shelf paper dust

[Fred Kaemmer]

I've been watching and reading for some time, a real warmglass voyeur, and I think it's time to come out of the dark and ask my first question. I'm hoping this will make me feel less dirty... Anyway, does anyone have any ideas about how to get dust from shelf paper off the surface of a piece? Whenever the shelf paper curls over the piece I'm firing, it leaves dust on my piece and it's wicked hard to get off. I've checked the archives but can't seems to find anything -- only notes about how bad shelf paper is to breath and how to keep it from curling in the first place.

Any help would be great.

Thanks,
Fred

[pclark]

You could sandblast it off if you have a sandblaster and refire using paper that is cut close to the edge of the glass. I used to have that happen and I had to start cutting closer. The paper does shrink a little so be careful. You could also try just using kiln wash instead. Your glass will be smoother on the back when you take it off.

[Paul Tarlow]

The sandblasting advice is good if the paper particles are fused into the glass.

Bullseye's new shelf paper doesn't curl (at least it hasn't for me).

Also, little scraps of glass make wonderful weights to hold down the corners in the first place.

- Paul

[Tony Serviente]

Yes, the new paper doesn't curl and shrinkage is nil. If you have a supply of the old paper and you use glass strips to weight down the edges, don't forget to use glass of the same kind as what you're fusing. If the strip gets drawn to your project and fuses to it, not only will it be compatible, but when you break it off the cosmetic effects will be lessened. I can't help but to renew the warning about the dust, and breathing it-Don't. Wear a respirator and use a vaccuum with a Hepa filter.

[Robert Cohen]

a simple way to stop BE thinfire paper from curling is to put a piece of scrap glass on each corner. I use earrings that didn't turn out for this purpose. Works for me!

[Lisa Allen]

I have had the old thinfire pull up on the corners of pieces even with the corners of the paper weighted down. It can only be gotten off by sandblasting in my experience.

the new stuff is great, no shrinking or pulling up on the corners.

Lisa