How to Share Wheels Fairly During Open Studio
Most studios have fewer wheels than members. On a busy Thursday evening, three people want the same wheel. Without clear rules, the loudest or earliest person wins, and the rest quietly resent it.
A few simple rules keep open studio friendly.
Pick a sharing model
- First come, first served. Simple, but favors people with flexible schedules.
- Booked slots. Members reserve a wheel for a set time, such as two hours.
- Hybrid. Book ahead for peak hours, walk in at quiet times.
- Quiet-hour wheels. Keep one or two wheels for walk-ins at all times.
Booked slots are fairer when demand is high, but they require someone to manage the calendar.
Set fair limits
- A maximum number of bookings per person per week.
- A maximum length for each slot.
- A short grace period. If someone is not there 15 minutes in, the wheel is free.
- A rule for finishing: pieces must be cut off and the wheel cleaned before the slot ends.
Explain why the limits exist. People accept rules when they understand the reason.
Keep the wheel area working
- Sponges, bats and splash pans live at each wheel.
- Wheels are cleaned after each session. See studio etiquette and cleanup.
- A member who finds a problem with a wheel reports it, and you tag the wheel "out of order".
- New members get a short orientation on the wheels. See how to set up and start the wheel.
Open studio rules poster
Print this list and put it on the wall by the wheels.
- Book your wheel for no more than two hours.
- Arrive on time. We release the wheel after 15 minutes.
- Cut off and move your work before your slot ends.
- Clean the wheel, splash pan and floor.
- Share the quiet wheels with walk-ins.
- Report any broken equipment to staff.
- Be kind. Everyone is learning.
Communicate
Tell members how bookings work in your onboarding. See member onboarding. Review the rules each season, as demand changes.
Want this in your studio?
Claybook handles this for your studio: members book a wheel for a time slot, and fair limits per person stop the busy evenings from being claimed by the same few people.
Tell us how you run things today and we will tailor it to your studio. See everything we offer studios.