Tips and Tricks

[KellyG]

I discovered two things this weekend and I wanted to share them with others who may find them useful.

I needed to quickly clean and apply new kiln wash and I didn't want to wait while it dried in the kiln. I used my blow dryer and it only took a few minutes to dry my 12" round shelf. I could easily see the shelf turning from hot pink to pale pink in a matter of a few minutes.

I was making pattern bars and used strips of 1/8" fiber paper and bricks to dam the sides. When it was cooling to anneal temp (at about 1000 deg), I opened the kiln and pulled the bricks and fiber paper off. The fiber came off EASILY (no tearing and pulling) and can be used again. I can usually use fiber strips twice, then they're usually too ragged to use again. I'm not sure how many times I'll be able to use them now. There's just not alot of degregation pulling them off before anneal temps.

I'm a daily lurker to the board and wanted to say thanks to those of you who post regularly. There aren't alot of people in my area who do warm glass and I rely on you guys alot.

...Kelly

[Marty]

Kelly-- Im not sure if it's worth reaching into the kiln at 1000F to save strips of paper. US$0.02 Marty

[PDXBarbara]

I was making pattern bars and used strips of 1/8" fiber paper and bricks to dam the sides.

...Kelly

Is this OUR Kelly????

xxoo
PDXBarbara

[DonMcClennen]

I'd be cautious about the hair dryer tip. Moisture could have penetrated deeper into the shelf then the hair dryer will dry. This moisture could vaporize and cause a BIG bubble in the middle of your next masterpiece!

[rosanna gusler]

i just really have a problem believing that there is any water left in a shelf at softening temps. i put wet shelves in the kiln alot. no problems. rosanna

[Dani]

Okay, it sounds like a great tip, I gotta re-do shelves, I'm going to try it and then fire a load! I don't have any really large pieces so will see with the bubbles.

[The Hobbyist]

Hi just did a batch, (6) 10", (2) 15" and a 22". It took about 30minutes to scrape, sand and spray on the wash. I use one of those 1 liter jobs from Home depot.

They now layin' out in the hot Florida sun like a bunch of tourists.

G'pa Jim

[Stuart Clayman]

Jim,
When you say that you use of the one of the 1 liter ones from Home Despot, are you referring to the spray bottle?

Stuart

[KellyG]

Kelly-- Im not sure if it's worth reaching into the kiln at 1000F to save strips of paper. US$0.02 Marty

Yep, you're right Marty. Does seem silly, but I was actually trying to save time by avoiding a 2nd firing. After the pattern bars full fused, I wanted to let them flatten out to 1/4". Rather than refire, I got this brilliant idea to remove the dams on the way down and then ramp back up. I was so surprised when the fiber pulled away so easily. Don't think I'll make a habit of it, but it was good to know it can be done.

[KellyG]

"Is this OUR Kelly????

xxoo
PDXBarbara"

Yep, it's me.

[The Hobbyist]

Stuart,

Yep, You'll find them in the garden dept. It holds 1.18 liter and has a screw on top that's adequately large for filling.

I tossed in a SS nut to help agitate the kiln wash since it doesn't dissolve but just goes into suspension. The nozzle will plug up a little after use but it unscrews and blows out with a snap.

I keep mine charged and at the ready so I have no excuse for not doing a shelf when it's needed. I also like the sprayer for doing molds. It should work for SS floral drapers although I did mine with an airbrush before I got the garden sprayer. I haven't needed to recoat it yet.

G'pa Jim

[Jo Holt]

Okay, it sounds like a great tip, I gotta re-do shelves, I'm going to try it and then fire a load! I don't have any really large pieces so will see with the bubbles.

It's worked for me without bubbles. In a rush, needed a newly done shelf; I use the hair dryer on stainless molds all the time - so I thought, why not the shelf?

I keep reading the posts from others (like Rosanna's) that they use wet shelves - haven't done that yet but I figured if they have no problems, the hair dryer should work.

So far so good - (better keep the kiln gods & godesses happy).

Jo

[BonnieF]

Hi,

I've tried the hair dryer method, too, but found a method that works even better. Of course, you have to be careful laying the pieces of glass on top of it but this is the easiest method I've found. Instead of mixing the shelf primer with water and brushing or spraying on, I use a seive and sprinkle the dry powder directly on the shelf. (Using a mask of course)

You can even draw designs in the powder for other affects.

Fusing on the coast of Maine,

[Jo Holt]

Fusing on the coast of Maine,

Welcome!

Jo - fusing in the western foothills

[Paul Bush]

I was making pattern bars and used strips of 1/8" fiber paper and bricks to dam the sides.

...Kelly

Is this OUR Kelly????

xxoo
PDXBarbara

You beat me to it Barbara - Kelly, is that you from Jack's workshop? If so, hi and welcome to the land of former lurkers.

Paul

[Lynne Chappell]

Well, I would think the shelves would dry out pretty good before the glass softens, but in my experience, if you put glass on wet kiln wash you will end up with kiln wash stuck on the bottom of your glass. Even if the shelf is dry, if you clean the glass and don't get it absolutely dry before you put it on the shelf, the wash might stick. Never tried the hair dryer trick, I just don't want to risk the load.