How about this bonsai basin?

[YellanBonsaipots]

Just a number buddy

I'm very confident in my product. If you don't like it and break it, that doesn't matter. I'll give you a full refund. Of course, I'm sure you'll like it.

 

[YellanBonsaipots]

I've had the pot under this live oak for going on 20 years. It's Chinese 22 x 15 x 6 or so. It's been a very good pot. Unlike a few others, including some larger Chinese pots I've owned over the years.

I've noticed they have particular problems in winter storage outside. Since they're relatively thinner in construction they can crack and spall--sometimes glazes separate from the clay.

This one has been stored with the tree in a cold mostly frost free greenhouse in the winter. It's starting to show one of the other issues that Chinese pots have--mineral leach through the pot wall. It's not a huge deal with it yet, but over time it has become more noticeable. I've also had pots that show this within five years. Haven't had any of that kind of thing with larger (and more expensive) Japanese made pots...


View attachment 241641

In Chinese, this problem is called "the emergence of alkaline substances", which can be solved by simply putting the pot in water, adding some vinegar, and then cleaning. (Tea residue can also be used without vinegar, as long as it is acidic, but do not put too much, to ensure that it can be cleaned off.)

 

[YellanBonsaipots]

I also have some glazed pots here. Maybe they are not as beautiful as Japanese glazed pots.

 

[YellanBonsaipots]

Today, we found that there were some errors in dimensioning on AliExpress. Now we have corrected them. All sizes are based on the dimensioning on the pictures.

 

[Potawatomi13]

I have no idea why anyone would brand themselves with that number.

No kidding!

 

[Potawatomi13]

Yes the pots the OP shows are nice looking and the price is sure right, but not being able to break him in pieces if they are not good in use, does bother me. Also, how do we even know he is legit?

LanceMac...I have considered using Soldano, but the numbers behind that are scary to me. Knowing what they mean, I have no idea why anyone would brand themselves with that number.

Yixing are good pots. At least in unglazed can find many beautiful pots. Have not had need for glazed pots. Understanding comment of OP shipping by WEIGHT makes difference in cost. Over 100 kg(about 225 lbs)is where price goes down. Even with justified tariff added prices are very good. Tariff caused by communist price undercutting/unfair trade practices is justified IMHO. Have looked at MANY American potters and most not estheticly pleasing to this one. A couple are pleasing but one way overpriced and another custom ordered from did not produce pot desired after a 2 1/2 month wait. With Yixing we actually get what the picture shows at often better price.

 

[leatherback]

@YellanBonsaipots could you please explain how the shipping cost work?

It seems that shipping cost is on a per-pot basis. But for sure, shipping 10 pots is cheaper than shipping 1 pot ten times? Cost of shipping is typically in weight-brackets, and getting cheaper per weight unit if you ship more.

 

[rockm]

In Chinese, this problem is called "the emergence of alkaline substances", which can be solved by simply putting the pot in water, adding some vinegar, and then cleaning. (Tea residue can also be used without vinegar, as long as it is acidic, but do not put too much, to ensure that it can be cleaned off.)

That can help. Typically doesn't get most of the deposits. Burying the pots in the ground for a year or two works a lot better, but you can't use the pot.

 

[Pitoon]

I'm very confident in my product. If you don't like it and break it, that doesn't matter. I'll give you a full refund. Of course, I'm sure you'll like it.

He was referring to the numbers in his user name.

 

[Soldano666]

I have no idea why someone would brand themselves with the number 13 or 44 . It's just a number fools. Keep contributing the world being offended by any and everything. And here I thought it was just the millennials turning the masses into giant pussies. Have fun at church on sunday

 

[bwaynef]

I have no idea why someone would brand themselves with the number 13 or 44 . It's just a number fools. Keep contributing the world being offended by any and everything. And here I thought it was just the millennials turning the masses into giant pussies. Have fun at church on sunday

Wow.

 

[Soldano666]

Wow.

Does this make me a repeat offender?

 

[Pitoon]

Yixing are good pots. At least in unglazed can find many beautiful pots. Have not had need for glazed pots. Understanding comment of OP shipping by WEIGHT makes difference in cost. Over 100 kg(about 225 lbs)is where price goes down. Even with justified tariff added prices are very good. Tariff caused by communist price undercutting/unfair trade practices is justified IMHO. Have looked at MANY American potters and most not estheticly pleasing to this one. A couple are pleasing but one way overpriced and another custom ordered from did not produce pot desired after a 2 1/2 month wait. With Yixing we actually get what the picture shows at often better price.

The difference in the price between USA made and China made items are based on the cost of the materials and labor. The reason why the Chinese is able to produce in mass at such low prices is because they pack a factory full of people and put them to work at long hours every day and pay them almost nothing......probably just a few cents an hour. I'm fairly sure to say those pots YellanBonsaiPots is selling are coming out of molds (i.e....each pot is identical). If you have a couple hundred molds and depending how thick the mold is (plaster molds absorb the moister from the clay allowing them to be removed from the mold) you can produce easily over a couple 1000 pots per day. The more you produce the cheaper you are able to sell it for due to streamlining processes in production and buying material in bulk.

