Building a wet slab bonsai pot

[Carol 83]

This is a copy of an antique pot that I found interesting enough to make a new one. Not my usual MO. I altered the proportions a bit. The geometry of the pot didn't lend itself to my current technique so a hybrid process was used. WHAT A PITA!!! It's a little busy looking but I think I have a tree for it. Might try a fake soda firing.

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Very clean, precise work as always.

 

[ABCarve]

Look ma, no feet!!

So this one was more about no warping. I used standard 420 which is similar to working with mortar mix because of so much grog.
Wondering why no feet??


This was made from red balau, which is a very dense wood. So dense that it actually sinks in water. The pot was inlet into the frame similar to a stone and daiza. I used this wood because of its rot resistance as it will spend its days outside with the tree. The wood will be finished with SWR……sun, wind and rain.

 

[penumbra]

Look ma, no feet!!

So this one was more about no warping. I used standard 420 which is similar to working with mortar mix because of so much grog.
Wondering why no feet??
View attachment 472642

This was made from red balau, which is a very dense wood. So dense that it actually sinks in water. The pot was inlet into the frame similar to a stone and daiza. I used this wood because of its rot resistance as it will spend its days outside with the tree. The wood will be finished with SWR……sun, wind and rain.
View attachment 472643

What a fascinating composition. What do you think you might plant in it?

 

[ABCarve]

What a fascinating composition. What do you think you might plant in it?

Eastern hemlock

 

[penumbra]

That is a great hemlock my friend.

 

[KateM]

WOW! Just found this thread. What a wealth of information. @ABCarve thank you so much for sharing your technique and knowledge, and keeping this thread updated.
Any more workshops in the future?

 

[ForrestW]

WOW! Just found this thread. What a wealth of information. @ABCarve thank you so much for sharing your technique and knowledge, and keeping this thread updated.
Any more workshops in the future?

Diddo-- My hats of to @ABCarve amazing work and so much technique.

 

[ABCarve]

WOW! Just found this thread. What a wealth of information. @ABCarve thank you so much for sharing your technique and knowledge, and keeping this thread updated.
Any more workshops in the future?

Glad you’re enjoying the thread. Do you have basic clay skills and knowledge? If you don’t, I would have to spend too much time with those things and not much time on the techniques. If you have that part under your belt, next thing is trying to work a schedule or you may just watch the videos on YouTube shown on post #351. I’m done with pots by April. This is a dicey place to travel to in the winter or early spring (ask Pitoon). So next opportunity is fall 2024.

 

[KateM]

Glad you’re enjoying the thread. Do you have basic clay skills and knowledge? If you don’t, I would have to spend too much time with those things and not much time on the techniques. If you have that part under your belt, next thing is trying to work a schedule or you may just watch the videos on YouTube shown on post #351. I’m done with pots by April. This is a dicey place to travel to in the winter or early spring (ask Pitoon). So next opportunity is fall 2024.

Yes, I think I can work on my basic skills till the fall of 2024.
Had a slow day at work today and already watched YouTube.

 

[ABCarve]

A little preview to 2024 spring pots. Revisiting some older designs and trying some new.

 

[ABCarve]

 

[KateM]

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Could you tell us what the blue "crumbles" are? Are they glaze crystals?

 

[ForrestW]

Beautiful-- what is your firing plan. I saw you participated in a train kiln wood firing-- are these going gas reduction, electric, or wood or a variety?

 

[Pitoon]

Glad you’re enjoying the thread. Do you have basic clay skills and knowledge? If you don’t, I would have to spend too much time with those things and not much time on the techniques. If you have that part under your belt, next thing is trying to work a schedule or you may just watch the videos on YouTube shown on post #351. I’m done with pots by April. This is a dicey place to travel to in the winter or early spring (ask Pitoon). So next opportunity is fall 2024.

Weather there is dicey for sure! One day is nice and then the next day 6" of snow. I did have a good time hanging out making pots.

 

[ABCarve]

Could you tell us what the blue "crumbles" are? Are they glaze crystals?

The blue stuff is coarse grog which I fired in a saggar with some cobalt which turned it blue. I actually made it for using in a suiban instead of sand for a stone that I have. These were leftovers from that and I thought I'd experiment with it. One pot has it pressed into the surface and the other has it mixed right into the clay body. The cobalt on the grog will influence the glaze I put over it......stay tuned!

Beautiful-- what is your firing plan. I saw you participated in a train kiln wood firing-- are these going gas reduction, electric, or wood or a variety?

These will all be electric ^9. I've kinda gave up the wood firing. The people I fire with like the extended firing time (48 hrs) for the added ash it blows onto to the pot. That mostly turns into a lot of grey goo that's not my cup of tea. It really limits glaze possibility. Also the extreme heat ^13 make for a lot of cracked pots. Pretty brutal in there.