In the last two years I have purchased about 3 trays and now it looks like I'm heading for number 4. The first was just too small and therefore my fault, but the rest just cracked or developed this moldish like layer...
Which tray are you using? for how long? where did you get it?
Tea Trays!
There are decent tea trays out there from most of the major tea vendors. I got my last bamboo tea tray from Amazon because of free shipping. Bamboo holds up pretty well. I haven't used it in a while though as I prefer a set-up like what's pictured.
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Trying now to count the various trays I've used over time:
at least two like these:
when in frequent use in the office at work, where it is not trivial to rinse/dry it daily because there is no kitchen, I had trouble with molding; when I was on vacation, or in a satellite office with desert dry air where it gets only occasional use, I'd have trouble with cracking and leaking.
Another bamboo tray, this one,
has similar issues, but I deal with it by putting a table runner (fabric) over the top of the small file cabinet it lives on (helps with the leaks), using a waste bucket so that it rarely stays wet enough to try to mold, and my intermittent rinse/wipe routine can keep up with it, and because the deep form, with the perforated upper tray removed, makes a good carrier for a handful of teacups and brewing vessels to be washed together. I've been looking for something just the right size to replace it.
I've seen variations on bamboo & wooden trays with plastic inserts to hold the water, or the tubes to a separate vessel that goes below the table, but don't like the look of those add-ons, or the thought of the really pretty wood pieces getting scuffed by some of my more rustic teawares. I plan stick to ceramic in the long run from now on.
Then I tried a couple of ceramic trays that were just gorgeous....but one was broken during international shipping, and one just leaked, desipte multiple attempts to close the seams with various treatments, like cornstarch and rice and wheat flours and I've forgotten all the others.
Finally I upped the ante to Mirka Randova's tea trays, and I've been very very happy with them ever since. I have this one:
in a satellite office, and the lines and holes and edge of the removable upper level provide channels for waste water to the base, which holds enough for a day's infusing and drinking. It's just the right size for the satellite office, where it needs to accomodate a limited quantity of teawares at a time (I only keep one teapot & primary teacup there at a time). No leaks, and Mirka and Petr have a lot of experience packaging for international shipping, so this and everything else I've bought from them arrived perfectly intact.
I use this one as my primary tray at home: it lives permanently on my kitchen counter.
It is bigger that the round tray, which helps accomodate both what I'm infusing right now, and one or two pots with a last cool infusion, a drying chasen, a vase if I've got anything in bloom in the garden, etc. And it holds enough water to accomodate a full day of infusing and preheating and pouring over pots, etc.
at least two like these:
when in frequent use in the office at work, where it is not trivial to rinse/dry it daily because there is no kitchen, I had trouble with molding; when I was on vacation, or in a satellite office with desert dry air where it gets only occasional use, I'd have trouble with cracking and leaking.
Another bamboo tray, this one,
has similar issues, but I deal with it by putting a table runner (fabric) over the top of the small file cabinet it lives on (helps with the leaks), using a waste bucket so that it rarely stays wet enough to try to mold, and my intermittent rinse/wipe routine can keep up with it, and because the deep form, with the perforated upper tray removed, makes a good carrier for a handful of teacups and brewing vessels to be washed together. I've been looking for something just the right size to replace it.
I've seen variations on bamboo & wooden trays with plastic inserts to hold the water, or the tubes to a separate vessel that goes below the table, but don't like the look of those add-ons, or the thought of the really pretty wood pieces getting scuffed by some of my more rustic teawares. I plan stick to ceramic in the long run from now on.
Then I tried a couple of ceramic trays that were just gorgeous....but one was broken during international shipping, and one just leaked, desipte multiple attempts to close the seams with various treatments, like cornstarch and rice and wheat flours and I've forgotten all the others.
Finally I upped the ante to Mirka Randova's tea trays, and I've been very very happy with them ever since. I have this one:
in a satellite office, and the lines and holes and edge of the removable upper level provide channels for waste water to the base, which holds enough for a day's infusing and drinking. It's just the right size for the satellite office, where it needs to accomodate a limited quantity of teawares at a time (I only keep one teapot & primary teacup there at a time). No leaks, and Mirka and Petr have a lot of experience packaging for international shipping, so this and everything else I've bought from them arrived perfectly intact.
I use this one as my primary tray at home: it lives permanently on my kitchen counter.
It is bigger that the round tray, which helps accomodate both what I'm infusing right now, and one or two pots with a last cool infusion, a drying chasen, a vase if I've got anything in bloom in the garden, etc. And it holds enough water to accomodate a full day of infusing and preheating and pouring over pots, etc.
This is really beautiful...and also in the right size (which is not so trivial at all with this type)debunix wrote: ↑Sat Mar 10, 2018 11:52 amFinally I upped the ante to Mirka Randova's tea trays, and I've been very very happy with them ever since. I have this one:
in a satellite office, and the lines and holes and edge of the removable upper level provide channels for waste water to the base, which holds enough for a day's infusing and drinking. It's just the right size for the satellite office, where it needs to accomodate a limited quantity of teawares at a time (I only keep one teapot & primary teacup there at a time). No leaks, and Mirka and Petr have a lot of experience packaging for international shipping, so this and everything else I've bought from them arrived perfectly intact.
