Assassin’s Teapot: Decopunk Fluid Parsing Device

My upcycled project was an assassin’s teapot: a device that could hold two separate liquids then distribute, one, the other, neither, or both upon the user’s discretion. The final product is shown below.

Figure 1: Final product of the assassin’s teapot.

My motivation for the assassin’s teapot was, suspiciously enough, cooking. I found that various bi-fluid combinations exist regardless of the cuisine being prepared. As such, I set out to make a parsing instrument that could control the output of these various fluids. The concept of an assassin’s teapot, historically associated with deception, presented an interesting challenge when adapted for culinary applications.

An assassin’s teapot is a cleverly designed vessel that allows the user to pour two different liquids from the same spout, depending on how it is held. The design is based on principles of fluid dynamics and hidden compartments, traditionally enabling one liquid (such as tea) to be served normally while another (potentially poisoned) liquid remains concealed until the teapot is tilted in a specific manner. This type of dual-chambered pouring system operates through internal partitions and selectively opened air holes, controlling the flow of liquid through strategic manipulation of air pressure and vacuum sealing (Mould).

Beyond cooking, I was also fascinated by the engineering challenge of creating a chambered container capable of selectively dispensing liquids. The mechanism of fluid separation and controlled distribution aligned well with my interests in design and mechanics, making this project an exciting venture into functional upcycling.

Starting the project, I wanted to capture the rigidity of the decopunk aesthetic. I knew that incorporating the characteristic gold tones would be challenging or infeasible with this design. Instead, I focused on the structured, geometric rigidity of the aesthetic. Acrylic was a suitable material choice due to its rigidity, capacity for creating sharp features, and its ability to be glued or chemically bonded to create a waterproof container.

Figure 2: Cross-section of the teapot’s internal walls. Designed to fit material constraints and separate two chambers from each other with holes to prevent flow.

Figure 3: Assassin’s teapot after assembled and fastened with acrylic glue.

The cross-sectional walls were generated purely by me playing with the border geometries of the base pot-shape until I came across a layout that met material constraints and could be (relatively) easily assembled. The acrylic was sourced from the Vernerey Soft Matter Mechanics lab, and the ITLL facility. I performed very rudimentary fluid mechanic calculations to determine the internal volumes of the chambers and the spout length. After cutting and adhering the material together came the most arduous part of my fabrication process: testing.

Video Link To Initial Testing Video

DISCLAIMER: The contents of the pot do NOT consist of poison. This is a demonstrative video using only food coloring and water.

Figure 4: Image of leaking from video test of prototyped product.

As shown in the video, there were various issues with leaking towards the bottom even after the acrylic was bonded. As a solution to this issue, I found a large quantity of electrical tape to cover the borders of the pot, both waterproofing and enforcing the vacuum, to ensure a functioning product.

 

Figure 5: Post water proofing and vacuum strengthening

One major setback in my design was that I removed an inch from the spout in an attempt to improve the overall aesthetic. However, I neglected to account for the fact that my previous calculations relied on the extra spout height. The shorter spout caused inconsistencies in liquid flow, making the control mechanism less reliable.

To rectify this, I introduced tubing to add the height back to the spout. However, due to the larger cross-sectional area of the bottom chamber’s spout, I had to incorporate two tubes. This addition inadvertently disrupted the Bernoulli principle I was trying to maintain. Specifically, the second tube created an additional flow path that needed to be blocked to prevent unwanted leakage from the bottom chamber.

To counteract this unintended effect, I plugged the second tube leading to the bottom chamber with an earplug, finalizing the pot’s mechanical functionality.

Finally, I used ChatGPT to take a sketched out pattern I made and digitalize it into a form I could finalize in Canva. I then printed this image out, cut it to size, and used the electrical tape to integrate it into the decopunk aesthetic. This covered the previous work that I did with acrylic paint, which ultimately came out better than my painting skills could have developed.

Figure 6: Pasted final design on top of the face of teapot.

After troubleshooting these issues, and applying these final touches, the final iteration of the assassin’s teapot functioned as intended, successfully allowing selective dispensing of different fluids. The process of designing and refining the teapot highlighted the importance of iterative problem-solving and precise calculations in design. 

Through this project, I gained valuable experience in fluid mechanics, material selection, and rapid prototyping. Additionally, working with upcycled materials underscored the potential of repurposing resources to create functional, innovative designs. The assassin’s teapot, while inspired by historical deception, found a new purpose as a carefully engineered kitchen tool—one that remains a testament to the interplay between aesthetic form and mechanical function.

In future iterations, I would consider alternative waterproofing techniques, such as resin sealing or improved adhesive bonding, to eliminate the need for external reinforcements like electrical tape. I would also refine the internal chamber structure to ensure smoother liquid flow without the need for last-minute modifications.

Ultimately, this upcycled project was a fascinating blend of history, design, and engineering—challenging yet rewarding in every aspect of its execution.

References:

Dahiru, M. (n.d.). The magic of the assassin’s teapot. Education. https://vocal.media/education/the-magic-of-the-assassin-s-teapot

Mould, S. (n.d.). The Assassin’s Teapot Is Weird. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=jJL0XoNBaac&t=9s