Without bat pins, you may be able to throw directly on the head or use a suitable pin-free bat method. First establish why the pins are absent. Then choose around how you will remove the pot when it is finished.
Missing pins or a head with no holes?
Inspect the disconnected wheel and consult its manual. If intended threaded holes are present, the solution may simply be the correct replacement pins. If the head has no provision for pins, ask the manufacturer about supported attachments before buying bats or drilling anything.
Working directly on the head
Where the wheel and clay guidance allow direct contact, throwing on the bare head avoids a bat attachment. Have a receiving board ready and learn the release and lifting method before attempting wide or delicate work. Ask an instructor to demonstrate with a small form first.
Material compatibility still matters. SHIMPO warns that highly acidic clay can pit certain aluminum heads and recommends a bat barrier. Permission to throw without a bat should not be generalized to every clay and head.
Securing a bat with a clay pad
A clay pad can form the interface between head and bat; the Pottery People describes this method in the linked guide. The pad needs to be even and the bat secure. Unevenness can introduce wobble, and a poorly attached bat can shift.
Learn the method with instruction and confirm it is permitted for your equipment. Begin with manageable work. If the bat moves, stop and resolve the attachment rather than trying more speed or pressure.
Check what a bat grip is designed to do
Some grips or stabilizers reduce movement beneath a bat already located by pins. They are not necessarily a substitute for the pins. Read the product’s installation directions for required surfaces, dimensions and use limits. Do not stack improvised layers to make incompatible parts fit.
Let removal guide the choice
Small forms may suit practiced direct-head removal. Wide bases or pieces you want to leave untouched may benefit from a securely mounted removable bat. Resolve the attachment before beginning the pot; discovering that it is unreliable once the form is wet leaves few good handling options.
Questions about this topic
Must a pottery wheel have bat pins to throw clay?
Not always. Direct wheelhead throwing or a suitable pin-free bat method may be possible, subject to the wheel and clay guidance.
Can a bat grip replace missing pins?
Only if its manufacturer explicitly supports that use. Some stabilizers are designed for bats already located by pins.