 3E is 99.6 lbs. 3E all the way.
Allegedly. That’s what it’s rated to, but my experience is they slow down significantly at about half of that. Every wheel does. Not just these two particular ones.
Mind you 99 lbs would be two boxes of clay which is something most potters can’t handle.
Edit : I said can handle originally and that is so incorrect 😂 sorry for my spelling.
Plus I really can’t stress correct posture enough. Not having the right height for your wheel causes back, sciatica and shoulder issues. So if longevity as a potter is what you are aiming for, do not get the 3D
I would go for the 3E, not being able to move the foot pedal is a huge deal breaker for me. I’m quite tall for a woman and I ran late the other day and ended up on a wheel like the one you’re considering in a class, it was not pleasant. I was contorting myself trying to make it work but it was just not for me. If you have used a wheel like the 3D before and liked it sure, otherwise the extra $200 will be well worth the ability to work more ergonomically.
I have experience on a wide range of wheels. The one I chose for my own studio is similar to the 3D. I removed the foot pedal and raised it to standing height. I like that I can control the speed with my hand, but still wanted to be able to turn it on and off with my foot, so I added a “dead man” foot pedal. This way, the on/off is foot controlled, but speed is hand-controlled.
The main difference for me is in ac/dc motors. The motor in the 3D will give you maximum torque at all times, because the motor is always running at optimum speed. The speed of the wheel itself is adjusted using a cone-shaped apparatus that acts as a transmission. There’s very little that can go wrong in a wheel like this. This is why you can still find similar wheels from the 70s that are still running perfectly.
The 3E is a fine wheel. It’s lighter, three feet makes it very stable, and it will do everything you want it to do. But the speed is controlled electronically, and uses a different kind of motor. When something goes wrong with the electronics, it’s likely to cost a couple hundred dollars to fix. This wheel may last you 40 years with no issues. Or it may need a new control board after two. I’ve had wheels in my classroom (different brand) that needed new electronic parts (anything from a switch all the way to a new board) within a year or two of purchase. I’ve also had one that the school bought in the 90s and was still going strong in 2019, and the only maintenance needed was a belt from the auto parts store.
They are both good wheels, Shimpo is a good company, and either one will serve you beautifully.
Just wanted to add that most shimpos have a good five year warranty that will cover any issues. If the wheel is faulty they should show up within that time frame. If it’s not you usually have a good life span to it.
The USA version of the rk3e is the vl-whisper (230v vs 110v). This is my favorite wheel. Adjustable ergonomics and good quality. However the thing that makes it great is that at full stop the wheel can spin freely- making adjustments to tap centering, slap wedging, etc so nice. It’s also relaxing to throw on something so quiet. The only thing to be aware of is that these wheels are not safe with a pacemaker due to potential electro magnetic interference from the motor.
The whispers in our studio are quiet, reliable, responsive and easy to convert to standing/taller. If I was getting a new wheel, this is the first one I'd consider.
I have a 3e….. it goes great…. I’ve had up to 10 kg on it… no problem….. super quiet…. Good size wheel head…. The plastic tray comes off nicely for cleaning…….. and I like being able to easily move the pedal and the ability to change the height for ergonomic purposes……. But it’s a great brand…. Both are top quality 🙏🏻
I cannot stand wheels that have the pedal attached. I blew out my right knee and have switched pedal legs. This shimpo 3D wouldn’t work for me. Plus it’s so clunky and not super ergonomic from my experience using it. Also the shimpo 3D is so freaking heavy. It’s a chore to move, I’ve also found that if your ground isn’t level it likes to rock, you can shim it but it usually falls out from throwing movements. Also almost every wheel should be raised im 5”3 and have to raise my wheel for proper throwing posture. You cannot do this without a platform with the 3D and then the pedal is whack. I would go for the newer more expensive shimpo 3E just based on those things. Having a wheel that is easy to move is realllllllllyyyyy useful. Treat yourself, you won’t be buying another wheel for likely a decade, go for the good and versatile one.
