QotW: Do you have plumbing in the shop. . .ie running water and drainage?

[Pres]

Once again, there are no new questions in the pool.  I will pose a question that I believe was hinted at a bit when someone asked if they heated their throwing water and how. Using that as an end point and going back,

 

QotW: Do you have water in your shop, a sink with cold water, or both?

 

In my brick garage, there is no running water, no leaks either!! My water at any time either comes from the kitchen in the house, or the hose at the side of the house. Now going into the house with dirty dusty shoes is a definite no no, so I keep a pair of shoes for in the shop on the back porch. Most times for hot water I fill a 2 gallon jug with hot water in the house before going to the shop. Often in the Summer I just get the jug filled from the hose. As to heating, I usually just throw with cold water. . .  I don't seem to notice much change in the arthritis either way. I used to like hot water, but don't worry about it as much anymore.

 

 

best,

Pres

 

 

[Mark C.]

I as a professional I need infrastructure -I'm good at supplying  it as well (meaning I have those skill sets). My studio is insulated and has cold water into a lage flat sink-that sink drains into a two tired settling tubs  outside then runs to a timber Bamboo patch. I shovel the clay out of the tubs after it settles  and dry it and throw it away in the trash can.I heat the studio with natural gas heater and alos can heat water on that stove with all metal pan.

In winter the heat also dries the wares as well as warms our bodies.The drying pots is really important midwinter.

I also have speakers and a sound system and pipe tunes into studio from house  with a volume control in studio and one outside in kiln laoding area (must have tunes to work)-also a central  vacuum system for clay dust control. I also have a few telephones on the wall-one in the main studio and one next to my wheel in throwing room.

With all the time i spend in the studio it has to work well. The floor is wood so leg fatigue is cut downas well.

[liambesaw]

I don't have water in my shed, I need to top off my buckets with a hose.  Hasn't been an issue though.   Large crock pot for hot water, hooked to a 4 hour timer just in case I forget to turn it off (yes, I bought the timer after I came back in to a crock of dried cement one day).  My throwing sessions are generally 4 hours or less, unless on the weekends so I don't go through a lot of water anyway.  I try to recycle as much water as possible by letting everything settle and then scooping it out of my cleaning bucket and back into my throwing bucket.  Works good.

[Denice]

My first studio just had a bucket of water,  that was alright I just did hand building.   My second studio had cold water and I had a garden hose on a utility sink that drained out doors.   My third studio had hot and cold water in a tiny sink and a simple bucket settling system where the clear water went into a floor drain.   I built my current studio it  has a nice large sink, hot and cold water.  The drain line on the sink goes down to a  settling system in the basement,  the clear water drains into the sump pump.  I am still very conservative with my water use I guess it is my training from my bucket days.   Denice

[Callie Beller Diesel]

My basement studio has access to a sink with hot water, but I’m careful to use bucket siphon systems for disposal, as I don’t have a clay trap. 12 years in the same house, and so far so good. 

[liambesaw]

12 minutes ago, Callie Beller Diesel said:

My basement studio has access to a sink with hot water, but I’m careful to use bucket siphon systems for disposal, as I don’t have a clay trap. 12 years in the same house, and so far so good. 

You can buy one for the dental industry for pretty cheap.  Under 50 bucks.  Just search Amazon or whatever for "plaster trap".  You just replace your sink trap (the U shaped piece) with the plaster trap, it just plugs in.  We use them at work and they work great for both plaster and gypsum, so they'll work for clay too.  

Assuming you'll ever want one, much cheaper than the clay ones

[Callie Beller Diesel]

Thanks @liambesaw. The bucket system seems to be working pretty good, and the smell of changing or cleaning out a trap is something I’d like to avoid at all costs. We all have limits, that one is mine. I’d have done something about it if I’d felt it was necessary. 

[Pres]

Other option on any sink is to add a 2-3" piece of pipe into the drain so that sediment settles in the sink to be cleaned out. Comes in pretty handy, remove the pipe to completely drain the sink.