Malcolm Gladwell came up with a theory of the 10,000hr rule. If a person does the same thing over and over to the point they have 10,000hrs under their belt they have mastered that skill. Why am I saying this, is because the people packed into the factories that work everyday creating the same thing over and over become masters at that skill, thus they are able to do it faster with less and less tolerance for error. Basically a human breathing machine. Now another problem is the materials they use. Cheap Chinese products are just that, cheap products because of the materials used to create them. Basically those items that you use one time and throw away because they are no longer good for their purpose.

I have to agree that the styles of pots are very different between the east and the west. It takes someone willing to take the time to study (study = time) design/style to be able to create something that is comparable to the east. Here in America people are not willing to work long hours to be paid a few cents per hour. A custom pot takes time and skill that needs to be compensated (usually with a currency). It takes time to master a skill. Good materials cost money. A unglazed pot requires just 1 firing, while a glazed pot requires 2 firings. Electric, gas, or wood to produce heat for the kiln is not free either.

To make a custom pot say 12" (round/square) is not something as easy as you think. Clay shrinks both during the drying process to bone dry and when firing. A potter needs to do their best to over compensate the pot when building it to include that shrinkage. Again this takes time to master between different clay bodies.

Shopping for a really nice pot and complaining about a nice pot being too expensive is just ridiculous. That's like shopping for a high end luxury car and complaining about a Ferrari or Lamborghini being to expensive.....but they look oh so nice though right? If you have only $50 to buy a nice pot, but find a nice pot that is $150.....don't complain about it being expensive. Look for another pot or go look for another $100.

You can't have your cake and eat it to.....that's just my 2 cents.

 

[August44]

I have no idea why someone would brand themselves with the number 13 or 44 . It's just a number fools. Keep contributing the world being offended by any and everything. And here I thought it was just the millennials turning the masses into giant pussies. Have fun at church on sunday

Soldan...I agree with "WOW" and I will assume you chose that number knowing full well it's meaning and where that is mentioned...and your calling us "fools"? Me thinks you got that turned around man!

 

[rockm]

The difference in the price between USA made and China made items are based on the cost of the materials and labor. The reason why the Chinese is able to produce in mass at such low prices is because they pack a factory full of people and put them to work at long hours every day and pay them almost nothing......probably just a few cents an hour. I'm fairly sure to say those pots YellanBonsaiPots is selling are coming out of molds (i.e....each pot is identical). If you have a couple hundred molds and depending how thick the mold is (plaster molds absorb the moister from the clay allowing them to be removed from the mold) you can produce easily over a couple 1000 pots per day. The more you produce the cheaper you are able to sell it for due to streamlining processes in production and buying material in bulk.

Malcolm Gladwell came up with a theory of the 10,000hr rule. If a person does the same thing over and over to the point they have 10,000hrs under their belt they have mastered that skill. Why am I saying this, is because the people packed into the factories that work everyday creating the same thing over and over become masters at that skill, thus they are able to do it faster with less and less tolerance for error. Basically a human breathing machine. Now another problem is the materials they use. Cheap Chinese products are just that, cheap products because of the materials used to create them. Basically those items that you use one time and throw away because they are no longer good for their purpose.

I have to agree that the styles of pots are very different between the east and the west. It takes someone willing to take the time to study (study = time) design/style to be able to create something that is comparable to the east. Here in America people are not willing to work long hours to be paid a few cents per hour. A custom pot takes time and skill that needs to be compensated (usually with a currency). It takes time to master a skill. Good materials cost money. A unglazed pot requires just 1 firing, while a glazed pot requires 2 firings. Electric, gas, or wood to produce heat for the kiln is not free either.

To make a custom pot say 12" (round/square) is not something as easy as you think. Clay shrinks both during the drying process to bone dry and when firing. A potter needs to do their best to over compensate the pot when building it to include that shrinkage. Again this takes time to master between different clay bodies.

Shopping for a really nice pot and complaining about a nice pot being too expensive is just ridiculous. That's like shopping for a high end luxury car and complaining about a Ferrari or Lamborghini being to expensive.....but they look oh so nice though right? If you have only $50 to buy a nice pot, but find a nice pot that is $150.....don't complain about it being expensive. Look for another pot or go look for another $100.

You can't have your cake and eat it to.....that's just my 2 cents.

Chinese pots such as the ones here are indeed mold made. Doesn't mean they're bad, just means they're mass produced. that means they're made more expeditiously--less clay, less detail, etc. Chinese pots tend to be thinner than Japanese and even most Western pots. That's a plus and a minus, means the pot is generally lighter (although this is relative when it comes to big containers). It also means they're not as durable.

With less expensive pots, you also get no interesting detail that can help a design, drain holes are sometimes inadequate or badly done, as well as sometimes irregular sides and bottoms that can collect water and kill roots.

