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I have so much trouble removing kiln wash from the bottom of my pot melts that I was wondering if I could use 1/8" fiber blanket?

You're going to have to remove that also . . . and you'll probably need a sandblaster.

I have heard of others placing a clear blank on the shelf.

I have only done a few pot melts ... but I put a single clear sheet as a base for each one and they worked out ok.

Besides the clear glass make sure your kiln shelf is newly kilnwashed. I've found that if my kiln wash has had repeated uses, it tends to stick more, and I've lowered my top temp to 1650. Hope this helps.

Patty

I use 1/8 fiber paper under almost all of my pot melts. I have never had trouble getting the fiber paper off using only water and a green scrubby.

Well . . . good. I've found tons of bits of FP just on the sides of my blanks.
The glass tends to engulf them. I never put FP under them for that reason.

You won't necessarily see the fibers, but that doesn't mean they're not there, and if they are embedded a green scrubby won't get (all of) them off. What's left can show up in subsequent firings just under the surface, as little goofy-shaped bubbles, hazy areas or specks of "dirt." If they don't, great. Generally, whenever it's critical that I NOT get them, I get them.

I just wanted to say that although I knew to use vinegar to clean off the kiln wash, I didn't know to soak the piece in vinegar. Works like a charm!

I have found that dusting fiber paper with fine alumina hydrate significantly lowers the amount of stuck fibers. I generally dump some powder on and lightly rub or shake it off. I suppose painting it with kilnwash would do the same, but I have no clue how the paper will respond to water, as I prefer working dry.

Another mitigator is either an irridescent coating, or in my work, the tin side of float glass. In both cases, the metallic coating helps resist the fibers from sticking. And, yes you could do a potmelt on float using Youghiogheny EZ fuse and compatible float.

2 tools I use for removing stuck fibers are, a well used 400 grit diamond hand pad, or steel wool. I have also employed a pressure washer, before mine was stolen. You can rent a pressure washer for quarters at the do it yourself carwash. Bring some foam to cushion the glass.

I've found that using a piece of thin clear, sitting on a piece of shelf paper, works very well, assuming:

1. You are damming the piece, so the clear piece completely covers the shelf paper
2. You use a single, solid piece of clear (that comes from the experience of once and only once thinking I could use 2 pieces seamed in the middle)

Ed