I look at a potter's wheel as a vertical lathe. If you understand form on a lathe it's translates easily to a wheel.

There are potter's tools that are similar to a bowl gouge, skew, square scraper and cabinet scraper. Even the wooden and metal potter's tools need to be sharpen in a similar fashion as woodturning tools using the same equipment.

Drying clay is just like drying a green turned bowl.

I'm not advocating getting into clay, I still prefer my lathe, but it might be something to consider if you are in a Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or

A potter & I discussed our mediums at a show.  Similar shapes, etc. except that before the pot comes off the wheel if it gets messed up, oh well, smush it all back together and start over.  Wood lathe, mess up, burn pile!

Many of my best conversations were exchanges w/people who were at the top of their 'passion'. I compared 'feel' of the bevel  change after honing with a world-class drummer and he can feel similar changes  in tip shape. He held me to similar tolerances when I made drumsticks for him. Working with a potter I had to learn to cooperate w/the clay and feel what it wanted. Clay is an additative medium, wood turning subtractive, but both use the turned form and involve our sense of shape. Always be curious!