The shaping performed by means of a lathe allows the quick modelling of clay products featuring rounded and symmetrical shapes.
 
Clay is placed on the rotating lathe disc and manipulated with a series of precise and rhythmical movements, performed all in a row.
 
The first phase is the centering, a critical procedure that centers the rotation axis of lathe with the centre of the piece being crafted, resulting in the symmetry of the final object. The quantity of clay must be adjusted depending on the desired object, keeping in mind that no addition of material can be made during the rest of the crafting stages.
 
The second stage is the shaping/modelling, when the potter chooses whether to make a closed vessels, featuring necks narrower than the bottoms, or open vessels. As for closed shapes, the potter opens a hole at the centre of the ball of clay and then, taking advantage of the rotation of the wheel, he pulls the edges and moulds a cylinder. This initial shape is then fashioned differently - domed, narrow, tapered and so on - until the desired object is created. As for open shapes, potters model the clay by levelling it. Levelling clay on the lathe, i.e. for a plate or a bowl, is a complex operation that requires skills and high level craftsmanship.
 
The last steps are the finishing and the release from the lathe. When a potter obtains the desired shape, s/he smoothes the piece to get rid of all imperfections or unnecessary marks, made visible when the lathe starts to lose speed before stopping completely. The release of the vessel from the lathe disc is performed by means of a resistant wire held tight with both hands. This action requires expertise and and must be performed with a quick and precise movement.
 
Lathe making, particularly suitable for the manufacture of pottery, is widely used on the island and is "the" shaping technique implemented in last century's traditional local pottery production.