stainless steel containment for plaster mold

[Judi Charlson]

A plaster mold containing 35 pounds of glass broke open in my new oplymic kiln on the 1st firing. I had to replace all bricks and the element on the bottom level.
Needless to say I learned much from that experience.
That said, here is my question:
Has anyone out there wrapped their molds in a ss sleeve?
I want to be able to wrap a stainless steel sleeve around difficult large molds and tie it will ss wire.
I ordered type 302 SS shim stock .031"thick from McMaster-Carr but it is too ridged.
If anyone has tried this,
what product do you use? Where can I find it?
Has anyone used a sleeve larger than their mold and filed the space between with grog ?
I also wonder what doing this will do for the firing schedule.
Judi

[Brad Walker]

Has anyone out there wrapped their molds in a ss sleeve?

Judi, Larry Fielder in New Mexico uses a ss sleeve for almost all of his casting molds, and he does larger pieces than yours. I believe he said that most of his sleeves were from scrap metal yards.

I don't have an email for him, but if you'll email me offline I can probably check and find his mailing address if you'd like. Carol Craiglow may also know how to contact Larry. (Carol, are you reading this?)

[charlie holden]

If you take your stainless sheet to a sheet metal fabricator they can cut it and roll it into a cylinder for you. They can also weld it together or fold the ends so you can overlap them and hook them together. Shouldn't cost very much at all.

ch