WarmGlass.com

Susan, Charlie is right about wetting the plaster mold before pouring the wax. I usually soak a dry mold for a few hours in water then bring it out and let the water drip away or sponge it out so there is no standing water in the mold. Always submerge the mold rather than run water onto it. Running ...

Thank you too Ellen,
Everything I have read talks about dry molds. This is refeshing to hear the opposite. I am wide open to trying all the possibilities I can. I will fire wet next time and see how it goes. How large are your molds? Or, how much do the casting weigh?
ted

Thanks Delores,
I hadn't considered quartz inversion with only 1/2 of the mold material being silica.
I will use your hold points and see how it goes.
ted

Thanks Brock and Greg,
Brock, there is no visible wax residue. I just figure there must be some remaining film on the mold, maybe not. Thanks for the quick response, I will fire it up in the morning.
Ted

I am about to cast fine frit into a plaster/silica open faced mold. The resulting casting will be 6"X14"X2" thick. The mold has dried for several weeks and has spent 40 hours @ 165 degrees in a vented foodwarmer. (see previous post about foodwarmers if interested) The books I have stu...

Jerry, What you really have here is a simple formula for plasticene or oil based clay. With a 1 to 1 ratio of wax to clay it probably would steam out Ok. However, I have not done it. I have used the following formula which makes about 80 lbs. of oil based clay. Of course you can always buy it. Kaoli...

Thank you Tom, Greg, and Jerry, I am using bullseye and I am told by them that full fuse is at 1550. I will however jump the temp up to your recomendations and give that a try. What about large pate de verre (imagine a 5 sided box 6'X14"x4" high with 3/4" walls) What temp might you fi...

Has anyone used expanded metal to strenghten plaster / silica molds? I have used chicken wire and hardware cloth but was wondering if expanded metal might be good and also reusable? My concern is that the 1/16" steel will heat up and expand and do more harm to the mold than good. The mold is op...

Does anyone have a recommendation on a glass casting magazine, hopefully one that features contemporary images and technical text?

Hi all, computer problems and a little travel have kept me from responding. The tool gloat was not my intention. I figured that all restaurants and cafeterias have these things and that there can't be much of a resale market, therefore they could be had cheaply. I find that it works very well and ju...

Hi all, computer problems and a little travel have kept me from responding. The tool gloat was not my intention. I figured that all restaurants and cafeterias have these things and that there can't be much of a resale market, therefore they could be had cheaply. I find that it works very well and ju...

I am new to glass but not to scavenging. I recently scored a large food warmer from a cafeteria and am using it to dry out plaster/silica molds for kiln casting. This thing is an insulated stainless steel warmer that is bigger than a refrigerator, has adjustable rack shelves, a timer, and recirculat...

Thank you all for the information and advice. I will back off the plan to invest with shell and try the plaster/ silica. What about Mold Mix 6? Is that not similar to a ceramic shell coating? Is mold mix 6 an advisable kiln casting material? I know it is expensive but I figure I should try all the o...

Thanks Jerry, that is helpful information. I am going to use mold mix 6 on some of he waxes but I was going to use my ceramic shell slurry for bronze casting on the majority or them. I see that you are in Norfolk, I graduated from ODC (now U) in 1971. I promise to have tougher questions in the futur...

Hi, I am new to this site and new to glass but have 30 years experience as a Univ. Sculptor. I am about to start kiln casting and have prepared several waxes for ceramic shell burnout. I plan to start using the flower pot drip method and will be firing in an 8 or 9 cubic foot top loading Amaco with ...