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dripping spouts

updated mon 12 aug 02

 

Valerie Hawkins on sat 3 aug 02


It seems like I saw in a book or something, where a potter had made a small
pinhole below their spout. The purpose of the hole was to channel drips
back into the vessel.

Has anyone tried this successfully?

Valerie

vince pitelka on sun 4 aug 02


> It seems like I saw in a book or something, where a potter had made a
small
> pinhole below their spout. The purpose of the hole was to channel drips
> back into the vessel.

This I wanna see. It sounds a little like perpetual motion, and endeavors
in that direction have not been highly successful. Ultimately, the ONLY
thing that seems to completely eliminate drips is a slight smear of candle
wax beneath the tip of the spout immediately before pouring. The wax simply
does not allow the tea to drip over the lip of the tip.
Best wishes -
- Vince

Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@worldnet.att.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
http://www.craftcenter.tntech.edu/

Martin Howard on mon 5 aug 02


This tip about non drip spouts comes via page 60 of Potters Tips, edited by
Robert Fournier ISBN 0 9504767 7 3 obtainable from Ceramic Review, 21
Carnaby Street, London W1V 1PH. I quote:-

"Here is an interesting solution to the dripping spout problem. The spout is
on a factory made German porcelain coffee pot made by a pottery called
"Melitta". I have tried to make it drip but failed.
A small hole about 1/32" is drilled through the spout and tow grooves are
gouged out from this hole. One on the underside to the edge of the lip and
the second from the hole down the inner side of the spout."
Then follows three drawings of the holes from the bottom, the top and a side
section. I could send these as attachments to anyone who asks, if you cannot
get hold of the book.

Personally I (Martin Howard) have tried this, but have not yet mastered the
size of hole and the angles necessary. It works by capillary action. My
problem with it is keeping the size of hole when slipping and glazing. It
may be better to just bore the holes and grooves with a diamond drill after
glaze firing.

Martin Howard
Webbs Cottage Pottery
Woolpits Road, Great Saling
BRAINTREE, Essex CM7 5DZ
01371 850 423
martin@webbscottage.co.uk
http://www.webbscottage.co.uk
Updated 6th July 2002

Snail Scott on tue 6 aug 02


At 10:21 PM 8/4/02 -0500, you wrote:
>> It seems like I saw in a book or something, where a potter had made a
>small
>> pinhole below their spout. The purpose of the hole was to channel drips
>> back into the vessel.


I've seen these. The hole is too small for tea to pour
out of, but it supposedly creates a capillary effect on
the single errant drip down the outside. An alternative
explanation is that the tea that slides back down the
inside of the spout creates a slight suction, drawing
the drip into the hole, but the first explanation makes
more sense to me. It does seem to work pretty well. I
suspect, though, that the size of the hole is critical
and may take some experimenting.

-Snail

Logan Oplinger on fri 9 aug 02


I have wondered if instead of using candle wax or silicone grease under the
end of a spout, would a small dab of clear silicone caulk (like used to
seal windows or fish tanks) under the end of a spout stop dribbles and back
drips? The silicone caulk I think would be rather more permanent. I've
not made any pouring containers recently, so maybe someone who is can test
this idea out.

Logan Oplinger

iandol on sat 10 aug 02


Dear Logan Oplinger,=20

No doubt our suggestion of using a smear of Silicone Calking compound =
would prevent the transgression of that residual drop from the spout of =
a tea pot. But what ever substance is used, it is "Fudging it!!". Ok for =
something for your own table, but hardly of merchantable quality for =
anyone who wishes to keep their reputation as a craftsman potter.

I think the suggestions which have been coming forward relating to =
design and consideration of the forces which work on flowing liquids has =
brought a lot of interest to this topic.

Best regards,

Ivor