Drilling Drainage Holes

Hi IBC folks,

I just got an awesome pot in the mail that I bought few weeks ago. It's a late 18th century reticulated Qianlong period pot. I've seen a few like this but none are in this great condition. Since this is originally a bulb pot (not meant for bonsai), I want to know from the experts of how to drill perfect holes without chipping the clay or the glaze.

Place it in a tub filled with sand: it will absorb the vibrations that would oterwise create cracks in the pot.

Wow. If that were mine, I'd consider finding another use for it as-is. I don't think there's any guarentee that an attempt to add holes couldn't end in total loss.

In addition to supporting it on sand you will want to do the work on a drill press at low speed using hole saw designed for drilling ceramics and water for lubrication. If you are careful it is likely you will not break the pot. However, it is likely that you will get some chipping around the edges of the hole. A really clean hole probably requires professional equipment and a backing plate that is temporarily glued to the backside of the pot where the dill will come through. I agree with Dave and not drill a hole in an antique such as this.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll see if I can find someone with a drill press; otherwise I'll leave it as is.

Thanks.

You never know; the pot could be far more valuable than the tree you consider putting into it. I would check on the value of the pot before I did anything like risking drilling a hole in it.

Vance,
You're right, it is far more valuable. I found the exact same pot in Craig Cousin's collection, and based on my initial research on this pot it is from the Qianlong period (1711-1799) in China.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/antique-bulb-orchid-bowls-craig-kuzinz

On the other hand, I have some pretty decent shohin material and this pot will help them look show worthy. We'll see.

You can always do what the pros do; pot the tree in this pot temporarily and put the tree back in a more acceptable pot when the show is over. Most shows don't last more than three days so maybe the tree will be in the pot 3 to 5 days?

If that is genuine and is over two hundred years old I just don't know how you could even consider drilling it,it has had generations of owners, drilling it may well make you the last person to see it as the potter intended.

I thought it Michael said it, lovely pot dont destroy it,

Michael Cooper wrote:If that is genuine and is over two hundred years old I just don't know how you could even consider drilling it,it has had generations of owners, drilling it may well make you the last person to see it as the potter intended.

Actually, I didn't pay attention to thefact that it was so old.

If drilling holes in it is possible, I wouldn't personally do that either...

I would say "do not touch it"
Put it in an appropriate showcase and just start your own collection

Try this,

fold a stainless steel mesh into a shape that fits neatly into the pot.

Grow your chosen tree in the mesh pot [ will behave like an Air-pot ] and when exhibiting, place inside.
Water separately and when dripped dry, place in pot. Add moss if needed to hide mesh.

Nice purchase.
Laters,
Khaimraj

* I like Alexandria's suggestion as well.

ah heck... go ahead and drill it !!!

place masking tape on both sides, use ceramic bit on slow speed and add water as you are drilling... shouldnt be a problem.

i do it all the time and have never broken one.

Khaimraj Seepersad wrote:Try this,

fold a stainless steel mesh into a shape that fits neatly into the pot.

Grow your chosen tree in the mesh pot [ will behave like an Air-pot ] and when exhibiting, place inside.
Water separately and when dripped dry, place in pot. Add moss if needed to hide mesh.

Nice purchase.
Laters,
Khaimraj

* I like Alexandria's suggestion as well.

This is the first I heard of this interesting idea, and sounds quite logical.

Khaimraj, you're full of surprises my friend! Very clever indeed!

Diamond bit cuts like knife through butter without much damage to the pot. Ofcourse I had to put soft material (foam under card-board) under the pot for this procedure, and constantly spray water at the point of contact to reduce heat from friction.

Such bits are meant for granite countertops, tile, glass, etc.

I've used a carbide bit and still do for wire holes but when I graduated to diamond for large holes it was a whole new world. I make a pool with electrical putty to hold water so leaving both hands for the drill. No drill press.

Neatly done...

Waiting to see the tree in the pot.

I would go larger or more.

M. Frary wrote: I would go larger or more.

Definitely.

I didn't really want to encourage the drilling of what might be an antique [ though China has a law
forbidding the exportation of anything over 100 years old.]

But next time, yes use the support and place clay or plastercene in a circle around the area to be drilled
and fill with water to cool the zone.
Until.
Khaimraj

glad to see you went for it !!!

who cares if its an antique, unless thats what you want...
but it sounded to me like you wanted a pot with holes in it and thats what you got !

Here's the larger diamond drill hole bit used for marble/granite countertops. No chips or cracks (so far; I have the other hole to do   ). I used a softer foam under the pot this time with reduced drill torque (but not too slow because that causes chips too). Constant spraying helps too.

to make holes in ceramics use a ceramic drill...i tryed on more than 20 difrent pots
and not one has broked..or chipped..using normal drillmaschine..not full speed
it can take a couple of minutes.....favorit drill is shaped like a clasic arrow..triangel.