Nano Viv Terracotta Tubes - Erin Pottery

[gmdiaz]

Hiya,

I've been really interested in trying out a technique that I read about on-line for growing some of these mini orchids that need constant moisture.

Here's a link to the article that got me to thinking.

I guess the Swedish pipes work well but have heard that the terracotta wine coolers don't work so well. . .it has to do with the porosity being just right.

So, I got to thinking, that maybe Vic at Eriin Pottery could make one with the right kind of clay and firing - a clay vase/tube (to hold water) with a pretty glazed tray.

I send him an inquiry email yesterday, here's what he said about the idea:

"Hi Gwen

The porosity of clay depends on the temperature that it is fired to, it's quite simple earthenware is porous, this fired below 1100 c and stoneware is non porous.

The wine cooler that you have mentioned will almost definitely be earthenware but will have an internal glaze which will make it non porous.

This is why earthenware coffee mugs for example are glazed internally.

Terracotta is generally fired to earthenware temperatures and is porous, Glens pot from Hobby Lobby is a terracotta plant/flower pot and these are generally left unglazed.

The terracotta pipes mentioned in Sweden, will definitely be glazed, usually a salt glaze, otherwise they would leak any liquid put through them not a good quality for a pipe ;-)) and for the use that you mention above they don't have a bottom either so they definitely would not work on either porosity or holding water.

My firings are always stoneware so my pottery is not porous, i could fire to earthenware but i would need a kiln load to do so, my kiln would need around 28 to 35 of the size pots that you mention above to be full, it simply would not be economical to fire it for just 2 pots, for several reasons, one the cost of the electricity for the firing, two the fact that i have to travel to my kiln, i don't have room for it here so it is in my aunties garden shed, it's a family business ;-)) so with the energy cost and my time travelling to the kiln with just 2 pots would make them so expensive that it would not be realistic.

If you can come up with 20 + orders then i could go ahead. . .

Regards Vic"

Soooo, what I am wondering, are there 20 people or more who would be interested in ordering one and having Vic make them per our specs?

I want one!