Decopunk Assassin’s Teapot, Update 1

Nile Brown
Post 3 - 2025 : Upcycle Progress, Student Work
2 Comments

With twelve days remaining until our due date, the creation of my assassin’s teapot is progressing smoothly and steadily. While there have been some unexpected hurdles, such as sourcing materials, I have been able to adapt and move forward without major disruptions. As previously mentioned, I will be using laser-cut acrylic to parse out the layers of the teapot. This method allows for precision and ensures that each component fits together seamlessly. Once all the necessary pieces have been cut, I will use some variant of adhesive to carefully glue all the parts together, constructing the teapot layer by layer. This adhesive must be strong enough to create a watertight seal while also being safe for potential food or liquid contact, depending on the intended final use of the teapot. Finding the right adhesive has been a minor challenge, as different glues react differently to acrylic, and some options may cause unwanted warping or hazing. However, I am confident that thorough testing will yield the best result. The progress of this project is detailed below.

Figure 1: Side faces of design constrained to the dimensions of the acrylic sheet.

The DXF files that I will use to print out the teapot have been carefully designed and refined. These files contain the precise outlines of each layer, ensuring that they will interlock properly once assembled. Below, I have included images of the sides of the vessel that will form the external frame of the pot. These sides will serve as structural supports, maintaining the overall integrity of the design. The plan is to cut these portions from only two sheets of acrylic, both of which will be sourced from the ITLL Launch-Point. This plan came as an adjustment due to an unexpected setback—originally, I had intended to source acrylic from an alternative location, but unfortunately, the material was discarded from the lab space before I had the chance to retrieve it. While this was an inconvenience, it ultimately led me to reconsider my material choices and optimize my cutting strategy to minimize waste.

Figure 2: Inner frames of the teapot that will be adhered together to .

The DXF files were developed using SolidWorks, a CAD software that allows for precise modeling and easy adjustments. This has been particularly useful in refining the design, ensuring that each layer aligns correctly before fabrication begins. With only twelve days left, the focus now shifts to executing the cuts, assembling the layers, and troubleshooting any unforeseen challenges that may arise in the final stages.

Figure 3: Sourced sheet of acrylic.

2 Comments. Leave new

  • Brian Ahn
    February 10, 2025 1:26 am

    Hey Nile, great work coming along on your project. I enjoyed reading about your adaptability and how despite challenges like material sourcing setbacks you have found silver linings and focused your work on minimizing material waste. The use of Solidworks is a great way to plan the project as well. Since you’re focused on ensuring a watertight seal, have you considered other sealing methods such as chemicals that can “weld” the material together by chemically bonding the acrylic? I have been looking at some of these for other plastics like delrin for my senior design project and I thought it could help enhance the durability and functionality of the final teapot. Good luck, I am excited to see how it progresses.

  • Andrea Marks
    February 9, 2025 10:18 am

    Nile, first of all, what an interesting project; the object itself is almost a juxtapositional statement considering the general disconnect between having a glass of tea and listening to punk music. I absolutely love the playfulness of the idea and the cheeky nature of the aesthetic when imposed on this concept. I am sorry to hear about the issue with the acrylic but glad you were able to recover, and, from what it sounds like, you were able to realize unforeseen benefits from that constraint and last minute pivot. In my job, my team and I are sometimes asked to develop large scale mock ups and prototypes in incredibly short time frames; what I have realized over the years is this compression of time, resources, and money actually has been fodder for extreme creativity. Because we dont have the luxury of time and relentless design iterations, the team is forced to make quick decisions and has to reduce the trade space based on the limited materials and supplies. It truly eliminates the analysis paralysis that sometimes can occur when the variables and or solutions to a problem seem insurmountable to choice. All to say, as you continue your project, embrace the moments when your original idea does not go to plan and enjoy the creative process.

    Now, the one question I do have for your current project is have you thought through the relationship between materials and use of the object? I am concerned that acrylic itself may not be able to withstand the temperature of the liquid that you wish to use with it. Quickly researching this on line, it seems that acrylic softens around 99*C, and also, due to the expansion and contraction of the material, quick changes in temperature may degrade the performance of the material over time (https://www.interstateplastics.com/materialspecs/cast-acrylic-product-info-062718.pdf?srsltid=AfmBOoqsRKaVHOL4vKVc_FNYIPlmZBWl4zjkn1-Msww8ZwClpDWxxpk6). I am sure there are coatings you can use, and due to the temperatures you plan to use this object at, a silicone based adhesive (look at medical grade silicone adhesives) may be best to prevent fracture and allow for the material to naturally adjust as the temperature changes.

    Thanks and best of luck!!

    – Andrea

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