Maybe I need to get myself one of these
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Teachronicles
- Posts: 436
- Joined: Tue Dec 12, 2017 1:13 am
- Location: SF Bay Area, CA
Debunix, I'm extremely jealous of those mirka trays, especially the 2nd one. I actually got in in the last firing but in my current setup it's hard to use. I'll have to find a way tho, cus the aesthetic and beauty is breathtaking.debunix wrote: ↑Sat Mar 10, 2018 11:52 amTrying now to count the various trays I've used over time:
at least two like these:
when in frequent use in the office at work, where it is not trivial to rinse/dry it daily because there is no kitchen, I had trouble with molding; when I was on vacation, or in a satellite office with desert dry air where it gets only occasional use, I'd have trouble with cracking and leaking.
Another bamboo tray, this one,
has similar issues, but I deal with it by putting a table runner (fabric) over the top of the small file cabinet it lives on (helps with the leaks), using a waste bucket so that it rarely stays wet enough to try to mold, and my intermittent rinse/wipe routine can keep up with it, and because the deep form, with the perforated upper tray removed, makes a good carrier for a handful of teacups and brewing vessels to be washed together. I've been looking for something just the right size to replace it.
I've seen variations on bamboo & wooden trays with plastic inserts to hold the water, or the tubes to a separate vessel that goes below the table, but don't like the look of those add-ons, or the thought of the really pretty wood pieces getting scuffed by some of my more rustic teawares. I plan stick to ceramic in the long run from now on.
Then I tried a couple of ceramic trays that were just gorgeous....but one was broken during international shipping, and one just leaked, desipte multiple attempts to close the seams with various treatments, like cornstarch and rice and wheat flours and I've forgotten all the others.
Finally I upped the ante to Mirka Randova's tea trays, and I've been very very happy with them ever since. I have this one:
in a satellite office, and the lines and holes and edge of the removable upper level provide channels for waste water to the base, which holds enough for a day's infusing and drinking. It's just the right size for the satellite office, where it needs to accomodate a limited quantity of teawares at a time (I only keep one teapot & primary teacup there at a time). No leaks, and Mirka and Petr have a lot of experience packaging for international shipping, so this and everything else I've bought from them arrived perfectly intact.
I use this one as my primary tray at home: it lives permanently on my kitchen counter.
It is bigger that the round tray, which helps accomodate both what I'm infusing right now, and one or two pots with a last cool infusion, a drying chasen, a vase if I've got anything in bloom in the garden, etc. And it holds enough water to accomodate a full day of infusing and preheating and pouring over pots, etc.
Unbeatable in terms of usability and durability, just looks like from a lab or a kitchen sink...
Looks like a roasting pan.....great idea for everyday use. And might be especially functional for my primary office.
My favorite tea tray is this beauty from Hong Seong-Il. At one point I dropped and broke the upper tray. When I tried to commission Seong-Il to make a replacement he made and sent me 3 upper trays just for the cost of postage. I make good use of the tray’s ability to hold quantities of overflow water.
In my new kitchen the tray has the most convenient and prominent shelf right near all my tea and teaware.
In my new kitchen the tray has the most convenient and prominent shelf right near all my tea and teaware.
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Actually quite common in China. Got it from a taobao seller. Also comes in bigger sizes.
I like its being unpretentious which kinda fits my attitude toward tea righ now...
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burritofingers
- Posts: 12
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- Location: Koreatown, Los Angeles, CA, USA
My roommate built this one from a circular kitchen table that was being retired. After a year of daily use, the inner tray expanded so much that it cracked the whole table in half. We've put it back together, and it's still kicking!
Our living room is set up around the table, but the table is quite low. The next one that we build, we're going to use bamboo for the inner tray and make it a bit taller. Our backs hurt from leaning over it all day.
She's not the prettiest, but we're not carpenters, so it's going to be a matter of trial and error!
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She's not the prettiest, but we're not carpenters, so it's going to be a matter of trial and error!
That’s a pretty cool table!burritofingers wrote: ↑Sat Jun 23, 2018 12:29 pmMy roommate built this one from a circular kitchen table that was being retired. After a year of daily use, the inner tray expanded so much that it cracked the whole table in half. We've put it back together, and it's still kicking!
20180623_102135.jpg
Our living room is set up around the table, but the table is quite low. The next one that we build, we're going to use bamboo for the inner tray and make it a bit taller. Our backs hurt from leaning over it all day.
She's not the prettiest, but we're not carpenters, so it's going to be a matter of trial and error!
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burritofingers
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2018 3:53 am
- Location: Koreatown, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Thanks! It's a very slow work in progress, but I think it's coming alongBok wrote: ↑Sat Jun 23, 2018 7:24 pmThat’s a pretty cool table!burritofingers wrote: ↑Sat Jun 23, 2018 12:29 pmMy roommate built this one from a circular kitchen table that was being retired. After a year of daily use, the inner tray expanded so much that it cracked the whole table in half. We've put it back together, and it's still kicking!
20180623_102135.jpg
Our living room is set up around the table, but the table is quite low. The next one that we build, we're going to use bamboo for the inner tray and make it a bit taller. Our backs hurt from leaning over it all day.
She's not the prettiest, but we're not carpenters, so it's going to be a matter of trial and error!
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todbranson40
- New user
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- Joined: Mon Aug 16, 2021 2:54 pm
I know this thread is very old but, It looks awesome... I want to make a DIY bamboo tray... But which bamboo type is the best i couldn't decide... Thank you...