I want to make a toad house and I'm wondering if anyone can inform me of a way to cut a semi-circle out of the rim part of a clay pot.

Thanks!

 

Hi Texastrees

Always looking for another way to justify why I bought my Dremel tool (& Gami's got one of those Rotozips that I've been trying to figure out how to slip past the 'accountant', too! )

Both should do an adequate job on a terra cotta pot

Have fun!!

Howie

 

Thanks Howie! I have both the Dremel and the Rotozip. I tried the Rotozip, but found that I'm very un-coordinated with it and can't get a decent hole. Maybe I'll just keep practicing (and trying different bits). I think I need a class on that thing! Either that, or it's not as easy as what I saw on the tv!

 

Depending on how smooth of a hole you want: I have used large pliers to nibble away at the edge to get a hole the size I want. I use them in my fish tanks for hiding spots. I have cracked a couple also.

 

Hi again Texastrees

I don't think that ANYTHING is as easy as it looks on TV (what about those Trading Spaces shows where they work miracles in less than 2 days with only $1000!?!)

I'd still like to try a Rotozip - surprised that Gami hasn't let us know what she thinks about hers . Guess practice is the key...

You could try what schiejr has suggested and get a more controlled nibbled edge by scoring the outline with a cutting disc on the Dremel or drilling holes along the outline with a small bore drill bit and then cleaning up the edges with either a grinding bit, the cutting discs or just a medium grit sandpaper...

Hope your toads aren't getting too impatient

Howie

 

I tried the trick with the drill and pliers, and it worked great! I just sanded the rough edges and found that an odd-shaped hole looks as good as a perfectly round one.

It's going to be placed near the playground of the YMCA where we're implementing a naturescape. The kids will love to find toads (if there are any left in this part of Houston!).

Thanks to schiejr and howiek for helping me out!
~Michelle

 

Glad we were able to come up with something that worked.

As to the Rotozips, I use all kinds of power tools on a regular basis and I find the rotozips very hard to control for precision cutting also. Strong rotation on a small unit is a problem when you do not have a guide(routers have large handles on them for a reason).

 

Hi Texastrees,

I feel terrible, but I haven't tried the Rotozip yet, Howie. I think I ordered it sometime in Nov. Now that this discussion has come up, I'll make a point to try it some time this week. I have several pots I could spare if it doesn't work.

There's a Garden Junk forum on Garden Web. Someone showed a photo of a wooden dog she cut out with the Rotozip and said it was a lot easier than a jig saw.

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/junk/

There are lots of neat ideas on there and someone showed a photo of a toad house she made out of a terra cotta pot. You might find that post and ask her how she cut it out for future reference. It was a neat cut. I also tend to like the little mistakes--jagged edges, etc. It gives something character. If you like that site, I suggest you read it daily because it moves very fast. It would be a good idea to start on the last page as good ideas are dropping off. I copy what I'm interested in on a CD. I made the tea cup birdfeeders for here and as Christmas gifts. The birds head for the teacups before they do the hanging feeders.

I've been busy, but that's no excuse not to try out a new toy. I have to admit when I saw Brad Staggs (from DIY) cut a circle out of wood and the circle didn't meet perfectly (of course, he tried to hide that), I was a little nervous about using it.

I have used the grinding bits on the Dremel tool to carve designs on the lip of clay pots. It works great. Here's Dremel's website. It's great. Go into Project Finder, and you'll see a big list. They tell you what bits to use. Quite possibly you could have used one of the cutting disks.

http://www.dremel.com/html/popup.html

Now, ask me about an orbital and detail sander, and I can fill you in.

Gami