How to dry frit

[Peter Angel]

Hello all.

I've crushed some frit. The average is the size of rice grains. Then ran a magnet through it.

Then I washed it in a weak soap and water solution then rinsed in water.

The frit holds a lot of water! Waiting for the water to evaporate takes forever.

How do I dry the frit?

Peter

[Buttercup]

Peter, can you put it in the kitchen oven, if there's already something in your kiln? Just on low, enough to evaporate the moisture? Jen

[Greg Rawls]

Spread it out on a window screen and put in the sun for a few hours.

[Morganica]

So this is gonna sound dumb, but go to the Goodwill or its equivalent and see if you can find an old salad spinner. Put the frit in the salad spinner, pump the thing like crazy, and you'll drive off most of the water. (Obviously, don't do this with the REAL salad spinner you use in the kitchen--you'll get glass grit in your greens for weeks, the stuff is insidious).

Once you've done that, spread it on Greg's screen, or a cookie sheet with layers of parchment paper, and either hit it with a blowdryer, put it in the oven, put it on top of your firing kiln, or just leave it alone for a few days. (In Oregon, the sunny thing isn't an option, at least not right now)

[Peter Angel]

Dear all. Thanks for all your ideas.

[Laurie Spray]

I would personally not wash it......but if you really feel the need i would spred it on cookie sheets and dry on a firing kiln. Stir after a few hours. Be sure to screen out the glass dust.

[Bert Weiss]

I put it in a stainless steel bowl in the kiln. Heat the sucker right up. Water gone.

I don't think I would use soap on it though.

[Petra Kaiser]

I like washing my frit, too then I apply it wet to the glass and let it sit to dry in the kiln room over night. If you use it for castings then I would dry it spread out thin on clean sheets of glass covered with some newspaper over night.

[Drake]

If you are going to use the glass for casting it will dry out in the mold, or in the flower pots before it melts into the mold.

[Marian]

I agree with Bert, soap is likely to cause contamination issues. Heat your bowl of frit- fast as you can is fine, -up to 450 hold 15 or 20 minutes- done. Yes, you could heat it in the oven if your kiln is too small or in use.

[Laurie Saukko]

toaster oven, great for small batches.

[Peter Angel]

I did try drying frit in a toaster oven but when I cast the glass I got really bad devit. So bad the glass surface was wrinkled. A bit like my fingertips after a long bath.

[Jerrwel]

Hello all.

I've crushed some frit. The average is the size of rice grains. Then ran a magnet through it.

Then I washed it in a weak soap and water solution then rinsed in water.

The frit holds a lot of water! Waiting for the water to evaporate takes forever.

How do I dry the frit?

Peter

I put my 'rinsed' (no soap) frit in a pyrex bowl, cover loosely and microwave. Done.