Breaking saucers

I've done a few searches but found nothing, although I'm sure the answer is on here somewhere. I contacted a few people off of here and they didn't know so I'm just going to post and ask. I got a few clay saucers finally... What's the easiest way to put a hole on top without breaking the whole thing?

Not sure... those things tend to crack and are really brittle.

I just used a saucer and put an entrance on the side.... and then sanded down the edges.

A hole on top eh? I would go with a small chisel a hammer and an easy hand.

or mabe try a glass cutter, cut the shape, then it should bust out without breaking the rest of pot.

take a nail and scar the surface about 1/64" deep in the shape you want to cut out then take needle nose pliers and snip at it. you will see how far you can push it till it breaks.

I believe the guy at Home Depot suggested a masonary drill bit to me for working on those terracotta pots.



~~Jo~~

Ahhh, I did this a month ago for my beloved. It was for some hanging plant or another. Anyway, what I did was grab a water soaked sponge and let it sit on the bottom for about 30 mins. I took a hold of my dremel (awesome on the tubs too) and started on slow speed to atleast mar the surface just enough to dent / crease it. Did this for the entire diameter of the hole she wanted, then I set it to high speed and just sat the side of the drill bit along the marks (like holding a pencil) and rotated the pot with the other hand until I had a good enough groove (thinned out -sp) to lightly tap it through. Total time spent with the dremel was about 20 mins.

ya, i dont have a dremel :(

aight,
first as some one mentioned above (sorry too lazy to check who, its been a long day) and etch the bottom outside in the diameter/shape u so desire becareful about applying to much pressure at this point cause u may crack it. you may want to do it with an exacto-knife to make a rut and then run along ur lines with something thicker (eg: a nail!)

then set the pot down right ways up (like its supposed to be) and if u can see the etch lines while holding it up to a bright light ur basicly finished: this happend to me once without cracking or the etching actually going thru the clay which is good if it works but most probably with that much force you'll crack it (skip to last paragraph if u can see the light...teehee {MAN IM WIERD WHEN IM EXHAUSTED})

so after its etched and turned rightside up u should place said pottery jar on a surface that ur faince`/spouse/parents/pets/dormcouncler/landlord/czar will not particularly care get completely ruined (woods good cause it absorbs shock well (but please dont do it on the coffee table and suffer like me)
take a hammer/mallet and a flat end screwdriver/small chisel (u may mix and match those) and GENTLYstart driving it thru the center of ur etched zone ( it may be good to try and mark it on the inside with a pencil or something) continue doing so until u break thru

DO NOT try and snap peices off!!! (ive lost many a pottery from that) just gently continue widening ur hole until uve reached the etchings at that point they should break off with ur hammer/mallet blows. smooth out the edges with ur fingers (it hurts but its worth it and get working on making ur spare for when u drop this one whilst cleaning


(LAST PARAGRAPH)
because uve etched so deep the pottery is structuarly unsound at the etchpoints so by simply takeing the hammer/mallet of ur choice and combining it with the flat end screwdriver/small chisel again of ur choice, on an unwanted surface gently start hackin away at the etch points and u should soon see the fruits of ur labor.DO NOT try and snap peices off!!! (ive lost many a pottery from that) just gently continue widening ur hole until uve reached the etchings at that point they should break off with ur hammer/mallet blows. smooth out the edges with ur fingers (it hurts but its worth it) and get working on making ur spare for when u drop this one whilst cleaning

have a good night i'll be here all week

THANK you for asking this, Karma, I've broken like 4 of those things trying to make a second one for Gomez. :P And thanks for the great ideas guys!