Birdhouse in stoneware ceramics - manufacturing process
Our birdhouses made of stoneware ceramics are the first ceramic product that we developed together with the Studio in Mumbai and therefore very much in love with.
As there is a shortage of old trees with natural cavities for our friends the small birds to build their nests in, it is a very welcome addition to our gardens when we set up bird nests for them.
During the summer to build their nests and house the small bird families during nesting. During the winter as protection from the weather and wind for the small birds that often stay with us during the cold seasons - such as Blue Tit, Great Tit and Arrows.
The birdhouses is handmade by our very skilled potters in Mumbai . With its detailed decorations, the nest box is an eye-catching gem for your garden and outdoor environment. They are available in natural color scales such as off-white, light gray, moss green and dark brown. And some copies that we made in colorful, happy colors - purple, orange, blue and turquoise. It is possible to order your own design - the delivery time is then about 10-12 weeks because they are manufactured to order. Contact us at hej@ornastradgard.com
Design, dimensions and dimensions such as the location of the entrance hole, depth, width and height are designed to fit our most common small birds. Since all nests are handmade, the dimensions may differ slightly from niche to niche, but the measurements we use are:
Entrance hole: approx. 2.5 cm
Height: 33 cm
Width / depth: 17 cm
Weight: approx. 3 kg.
Given that the clay undergoes a certain degree of shrinkage first during drying and then during firing in the ceramic kiln, the size is adjusted before to meet the requirements after completion.
The clay we use is known for its very good insulation properties - keeps the nest cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
The first step in the manufacturing process is to kneading clay (eng: wedge)
It is important to knead the clay properly to make it easy to work with, to smooth out any hard or soft parts so that the clay has an even and fine consistency and to get rid of any small air bubbles. This makes the clay monotonous to work with, gets an even and fine creep and keeps the structure and shape in the oven during firing.
When the clay is properly kneaded, it's time to start shape our nests - it can be done with two different met orders. Depending on how high the humidity is during the season in which the production takes place, the ceramicist decides to either use forms to press moist clay or casting with liquid clay, to form the base of the nest box.
The molds are made of plaster and made by hand, a mold can be used up to 20 times before they eventually break.
During the manufacture of the first batch of nests, we experimented with different material choices and design variants. Some nests lost their shape during drying, tilted or broke during the first firing in the ceramic kiln. We had to adapt and try until we found the right methods.
It's all about which clay, how high a moisture percentage it contains and what technology is used in manufacturing. We learned a lot during the first manufacturing opportunity and will make some adjustments to the next round for e.g. better fit for the roof.
The shrinkage begins even before the socket is placed in the oven. When the nest box dries in its shape, the clay slowly loses moisture percentage and the clay becomes firm and firm.
When the base form is finished and has dried on the shelf in its form for between 2-5 days depending on climate and humidity it lifts out of the form and details are added by hand.
Small decorations such as sponges and patterns and i.a. small holes in the bottom to let out any water, if rain enters the nest box. Then the roof is shaped and decorated by hand to fit the base firmly.
When all the decorations are in place, the nests are placed on shelves again for another couple of days slowly dry before the first firing in the ceramic kiln.
The first firing the so-called scrap burning (also called raw material burning or biscuit burning) takes place at about 1800 f (approx. 950-1000 ° c) for about a day before the oven can be opened, after which the ceramic is allowed to remain in the oven and cool - it takes another about a day. After the first firing, the ceramic is strong and durable and ready to be glazed. During screed firing, there is a risk that the ceramic will crack or explode, if this happens, you can put the burnt clay / ceramic in water and reuse it in new products. Clay is truly a fantastic material that gives us a new chance over and over again.
The glaze is a mix of lead-free and gentle color pigments together with water that is applied to the pure burnt clay by various techniques. The glazing is done by dripping paint mixtures, pouring, spraying, brushing and applying with sponges by our experienced ceramicists.
By starting from a stoneware clay in a light shade, you can then use the entire spectrum of clear, strong colors on the glaze and get a nice end result regardless of which colors you want to use.
When the birdhouses are glazed and dried, it's time for it last burn the so-called glaze firing in the ceramic kiln, it takes place at a higher temperature in 2350 f (approx. 1300 ° c) for another day where after approx. one day to cool down after opening the oven.
When the nests have cooled, they are finally ready to be carefully packed and delivered to us!
