Water In A Studio Without Plumbing: Ideas Needed

[nairda]

My studio (separate bldg from my house) has no water and it works very well.  There's a utility sink in our basement, about 25' away that I use for final hand cleaning/glaze mixing water. I  wet mix glazes outdoors to eliminate dust inside basement or studio.  

 

In the studio I use a 3.5 gallon plastic beverage dispenser that sits up on wooden blocks the same size as the dispenser base so it's stable.  Dispenser has flip up/down lever to turn the water on/off so it's easy to use with slip covered fingers.  There's a 12-cup plastic catch basin on the table under the tap.   I use a 'clean water only'  3 gallon bucket to refill the dispenser.  

 

I glaze about 50-60 pieces at a time and have glaze buckets on dollies.  When glazing, I spread a fabric dropcloth on the floor that catches all the drops/splops. When it gets really dirty it gets hosed off outside and line dried.

 

Decades ago I had to haul every drop of potable water I used in daily life in gallon buckets which prompted efficient water use habits.  While it works for me, it's probably not efficient if you are making 100 pots a day, every day. I'm in my studio almost every day, but have a leisurely production schedule and only mix 5 gallon bucket sized containers of glaze.  My studio stays much cleaner without running water, probably because it makes me mindful of not being sloppy with clay/glazes.

[Stephen]

well if you are making 100 pots a day, every day, and they sell for an average of $30 that's 1.1 million dollars in pottery and one can afford whatever water system they want   

[Idaho Potter]

I concerned about you using household drains to cleanup studio messes.  The sedimentary residue from clay, glaze, and other stuff will eventually block your drains and could cost you a lot of money to repair.  That stuff sets up like concrete.  Cink's are expensive.  However, you can make something similar using laundry tubs with standpipes under your stainless sink.  I've been using mine for over thirty years, never had plumbing problems, and when I moved to Boise, brought the whole thing with me and set it up in my new studio nine years ago.  I use twin tubs, so once a year, I bail out water from one side--let it go dry, and scoop out the sediment into the trash.  Then I do the other side.  If you are interested, I could probably come up with some drawings.  Basically it is based on a deep sink with a standpipe that was designed for cleaning up plaster from molds, etc.  Works like a charm, and cost is low--laundry tubs, some PVC pipes, and enough room under the tubs for a P-trap.  (my stainless sink is set high, and I cut the legs off the tubs to lower them but keep space for the P-trap)

 

Shirley

[stonefly]

I'm surprised that so many pack water!  I have a dry studio too, about a block away from my house.  I haul 5 gal buckets from home.  I just dip from the buckets, warm the water on the woodstove and pitch the slops into the sagebrush behind the shed.  (Which is a giant snow/ice/mud pile right now..)  Really dirty stuff comes home to hose off outside or (winter) wash in my mudroom sink.  I never thought of a pump with a recirculating system.  I have wondered about building a rack with a basin in it and creating a settling and "clear-ish reclaim" bucket under.  You could have buckets with spigots above the basin - one clean and one reclaimed for washing in a gravity fed sink-like system.  For now I just pack and dip.

[earthfan]

I don't use a lot of water until I start glazing. My cold water tap is in the yard outside and before I start potting I fill up a number of soft drink bottles with water and spread them around the studio. I have a bucket of water for washing my hands and I use spray bottles a lot to dampen and as a substitute for running water.

[Mark C.]

I could not have a production pottery studio without water-I would catch it or pump it or drill for it but I need it.

If I was a hobbyist I could fake it without and use a bucket but I'm not.

If you glaze fire each week water is needed to make glazes.

