Shohin pots on a midi pottery wheel

[Pitoon]

It's time for a new thread for shohin size pots. Earlier this year I found a really good deal on a mid size pottery wheel on Amazon. I was contemplating whether I should get it or not. I decided to get it with the intentions that if I didn't like it my kids could practice with it, and I wasn't out big bucks on a pottery wheel.

Everything about this cheap pottery wheel yells it was made in China. So remember that saying you get what you pay for, well this definitely applies in this case.

The unit is really low, and it's really hard to use it while sitting on a chair. Trying to use the foot pedal is ridiculous. You try to adjust the speed with your foot and the unit wants to tip over. So without the handle this machine would be useless. I've resulted to sitting on the floor to turn and trim the pots. Also the wheel is pretty bad, it's extremely light and has these grooves that just want to eat your sponge as you try to clean the wheel head.

So if you decide to get this one or something similar you now know what you're getting yourself into.

 

[Pitoon]

Here's the first pot off the midi pottery wheel. I have a particular glaze in mind for this pot.

 

[Maiden69]

So, it begins... part deux

 

[Pitoon]

So, it begins... part deux

This post really made me laugh... .yeah part deux!

 

[Carol 83]

Irregardless of the faults of the wheel, the talents of the potter have overcomes them. Another nice pot. Now stop it, I have to buy Christmas presents!!!!

 

[Pitoon]

Irregardless of the faults of the wheel, the talents of the potter have overcomes them. Another nice pot. Now stop it, I have to buy Christmas presents!!!!

This wheel is a lot harder to work with verse the mini wheel. If the glaze works out on this first pot it might just be a keeper. I finished another pot I'll post tomorrow. I think pot #2 came out pretty sweet.

 

[Carol 83]

I think pot #2 came out pretty sweet.

Oh, I'm sure it did. I may have to boycott this place until after December. I am not known for having great self-control.

 

[19Mateo83]

Oh, I'm sure it did. I may have to boycott this place until after December. I am not known for having great self-control.

Especially with pretty pots with purple glazes

 

[19Mateo83]

Pretty sweet pot as always pitoon! Is this going to be another 100 production run?

 

[Pitoon]

Pretty sweet pot as always pitoon! Is this going to be another 100 production run?

No more 100 pot batches any time soon. This will more likely be a two dozen batch run.

 

[Maiden69]

I don't have any shohin tree at the moment, but that may change... I've been buying smaller pots in hope to move trees into them before they get too big.

 

[AshleyMammal]

Here's the first pot off the midi pottery wheel. I have a particular glaze in mind for this pot.

View attachment 462217View attachment 462218View attachment 462219

Sexy!

 

[Pitoon]

I don't have any shohin tree at the moment, but that may change... I've been buying smaller pots in hope to move trees into them before they get too big.

Smaller trees are so much easier to handle and work on. They also take up a lot less space. But there's trade offs, they do require a bit more attention and care. After seeing the beasts at Bjorn's nursery one would need a forklift to move some of them around. Bigger trees are nice to look at, but a royal pain to move around especially if you're alone.

 

[Maiden69]

But there's trade offs, they do require a bit more attention and care.

This is my only fear, I have an automated watering system that I can tailor per tree needs, but I heard horror stories about over/under watering shohin trees were slightly bigger trees are a bit easier. I would love big trees like Bjorn have, but I don't think it would be a smart decision at this time.

 

[Pitoon]

This is my only fear, I have an automated watering system that I can tailor per tree needs, but I heard horror stories about over/under watering shohin trees were slightly bigger trees are a bit easier.

To prevent smaller trees from drying out you need to bury them in some sort of substrate. A10x20 flat filled with media can easily hold 6-8 trees with their pots semi buried. The extra substrate keeps the pots moist and allows roots to escape.

 

[Maiden69]

To prevent smaller trees from drying out you need to bury them in some sort of substrate. A10x20 flat filled with media can easily hold 6-8 trees with their pots semi buried. The extra substrate keeps the pots moist and allows roots to escape.

I seen a few people doing this, even with small trays under the tree... but, wouldn't letting those roots escape be counter productive for keeping the tree small? I mean the effect of the pot on the roots is what helps tight ramification, at least that is what I understand from all the reading and Mirai's videos.

 

[Pitoon]

Here's pot #2 off the medi wheel. It's already bone dry and ready for bisque. I'm thinking a nice crystalline glaze for this one. My goal for this batch is 25 pots mixed shohin and mame size.

I'm seeing a nice cascade shohin in this pot. What do you think would look good in this one?

 

[Taste]

so fresh, so clean!

 

[Pitoon]

I seen a few people doing this, even with small trays under the tree... but, wouldn't letting those roots escape be counter productive for keeping the tree small? I mean the effect of the pot on the roots is what helps tight ramification, at least that is what I understand from all the reading and Mirai's videos.

You have to think there's not much space for the roots in these small pots. Letting the roots escape into an auxiliary pot keeps the tree healthy. Every so often you pull up the pot and trim off the escaped roots, and pop the pot back in substrate. For a tree to be healthy it needs to grow both above and below.

You really can't compare the maintenance and upkeep of the larger trees to the smaller trees.

 

[Pitoon]

so fresh, so clean!