I'm harping on this because many many MANY bonsai people complain about overly expensive bonsai pots. They shop ONLY on price. Price is ONE consideration among many. Price comes at a price...cheap isn't always better. "Expensive" is relative, particularly if the less expensive option kills your tree, or breaks ten years in...I tend to spend my money once, not two or three times on the same thing.

 

[Pitoon]

Chinese pots such as the ones here are indeed mold made. Doesn't mean they're bad, just means they're mass produced. that means they're made more expeditiously--less clay, less detail, etc. Chinese pots tend to be thinner than Japanese and even most Western pots. That's a plus and a minus, means the pot is generally lighter (although this is relative when it comes to big containers). It also means they're not as durable.

With less expensive pots, you also get no interesting detail that can help a design, drain holes are sometimes inadequate or badly done, as well as sometimes irregular sides and bottoms that can collect water and kill roots.

I'm harping on this because many many MANY bonsai people complain about overly expensive bonsai pots. They shop ONLY on price. Price is ONE consideration among many. Price comes at a price...cheap isn't always better. "Expensive" is relative, particularly if the less expensive option kills your tree, or breaks ten years in...I tend to spend my money once, not two or three times on the same thing.

Very well put!!!

 

[YellanBonsaipots]

The difference in the price between USA made and China made items are based on the cost of the materials and labor. The reason why the Chinese is able to produce in mass at such low prices is because they pack a factory full of people and put them to work at long hours every day and pay them almost nothing......probably just a few cents an hour. I'm fairly sure to say those pots YellanBonsaiPots is selling are coming out of molds (i.e....each pot is identical). If you have a couple hundred molds and depending how thick the mold is (plaster molds absorb the moister from the clay allowing them to be removed from the mold) you can produce easily over a couple 1000 pots per day. The more you produce the cheaper you are able to sell it for due to streamlining processes in production and buying material in bulk.

Malcolm Gladwell came up with a theory of the 10,000hr rule. If a person does the same thing over and over to the point they have 10,000hrs under their belt they have mastered that skill. Why am I saying this, is because the people packed into the factories that work everyday creating the same thing over and over become masters at that skill, thus they are able to do it faster with less and less tolerance for error. Basically a human breathing machine. Now another problem is the materials they use. Cheap Chinese products are just that, cheap products because of the materials used to create them. Basically those items that you use one time and throw away because they are no longer good for their purpose.

I have to agree that the styles of pots are very different between the east and the west. It takes someone willing to take the time to study (study = time) design/style to be able to create something that is comparable to the east. Here in America people are not willing to work long hours to be paid a few cents per hour. A custom pot takes time and skill that needs to be compensated (usually with a currency). It takes time to master a skill. Good materials cost money. A unglazed pot requires just 1 firing, while a glazed pot requires 2 firings. Electric, gas, or wood to produce heat for the kiln is not free either.

To make a custom pot say 12" (round/square) is not something as easy as you think. Clay shrinks both during the drying process to bone dry and when firing. A potter needs to do their best to over compensate the pot when building it to include that shrinkage. Again this takes time to master between different clay bodies.

Shopping for a really nice pot and complaining about a nice pot being too expensive is just ridiculous. That's like shopping for a high end luxury car and complaining about a Ferrari or Lamborghini being to expensive.....but they look oh so nice though right? If you have only $50 to buy a nice pot, but find a nice pot that is $150.....don't complain about it being expensive. Look for another pot or go look for another $100.

You can't have your cake and eat it to.....that's just my 2 cents.

Your opinion is very insightful, but I can't agree with you about making materials. Purple sand is the best material in all ceramic products. You overlooked a point. Because the cost of materials has been greatly reduced, purple sand flowerpots should be ahead of most flowerpots in materials (even though its materials are not so expensive). Regarding firing, there are products that have been fired twice or even many times. The glaze pot needs to be fired many times because of the glaze water on its surface. It may be very beautiful, but I can say for sure that it is not suitable for most potted plants, because plants also need to breathe. In order to ensure air permeability, purple sand will be mixed with a certain proportion of clay and sand grains, which ensures that the pot is both breathable and permeable. Moisturizing.
As can be seen from the figure, it is not pure clay.

 

[Soldano666]

Soldan...I agree with "WOW" and I will assume you chose that number knowing full well it's meaning and where that is mentioned...and your calling us "fools"? Me thinks you got that turned around man!

Yes and it's cool. I don't take offense to much

 

[leatherback]

which ensures that the pot is both breathable and permeable. Moisturizing

Hm.. To me this means: Prone to frost damage. Pots that absorb moisture break in my climate.

 

[YellanBonsaipots]

Hm.. To me this means: Prone to frost damage. Pots that absorb moisture break in my climate.

Sorry, I overlooked the climate problem, because most of China is in the temperate and subtropical zone, so I did not take this into account, I am very sorry, I think this should be improved by adjusting the formula of clay.