 

best,

Pres

[Denice]

I have a dishpan in my sink that I wash my hands in and any objects covered with clay.  After the clay settles I pour the top clear water into my settling drain and the thick clay goes into the trash.  I have only cleaned my 15 gallon settling system once and I had my son carry the clay gunk upstairs.  If I get some funky smell coming up from my drain I pour some bleach in it.  Denice

[Steven Branfman]

Yes I do and I always have had hot and cold running water as well as a hose. My studio, The Potters Shop & School,  is a working studio condo in the  Gorse Mill Studios, an historic mill building that I renovated. I have a double sink with hot and cold water and hose. The sink is fitted with a flexible spray nozzle and Gleco Trap

[Rae Reich]

I have a fiberglass stationary tub sitting just outside my studio door (southern California) where the wall is plumbed for a cold water bathtub spout, at stationary tub height , and a hand-held shower head. No drainage plumbed, just a bucket beneath the drain, so I am careful with water usage. Since the tub is not plumbed, but freestanding, I can move it out of the way if necessary. 

[oldlady]

i have hot and cold water in west va with a normal size laundry tub.  it had a gleco trap but when the plumber moved the sink he did not connect it.  so i use a bucket inside to catch most of the clay residue.   this is connected to a septic tank so i know someday i will have to have it drained.  being there only 7 months a year and using minimum water, i have had no problems.   i also had it raised to a comfortable level so i do not hurt my back leaning over it.

in florida, the sink is a deep one that drains to a barrel outside.  i still use a bucket for the first rinse.  that water is only cold but i have an electric tea kettle right next to the sink.  it is also higher than normal.

just a note for those of you considering a sink but have little room, the average size laundry tub is a lot bigger than the small one i have in my tiny trailer home in florida.   it came from a mobile home supply company and is only 18 inches wide.   it is also set higher than the standard legs that come with these sinks.  

your sink, make it comfortable for your height.

[Pres]

I had thought about putting in water and a sink, but after pricing out the cost of the running water and drain it was a better solution to use buckets. Running all to the garage would have been over 3k several years ago. Just as running the gas line was 2K.

 

best,

Pres

[Roberta12]

I have a bucket system where I throw and handbuild.  I carry the slurry/sludge out and water the trees with it.  Our area is quite arid so I really don't want to waste water.  In the shop where I glaze and fire, I again have a bucket system, so I carry it out and water the trees again.  Even in the winter, I will pour it all on the trees.  In warmer weather I have a 2 tub utility sink outside with a hose and buckets under the drains.  Yes, the trees benefit from that.  It's not perfect, but I have made it work!  

Roberta

[Hulk]

Hot and cold, large laundry/utility sink is next door to the studio, hence water in the studio is by bucket. Settled throwing water is separated - slop to slop bucket, clear water back to throwing bucket. Settled cleanup water is separated - slop to landscape watering, clear water back to cleanup. When either get all nasty, when a fresh load of water is in order - to the landscape!

Since installing 133 gallon tank to capture RO "waste" water and whole house gac backwash, I'm getting throwing and cleanup water from there (using RO water for glazes). Full five gallon buckets are heavier these days - about half full is enough.

[Stephen]

Have the re-circulating Cink. Works great.

[shawnhar]

On 1/16/2020 at 1:15 PM, Hulk said:

Hot and cold, large laundry/utility sink is next door to the studio, hence water in the studio is by bucket. Settled throwing water is separated - slop to slop bucket, clear water back to throwing bucket. Settled cleanup water is separated - slop to landscape watering, clear water back to cleanup. When either get all nasty, when a fresh load of water is in order - to the landscape!

Almost the same for me, I have the utility sink outside connected to the garden hose with a large plastic container underneath acting as a trap. I do have a sink inside where I throw but I don't use it, not sure what clay/glaze would do to a septic system but I'm sure it ain't good.

[LeeU]

Somehow I missed this QotW when it was posted. I have a nice hot and cold water utility sink set into a large closet, next to my  shelves for glazes, in my home studio (aka former master bedroom).  I had a Gleco trap but for some reason my landlord decided he could do something just as effective at no charge and I could sell my trap.  So far so good!  It is such a blessing to be allowed to have a studio in a rented mobile home & a kiln on the back porch-properly wired/vented etc., that I don't mess with him when he wants to do something his way! Plus, amazingly,  they haven't raised my rent, so there is that. It is great not to have to haul water, that's for sure!