DIY Clay plant pots..

[Steve(spt)]

This summer I think I will have a go at making my own plant pots just for fun with the kids, - how hard can it be?

Get a bit of terracotta clay out of the garden, theres plenty in this area, North Staffs.

Make a few pots, dry in the sun, and burn them with some old timber/wood that I will collect over the next few months.

Should be great fun with the kids, BBQ + muddy clay - something to look forward to..

[rustylady]

Have fun, sounds an interesting project.

[mapcr77]

There's so much clay in my garden I was considering something similar... Let us know how it goes, take pics if possible! Good luck!!

[Steve(spt)]

I will take some photos, I'm thinking this will be a two weekend project, weekend one, making the pots and a weekend two cooking them.


I thinking of using the old record player as a potters wheel, or may be take out the washing machine motor and build a potters wheel.. hmmm

[terrier]

Talking of old record players, I remember putting the old 78RPM records into boiling water and forming them into plant pots. Oh! Memories are made of this

[Snadger]

I will take some photos, I'm thinking this will be a two weekend project, weekend one, making the pots and a weekend two cooking them.


I thinking of using the old record player as a potters wheel, or may be take out the washing machine motor and build a potters wheel.. hmmm

Go for it Steve!............ You canna wack a mucky weekend!

[roitelet]

Hi Steve,

Have a go at coil pots they are easier than thrown ones. When you fire them you need to dig a pit put the pots in and cover it with soil, have a really huge fire on top then leave them in the ground until cold. The smoke and heat gives some really interesting effects.

Interested to know how it goes.

[HeyWayne]

My cousin makes ceramics for a living (a ceramicist?), I could ask him some advice.

I think he's pots are a little too nice to have plants grown in them though.

Graham Hudson Ceramics

(he's not far from you piskie)

[pigletwillie]

I dont wish to dampen your spirits but we made a clay oven with clay overburden from work (Ibstock brick are just over the road). Despite fireing it up several times to dry it out and then quite a few more to make pizzas in (internal temp over 400 degrees C), it was not fired anywhere near enough to make it withstand rain so I had to cover it in an inch of render to protect it.

I fear that your pots may "wilt" when watered. Please let me know how you get on as I can get tons of clay