Kiln wash

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Chris Lowry
Posts: 51
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2015 12:35 pm

Kiln wash

Post by Chris Lowry »

So I'm trying to learn stuff on my own, with tons of help from the Internet.

I've had some good first firings but kiln wash is a pain.

Do you really scrape off all the old kiln wash, to a bare shelf, before applying more? Or do you scrape off just enough to make it smooth again? Scraping is kind of like a chalk board, hard on the ears.

On the same note, do you preefire the kiln wash to 500 each time or can you just use the dried surface?

Thanks again
Yardic Glassworks
Posts: 80
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2010 9:29 am

Re: Kiln wash

Post by Yardic Glassworks »

Personally, when it's time for new wash, I mask up and get out the electric hand sander. I like the smoothest surface possible. I apply and let dry naturally. No need to fire to 500. If impatient, I dry with the heat gun. Tim
Tim Yardic
Yardic Glassworks
DonMcClennen
Posts: 381
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2003 9:09 pm
Location: Ontario

Re: Kiln wash

Post by DonMcClennen »

It's easy!! Just take the kilnshelf outside and scrape it (dry) with the edge of a piece of glass... job will take under one minute!!.. don't need to prefire just dry in the sun. In colder weather I set fresh coated shelves and molds on top of kiln lid (with some spacers) when I'm firing something else... this dries it well. Good luck
"The Glassman"
Chris Lowry
Posts: 51
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2015 12:35 pm

Re: Kiln wash

Post by Chris Lowry »

So your mostly scrapping to get it smooth, no need to remove everything.

Thanks Internet
Valerie Adams
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Joined: Mon Apr 19, 2004 2:49 pm
Location: Santa Rosa, California
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Re: Kiln wash

Post by Valerie Adams »

Yes, you want to scrape everything off because believe it or not, little 'islands' of old wash will show up as texture on the back of your work.

I use a razor paint scraper, and clean my 21" square shelves in a couple minutes each (it's handy to have several shelves, so you can do this in a batch).

Because I fire as cool as possible, I'm able to get 4-5 firings before having to recoat a shelf. I only use Bullseye kiln wash.
grammy
Posts: 26
Joined: Fri Nov 17, 2006 10:07 am
Location: Charlotte NC
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Re: Kiln wash

Post by grammy »

I use a dry wall sander on mine. It get the wash off really fast.
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