Ceramics: Pottery Wheel Terms Tools A B Wheel machine used to make pottery needle tool for trimming sponge used to add water and smooth pot kidney or rib used to smooth pot trimming tool/turning tool used to trim under the foot edge and clean plaster bat symmetry even on both sides cylinder goal to make before shaping a pot fast to center slow to shape and trim pot throwing making a pot on the wheel centering the clay making the clay symmetrical before opening to make a pot opening putting fingers or thumb into centered clay wedging manipulating the clay to make even and get air pockets out lubricant adding water to the clay to move easily over the clay Shaping making the form of the clay cylinder interesting to look at Foot bottom of pot Lip top edge of pot Trimming cutting uneven clay from top lip and under foot Undercutting trimming under the edge of the foot to make the form of the pot aesthetically pleasing Lifters shaped metal tools used to pick up a freshly made pot from the wheel Preventing crack in bottom press inside with sponge as pot turns on wheel reusing clay from a failed pot never use unless you wedge completely temperature of water cool slowly and release slowly touch pot when forming on wheel push clay inward prevent the clay pot from become larger