Teach me about pots

M. Frary

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Mike, you ever considered moving to Oregon? You're one guy I'd like to have for a neighbor! Lol
It would be fun wouldn't it?
But alas, no.
I'll be in Michigan forever.
It would be nice to visit though.
I've always wanted to see real mountains.
 

RKatzin

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Adair, yes of course! That's a whole nuther category of pottery that at this point I just stare at until I feel that little bit of drool seeps out the corner of my lip. Lol. I'm speaking of brand new fresh outta the crates Yixing pots. Good solid hardware, well made and sturdy pots. And big, which is what I was going for more than anything. I'm not buying show quality, I should rephrase to say I'm not shopping for show quality at this point. More in the transitional utilitarian market.
 

Schmikah

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Begging your pardon Gail, I know this is your thread, but I'm hoping you can benefit as well.
I have another ignorant novice question.
Can anything be done with broken pots? Besides paving the driveway.

Kintsugi. That is, if you have some gold laying around you're looking to use and a crucible to melt it in and the skill to fix the pot.
 

Adair M

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Kintsugi. That is, if you have some gold laying around you're looking to use and a crucible to melt it in and the skill to fix the pot.
Uh... that’s not the way it’s done! Lol!!’
 

RKatzin

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I did read an article about that, but they were repairing a crack in an antique pot. This is a new piece (19" forest planter) shattered into several pieces. Wondering more along the lines of crush, grind, recast. I don't know if this can be done, just wondering.
 

Djtommy

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I guess no, but gold is easier to work with and doesn't corrode.
Gold is never used to fix a pot, the pot is fixed using another method, normally using g a lacquer, gold is just used to pain the crack after its fixed. It’s also done with silver which would be called gin-tsugi, gold is kin-tsugi, for cheaper stuff often a gold lookalike is used, not real gold
 

GailC

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For those of you who pick a tree for the pot, what would you do with this? Its odd color but I really like it, so I bought it.
 

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Adair M

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For those of you who pick a tree for the pot, what would you do with this? Its odd color but I really like it, so I bought it.
Cascade or semicascade.
 

GailC

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Cascade or semicascade.

I do like semi cascades. I'm thinking a larch or mt ash. I've been trying to air layer a mt ash for the past two years, maybe I'll get lucky this year.

A larch I'd have to go hunting for. They grow like weeds here. If I can find a patch in open range, might be able to locate one that has been trampled and trimmed by cows.
 

Schmikah

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Gold is never used to fix a pot, the pot is fixed using another method, normally using g a lacquer, gold is just used to pain the crack after its fixed. It’s also done with silver which would be called gin-tsugi, gold is kin-tsugi, for cheaper stuff often a gold lookalike is used, not real gold

Didn't know that. I guess I will be doing some further reading.
 

Forsoothe!

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Didn't know that. I guess I will be doing some further reading.
Imitation gold will get you imitation results. The broken pot is relived slightly at the ends of the break by grinding off just a tiny bit to accentuate the path, then reassembled with epoxy that does not exceed the original surface of the pot. Clear lacquer is painted over the epoxy in just this crack depression and gold foil available on Amazon for ~$21 is jammed into the seam with a tiny artist's paint brush. I can't wait for a pot to break!
 

Leo in N E Illinois

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For those of you who pick a tree for the pot, what would you do with this? Its odd color but I really like it, so I bought it.

I love mountain ash, Sorbus sp or hybrids, nice white flower in spring and bright orange to red fruit in autumn. I do not know if Sorbus will easily accept semi-cascade styles.

The shape of the pot, with its depth would most often be used with a semi-cascade, meaning at least one branch descends below the rim of the pot but terminates above the feet of the pot.

The soft color of the pot would work well for many, many trees. The shape of the pot really suggests that one of the better uses would be a semi-cascade. One could use it for an upright style. Look at the curve of the outside edge of the pot, if an upright tree is used, it should have a complementing curve to the trunk, or an arching shape. But generally a semi-cascade would be a better match.

Tree species that do semi-cascade well, Chaenomeles - flowering quince, Malus - flowering crab apples, Satsuki azaleas, Serissa, Ulmus - elms, Ficus, Diospyros-Persimmons, and many, many more. These were the ones that sprang to mind.
 

ysrgrathe

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I did read an article about that, but they were repairing a crack in an antique pot. This is a new piece (19" forest planter) shattered into several pieces. Wondering more along the lines of crush, grind, recast. I don't know if this can be done, just wondering.
As was mentioned earlier, epoxy is your friend. If it is in <7 large pieces it can usually be repaired. It's only when it is shattered or you lose large chunks to powder that it is truly impossible.

This pot for example is still going strong years later. Can you tell it was broken? Of course...but it's just fine as a training pot.
 

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GailC

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@Leo in N E Illinois I actually have two varieties of mountain ash in the landscape. One is very up right with large limbs and berries. The others are finer branched with slightly weeping aspects, the berries are smaller too.
I'm really wanting a layer from the weepy one. Funny you said nice blooms, I hate them. They smell like decomposition to me. Luckily the berries are worth the smell.

Wish I knew about repairing big breaks before I tossed out the mica pot from my late uncle. It wasn't anything special but it was one of the few things I had from him and it was pretty old.
 
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