Thin fire over drape mold?

This forum is for questions from newcomers to kiln-forming.

Moderator: Tony Smith

Post Reply
Geo
Posts: 48
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 8:54 am

Thin fire over drape mold?

Post by Geo »

Any tips on how to get an even covering of thin fire paper over a very small stainless steel bowl for draping?
Brock
Posts: 1519
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2003 1:32 pm
Location: Vancouver, B.C.

Re: Thin fire over drape mold?

Post by Brock »

Nope. Kiln wash works great . . .
bob proulx
Posts: 186
Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2009 7:13 pm
Location: Nahant Massachusetts
Contact:

Re: Thin fire over drape mold?

Post by bob proulx »

Kiln wash is best.
Bob
Valerie Adams
Posts: 587
Joined: Mon Apr 19, 2004 2:49 pm
Location: Santa Rosa, California
Contact:

Re: Thin fire over drape mold?

Post by Valerie Adams »

Geo wrote:Any tips on how to get an even covering of thin fire paper over a very small stainless steel bowl for draping?
Why would you want to do this? The TF paper would likely fold and leave marks in your glass, or tear apart and let your glass stick to your mold. I use boron nitride on my stainless molds (put it on once quite a few years ago and it's still fine) but many use kiln wash. Cheaper, easier, cleaner.
Brad Walker
Site Admin
Posts: 1501
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2003 9:33 pm
Location: North Carolina, USA
Contact:

Re: Thin fire over drape mold?

Post by Brad Walker »

It's possible to use thinfire over a floral former mold. Simply cut a piece a thinfire slightly larger than your piece of glass, place it on the mold, place the glass on top of the thinfire, and then fire as normal. The thinfire won't leave marks and while it does fall apart it doesn't do so quickly enough to allow the piece to stick to the mold.

On the other hand, if you kiln wash the mold, or use boron nitride, it's cheaper and you don't have to redo it every time.
Geo
Posts: 48
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 8:54 am

Re: Thin fire over drape mold?

Post by Geo »

Thanks everyone. I tried it yesterday and am actually pleased with my results. I was concerned that if the thinfire wasn't perfectly smooth all around the mold, it would have an adverse affect. It didn't effect the end result at all. But I'm not slumping a precise bowl or anything like that.

I am draping over a very small stainless steel bowl which is 2" in diameter and about 7/8" tall, set on an upright kiln post. Prior to trying the thinfire, I sanded the bowl, fired it to 1200 degrees, took it out of the kiln at 500, and applied several coats of kilnwash (with a brush) returning it to the kiln between coats. This was very time consuming and the kilnwash wasn't sticking evenly. I don't do a lot of fused glass, and I wasn't planning on making many of these objects, so didn't want to invest in costly BN or a sprayer.

But since I like this so much, maybe I'll make more than I thought. Would I get a better result using kiln wash if I used a sprayer? Can I just use a garden variety plant sprayer? Do you think the fussiness of applying kiln wash to a stainless steel mold is worth it or should I just buy the BN?

Thanks again!
Post Reply