paper pots

Klytus

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I made a pot,actualy two pots,using cement and the fabled pink cat litter.

I had to drill for drainage using a hole saw as i had no diamond core cutters,the hole saw barely made it.

The pot without a hole has spent the last two years knocking about the garden,i may try and find it to see how it's weathered.

The means of mold making is something i would like to see as with the right technique all sorts of wonderful creations could be realised.

At the time i was stuch with two plastic nesting containers which yielded a half inch thick pot with air bubbles.
 

will0911

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Klytus,

All I used for molds were shapes I wanted that were already containers and just used Styrofoam to make the bottom with legs. Best advice I can give is take your time building the walls and make sure you really pack it tight, second is make sure if using the Styrofoam for legs its a perfect fit and don't be afraid to really pack the materials in there...and I still have to drill holes in these two but I wanted to wait till they were fully dry before I did so it wouldn't tear.

P.s. this material is soft enough to use a drill nit for wood on when its not completly dry. I did use one for concrete however...
 

Klytus

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Hmm,styrofoam is quite easy to shape with a saw,knife and sandpaper too..

Can be slab built and glued as well,awesome.

Did you find foam embedded into the cement ?
Maybe some sort of release agent can be used,Mazola or similar.
 

will0911

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I think something got lost in my terrible way I said that...I used flay pieces of Styrofoam I shaped by cutting out the rectangle then I cut the corners into the shape of the leg I wanted. There wasn't any Styrofoam embedded in my pots...I just glued them to the inside bottom of the container I was using as a mold...
 

edprocoat

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I just seen this thread and it struck me how many are talking about drilling holes in pots they made? I made a few pots out of cement, one was for my windswept styled juniper, when I made these pots I stuck a wood dowel into the center where I wanted a hole, after it had cured out I was easily able to saw off the dowel and drill it out it under two minutes. The next time I did this I wrapped the dowel bottom that I stuck into the pot material with saran wrap, after it had cured I was able to twist it out with no drilling.

ed
 

edprocoat

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Just another thought, what you are talking about here is Papercrete. I posted about it in another thread here somewhere, there are videos on youtube that show the process too, for many things other than pots too! Papercrete is about 40% lighter than standard cement, it us usually made with White Portland cement which allows the newspaper pattern to leave a speckled look similiar to granite. Another person posted about allowing them to freeze, good advice as they will expand and bust as they allow water into the pot. A good way to stop this is with a clear acrylic sealer applied to inside of pot. When you want to paint them consider using a concrete stain as it will last far longer than paint on cement. The last pot you posted looked great, I would just clear seal the whole thing, inside and out and use it that color as its great looking to me.

You can also buy concrete coloring powder, it comes in all the base colors and is mixed into the cement to color it, there is red and black and blue and brown and green and yellow and these can be intermixed to any color you need. Back when I made my pot for my juniper I used cement and pea gravel, very heavy. I sealed it with two part clear epoxy mixed and brushed over, it lasted for fourteen years.

ed
 

will0911

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Edprocoat,

Yes this is papercrete. Good idea about the wood pegs too! I am allowing these pots to fully dry before I sand and stain and seal them. Everyday they turn a bit whiter but I will use a tinted clear coat to darken them a little. Fyi...I wasn't claiming I was the first to use this method...it sounded as though you thought I was...maybe not but just clarifying...
 

Klytus

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I was thinking about the clever use of readily available and easily workable eco-freindly materials.

The former would be oriented in reverse,that is to say the mold is filled from the foot and capped with a lid in the shape of the pot feet.

Thus one can do away with the unfinished rim.
 

chappy56

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I've made a few of these myself. Make sure you let these "season" for a looong time.
Putting a tree in them too soon will force them to crumble. I leave mine out in the weather for at least 6 months before I even think about putting a tree in them. The one in the photo is about 3 years old.
 

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will0911

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Thank you for the advice! I also read this seasoning helps the lime seep out too. Thanks again for sharing!
 

edprocoat

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Edprocoat,

Yes this is papercrete. Good idea about the wood pegs too! I am allowing these pots to fully dry before I sand and stain and seal them. Everyday they turn a bit whiter but I will use a tinted clear coat to darken them a little. Fyi...I wasn't claiming I was the first to use this method...it sounded as though you thought I was...maybe not but just clarifying...

Will, I am sorry if it seemed that I inferred that you claimed you were the first to use this stuff. I did not mean that at all, I just did not see papercrete mentioned specifically and as I had been thinking about trying it myself I thought the mention of the name and the youtube video would help others who might be interested in it too. Sometimes when I write things in forums like these I come off as offensive by my wording, that is something that I would never want to do intentionally. I try my best being a 51 year old one finger typist, but at times it comes out wrong when all I am doing is trying to be concise.

ed
 

will0911

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Thanks ed! I figured you weren't I just wasn't sure. Anyways, this process is a great one for cheap and easy pots!
 

Speedy

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Will, I really like the look of the two with the sloped sides.

Does one have to use newsprint? I have been thinking about recycling some corrugated cardboard. Would the adhesive somehow interfere with the integrity of the papercrete? I know it would take longer to breakdown both physically and in the water. Also, to cut down on weight could pieces of packing foam be thrown in the mix?
 
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will0911

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Speedy, im not sure about cardboard or foam pieces but these will be lighter than ceramic. Also I read that glossy paper and cardboard does not do as well as good ole regular newspaper...it also tears the easiest...
 

Speedy

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Put my first one in mold today. I'll post pictures when I pull it out.
 

Speedy

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Here are the first 3 successful extractions from the molds. I've lost a couple due to too much paper in the mix or not letting them cure long enough. The first two did lose their feet however. First is about 7x5 1/2x1in and the second is about 9x6 1/2x2in (inside dimensions) third is about 6x1 1/2in. One of my Shimpakus has already asked to be potted in this one come spring. Comments are welcome, but please keep in mind these are for training...
 

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