Source of Decorative Glass SH Pots?
 

My recent entry into sh culture has proven very successful so far, with most of the plants showing some new root growth and all looking good foliage wise. One is even spiking! I love being able to watch the root growth in the clear containers. But it seems to me there is a glaring hole in the sh system in regards to pots. The commercial pots I've seen are pretty much nursery pots, very utilitarian but hardly worth a look on their own. And being made of plastic, their time on earth will be far shortened on stuff like my Cymbidium that see lots of direct sun, regardless of any UV blocking additives. Does anyone know of a source of glass pots with proper drain holes for sh? I have several pieces that I picked up at thrift stores and garage sales and drilled myself, but the process is tedious and the risk of breakage is considerable, depending upon the thickness of the glass. Anyone?

No one makes such a pot commercially.

However, drilling glass isn't all that difficult, if you use a couple of tricks.

1. Carbide-tipped masonry bits are usable, but if you can find a diamond drill bit or hole bit, that's even better.

2. Do the drilling underwater. Not only does the water keep the glass cool to prevent thermal shock, but the water molecules actually bond with broken ionic sites within the glass structure, exposed during the drilling process. That also reduces the stress that can lead to breakage.

3. Take it slow!

I have the process down pat Ray, I've drilled countless aquariums, many with fish in them! Invariably the ones I enjoyed drilling most were those where somebody was paying me by the hour as opposed to a flat rate per hole! Most of the stuff I find reasonably priced is too thin and very prone to cracking when the bit finally gets through. The ones that make for "easy" drilling are few and far between, and easy in in quotes for a reason! 1/4" and thicker glass takes FOREVER to get through! I think I might see if I can find a local glass blower or maybe an art school student and see what can be done.

that sounds like a good idea. I would be interested in the results of your inquires

One of the potential pitfalls with art glass or student-made stuff is that they may-, or may not be sufficiently annealed.

My newbie is showing again. What does that mean ?

Molten glass is a fluid with a VERY high viscosity. It also has a fairly high thermal expansion. When you make a glass item, and it begins to cool, the body doesn't necessarily cool uniformly, and due to that high viscosity, the stresses that causes are not dissipated. In large-scale commercial production, the items are passed through an annealing lehr that heats the glass sufficiently to "relax" the glass and permit those stresses to dissipate, then cooled very slowly so they cool uniformly and don't redevelop.

Even if there are some residual stresses, it's no problem just sitting there, but do anything that adds stress (dropping it), or provides a point of stress release (a scratch or drilling), and it can all be released, catastrophically.

I'm familiar enough with repair of laboratory glassware to know there are ways even a hobby or student glass blower can help make sure a piece is annealed to relieve the worst of the stress at least. Discuss that concern with someone and they should know if they can make a piece that isn't too prone to breakage.

I have looked around for interesting semi-hydro pots that look nice in a "living room" and have usually gone to plastic like acrylics or fiberglass because you can drill those holes. Something you can also do is to get a cashe pot and put some rocks on the bottom so the dribbles come out of the holes and dribble into the cashe pot. Just think of the cashe pot as a ultra deep saucer.

I take - what is to me - the easy way out: I use plastic, non-decorative S/H pots, and I put them in decorative covers. Far less work that trying to create decorative ones, and far less expensive, as the S/H pots are cheap, and the covers can be reused.

I have used plastic, metal, wicker, pottery, cork tubes, and yes, glass, to achieve a nice appearance for the room.