Bat System for Potter’s Wheel, 12” Round Outer Bat with Set of Six 7” Square Inner Bats, Bat Adapter with Removable Inserts for Throwing Pottery, for Potters and Clay Artists (6)

Just like the bats at my pottery studio. These are great for saving room in the studio.

Purchased our third set recently and the product has sadly changed. The new insert material shreds and sticks to the pottery pieces, totally ruining the inserts (look at other recent reviews and photos). Our previous two sets have been amazing! We only bought a third set because our studio is expanding.

Better than multiple pricey full-size bats, the Bleeker Bat System allows me to throw anything with less than a 7" diameter base (which is most of my work). If I have been too generous with the water, I will lift the work on its bat and allow it to dry out a bit, while working on something else (this also allows the bats to dry out, as well. The system makes for much greater efficiency in my studio.I can also cover up work with a bit of plastic if I am not going to get to it for a day or so, and delaying such work on 7" bats frees up so much more space than if I was using standard 12" bats. I also purchased a second set of inner bats (from a different vendor) to keep the work flowing.After a recent move, I have yet to find my stash of bats in storage. Now I don't need to work too hard to locate them. This system is excellent!

I wanted to find an MDF set so the bats could breathe and I could pop off my pieces once they got firm enough, then just do some minimal smoothing with a rubber rib and indent the bottom a bit, rather than wiring off and trimming. It works for small pieces like spoon rests, but I’m finding for mugs or anything larger/more intricate, by the time they’re dry enough to pop off, they’re too dry to manipulate much more or add handles without risking cracks. I’ve noticed a few S cracks in my bottoms, possibly from the indenting, possibly from peeling them off the bats. So maybe I wish I’d just gotten a plastic set, because I do find that these can warp (I try to alternate sides each use) and i think my pieces are getting moldy more often than before. But these are as promised and work well on the wheel with a few little pieces of clay in the corners to keep them from wiggling. Overall I’m satisfied and glad I invested in a bat system because they save me so much space on my drying shelves! They also came with two bat pins and wing nuts to attach to the wheel, which I hadn’t expected.

I've been using this system for about a year now, and I feel like I can leave an honest review now.So first off, any system like this is going to be a huge time saver, this one is no exception. But we all know why we bought or are buying this product. So how does it hold up?I see a lot of reviews here about warping, and I think that these are probably new potters who don't quite understand how Masonite bats work. They absorb water, it's how they work so well! When things are ready to trim they just pop off the bat because the bat has been wicking moisture out of the bottom. Sometimes this causes the bat insert to "dome", or bend in the direction of the thing drying on it. It is important to flip your bat inserts each time to keep the dome from becoming exaggerated on one side. A domed bat will not prevent you from centering, it will not cause issues with throwing, if you think so, you haven't been throwing for very long.Now my main bat (the thing that holds the inserts) did dome on me since it's not flippable, but I just put some shelf liner under it and haven't ever had a problem since. I always get my wheelhead wet before putting the bat on, and I always dip my bat inserts in water before putting them on the bat.Can't beat the price, I have purchased 24 extra inserts and I use them every day. I really like this system and it's so much cheaper than the dirty girls and other similar systems.Search for Liam Besaw on YouTube to see me throwing on these bats and you'll never question buying this system.

I had bought this product before and it was pretty good. But eventually I needed a replacement. The one they just sent me sucks because whatever the material is, I can't let my pottery dry on the bats or else is sticks to the wood and pulls the top layer of the bat off

This is my first bat system and I’m really liking it. When throwing several pieces, I can transfer them to a shelf still on the insert. These take up way less space than a 12” sized bat. I haven’t experienced any issues of the inserts warping. For clean up, I ensure both sides have been wetted, then towel dried. I place them in a rack actually meant for dish drying. This allows them to be stored on the edges where they dry on both sides at the same time. My research found this to be the factor in preventing warping and so far this method has been successful.I’ve also read complaints about the insert being too small and that they rock when throwing. I learned that by wetting both sides and placing a small amount of clay underneath the insert provides a pleasant experience with the bat system’s performance.Don’t let other reviews scare you away from this bat system. Do your own research and you’ll feel much more comfortable with your choice to purchase this set. I’m glad I did! Recommended