[mesmark]

Ok, this will be my first year to use a pumpkin gutter. I'm going to start carving this Wed. and I'm going to test my new pumpkin gutter.

My question is does it fling bits around? I'm hoping to do my cleaning and carving inside because I'll be carving at night and it's pretty cold already, down in the low 40s here.

Any advice/experience is appreciated.

[shutterbug]

...haven't used it inside yet, but we cover the floor & walls with plastic & find pces from the gutter all over the garage.If you keep the unit straight up & down you should be ok.If you come up near the top, you may find it will send stuff around.Usually the pumpkin will hold the pces when you're thinning too...J

[Lithium_joe]

Couple of tips:

I remove the top of the pumpkin with a saw. Keeps it level and unobtrusive when complete.

I then take a kitchen knife and cut out a divet, large enough to place the pumpkin gutter drill attachment into.

I cut solo (wish that weren't so but anyways) so have to grip the pumpkin between my feet.

There is, inevitably, some splatter but it can be kept to a minimum if you start with the attachement already inside the pumpkin.

The knife comes in handy when the stringy innards get wrapped around the shaft of the gutter and need to be cut away so you can empty it.

I upend the pumpkin directly over a bin and shake. Then use a large kitchen spoon to scrape away the leftovers then shake those out too.

Then I am ready to pin-prick and carve.

[Kittie]

We use ours in the basement, and it's no messier then gutting them by hand.

[CombichristGirl]

We use ours in the basement, and it's no messier then gutting them by hand.

ahh some day some day...
a girl can dream cant she lol

[Joey]

It tends to get the most messy when the strings get wrapped around the gutter, but if you keep pulling those off it's not all that bad. I use mine inside, and it doesn't cause that big a mess. Then again, my house has never been one for being super spotless clean anyway, so YMMV.

[matspud]

Hubby has banned it from indoors this year We are still finding tiny bits here and there Mind you he was the one using it so its his own fault.

Re solo gutting. Try putting the pumpkin in a bucket to help steady it while gutting . Worked last year but this year we have bigger pumpkins

[Zombie Pumpkins!]

I use my Pumpkin Gutter in the kitchen (surfaces in there are easier to wipe clean). The stringy stuff does need to be removed from the shaft a couple times... and the a few seeds may pop out... but haven't had any trouble with flying guts really.

Think of it like an electric hand mixer you might use for cooking. Say you're mixing up some cake batter, for example... you'd start with the ends of the beater in the bowl, and start with a slower speed so the ingredients don't go flying.

And as you increase speed and mix things up, you'd keep the ends of the mixer in the bowl while it's spinning, otherwise you'd fling cake batter onto the walls. Same principle with the Pumpkin Gutter. If it's spinning only while inside the pumpkin, nothing should really be flung anywhere but inside the pumpkin itself.

I dump it out a few times during the process, by turning the the pumpkin upside-down over the garbage can.

I never had much trouble with the pumpkin moving while using the Gutter. Then again, I'm probably always using pretty large and heavy pumpkins. I've heard of putting the pumpkin in a bucket or milk crate to stabilize it. I haven't had to do anything other than hold it between my feet as I lean over it.

[SaneInsideInsanity]

...i need to get me one of these

[shutterbug]

...you really do...even if it's just for thinning!!

[S.A.M]

The pumpkin gutter is a tool every pumpkin carver should have, I remember how long and how much of a pain in the bum it was to gut pumpkins without it, it seemed to take forever! One of the best pumpkins tools I've bought, along with the ZP Pro Carving set of course

[mesmark]

Thanks everybody for the feedback. I had a feeling it had a lot to do with how aggressive you are with the Pumpkin Gutter. I'll probably take it pretty slow anyway since it'll be the first time to use it (and my new drill.) But I need to get in some practice 'cause I have a carving party this weekend and they be making around 20 pumpkins.

One of the best pumpkins tools I've bought, along with the ZP Pro Carving set of course Wink

I actually bought 2 ZP Pro Carving sets so I don't have to change the blades from the large to the small

[Dredge]

Im worried that it would be easy to get carried away and thin the inside too much. Is this a normal problem with gutters?

[Zombie Pumpkins!]

Dredge, sure that can happen if you get carried away. I usually just use the Gutter until I have the walls smooth and all the stringy stuff detached. Then I usually do a little hand scraping behind the area I plan to carve, just so I can be a little more specific about how thin I make the pumpkin wall.

[GutterGuy]

I just wanted to chime in here quick about clean gutting. Most of the replies are right on. Here's how I keep it clean when using the Pumpkin Gutter:

1. Start at the top of the pumpkin and work your way down. This tends to push the mess down into the pumpkin and also reduces the number of strings that wrap around the shaft. Empty the pumpkin often.

2. The only time I've seen anyone create a mess, it is because they have strings wrapped around the shaft that spin around above the top of the pumpkin. THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT TIP FOR USING THE PG...If strings wrap around the shaft, remove the Pumpkin Gutter from the drill and slide the strings off the end. They come right off and then you're ready to chuck it back up and get back to gutting. Following step #1 above will minimize the need to do this, but it only takes a couple seconds and really eliminates any mess.

3. If you're concerned about getting the walls too thin, try running the drill at a high speed (while supporting it firmly with both hands) and apply light pressure to the areas you want to sculpt. More aggressive pressure is fine when you're removing the majority of the walls, but think "sculpting" when you start getting close to the desired thickness. If your pumpkin's walls are firm, it tends to work better than if they are getting soft.

I hope this helps. It is great to see that you are all still having a great time and success with my invention. Enjoy the season!