Enameling question

[Former_Member]

I'm getting started doing some enameling, which I'm pretty psyched about.

I have a couple of questions about washing enamels. I've seen in multiple books/articles that you should only wash small quantities of enamels at a time, because washing shortens their shelf life...

How can glass have a shelf life?
How could washing make that shelf life shorter (this really makes no sense to me...)?
How long can I expect them to last after washing?
What happens when they "go bad"?

Thanks so much!

[Former_Member]

Wow... You didn't get many responses did you?!? lol!! I guess because there aren't too many enamelist out there. First of all...the primary reason to "wash" enamels - is that you are washing away the very very very fine particles that can cause cloudiness when you fire them. You basically just pour the amount you are going to use on a piece into a plastic container, and pour distilled water over the enamel. You will see the "fines" rise to the surface, and the water becomes cloudy. swirl a couple of times, and just pour off the top. DONT pour off too much water too soon, or you will pour off good enamel. You only need to wash transparent enamels... get rid of the fines to get the best transparency. If you are firing opaques, you don't need to do this. The reason that washing shortens the enamels shelf life is that once the enamel has been in contact with water, they tend to break down more quickly, causing more fines. I personally wash a small amount in airtight containers, and store them for very long periods of time without any problems. When they go bad, they deteriorate, and you have more fine particles than the fat 80 mesh particles that allow for nice color. Some people save their fines, and mix with lavender or clove oil to make enamel paints. (too much hassle for me, but depending on what you are doing, it might be worth it.) I'm replying from blue River Gems, but check out my shop with enamel jewelry. www.indigoflameworks.etsy.com If you have any other questions, just holler. I've been enameling for about 20 years now. phew!! Good luck!! Kelly

[Former_Member]

P.S. You need to repeat the washing process 3 to 5 times until the water stays clear... then you know that the fine particles have been "washed" away.

[Former_Member]

Thanks so much, Kelly! I've had some good luck with my first few small items, (and some not quite as good). I just ordered a giant sampler from Thompson enamels, and I'm really excited to go forward.

[markaplan]

thanks Kelly--
i too often wondered the same thing about how could glass go bad...

[Former_Member]

Just be careful with reds/pinks/oranges - as they are touchy and typically react with most metals unfavorably if fired directly onto the metal. They need an underlayer or 2 of clear enamel to fire properly without discoloring or turning muddy. That was my biggest rookie mistake. Blues, greens and cool colors are usually safe. ;-) (I'm not sure what your base metal is for enamelling... I enamel mostly on fine silver.)

[bddesigns]

I'd love to start enameling...it's one of the few things that I hesitate to self-learn. I'd love to take a beginner course with a good enamelist, but alas, northwest ohio is NOT the metal capital of the world. I don't think there are many good teachers in this area! :(

[Former_Member]

thompson enamel in bellevue ky, near cinncinati. has great workshops.
also www.paintingwithfire.ning.com founder has an ecourse on torch firing
her book is great also.

[Former_Member]

linda darty book very good.

[ShopHedgerowRose]

This has been so helpful! A kiln has been on my wishlist for a while now. Someday! ;)

[Former_Member]

I have the Linda Darty book - it's been a great starting point, for sure. I love the way it encourages experimentation.

Lara, I don't have a kiln, either. I just got this from Rio for $150:
http://www.riogrande.com:80/Product/PMC-SpeedFire-Cone-System/703072?pos=1 and it seems to be doing the job on the small pieces I've fired so far. And I feel like it's not as up-in-my-face-with-poison-fumes as torch firing would be, lol.

[ShopHedgerowRose]

Thanks! I'll check it out. :)

[bellabijoujewellery]

Hi, You will get more answers if you pop into the main chat thread where most of us hang out daily. Sue from LSueSzabo is an enameler in our group, she is an amazing wealth of knowledge.

[madstarsilver]

Hi,

I've just started working with enamel myself, but I am fortunate in that I have access to great instruction here. I have taken several workshops at the Jewelry Arts Institute. If you have a chance, look at their site.

I'm working on a piece with red as the primary color and it is a very tricky color. The earlier comment was right on target.

