Using a Plexi Template on the Potters Wheel

Step 2 Making the Template (Profile in Plexi)

What you will do in this step is cut out the profile of HALF of the shape. You only want to cut half because the wheel will make the shape all the way around. Sort of like when you're in elementary school and you fold a piece of paper in half then cut a arc. When you unfold the paper, you get a heart but the cut you made was only half of the heart.

For this shape, I used Adobe Illustrator to create a file that I sent to be laser cut. I've attached the file but make sure that your strokes and colors match whatever the settings are for laser cutter you end up using.

Alternately though, you can simply sketch or draw onto a sheet of acrylic plexiglass and cut that using some sort of saw. I like to use this method when I'm cutting a profile in plexi for using on the plaster wheel. I will first sketch the shape, then cut it out using a band saw. I can go in with different grit sandpapers to then smooth out the shape.