Frosted Finish Glass Paint / Enamel

[Terry Crider]

I had some things saved in Favorites and last fall, our PC went to never-never land.
One of the things I had was a source for a kiln-fired paint/enamel that fired to a
frosted/sand-blasted finish.
Does anyone know where I can get this?
If there is more than one available --- I would prefer the lower firing one.
Thanks
Terry

[Valerie Adams]

Is this it?

http://www.axner.com/wrinkle-cream-hares-fur.aspx

[Bert Weiss]

The product you are looking for is called satin etch. You need to make sure you are firing to the recommended temperature. Satin etch is basically a clear glass frit, possibly with some white alumina hydrate powder added. This frit is fired to a temperature hot enough to make it stick, but not hot enough to make it gloss.

The commercial ones are generally made for a low temperature firing. I have messed around with making my own using cheap ceramic clear frits and adding micas, or a tiny bit of color to tint it. My goal is usually to be able to coat a piece of float glass and drape it over a mold for a lighting glass use.

You can also get satin etch in an organic bottle coating that is fired in at 400ºF. These are commonly used on liquor bottles.

[Vonon]

maybe this? http://www.thegoodstuff.com/jgs1.htmlthis?

[Bert Weiss]

maybe this? http://www.thegoodstuff.com/jgs1.htmlthis?

I'm not sure if this is a good one or not, I wouldn't want an opaque satin etch. http://www.thegoodstuff.com/jgetchljose ... paint.html

[Vonon]

I meant for the link to go to the page that features a product called "Silk Glass Paints". It is not an etching product. I did some tests with it an the result is a very soft translucent effect.

[Terry Crider]

Valerie,
That's not it --- it looks like it might have some interesting affects but the temps are somewhat higher than I usually go.
Bert,
I tried to Google things before I posted a question --- but after I googled your satin etch --- I came up with a Reusche product.
It has a fairly wide firing range and should work for what I want.
The enamels I have used in the past have been pre-mixed and ready to go --- this is dry powder to be mixed with gum Arabic and water --- so if I get this part figured out, I should be OK.
As an afterthought ---
Brad or anyone else --- is there any reason I can't use one of the binders that goes with the Sunshine Powders instead of this gun Arabic stuff?
Thanks everyone,
Terry

[Peter Angel]

Those satin etch type products are not weather proof. Definitely for indoor work only! They might not even survive a dishwasher.

[Terry Crider]

Peter,
Are you talking about the stuff you bake in your kitchen oven at 350/400 degrees F. or material fired
in a kiln at 1400 degrees F. ?

[Bert Weiss]

Valerie,
That's not it --- it looks like it might have some interesting affects but the temps are somewhat higher than I usually go.
Bert,
I tried to Google things before I posted a question --- but after I googled your satin etch --- I came up with a Reusche product.
It has a fairly wide firing range and should work for what I want.
The enamels I have used in the past have been pre-mixed and ready to go --- this is dry powder to be mixed with gum Arabic and water --- so if I get this part figured out, I should be OK.
As an afterthought ---
Brad or anyone else --- is there any reason I can't use one of the binders that goes with the Sunshine Powders instead of this gun Arabic stuff?
Thanks everyone,
Terry

If you have trouble with water and gum arabic, try seven up. Open a bottle and let the fizz out. Sugar water works much the same as gum arabic water. Mix the paint on a piece of 6mm float glass with a cake spreader or palette knife. Stiffer is better for the mixing tool.

To make paint, you mix the powder with a medium and a binder. If you have a water miscible medium that you use with Sunshine series, you can certainly use it with a satin etch. I would probably mix up a thick paste with that medium, put it in a jar, and add isopropyl alcohol, shake it up and strain it through a fine mesh, and then spray it on with my HVLP sprayer.

[Brad Walker]

is there any reason I can't use one of the binders that goes with the Sunshine Powders instead of this gun Arabic stuff?

Any decent binder should work. Bert's suggestion to use 7-UP is a good one. Sprite, too. Just use the ones with sugar, not the diet versions. You're just trying to get it to stick.

[Don Burt]

I use Josephine Metallic Silver a lot for my Xmas suncatchers. I've tested most of Kathy Petersons glass paints. The Josephine Silk paints don't seem very interesting to me. Kathy suggests firing them to eleven hundred something. But I find that they have to go to 1325 in my kiln to stick permanently and not feel sandpapery. I asked her about this, and she sticks to her original suggestions. So results may vary. I took some photos of some samples I made. It's hard to see the texture, and I don't have very many samples of Josephine Silk paints where I actually fired them at the high end.
Halogen Reflected light of the side with paint on it

Natural backlight through a etched glass panel on a gloomy day of the side with paint on it

Halogen Reflected light of the reverse side of the sample through an additional class sheet

Natural backlight light of the reverse side of the sample through an additional class sheet