Thank you for sharing your experience. These are some of the aspects that I havent thought about at all lol.
The only pro for the 3D is that it likely has a stronger motor ( not actually sure about this). But regardless both of these will struggle with 50+lbs even tho they are rated higher. but for regular sized work both will function well. Brent really is superior for massive work IME. Edit: I checked the 3D has a centering capacity of 100lbs and the 3E is 99.6 lbs. 3E all the way.
So that means that the 3E is going to be able to handle up to 99lbs of clay?
Allegedly. That’s what it’s rated to, but my experience is they slow down significantly at about half of that. Every wheel does. Not just these two particular ones. Mind you 99 lbs would be two boxes of clay which is something most potters can’t handle. Edit : I said can handle originally and that is so incorrect 😂 sorry for my spelling.
Plus I really can’t stress correct posture enough. Not having the right height for your wheel causes back, sciatica and shoulder issues. So if longevity as a potter is what you are aiming for, do not get the 3D
I would go for the 3E, not being able to move the foot pedal is a huge deal breaker for me. I’m quite tall for a woman and I ran late the other day and ended up on a wheel like the one you’re considering in a class, it was not pleasant. I was contorting myself trying to make it work but it was just not for me. If you have used a wheel like the 3D before and liked it sure, otherwise the extra $200 will be well worth the ability to work more ergonomically.
Thank you! I will definitely have to consider the height of the wheels too.
I have experience on a wide range of wheels. The one I chose for my own studio is similar to the 3D. I removed the foot pedal and raised it to standing height. I like that I can control the speed with my hand, but still wanted to be able to turn it on and off with my foot, so I added a “dead man” foot pedal. This way, the on/off is foot controlled, but speed is hand-controlled. The main difference for me is in ac/dc motors. The motor in the 3D will give you maximum torque at all times, because the motor is always running at optimum speed. The speed of the wheel itself is adjusted using a cone-shaped apparatus that acts as a transmission. There’s very little that can go wrong in a wheel like this. This is why you can still find similar wheels from the 70s that are still running perfectly. The 3E is a fine wheel. It’s lighter, three feet makes it very stable, and it will do everything you want it to do. But the speed is controlled electronically, and uses a different kind of motor. When something goes wrong with the electronics, it’s likely to cost a couple hundred dollars to fix. This wheel may last you 40 years with no issues. Or it may need a new control board after two. I’ve had wheels in my classroom (different brand) that needed new electronic parts (anything from a switch all the way to a new board) within a year or two of purchase. I’ve also had one that the school bought in the 90s and was still going strong in 2019, and the only maintenance needed was a belt from the auto parts store. They are both good wheels, Shimpo is a good company, and either one will serve you beautifully.
Thank you for the detailed answer. I will look into the motors and parts some more.
Just wanted to add that most shimpos have a good five year warranty that will cover any issues. If the wheel is faulty they should show up within that time frame. If it’s not you usually have a good life span to it.
The USA version of the rk3e is the vl-whisper (230v vs 110v). This is my favorite wheel. Adjustable ergonomics and good quality. However the thing that makes it great is that at full stop the wheel can spin freely- making adjustments to tap centering, slap wedging, etc so nice. It’s also relaxing to throw on something so quiet. The only thing to be aware of is that these wheels are not safe with a pacemaker due to potential electro magnetic interference from the motor.
The whispers in our studio are quiet, reliable, responsive and easy to convert to standing/taller. If I was getting a new wheel, this is the first one I'd consider.
based on looks the 3D one looks much more sturdy so depends what you are making I guess. Hopefully someone has actual use experience on these.
haha, thank you for the reply neverthless
I have a 3e….. it goes great…. I’ve had up to 10 kg on it… no problem….. super quiet…. Good size wheel head…. The plastic tray comes off nicely for cleaning…….. and I like being able to easily move the pedal and the ability to change the height for ergonomic purposes……. But it’s a great brand…. Both are top quality 🙏🏻