Jump to content

Hummingbird Feeder Spout Placement


Recommended Posts

I'm making some ceramic hummingbird feeders and picked up some tubular spout things that have a rubber cork on one end and a red tip with a hole in it on the other. My questions:

1.  Where is the best place in my globe-shaped feeder to cut the hole for the feeding tube?

2.  Should there be some sort of vent hole at the top of the globe to facilitate a good flow of the nectar? There doesn't seem to be any sort of 'check-valve' or back flow valve inside the little tube so what prevents all the nectar from running out?

 

I've attached a photo of the feeder spout. I don't want to cut holes in my feeders until I'm certain how to place this so your help is mucho appreciated! If you have used  these and find they aren't the greatest product, let me know!

 

thank you!

Shelly M

post-70271-0-42236500-1486860319_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Those tubular kind work well in areas with no wind.  I have tried several kinds of hummingbird feeders and with the Kansas wind the food will drain out in about thirty minutes with one of those tubes.  My birds prefer a disc shape with a flat cover with holes in the top and very little fluid is loss with the wind.  They may be to hard to make out of clay because they need to be two pieces for cleaning.  Denice

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I made a handful of hummingbird feeders with the kind of tube it sounds like you're talking about, in this case they had black rubber bungs/corks and glass tubes, think they were intended to be paired with glass test tubes for mouse watering bottles. These I inserted into the business end of semi-fancy colored bottles. Hung upside-down with the cork aimed at the ground, the tube curving up a bit. The bottles didn't have any air holes or check valves, cleaned them with a bottle brush and hot water. I don't see why you couldn't clean a ceramic globe the same way as long as you used hot water and vinegar often, and rinsed it well. The bottles worked fine as I recall without dripping in coastal winds. I had a hard time matching the rubber corks to the size of the bottle ends, some just didn't fit, and I gave up the project because it was too hard to pair them properly with the variable but interesting imported bottles I wanted to use. FYI buying some cheap plastic bee-guards might be good advice. They don't look great but hornets seemed to drink as much sugar water as the hummingbirds did, maybe include with the packaging if you're going to sell them? Just a thought.

I sold a couple, gave a few away, and -true story: my next door neighbor at my former house stole the nicest one I kept for myself off the front porch. Theft is the sincerest form of flattery?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My wife & I made and sold these feeders and didn't have much of a problem with juice leaking out.

Since your cork is tapered, I would suggest that you make a test strip of clay about 2"x6" and the thickness of the globe feeders you are making. Because the clay will shrink in the firing process, you should cut multiple holes in the strip that range from about 1/8" larger in diameter than the small end of the cork  up to the largest diameter of the cork in 1/16" increments if you can.

 Bisque fire the piece; glaze it and glaze fire it as you would if you were firing your globes. I would not glaze the inside of the holes because the glazed holes might be too slick to keep the cork in place. The finished test piece will give you a range of hole sizes to work with.

 

A photo of your globe feeder would help for suggestions on where to put the hole.

 

JohnnyK

​post-17674-0-36697800-1486914799_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 things

1. how will you clean the globe. The nectar molds easily.

2. most hummingbird feeders I have used have the tubes near the lower area. The reservoir us usually a flatter form than a globe. Also the color attracts the birds. What color is the globe?

 

Marcia

I plan to clean them with vinegar and/or hot soapy water. The feeders will be glazed with food safe colors. Reds, whites, greens and yellows outside and a white or clear liner glaze inside to make cleaning them easier.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I made a handful of hummingbird feeders with the kind of tube it sounds like you're talking about, in this case they had black rubber bungs/corks and glass tubes, think they were intended to be paired with glass test tubes for mouse watering bottles. These I inserted into the business end of semi-fancy colored bottles. Hung upside-down with the cork aimed at the ground, the tube curving up a bit. The bottles didn't have any air holes or check valves, cleaned them with a bottle brush and hot water. I don't see why you couldn't clean a ceramic globe the same way as long as you used hot water and vinegar often, and rinsed it well. The bottles worked fine as I recall without dripping in coastal winds. I had a hard time matching the rubber corks to the size of the bottle ends, some just didn't fit, and I gave up the project because it was too hard to pair them properly with the variable but interesting imported bottles I wanted to use. FYI buying some cheap plastic bee-guards might be good advice. They don't look great but hornets seemed to drink as much sugar water as the hummingbirds did, maybe include with the packaging if you're going to sell them? Just a thought.

I sold a couple, gave a few away, and -true story: my next door neighbor at my former house stole the nicest one I kept for myself off the front porch. Theft is the sincerest form of flattery?

Great advice! Thank you

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My wife & I made and sold these feeders and didn't have much of a problem with juice leaking out.

Since your cork is tapered, I would suggest that you make a test strip of clay about 2"x6" and the thickness of the globe feeders you are making. Because the clay will shrink in the firing process, you should cut multiple holes in the strip that range from about 1/8" larger in diameter than the small end of the cork  up to the largest diameter of the cork in 1/16" increments if you can.

 Bisque fire the piece; glaze it and glaze fire it as you would if you were firing your globes. I would not glaze the inside of the holes because the glazed holes might be too slick to keep the cork in place. The finished test piece will give you a range of hole sizes to work with.

 

A photo of your globe feeder would help for suggestions on where to put the hole.

 

JohnnyK

​attachicon.gifHummingbird & feeder web.jpg

great suggestion. I planned to insert the cork into the greenware and allow it to dry naturally. That being said, there will be further shrinkage during the bisque firing so I thought to make some plugs of the same clay that are tapered like the cork and use them in the hole. Might not work exactly as I envision. I like your suggestion of the test strip with multiple holes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.