Mark

[MMB]

I dont use this for my studio but because we run off a well I havent been wanting to take hundreds of gallons of water for my aquaponics. So Ive used 55 gallon drums as rain barrels which you can find for very cheap and add a bulk head fitting on the bottom. Recently, I took an extra cut IBC tote and placed it near a gutter. The gutter catches an 8 by 8 area worth of tin roof and during the last storm I got 150 gallons worth of water. Totes can be found as cheap as 50 bucks in most areas. You could very easily set one up in an area that is advantageous and have a lot of water at your disposal after a rain. I hooked up a hose so I utilize the gravity and pressure but Harbor Freight sells good water (fountain) pumps at very good prices. Pretty sure a small one inside the bottom of a tote with the outlet directed horizontally to where you need it, through a bulk head fitting that is, and have it linked to a lightswitch as your on/off could work well. Pumps are rated for the GPH and Head lift. Im sure pushing horizonally will give a little bit better performance than pushing out and up the tank then down again.

 

[applekate]

Thanks All!

I ended up using an RV pump and it works great. Another option for those with lots of money starting a studio with no water is the Cink. It includes the sink and a pump, etc.

 

[tessa425]

Hi.  I just wanted to check in about the pottery studio without plumbing.  I've used lots of ideas from others but I did find a system that worked for me.  I had a plumber give me an estimate and it was beyond pricey.  So this is what I've done.

 

My studio is in our basement.  It is a walkout with a sliding door so I have outdoor access. I have a utility tub (stand up tub like in a laundry room) which has no faucet or fixtures.  To get water in, I have a large storage bin to the left of the tub on top of a table so it is pretty much level.  I fill the tub either by bringing water in or better yet, I empty our dehumidifier that we keep on in the basement.  I found this little thing that works well when I put it in the bin and then I can spray water. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IFHFJXI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1  This works great and it is rechargeable. 

 

I've put a bucket below where the water just runs in. I just throw the water outside each time I throw on the wheel and so far that has been fine. 

 

Honestly, mostly what I've learned from doing this is how to conserve and minimize the water that I use so I do not have to empty the bucket too often.  I use the large sponge to wipe out my throwing tray much more than I used to and I find that I use less water when I am throwing overall and I think my throwing is better with using the "slip like" water.  I also put a small bucket inside the tub with water and use that for washing my hands and the sponge out as I go. 

 

Keep in mind that I am an amateur who only has time for pottery on the weekends.  However, I do most of my work on the  wheel.  I have my own  kiln so I am set up fairly well.  With this set up, I only had $40 in it for the sprayer.  Much better than the plumbing estimate!  

 

Hope this helps someone who is suffering from a plumber's sticker shock.

[tb001]

Really interesting to hear how everyone deals with getting water into the studio. I run mine off of a garden hose attached to a sprinkler line. Feeds into a sink through the wall of the studio.

 

I'm curious how people manage waste water/clean up. For the typical clay slop seems easy enough to just throw out the bucket, but what about when you're cleaning up after glazing or glaze mixing? I don't use anything too toxic in my glazes, but not comfortable just tossing the waste water--maybe I'm being overly paranoid? I have a drain hooked up to a rain barrel and have been using a sump pump to feed the water back into the house drain (after several catch basins), but it's kind of a pain and would love an easier solution.

[Mark C.]

I posted some photos on my sink drain setup-its a two tiered system that one can gather the settling solids. You will have to search my posts as I spent about 10 minutes looking for this post with zero luck. It did make me wonder what has happened to all those former posters who moved on from this board?

[nancylee]

I'm surprised that so many pack water!  I have a dry studio too, about a block away from my house.  I haul 5 gal buckets from home.  I just dip from the buckets, warm the water on the woodstove and pitch the slops into the sagebrush behind the shed.  (Which is a giant snow/ice/mud pile right now..)  Really dirty stuff comes home to hose off outside or (winter) wash in my mudroom sink.  I never thought of a pump with a recirculating system.  I have wondered about building a rack with a basin in it and creating a settling and "clear-ish reclaim" bucket under.  You could have buckets with spigots above the basin - one clean and one reclaimed for washing in a gravity fed sink-like system.  For now I just pack and dip.

