Hi folks. I've been shopping around for a scuttle recently, and I can't help but wonder why almost all scuttles I see are one-piece. It seems to me that a two-piece would be easier to fill with water and easier to clean. It would also afford you the choice of using the bowl part separately. I have no pottery experience, but I assume a two-piece is also an easier design to make. Is there some benefit to a one-piece that I'm missing?
Scuttles - Why Usually One-Piece?
- Thread starter JJMontague
- Start date
The two things I can think of are perhaps a one piece design retains heat better and the bowls don't clank together when you are whipping up lather.
By the way, I believe Julie at Dirty Bird makes a large two piece scuttle.
Hi, I am a amateur potter and when I make a scuttle for myself I make them in two pieces. I have tried to make them in one piece but I have not been satisfied with the results so far. I like a scuttle with two pieces for the reason you state, you can use the bowl separately. In addition I like to be able to completely cover the hot water with a "lid/bowl" I think it might retain heat a bit better.
As to making it one piece, it's a bit harder I think because you have to join the bowl to the outer bowl. When you do that there is a chance the joint will not be as strong as you hope and it can crack during the firing process (you fire an item 2 times - yes there is a way to fire only once but there are some problems with that).
I posted a few of the pieces of ware that I have made in the following thread http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=130226&page=2 If you are interested in seeing an example of what I have been making.
Unless you have your heart set on a scuttle you should consider a dip chiller. Amazon carries those pretty cheap and they work the same except that they have 2 pieces and they don't have a specific place for you to soak your brush.
If looks are a concern then nevermind.
If looks are a concern then nevermind.
Don't know about the construction part but after using a two cereal-bowl setup, I looked for and got a Robert's Ceramic Feats Of Clay midsize one-piece scuttle for convince and low cost ($29 delivered). Using the tap, it's easy to fill (about 2 seconds) and I see no problem with cleaning. In fact, I was afraid of dropping the bowl (I'm a klutz) while cleaning and thought the one-piece safer for me! )
I asked about that when I bought my dirty bird. According to Julie, there's a problem with the lather bowl moving around/spinning while making lather and the chance of the lather bowl slipping out and breaking. They don't seem like insurmountable problems, but after years of use, the one piece seems to be the preference. There's not a lot to clean the scuttle because you don't put anything in the water chamber other than water. If you spill some soap into it, it floats.....and it's soap. I do rinse it out, but remember that whatever may be in the lower bowl is getting soaked for many minutes in very hot water which would kill any bad guys. So, the one piece construction actually makes it easier to handle without worrying about breaking anything. It's pottery, so it can break if it drops, but I think you'll find that you handle it carefully because of the weight.
My wife is a potter as well and I prefer the two piece scuttle she made for me above any other I tried.
- Thread starter
- #9
Do you mean like this: http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-Ceramic-Dip-Server/dp/B0006IW040/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1265910002&sr=8-1
I saw this when I first started looking. I think it was recommended by some here on B&B. It looks like it would work well as a scuttle, but like you said, it's not a real looker! I plan to keep mine on display in the bathroom next to my razor/brush stand, and so would prefer something more visually interesting. Thanks for the heads up, though!
- Thread starter
- #10
I can see this being a problem for many. I guess I envisioned lathering with the bowl in my hand and placing it back into the larger bowl when ready. Definitely something to consider, though.
- Thread starter
- #11
Your work is very nice! I don't see which one in the picture is a scuttle, though. Also, did you size the brush cutout in your razor/brush stand for that specific brush, or to try to fit an average sized brush. It seems like brush handle design and dimensions are all over the place!
The two piece scuttles I have made don't spin around, the will move a bit but not that much. The top rim and the bottom of the bowl that touch the top rim are not glazed so there is a "bit" of a bite to the fired clay and it seems to keep them from spinning and moving that much. But then I tend to let the scuttle sit on the counter top and lightly touch the rim of the bowl as I make the lather.
I recently bought a two piece scuttle made by ph33nyx's mother-in-law. It's a brush scuttle so I'm not doing any lather beating in the inner bowl/cup.
I prefer it to be two piece, as it allows me to pour the hot water from the base into the brush cup to rinse the lather out of it when I'm cleaning it up. The only drawback I've found is that if I have a big blooming brush full of lather it can develop some suction in the cup and try to lift and twist the cup within the outer bowl when I'm removing it.
- Chris
I prefer it to be two piece, as it allows me to pour the hot water from the base into the brush cup to rinse the lather out of it when I'm cleaning it up. The only drawback I've found is that if I have a big blooming brush full of lather it can develop some suction in the cup and try to lift and twist the cup within the outer bowl when I'm removing it.
- Chris
Thanks, the scuttle is in the front row, you have a brush/razor stand, shaving mug, then the scuttle - it's black and white with a shaving brush design, then another shaving mug. The mugs have a small finger hold / handle.
On the razor/brush stand it was the second one I made and when the clay was "leather hard" about the consistency of of a cheese I cut out the slot. The problem with making things in clay is shrinkage. As clay drys it shrinks, then when you bisque fire (1st firing) it will shrink again and then the glaze firing (2nd firing) it will shrink again. So as a potter you have to learn how much it shrinks and you will be able to estimate what size you need to make and how far it shrinks.
Anyway I digress - my first one the opening was too small for my brush, so I made it larger. I bought a new brush a few weeks ago, and it's larger than my Vulfix or Kent, so I have to go out and make a new one - or two
: The only problem for me right now is I have just had my defibrillator replaced and I am waiting till the Dr. says I can lift more than 10lbs. Grabbing bags of clay are in 50 lb. boxes so I am sidelined for another week or so
But then again the defibrillator has saved my life and I am sure I would be dead today without it......so I can wait a bit before I get back out to the studio.
