A banding wheel is an unpowered turntable that spins freely on a bearing. It is used for decorating, for building coil and slab pots, and for trimming by hand, and it is one of the least expensive and most used items in a studio.
What it is for
Turning work while you look at it and work on it. Banding, the technique it is named for, is holding a loaded brush against a rotating pot to draw an even line, which is impossible freehand and trivial on a turntable. Beyond that it is used for building coil pots, for smoothing slab work and simply for viewing a piece from every side without picking it up.
Why weight matters
A heavy cast banding wheel keeps spinning smoothly under the pressure of a hand or a rib, and a light one stops as soon as you touch the work. That is the entire quality difference between a cheap and an expensive one, and it is noticeable immediately. Heavier is better and the good ones last a lifetime.
Banding wheel or pottery turntable
The same object under two names, with turntable used more often for the lighter plastic versions and banding wheel for the heavier metal ones. Suppliers list both. What is worth checking is the bearing quality and the weight rather than the description.
What it is not
It is not a wheel you can throw on, because throwing needs power and continuous speed. Buying a banding wheel expecting to throw is a recurring and expensive misunderstanding, and it is the single most useful thing to be clear about before ordering.
Questions people ask about wheel pottery
What is a banding wheel used for?
Decorating, drawing even bands with a brush, building coil and slab pots, and turning work to see it from every side.
Can I throw on a banding wheel?
No. Throwing needs a powered wheel that holds speed under load.
Does the weight matter?
Yes. A heavy banding wheel keeps spinning under a hand or a rib; a light one stops the moment you touch the pot.