History of the extruder
History of the extruder and how we have interpreted coiling in a modern way.
First off, what is an extruder?
An extruder is a machine that pushes material through a die to create a specific shape or cross-section.
How is it used?
The extruder has a wide range of applications and is used in a diverse array of industries from the plastics industry to foodstuffs to ceramics.
Brief history.
The extruder technique was developed in 1797 by Joseph Bramah who patented the first extrusion process for making lead pipes.
The process involved heating the metal until it was soft enough to be forced through a die via a hand-driven plunger. Below is an early example of what a pipe extruder would have looked like.
Uses in ceramics. An extruder has an extensive range of uses in ceramics. One of it’s most common uses it to create coils (both solid and hollow). Coiling is a classic form of pottery that we use frequently at SIN. An extruder can also be used to extrude slabs for tiles and other hand-building techniques.
More about the coiling method. Coiling is a method of pottery that has been used for centuries to make ceramic vessels and sculptures. It was beneficial because it allowed early potters to create larger and thicker vessels than would have been easily produced on the wheel. For thousands of years, coils were hand-rolled - a method still used today. A classic form of coiling is to place one coil on top of another to create different shapes. We can see early examples of coil ceramics dating back over 2,000 years.
At SIN. SIN is known for redefining the ceramic coil by using this classic method in a modern way. Our skeletal forms push the limits of coiling to create unique, functional yet fun products.
We use an extruder to create our coils for all our coil products. We use a classic coil for our Prong Fruit Bowls, Uni wall hooks, Uni candlestick holders, and Overhand Knots. We also use a large hollow coil for our 4-way venule, 5-way venule, Pillow Talk and Spoons Ikebana vases. The extruder allows us to create a more “perfect” coil than we could if using the hand-rolling technique while our products still maintain an organic feel.
Pictured below is our Overhand Knot and Pillow Talk Vase.
