Mold Mix 6 From Planet Zircar

jerry flanary · Post by **jerry flanary** » Tue Sep 09, 2003 11:33 pm

Mold Mix 6 From Planet Zircar
So...

How many folks out there have played with the white stuff? Did anyone see you?

I played with it and I liked it. I'm going to do it again soon but I thought that I should see if there is a zircar support group. I hot cast into it and I did some sulfide style inclusions. The biggest hot casting (15-20 #s) was backed with sand that was (apparently) not packed around it well enough because the shell failed. However the results were interesting enough that I want to try again. And again. I guess I'm hooked on white now. Crap. Is glass a starter drug?

I'm just wondering if the warm glass community has some interesting experiences that they would like to share with everybody else.
j.

watershed · Post by **watershed** » Wed Sep 10, 2003 1:09 am

Just because I'm into failure right now, I'm working on actually trying all these products.

You said you packed it in sand. Presumably dry sand, and gently. Could you wet the sand to get it to pack better? Or soak the sand so it flows ?

Or is this the one that is water soluble until fired?

Greg

jerry flanary · Post by **jerry flanary** » Wed Sep 10, 2003 2:52 pm

It was wet sand as used in sandcasting (olivine 90 or 100 mesh, 8- 10% bentenite). Zircar is water soluable but I had "fired" the mold back to white when I burned my wax out. I've met some people who don't back it with sand- they hang their mold in a metal support and ladle into it... Haven't tried that one yet.
Some other people were experimenting w/ Mold releases inside. Swishing diluted kiln wash inside while its still hot. The water steams out and leaves a thin layer of alumina or whatever that acts as a release. I tried it w/ Bullseye kiln wash but didn't notice any difference. They swore by Hotline (or something like that) What is the difference other than color?
j.

charlie holden · Post by **charlie holden** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 12:31 pm

je[/quote]rry flanary wrote:It was wet sand as used in sandcasting (olivine 90 or 100 mesh, 8- 10% bentenite). Zircar is water soluable but I had "fired" the mold back to white when I burned my wax out. I've met some people who don't back it with sand- they hang their mold in a metal support and ladle into it... Haven't tried that one yet.

I bet that hanging it on metal supports thing works really well!

Some other people were experimenting w/ Mold releases inside. Swishing diluted kiln wash inside while its still hot. The water steams out and leaves a thin layer of alumina or whatever that acts as a release. I tried it w/ Bullseye kiln wash but didn't notice any difference. They swore by Hotline (or something like that) What is the difference other than color?
j.

You didn't notice any difference between Bullseye kilnwash and what? And are you talking about hot casting or kilncasting in this instance?

Have you tried kilnwash on the interior of a MM6 mold for a kilncast? This seems like the best chance for a good release in a kiln. Graphite won't work.

ch[/quote]

jerry flanary · Post by **jerry flanary** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 8:34 pm

I bet that hanging it on metal supports thing works really well! Yeah as long as you dont get clumsy and poke the metal through your mold

You didn't notice any difference between Bullseye kilnwash and what? And are you talking about hot casting or kilncasting in this instance?
Bullseye and nothing. All hot so far.

Have you tried kilnwash on the interior of a MM6 mold for a kilncast? This seems like the best chance for a good release in a kiln. Graphite won't work. Havent done kiln casting w/ it yet. If you use a leaded glasses w/ lower melt temps you are supposed to get a cleaner surface. Going to try with some old optical lenses- Those are leaded, right? The graphit ejust breaks down or what? Yeah.

j.

watershed · Post by **watershed** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 11:50 pm

Hey, save me a couple of lenses. Trade you 24% lead cullet (Gabbert G-12), pound for pound and I'll pay shipping. OK 2 pounds G-12 for 1 pound old lenses..

If they are actually Lead(the lenses), boy it would save me a LOT of time/stress. i.e. Making my own lenses...

And if you have an Actual PILE of them, we should talk...
Greg

jerry flanary · Post by **jerry flanary** » Fri Sep 12, 2003 8:24 am

A pile about the size of me! One of those great dumpster scores just after they changed the regulations on how thick glass lenses could actually be. Its hard to know how much is actually there because each lens is individually wrapped. They actually belong to my studio mate but I'm sure some wheelling and dealing is acceptable. The lead content is my assumption; I guess I ought to do some research...
j.