My First hand made pots

[rezacja3]

Hi all,

I just made my first batch of bonsai pots, all designed, modelled and glazed by me. most of them is slab built from buff clay with roughly 6mm wall thickness.

The glazing felt especially challenging as I never glazed anything before, but I'd the end they looks good to me.

I made a tray for the large one as well but that got twisted slightly...still usable but looks weird. I suspect it was done too thin so it deformed

They are fired to cone 5.5 so should be frost proof, but I haven't tested the water absorbtion yet.

What do you think? Do you like them? Let me known your thoughts.

Cheers
Jan

 

[BaKiBonsai]

I really like them. Would definitely put some of my trees in them.

 

[rezacja3]

I really like them. Would definitely put some of my trees in them.

Thanks, I'll use some of them for my own trees, and put the rest for sale I guess...

 

[baldone]

Very nice

 

[SFDrake]

Well done Jan

 

[Notsureaboutplantnames]

These look great! Please tell a newbe you have lots of ceramic experience

 

[rezacja3]

Actually not, I did some ceramics as a little kid, but never got to be fired, let alone glazed...so basically these are my first tries

 

[BaKiBonsai]

Did you fire them at a pottery? I always wanted to make clayware (espresso and bonsai) but didn't have a kiln. Now I have an oven at work up to 1000c I believe

 

[KateM]

Very nice.

 

[rezacja3]

Did you fire them at a pottery? I always wanted to make clayware (espresso and bonsai) but didn't have a kiln. Now I have an oven at work up to 1000c I believe

Hi, I found a local potter who hires his kiln. Unfortunately I don't have my own kiln yet ( it is planned though in future). The problem with bonsai pots is that if you want to keep them outdoors, they need to be fired to quite high temperatures to ensure they are frost proof.

 

[vancehanna]

Jan, I think you're on the right track! Keep a keen eye on wall thickness, pre-stress so as to keep the shape you wish, and detail, detail is the key.
vance hanna

 

[rezacja3]

Hi Vance, thanks for you comments.when you say wall thickness do you think it is too thin or too thick?

 

[vancehanna]

Exactly that! I have examined both Chinese and Japanese wall thickness and have found a happy 'duplication' or coping of such. Base corners where bottom meets walls and such need a bit of fillet as well as top edges with in-turned lip. I made a 'die' for the extruder (small pug mill) and find that works very well for them. But it looks like you're on your way!!

 

[rezacja3]

Thanks...a second batch just went to kiln today... I'll post the results

 

[Zac]

Nice pots. I know the Chinese and Japanese pots allot of times have turned in lips. I'm a northerner so for my out door trees I look for pots that are at least cone 5-6 and don't have turned in lips.

 

[vancehanna]

In turned will still be ok in freezing conditions IF the surface area of the pot is large enough (square inches/centemeters)
To offset the depth of the container so the root ball will heave.

I have some rather shallow ones that I’d made way back 30+ yrs ago and had them in Michigan which were fine. But again it’s the ratio of depth to surface area….

 

[Colorado]

Jan, it is pretty incredible that these are your first pots - they are really good! Folks like me have to practice a lot to make anything decent

You must have a great eye and natural talent for ceramics. Keep up the great work!

 

[shohin_branches]

These are great! I especially like the blue hexagon

 

[blackadam]

its octa
imo best in this batch,

 

[mwar15]

Nice job. I think thickness depends on size I see a lot of new pot makers start with real thick sides and floors. It’s not too thin until it is.