making you're own bonsai pots

Bloodwar

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Can we start a post about making bonsai pots out of cement or clay,ceramics. Some how to vids and advice.large pots are pricey.
 

Stickroot

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Yep, there are a few pot makers on here.
Me from earthenware.
And @hometeamrocker
@abqjoe OUT OF SOLID STONE!!!
It is fun and kilns will soak up the $$$$.
This is my favorite of mine, which @Vin has now.image.jpegoh and stainless steel @Vin idea and I fabricated them.image.pngyou gotta see the oval one... So cool.
Hometeamrocker paired up with a fun artist and made "octopots" SUPERCOOL!image.pngI LOVE POTS OF ALL MEDIUMS!!!!
 

Anthony

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Bloodwar,

for cement, look up frost proof. We just cast colored cement, no frost.

Earthenware clay can be easily rendered non-porous [ frost proof ] see Google or Library - Berens - Egyptian paste formula.

Learn slab and how to deform a round pot to make it oval.

It's easy, and a club will make it easier.

These were made by my brother-in-laws nephew Nick. He started at around 16 and is 19 presenly.
Good Day
Anthony

Slab technique and later glazed and in use. Non porous earthenware.

Rough body
pot10.jpg

smooth body

pot210.jpg
 

aml1014

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I'm gonna try SuperSculpey® but I don't think it will hold :D, Just for fun!
I've made quite a bit of small polymer pots and they hold up better then clay! You can just about throw them as high as you can and have them hit concrete with just a "nick" in the pot. They can't Crack period!

Also, I'm going to try "shapecrete" soon. It acts like clay but it's concrete, which we know only gets harder over time.

Aaron
 

Stickroot

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Anthony

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Another suggestion - soapstone.

Very easy to carve and then let a friend fire the material. Becomes stone and can be glazed.
Good Day
Anthony

* Yes we did it already..

You can also carve raw grogged clay like stone and fire the result
 

ghues

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Here is a link to a bonsai blog that describes how to (step by step with photos) build cement pots. Scroll down to his 2015 posts.
Cheers Graham
 

ghues

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Nice link. But serious I want the follow the link, can we have it yet?
What a tease hey.......yea I know....need to proof read before hitting the PR button.......reminder to self.......hey...!! it comes with age...lol
Try here https://anijhuis.com
 

Soldano666

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I really like that round brown one in the third picture.
Great job!
thanks stick root. It was made from a punch bowl that already has the feet here's some other ones, some from the punch bowl and so.e from other bowls IMG_20160801_183433157.jpg IMG_20160801_183716763.jpg IMG_20160801_183308710.jpg to red cement dye looks pink so I'm bummed about that, but the cracks are cool, I just used a trash bag inside the mold
 

Wires_Guy_wires

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Just a small addition to this wonderful practice: when using cement,I mix in some shredded newspaper. This lightens the build and adds some extra natural looking 'aged cracks' but it does also increase breakdown speed. My pots last 3-4 years without glazing. With glazing, they don't seem to break down at all.
Using 20% more water and 10% less sand in the mixture, will create an almost marble like structure. Its harder to mold and takes ages to dry though..
 

Soldano666

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Just a small addition to this wonderful practice: when using cement,I mix in some shredded newspaper. This lightens the build and adds some extra natural looking 'aged cracks' but it does also increase breakdown speed. My pots last 3-4 years without glazing. With glazing, they don't seem to break down at all.
Using 20% more water and 10% less sand in the mixture, will create an almost marble like structure. Its harder to mold and takes ages to dry though..
Try fibrglass hairs, if it cracks it should still hold together. Im in the process of testing this. All the jams ive made last year are buried in snow till April. Some with trees in em, some just being tested for durability in the elements. Some have experienced freezr thaw already this winter and green light to go. The 2018 batch will hit the pond for leeching next month. Time will tell I guess
 

Wires_Guy_wires

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Thanks for the advice, but fiberglass is not something I want to ever work with again. If fragments get under your skin, they can take years to come out again. I used to skateboard in the 00's when every halfpipe was made of fiberglass. I still find fragments buried beneath my skin sometimes.
I'm experimenting with sawdust, perlite and other less "nasty" materials as we speak, using iron mesh for rigidity/support. Basically reinforced concrete actually ;-)
 

BE.REAL

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I have been making some stoneware pots lately.
They aren't the best, but I like the fact that I made them. I will get some pics soon.

Your "fact" is the #1 reason I make mine as well. I appreciate the art of Bonsai pots and maybe appreciate the prices, but again, and IMO, its feels soooo nice when you say "100%, this design is by me!" maybe its vain, but I also like to create. Someday it would be wicked cool to buy an ancient pot( meaning the very old ones), but then I probably wouldn't have a retirement. hahaha
 
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