Large bonsai pot. WIP

[Ceijay]

It’s been a minute since I’ve posted here but I’ve been very busy in the ceramic studio. Check out this bonsai pot I’m currently working on.

I’m fairly sure it’s the wrong shape for it but I plan on putting a neat wisteria I collected in it.

Let me know what you think.

 

[Deleted member 21616]

clean lines and angles! nice work!

 

[sorce]

Its perfect but upside down!

Althought reverse taper in pots seems to be more and more ok.

Nice!

Sorce

 

[BackyardBonsai]

Looks good. Is there a reason for wire holes so close to the drainage hole?

 

[Ceijay]

Its perfect but upside down!

Althought reverse taper in pots seems to be more and more ok.

Nice!

Sorce

I gotta let it dry upside down or it may warp as it drys.

Looks good. Is there a reason for wire holes so close to the drainage hole?

No reason at all. I just sorta thought that’s where they were suppose to go?

I just kinda made it up off the top of my head. Are there rules for that sorta thing?

I was unsure of how big and how many drainage holes to make too.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

I think source is being serious about the taper. With an established tree, you wouldn’t be able to lift it out of the pot without cutting roots unseen or cracking the pot.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Wire holes can have pressure from wire being tightened. If too close to drain holes, wire can break or crack pot, breaking out the clay between the wire holes and the drain holes.

 

[LanceMac10]

small pots have "wire" holes close to "drainage" holes....what's the difference? 'Course, if this was my pot, I would just route the wire thru the "drainage" hole.


I would like a drainage hole in the center, though.....

 

[sorce]

Yes. Backwards reminds me of a dog bowl !

Wire ties are multiple
Good!

Drainage is about the bulge.

Drying upside down makes the belly bulge up so side/corner drain holes are preferred. Japanese.

I dry right side up and hole the center.

Sorce.

 

[Ceijay]

Yes. Backwards reminds me of a dog bowl !

Wire ties are multiple
Good!

Drainage is about the bulge.

Drying upside down makes the belly bulge up so side/corner drain holes are preferred. Japanese.

I dry right side up and hole the center.

Sorce.

Thanks for all the feedback.

So I went in and touched it up some more. I gave it a second pass to get rid of any illusions of a taper. It’s all right angles now. Although I will note that the rounded ends are less square than the side, I will try to get a picture.

I also added this “point of interest” to one side.

Then I left the wire holes as they were since filling them in would be a lot of work and I’d like to let it rest and dry at this point.




So you recommend drying it on it’s feet?

I was planning on firing it in cone 10 reduction as well. I may stilt the bottom and fire it right side up. Is this how they are traditional done?

 

[Ceijay]

The sides. One is better than the other.

 

[sorce]

Nice! I like the streaks.

Dry how it works!

"It Depends" is alive and well in pottery!

Sorce

 

[Ceijay]

It went into bisque today.

 

[Ceijay]

Well it finally came out. It warped on one side and on the bottom. I’m kinda “meh” about it.





I threw my wisteria in it, don’t worry, that’s ugly too.

 

[sikadelic]

Hey man its not ugly. I mean, maybe you didn't get the exact thing you were looking for, but you will. I like it! Keep up the good work!!

 

[Bonsai Nut]

A really good first attempt - and certainly better than I would do!

Your clay is probably too thin - both the walls and the feet. Big pots like that equal heavy bonsai, and the feet need to be robust.

If you can, try to buy a big bonsai pot from a reputable potter that you can use - not as a literal model - but to check your design scale. Thickness of bottom, walls, feet, etc. Large pots also often have reinforcement at the rim, whether it is a true lip or just widening of the wall body.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I don't know if you have seen these, but there are some good bonsai pot building videos on YouTube. Although the quality is low, this is a good one on large Tokoname pots. It is a mold built pot, but many of the construction details would be the same. Check out, for example, how they build up the rim - it is a distinctly separate process. Notice also how they build the feet by pushing the floor down into the mold... and then level and smooth the inside bottom of the pot afterwards.

 

[Gsquared]

Your pot looks good. Warping slightly is a result I sometimes get myself. One thing that helped reduce it for me was to increase thickness of the slabs. I’m doing mine roughly 3/8 in thick. They are doing okay that way, but still, warping is a concern, especially on bigger pots. Are you compressing the slabs?

I am impressed that you did a pot that size. Big ones are tricky!