|
Item |
Price |
Notes |
Retailer |
|
Amaco Brent Model C |
$2,000 |
It’s the wheel I wanted! Known for lasting forever, the Brent C has a great warranty and max capacity! |
|
|
Kiln- Skutt KM1027 |
$1,300 |
I really wanted to buy 1 kiln, not have to come back a year later to upgrade, so we went with something a bit… big! I also knew I wanted either a Skutt or L&L! About $450 was on the physical kiln, the remainder was spent on install and spare parts. |
Second-hand from a government auction! Check back for a post specifically on buying a used kiln! |
|
Work Tables |
$200 |
We custom built these using a workbench kit, plywood, and 2x4s! (Fair warning, we got the legs from someone who was throwing them away, but I’ve linked them here!) |
|
|
Baking Racks & Ware Boards |
$160 |
I purchased old baker’s racks from FB Marketplace & we cut Hardie board down to fit for ware boards |
|
|
Assorted Tools |
$1,500 |
This cost is a huge variable and will depend on what, and how, you like to throw. I ultimately probably spent more here than I needed to, but this is also perhaps a pitfall of a home studio: you can't really borrow tools to see if you like them before you buy. |
This list is not exhaustive in any way, but I hope it provides a valuable starting point! We saved a lot of money by doing the vast majority of the manual labor ourselves. And it wouldn't be fair to exclude my husband's understanding of electrical work and how much that saved us, too!
Skutt could not have been more helpful in getting our kiln set up. Their phone support is truly second to none. Prior to purchasing at auction, my husband spent over an hour discussing listings on the phone with them. After purchasing, they walked us through testing every aspect, step by step. They then helped me program it!
It was a significant cost, but I’m a big believer in spending right the first time. Knowing that Amaco Brent really stood behind their wheels made it an easy(er) yes to drop that kind of money.
This may be a controversial opinion, but I don’t think you have to have everything set up right away. There are several aspects of the studio that we added slowly. Originally, we set up my wheel just off the kitchen. It was a small space, but it worked! Once I moved into our spare bedroom, I really tried to have it totally “set up”, but have found myself making lots of little adjustments. It’s not as easy, but I also can’t say I would have known how I liked my setup until I started really working! It’s okay to add things or change them as you go!
I hope that if you’re looking at building a home studio, this was helpful! Check back next week for tips on buying used pottery equipment!
xo Amanda