johnsmith Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 How do you break/cut terra cotta pots without destroying them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 I"ve used a fine toothed saw to cut them or a band saw or jig saw works too. I've also heard of people using dremel tools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 I just used a chisel (actually, large flat-blade screwdriver) today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsmith Posted October 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 I'll have to look around the garage to see what's out there that I can use. I guess at a $1.00 each I can afford to break one or two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Even broken ones are quite usefull. I made (IMO) a gorgeous tank w. piles of broken terra cotta pots with a group of Yellow Labs and Mel. cyan's. The contrast of the yellow, blue and terra cotta was awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsmith Posted October 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Did you do anything with the sharp edges or were they not really that sharp? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Nah, I didn't do anything. I figured the edges of slate can be pretty sharp, and we all use that. I've also used oystershells to build caves in Rift Lake tanks. They're way sharper than the TC pots, and it was all cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toirtis Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Dremels work a treat...after trying a number of different methods, I am hooked on using the dremel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vapor Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 Dremels are the best. Work great on cocanut shell caves too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilwolfe Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 ya, I just used my husbands dremel to make my hermit crabs some coconut caves......still alot of work....but fun!!! :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxquo Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 Dremel is number one, then you can use the grit to smooth them up. A little water on the doesn't hurt though, just dry Your dremel bit well after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Chicklets Posted November 26, 2006 Report Share Posted November 26, 2006 I found a tile blade for a hacksaw works wonders for cutting curved holes or enlarging the bottom hole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James (Western Canada) Posted February 11, 2007 Report Share Posted February 11, 2007 (edited) On a good day @ Home Depot..if you ask the right person, you can get them to cut your just-purchased terra cotta pots in half on the wet saw. It is still a good idea (as previously mentioned) to deburr the edges, I have used a file, but only because where I was doing this, I had no compressed air for my die grinder:) Here is a pic of the finished product after a good gooping up with silicone and a shake and bake like treatment with aquarium gravel... HTH James Edited February 11, 2007 by James (Western Canada) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilwolfe Posted February 11, 2007 Report Share Posted February 11, 2007 I love how that looks!!! I'll totally have to try that.....hmmm maybe my husband will let me expand the pet budget this month to include terra cotta and silicone.....it looks great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spcy Posted February 11, 2007 Report Share Posted February 11, 2007 I use dremel, brick hammer, saw or just drop them on the floor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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