GreatLakesBrad
Chumono
In this case yes, per the lower areas draining. Please advise if this isn’t a positive move!
Pot enhancement
- Thread starter GreatLakesBrad
- Start date
penumbra
Imperial Masterpiece
Well, the feet are there for a reason; to keep drainage holes open. Also, you can't possibly use it for wiring now and have a steady pot.
GreatLakesBrad
Chumono
Indeed. An excellent point
Thanks. Glad I only did one!
Forsoothe!
Imperial Masterpiece
The volume of water that would remain in the wells formed by the inner feet surface is insignificant and shouldn't influence where you drill holes. The feet are now more abrasive and will mark your display stands surface more easily. Alas.
Tieball
Masterpiece
@B-rad in GR .....Sounds like the time to get the drill and bits back out. You can always plug the holes you drilled through the pot feet. Drill new holes. More experience to challenge you. I liked the process you used of having the pot submerged during drilling. That would work very well. Did the water turn clay muddy quickly? I think that in a big enough basin of water that there would not be a muddy water situation. Nicely done (well...except for drilling through the feet).
GreatLakesBrad
Chumono
The Michiganders weighing in, love it.
Will avoid the mistakes on the many remaining pots.
@Forsoothe! - thanks for the reassurance on the wells. Appreciate it.
Will avoid the mistakes on the many remaining pots.
@Forsoothe! - thanks for the reassurance on the wells. Appreciate it.
eryk2kartman
Chumono
I did similar thing with some of my plastic pots, i have to say it was bad idea, soil was sucking all the surface water through the holes in feet, ended up with very wet soggy soil, maybe good for some species that likes wet feet but not to my liking.
I will never do it again
I will never do it again
Sunwyrm
Mame
I bought these same bits - but I can't make a score mark because it keeps skipping and moving around, even at an angle, as soon as it comes in contact with the pot. Any tips?
penumbra
Imperial Masterpiece
I recommend a drill press for clean precision work. Also bare in mind that not all pots are easy to drill. I drilled a couple porcelain pots a few years back and they were considerably more difficult and hard on the bits I was using.
Forsoothe!
Imperial Masterpiece
Slow down the drill, and keep it perpendicular to the surface. Do not apply downward pressure, concentrate on holding the drill in position lightly against the surface. Just allow the boring bits to score the surface to make an initial path. Wobble is an enemy, and cheap, low-power drills have more because they overcome low-power with high speed. Holding the drill with two hands is better.
eryk2kartman
Chumono
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
@B-rad in GR I appreciate the after pics!
I gotta apologize for getting caught up in the after though, the dare, the, "you won't!"...
Got to thinking about how that might not be good for other things, like freezing, when water holds up I'm them holes.
So I did some research.
Note the red Sidebar.
You're going to have to relagate these to some tropicals, which ain't a bad thing.
What IS bad, is the shards of glass that these turn into over winter.
Ask @M. Frary , I have one from him!
I think it'll make the bin this year.
The boxwood is good!
Drill some more holes!
Sorce
I gotta apologize for getting caught up in the after though, the dare, the, "you won't!"...
Got to thinking about how that might not be good for other things, like freezing, when water holds up I'm them holes.
So I did some research.
Note the red Sidebar.
You're going to have to relagate these to some tropicals, which ain't a bad thing.
What IS bad, is the shards of glass that these turn into over winter.
Ask @M. Frary , I have one from him!
I think it'll make the bin this year.
The boxwood is good!
Drill some more holes!
Sorce
GreatLakesBrad
Chumono
Thanks @sorce !! I had done some similar research. Important red sidebar lol. About half the pots have a “lip” that comes back towards the center of the pot. Those I will relegate to tropicals as you note (I have 4-5 growing, about the # of “lip” pots) since they will explode with expansion outside. The remainder do not have that lip and based on my research here on Bnut, will be less likely to explode over winter... so I will still try for outdoor trees with those pots. They are definitely cheap and just a good beginner collection I think. Most of my trees aren’t ready for final Bonsai pots so that means I have some time to save up for the real deal pot purchases... or befriend some folks who might be willing to sell some to me for less than the very high cost of new fancy pots?
RKatzin
Omono
I was a tile contractor once upon a time and as such I drilled a lot of holes. I used diamond hole saws, a set of five 1/2" up to 11/2". With these I used two types of guides. Both suction onto the surface. One is a round O that comes in different sizes. You just put it where you want a hole and fill with water. I think these would work best to get your hole started. The other is an adjustable like what you pick up glass panes with, but with an attachment that adjusts for different size holes. I got mine where I bought tile, but your favorite big box stores might have something similar.
Tieball
Masterpiece
Cool...thanks for the detailed comment.
Mayank
Chumono
The additional holes look good and will certainly be useful. I was just surprised to see them drilled through the "legs" because they won't help as much.
….
Never mind, I just saw all the additional posts about that!
Mayank
Chumono
Hey @B-rad in GR. Are you going to the annual Grand Rapids show? I believe they have Mauro coming. I'm planning to make a weekend of it, get a hotel room with the missus and everything! 
GreatLakesBrad
Chumono
Wouldn’t miss it! Went for first time last year. Meijer Gardens is only ten minutes away for me. Cannot wait, some excellent material there and hopefully meet a few Bnut amigos there as well!Hey @B-rad in GR. Are you going to the annual Grand Rapids show? I believe they have Mauro coming. I'm planning to make a weekend of it, get a hotel room with the missus and everything!
Leo in N E Illinois
The Professor
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At the Grand Rapids show, most likely Linda Ippel will be a vendor, she is a pretty good Potter, there may be other pottery there for sale. Bring your checkbook.
Leo in N E Illinois
The Professor
- Messages
- 11,427
- Reaction score
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- USDA Zone
- 5b
I have quite a few pots, but I did not get them all at once. I would budget for one or two pots per year, or about $200 per year. Large pots are the hardest to find, especially for masculine pines and forest plantings. When you see a pot over 20 inches in length, the price tends to be substantial. Pots for small trees are modest, often less than $50.
So just as you tend to budget for new trees, set a budget for new pots. A decade later you will have a pot collection that a beginner would look at with envy.
I do buy pots I like, even if I don't have a tree. Because, eventually I will have a tree for every pot. Sometimes I design trees with a pot in mind.
So just as you tend to budget for new trees, set a budget for new pots. A decade later you will have a pot collection that a beginner would look at with envy.
I do buy pots I like, even if I don't have a tree. Because, eventually I will have a tree for every pot. Sometimes I design trees with a pot in mind.
