I make birdhouses now...

Discussion in 'General foundry chat' started by Zapins, Sep 11, 2022.

  1. DJN Holistic

    DJN Holistic Silver

    Not sure. My Dad's the potter, I'll ask him next time I see him. But you might be right. I know the carbon is absorbed to form the pattern, so that implies it's not watertight. I'm not sure if there's a finish that goes over it though. It just struck me as something you'd already have the equipment to attempt. That and raku looks sweet.
     
  2. Zapins

    Zapins Gold

    Hmm. Finished most of the details on the face. Working on the wood/hair now. Then should be able to finish it up fairly quickly.

    I'm not sure I like the wrinkled lips. May need to fix something there tomorrow...
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    Mantrid likes this.
  3. GTS225

    GTS225 Silver

    I agree. Maybe the wrinkles are too deep, or too "crisp"? Maybe try softening the lines up a bit?

    Just my opine.....Roger
     
  4. DJN Holistic

    DJN Holistic Silver

    Wrinkles only really form when lips are pursed together. A wide mouth like that would have them stretched out. Only the most extreme wrinkles would show, like the centre bottom lip, and to either side of the tubercle (the button on the centre top lip). Texture would still be there, but that's fine detail thing.
     
  5. Zapins

    Zapins Gold

    True and I had to open her mouth really wide so birds could get in there. May need to nix the wrinkles or apply some to the top lip under the nose and remove some on the lip itself
     
  6. Zapins

    Zapins Gold

    Baked the first bird house. Fired it to 1930F. It came out nicely. Now I have to find some glaze... hmm.
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  7. Mantrid

    Mantrid Silver

    That looks great, especially that bark. Will you glaze one colour or are you going for a more realistic look?
     
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  8. Zapins

    Zapins Gold

    Ya definitely need to glaze it. I'm thinking green for leaf and then brown for bark. I'll have to see what is available locally
     
  9. crazybillybob

    crazybillybob Silver Banner Member

    That one turned out Great! Colored glaze is really going to make it pop!
     
  10. Zapins

    Zapins Gold

    Cooked the old man today. He's cooling. Will see how he turned out. There was a crack in the base of it before I baked him. So hopefully it won't grow bigger in the firing. I may be able to seal it up with glaze on the next firing?

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  11. Zapins

    Zapins Gold

    Hmmm... well there were some cracks. I'm hoping the glazing will glue it all together and stabilize it all.

    I think most of these cracks are due to letting the clay dry out too much before removing the inner form. So the clay cracked as it shrank around the form. I tried to repair them at the time but I think the clay was too dry to adhere well to the softer patch clay. Oh well I'll know for next time to watch it closer while drying.

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  12. Mantrid

    Mantrid Silver

    thats a great result for a first attempt. I have no experience of pottery but I saw a pottery competition series on TV and I saw them repair crack before firing by painting or rubbing clay slip (watery clay) into the cracks. Some of the contestants also had cracks after firing and they as you suggest used the glaze as a glue.
    Heres a link to the series on youtube if your interested
    https://www.youtube.com/@TheGreatPotteryThrowDown/videos
     
    Zapins likes this.
  13. Jason

    Jason Gold

    Great work Zap! When you get too many birds, I'll loan you my cat.
     
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  14. Zapins

    Zapins Gold

    Ha! I bet I finish all these houses and don't get any birds this summer lolol... that would be typical. 200 hours of work and they prefer the trees.
     
  15. Zapins

    Zapins Gold

    Painted the bird houses. Firing them up now. Muahaha

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  16. Zapins

    Zapins Gold

    Here's the prior one I fired. Came out ok. I'm gonna epoxy the stick/perch back on.

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  17. Zapins

    Zapins Gold

    Hmm the leaf/log one came out nice. The old man is cooling.

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  18. Zapins

    Zapins Gold

    Old man came out alright. The clear glaze I put on his face and hand is very similar to the "birch" colored glaze over his beard so the contrast isn't that much. Ahh well I'll know for the future.

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  19. Jason

    Jason Gold

    Glaze came out awesome!
     
    Zapins likes this.
  20. Jammer

    Jammer Silver Banner Member

    Did those little cracks seal up? He looks great.
     
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