Center a pot upside-down with clay lugs

Before you can trim, the pot needs to be centered and secure upside down on the wheel. This is harder than it sounds.

Steps

1. Place your leather-hard bowl or cylinder upside down on the wheel
2. Tap it until it runs true (watch the rim as the wheel spins slowly)
3. Secure it with three small clay lugs pressed against the sides, evenly spaced
4. Spin the wheel and verify: no wobble

The test

Apply trimming pressure with a tool. The pot should not shift or spin. If it does, your lugs aren't firm enough: press them harder against the pot and the wheel head.

Why this matters

A pot that shifts during trimming = an off-center foot ring = a pot that wobbles on the table forever.