The Shimpo RK-55 is a decent wheel for its price and is extremely easy to set up and start using straight away, though I have found a couple of issues can arise when throwing a large lump of clay.

Here is a video of the wheel, courtesy of Northern Kilns:

I initially learnt to throw on one of these wheels and spent a fair amount of time using it.

Pros

• It is portable
• It is very simple to use and clean
• It is reasonably priced
• It is handy to have a flat space in front of you for your pottery tools and also a space underneath for storing other stuff such as clay

Cons

• It can be too lightweight depending on your throwing needs
• The rotation of the wheelhead can noticeably slow down or even stop when throwing a large lump of clay (6+ kg)
• The wheel body itself can move when manipulating a large lump of clay (6+ kg) due to its lightweight nature
• The foot pedal is the only way to control the wheel speed

Specifications

The specifications of the wheel can be found on the manufacturer’s website:

• Specifications
• Catalog

Who It Suits

Those who throw and turn small pieces. Also if you need to move the wheel around often then this is a good choice.

Who It Doesn’t

If you plan to throw large pieces then you might find the motor inside is not strong enough depending on how much pressure you put against the wheelhead.

Also if you lean your body weight against the wheel when manipulating a large lump of clay you may find the wheel moves away from you slightly. However this is something you can work around by placing the wheel directly against a wall.

Verdict

Overall the Shimpo RK-55 is an excellent wheel and does the job well considering its price tag.