Regards,
Marilyn

[prox]

Hello,
I just saw this thread today. I saw a question about classes in NorthWestern Ohio...I dont know of any there, but I do know of some in North Eastern Ohio. There are several continuing education classes in enameling offered every year at The Cleveland Institute of Art (I used to teach some) And Lakeland community college used to have classes in enameling (that's where I was introduced to the process) I bet you could find some classes somewhere near you....Kent, and Bowling Green are other options. Northern Ohio was actually a hub of enameling (back in the day) look up John Paul MIller, and William Harper. As far as the washing enamel question and the deterioration problems, I think you got some great answers! Something I have done in the past is to sift the large grains out first. You can get various mesh sifters, or make them yourself out of different sized screens. start with a larger mesh screen and gradually go down to a smaller mesh screen, what is left are your large grains, keep them in a seperate container, they are great for cloisonne and other thick applications, you still need to wash them, but you arent dumping all the small grains down the drain. Keep the small grains in a seperate jar, they can be used for sifting aplications :)

[Former_Member]

i'd recommend wearing a N95 rated mask when doing all that sifting. protect your lungs from all those fines. put down layers of newspaper w/ 2 layers of magazine pages, then you can pour any fines of one color into a container, then carefully fold up the magazine page and the next one... then lay 2 down again. i have asthma so i'm soo concious of the materials we use in jewelry making that can impact our lungs.
took a workshop at thompson enamel and one process they had us sifting for some extreme small size, i forget what it was but the whole area became covered in a fine powder, crazy...love hem and their workshop even still lol

[prox]

you can also get a stacked sifter with a lid from Thompson (thats what I use) all the dust is contained :) But that is a good point (you should always wear a mask when working with fine enamel dust)....I do not curently work in enamel anymore...the dust and fumes are part of that reason. I only worked in leaded enamel, and when I became pregnant with my first child I got super paranoid...I was working as a T.A. in the enamel dept. at C.I.A. at the time, so I was around "stuff" all the time (like acids, all kinds of chemicals, leaded and unleaded enamel) so I was a super freek about wearing masks and rubber gloves, now that I work out of my home...enamels are a no no for now.

[EnchantedCircle1234]

I am new here to this team...just my two cents....I began enameling 30 years ago...lol....was really hard to find supplies then. I made jewelry for ten years or so....had a ex that was always mad if I did enameling....and a starving artist boy friend mad if I didn't. So I quit for 25 years.....I dragged my copper and enamels from place to place, thank goodness ....at the price for enamels NOW, anyway do not ever throw them away! I have some "fluffy" light and powdery, not many...but they still work and have interesting patterns for wont of a better word.....I have big jars of all colors.....they work....

[richladyoriginals]

Great to hear all the enameling wisdom... I will take a look at the main thread to see the conversations there also. I think enamels are going to have their time in the spotlight again soon... :) coming back into fashion. Keep on making!

[prox]

As far as throwing them away...no way! Many of the enamels I have acquired are from garage sales, estate sales, and donations to the school I used to work at. They are mostly old leaded Thompsons. There are a couple of colors (yellows mostly) that are slightly radioactive due to uranium?.....those I dispose of properly. You can find out which ones with a bit of googling. I have purchased some new stuff too, but those old enamels are so beautiful.

[Former_Member]

Yes, the Linda Darty book is excellent! I took a workshop from her once and loved her!

[richladyoriginals]

I have also found this book to be very helpful, if slightly more roundabout in its organization: Contemporary Enameling Art and Techniques by Lilyan Bachrach, pubd by Schiffer in 2006, I think I got mine on Amazon. It's basically an oral history of a bunch of different enamelists discussing their techniques and habits, and since there are so many different kinds of work and working methods represented, you really get a sense of the possibilities. Enameling can be a precision art but there are great effects to be had from coloring outside the lines too :) and this is sort of a compilation of best practices of all kinds.

[roadkiln]

Leaded enamels are the best. The colors are magnificent, but are more expensive than the unleaded, so I tend to use them when I am making wall sculptures or have commissions. (I don't post these on etsy due to the weight of the finished product)
I recommend the book The Art of Fine Enameling by Karen Cohen.

[Former_Member]

I'm glad I found this thread. I just started with torch fire enameling. My dream is to get a kiln but right now I AM having fun playing with fire. That being said.....what is a good, reasonably priced (hahaha) starter kiln? Or should I just go for the gusto and buy the best one out there?

[EnchantedCircle1234]

I agree about leaded enamels, fortunately I have lots of jars from 30 years ago. As to the kiln...I use a torch because I do jewelry....I have a interior of the kiln is 7 by 7.... it is called the firefly and is a Paragon....it fires fused glass, ceramics and enamels. I love it. Depends on the size of what, your going to Enamel ...