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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

Judi Charlson wrote: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?)

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