Doesn't washing off dirty stuff in your mud room sink clog up your pipes? I dint mind I running water for throwing, but clean-up is a major hassle without a studio sink. I actually moved to a paid studio fir this reason.

[Pyewackette]

I posted some photos on my sink drain setup-its a two tiered system that one can gather the settling solids. You will have to search my posts as I spent about 10 minutes looking for this post with zero luck. It did make me wonder what has happened to all those former posters who moved on from this board?

 

Mark  -

 

Is this it?

 

http://community.ceramicartsdaily.org/topic/12921-clay-sink-drain-solutions-for-mild-climates-my-setup/?hl=%2Bsink+%2Bmark

[Mark C.]

Yes thanks for looking it up.

 

Mark

[garyinco]

On 10/30/2016 at 4:35 PM, tessa425 said:

Hi.  I just wanted to check in about the pottery studio without plumbing.  I've used lots of ideas from others but I did find a system that worked for me.  I had a plumber give me an estimate and it was beyond pricey.  So this is what I've done.

 

My studio is in our basement.  It is a walkout with a sliding door so I have outdoor access. I have a utility tub (stand up tub like in a laundry room) which has no faucet or fixtures.  To get water in, I have a large storage bin to the left of the tub on top of a table so it is pretty much level.  I fill the tub either by bringing water in or better yet, I empty our dehumidifier that we keep on in the basement.  I found this little thing that works well when I put it in the bin and then I can spray water. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IFHFJXI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1  This works great and it is rechargeable. 

 

I've put a bucket below where the water just runs in. I just throw the water outside each time I throw on the wheel and so far that has been fine. 

 

Honestly, mostly what I've learned from doing this is how to conserve and minimize the water that I use so I do not have to empty the bucket too often.  I use the large sponge to wipe out my throwing tray much more than I used to and I find that I use less water when I am throwing overall and I think my throwing is better with using the "slip like" water.  I also put a small bucket inside the tub with water and use that for washing my hands and the sponge out as I go. 

 

Keep in mind that I am an amateur who only has time for pottery on the weekends.  However, I do most of my work on the  wheel.  I have my own  kiln so I am set up fairly well.  With this set up, I only had $40 in it for the sprayer.  Much better than the plumbing estimate!  

 

Hope this helps someone who is suffering from a plumber's sticker shock.

This is brilliant. Thank you. I'm not only an amateur but a beginner as well. I have a nice detached shop freshly built but its mostly for woodworking so no plumbing. It gets cold here in the winters, often 7 below. I don't mind hauling a little water and your solution sounds perfect to me. I wish all my challenges had such inexpensive solutions.

[Luvclay]

I found this thread from a random google search just now .  I’m in the middle of figuring out my home studio space and the one pickle is the plumbing issue .   The plumber came out today for a consult and after checking out my space he had this dreadful look on his face - all he said that it’s not gonna be easy nor pretty. I’m afraid to even see what his quote is gonna run. So what I have is an access to a faucet but no drain line .  Putting a drain line would be a major Ordeal that involves drilling through brick walls , running pipes from the basement then around the house before it can get to my workshed / studio.  And tonight just randomly I seek for advise on google and voila this convo popped up. I just wanna say  thank you for all the ideas!  I’m willing to put the effort into the bucket and tub method like a lot of people have already been doing and for the first time I’m learning about the cink! Pricey but I betcha would be a whole lot cheaper than my plumbing estimate.   Just one question and I’m wondering if it’s truly necessary or maybe not; how about hot water during the winter months? Do some of you have a stove in your work space to be able to heat up water for throwing or cleanup? Again thank you . 

[Min]

25 minutes ago, Luvclay said:

Do some of you have a stove in your work space to be able to heat up water for throwing or cleanup?

For throwing water you can use a crockpot, just turn it off when it gets too hot. For hotter water a kettle should work, even an old coffee maker. Could probably find all these things at a thrift store if any are open right now in your area. 

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