[patokeefe]

I'm looking at making a cave with a flower pot. What is the best way to make the hole on the bottom bigger while not breaking the whole pot?

 

[TrashmanNYC]

special drill bit while you run the pot under warm water..........i forgot what kind of bit it is......

 

[CSchmidt]

Its a hole saw. Its a bit that works with your drill. You connect it to the drill and it bores a whole with a special bit that has teeth on it.

Here is some pictures.

This is what the out come will be. A perfect hole every time.

Chris.

 

[mommasangelbaby]

Use a dremel tool and 9901 and 88923 bits (if I'm remembering correctly). With these bits you can cut (freehand) any shapes you want into the pots.

-Cheryl

 

[prowler09]

when i did mine, i just took a blade and scored a nice groove where i want the break line and tap it with a small hammer. it worked for me just fine. its not perfect of course, but it does the trick.

 

[Nathan43]

lol, i just hammered the side and got lucky. Not much to look at but the cave part worked great.

 

[herny]

pictures please :thumb:

 

[toddnbecka]

Tapping gently with a ball peen hammer also works.

 

[swimalong]

are pots always safe in an aquarium? does anyone ever worry about possible toxins that might be in the coating of the pot that could leach out ?

 

[toddnbecka]

Clay flowerpots have probably been used by more spawning cichlids in aquariums than any other single item. Just be sure it's a clean pot, not one that's been used for years.

 

[Mcdaphnia]

I avoid the pots that have paint or glaze and I also try not to buy pots that are shelved near the ferttilizers and insecticides.

 

[narhay]

Clay flowerpots have probably been used by more spawning cichlids in aquariums than any other single item.

I would say a rock or a plant takes the cake on this one. :roll:

 

[J0SH44]

The best tool has to be a rotary tool (dremel like tool) with a tile bit. I use that for my clay pots and it cuts through them like butter. Makes a decent red powder mess but that is to be expected. Honestly you can cut through the pot in 30 seconds, it is pretty crazy. I think the bit was like five bucks at lowes. I don't have a pic right now but if you really want one let me know and I guess i can get up and go take some pics.

 

[dcbutner]

I use a grinder with a diamond tip blade.

 

[Azrider]

I found this one just messing around one day. I took a pot that had already been in the water for a while, so the clay was softer. (It just broke the pots when I tried it with dry pots.) I cut it with a drywall saw/ blade, the kind used to cut a small opening in a wall or ceiling. I was able to cut four inch pots exactly in half about 90% of the time with out breaking them. It only cuts straight lines, but worked really well for me.

 

[pkut]

I used to use a glass cutting blade that was made to mount on a standard hacksaw frame. This blade looked like a piece of carbide inpregnanted wire and as you sawed with it, you could change direction so that you could saw whatever shape you wanted to. I haven't done this for years so I don't even know if these blades are still available but if they are the're great!

 

[Zane]

If there is a small hole, you can nib it with a pair of pliers to make it any size you want. Just bite off small chunks (say tic-tac size for 6", bigger the pot-bigger the bite) at a time, pinch the clay in the pliers and it will crumble away, but if you get carried away and nib to much then it all goes wrong. This method gives a more natural look than a strait or circular cut, I try to hide my pots so it helps in that aspect.

 

[fishpimpette]

Nathan43 said:

lol, i just hammered the side and got lucky. Not much to look at but the cave part worked great.

pretty much

I have found these tools work best:

these are a pic of the small to smallest pots I have did: (broken/jagged edges look?)

**the rough edges that are a lighter color in the pic have been buffed smooth with a file-

here is a pic of what it looks like just to chip off the base (smooth look?):

Please excuse the bad silicone job was the 1st time & was practicing

 

[swimalong]

Hammering and chipping away is certainly an easy way to get the jaggedy look.
I did 3 pots and they worked great. Siliconing them together like that looks pretty neat too.

 

[fishpimpette]

I got them the smooth way to in #2,too. :wink: