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Thread: Enamelling Work Flow

  1. #1
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    Default Enamelling Work Flow

    Pah! Today I have been playing with wet-packing but I feel all over the place and think I need to develop a mode of working so that I feel comfortable. At the moment my stuff is all spread out in front of me: distilled water, ordinary water, a pot for pouring the cloudy water in to. Then there's the copper half-lentils I have prepared but which need a rub over with the glass brush - hence there's also the glass brush! Not to mention Klyr Fire...

    Tell me how you organise yourself when enamelling - please​!
    Di x

  2. #2
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    Haven't done much, but one thing I saw being used for washing & drying the enamels and some of the findings was glass nightlight holders from Ikea.

  3. #3
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    I'm just as rubbish at organising myself as you Di. Wish I could help

  4. #4
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    Thanks Peter - but really it's workflow that is worrisome. When I work I need to be very organised - everything in its place so that I can go to it with my eyes closed, that sort of thing. It will come I suspect, once I am comfortable with what I'm doing - but I won't be comfortable until I'm organised. Ho hum
    Di x

  5. #5
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    this may or may not help and bear in mind I'm not a frequent enameller but the way I do it is this:

    wash enamels in old milk pan and after drying out on top of the kiln transfer to small pots with the name of the colour on them.

    have wetting material in old hair dye applicator bottle ready mixed. It's distilled water and gum something or other... acanath?

    I enamel castings or damaged originals so the next step for me is to clean them off with a fine wire brush and dry off on top of warm kiln.

    put small amounts of colours into a watercolour palette tray and add the wetting agent till it's a paste.

    take the item I'm going to enamel and apply colours. I usually use a fine brush, but because it's mostly art nouveau stuff I'm after blended colours.

    clear off any grains of enamel from the silver which should be enamel-free

    carefully place work on the firing mesh tray which is on top of the kiln to dry.

    When dry gently place in kiln and count to 180.

    take out, retouch and fire again repeating as necessary.

    This is really basic stuff though, I don't fire soldered stuff and I don't paint designs on.

  6. #6
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    Darling I love you! This is exactly the sort of thing I meant but I just couldn't get my head around it. That's my tomorrow sorted now. Fanks
    Di x

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by medusa View Post
    It's distilled water and gum something or other... acanath?
    Gum tragacanth?

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by ps_bond View Post
    Gum tragacanth?
    Yup! or a proprietary mix called Klyr Fire
    Di x

  9. #9
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    I guess I do the same as Medusa. The only thing I do differently is that I grind the enamel in a pestle and mortar first before washing and washing. I then keep it wet in my little plastic pots and use it straight from the pot. It does dry out but I just wet it again when I need it. I keep a little dropper bottle for this. I think it does deteriorate a bit over time but I only grind smallish amounts and use it up quite quickly.

  10. #10
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    Thanks Carole
    Di x

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