Experimenting with Rockset pots.

Rockset is a product made to have a quick setting cement mixture used to fill brittle holes when using draw-bolts or to fill up cracks in cement floors etc. It sets in about 30 minutes and have the consistency of condensed milk when mixed correctly.

I first used it to keep rocks for root over rock plantings upright:



I have tried it for make shift pots a few months ago by using different kinds of moulds. Here is one of the first ones I have made:



The cement was colored by using oxides. I have also sealed the inside and outside with RB10 Clear Flex. Here is the first attempt planted with a tree about 6 months ago:



Here is the thickness of the sides:



The pot is holding up well with no evidence of any damage.

Here are a few other (not sealed) attempts:












Most of these pots cost me less than 10 dollars each.

I am going to experiment with other shapes and bigger sizes.

What do you think of these (amateur) attempts?

Lennard

Your pots look great! Excellent. 


How did you create the texture for #3 and #4? Also, what is the name of the manufacturer for your product? I would like to find a comprable product available in the USA. 

The thinness of your first pot is wonderful. Most cementitious materials end up far too thick to be good bonsai pots. Well done. 

Please share how you got the pots so thin, 

Thank you

Leo Schordje wrote:Your pots look great! Excellent. 


How did you create the texture for #3 and #4? Also, what is the name of the manufacturer for your product? I would like to find a comprable product available in the USA. 

The thinness of your first pot is wonderful. Most cementitious materials end up far too thick to be good bonsai pots. Well done. 

Please share how you got the pots so thin, 

Thank you

Thanks for the reply.

The texture of pot 3 was made by filling the cavity with diamond gravel and pot 4 by lining the side with window putty.

I have made a step-by-step with clear pictures on my blog of the products and the how-to:

http://lennardsbonsaibeginnings.blogspot.com/2013/06/rockset-bonsai-pots-alternative-for.html

Have fun! It can be used to make slabs also.

Lennard

Thanks for the link to your blog, it is very nice, clear directions. When I have some down time, I will try my hand at this. A quick search locally it looks like Quickcrete and DAP are two manufacturer's that have comprable products that are readily availble in the US. And for Canada and the EU one should browse the LaFarge catalogs to see what is offered there. Hydrolic Cement is the right search term to use. And the products labelled for setting machinery, key being that it flows and is a polymer-cementitious composite material is what you need to look for. 

Thanks

Thanks for the correct description - will paste it to my blog...if you don't mind:)

Lennard

Lennard,

as another example of a cement pot. This one is just a simple mix of cement and sand. It is porous, and has been in use since 94 or so.
The porous quality might be an asset for the Japanese black pine as well, since this pine has been in this pot from 94 and grew to this size. I am just about to make a full range of such pots, coloured with oxides.

Keep us informed on how well your pots hold up.
Thanks for showing.
Khaimraj

Khaimraj Seepersad wrote:
as another example of a cement pot. I am just about to make a full range of such pots, coloured with oxides.

Keep us informed on how well your pots hold up.

I am interested in using normal cement mix because I have a few big pots that I will have to make as training pots - making big pots using Rockset will be too expensive.

I know a lady who makes garden pots and statues using a dryer mix - but she uses a vibrating machine to compact the mix. The statues and pots are rockhard using this method. I am thinking of using a drill's hammer action to try and replicate this.

I have sealed and oiled(the outside using linseed oil) all the pots I have made from Rockset - they will all be potted up over the next week. Will keep you posted on their durability.

Lennard