tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2150611447290079449.post966997874088218245..comments2024-01-17T00:51:36.231-08:00Comments on Copperheart: Tutorial - Intro To EnamelingCopperhearthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14047969786800186070noreply@blogger.comBlogger183125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2150611447290079449.post-86046772010524691532015-03-30T19:12:14.886-07:002015-03-30T19:12:14.886-07:00Hi David,
Not dead just severely neglected. Famil...Hi David, <br />Not dead just severely neglected. Family life and new baby have been taking precedence over answering metalsmithing questions on the internet lately. <br />Anywhoooo... I have never tried enameling on argentium. I have enameled on sterling silver by "raising the fine silver" by depletion guilding first. How the germanium in the argentium silver will react with the enamel, I don't know. I would say give it a try and see what happens. Copperhearthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14047969786800186070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2150611447290079449.post-59150910832351752312015-01-26T19:34:08.885-08:002015-01-26T19:34:08.885-08:00Apparently this is a dead blog.Apparently this is a dead blog.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12382670982783155145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2150611447290079449.post-19112105857884625592015-01-06T09:07:13.402-08:002015-01-06T09:07:13.402-08:00Can you comment on argentium silver with regard to...Can you comment on argentium silver with regard to enameling?Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12382670982783155145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2150611447290079449.post-53698067787043764312015-01-04T18:04:16.640-08:002015-01-04T18:04:16.640-08:00Jim- that's right. The enamel on the back won&...Jim- that's right. The enamel on the back won't drip or fall off as long as you don't make it crazy thick. Good luck! Copperhearthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14047969786800186070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2150611447290079449.post-89513093619412882132015-01-04T18:03:21.478-08:002015-01-04T18:03:21.478-08:00Hi David,
Sorry for the delay in answering your q...Hi David, <br />Sorry for the delay in answering your question- holidays have been pretty busy here. I'm glad your experiments worked out! I just wanted to add that there are high-temperature silver solders available that will withstand the firing temperature of the kiln or torch. Look for "IT" or "eutectic" silver solders. I have also heard of people using regular hard silver solder, which would re-flow at enameling temps but if the piece was supported in such a way that the join would not open this may not be a problem. Copperhearthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14047969786800186070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2150611447290079449.post-5480036530134574092014-12-23T18:54:25.632-08:002014-12-23T18:54:25.632-08:00I went ahead and tried soldering copper with sterl...I went ahead and tried soldering copper with sterling silver; it seems to have worked.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12382670982783155145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2150611447290079449.post-33815123540746725052014-12-19T03:54:16.860-08:002014-12-19T03:54:16.860-08:00Great Blog!
I am attempting to fire a 2" ro...Great Blog! <br />I am attempting to fire a 2" round piece of copper sheet to make a pocket watch dial to then silk screen with numbers. Am I understanding correctly that I should apply a light dusting on the back side and fire. Then clean and apply my top side enamel and fire. Repeat until I get a good smooth surface? i.e. previous enamel does not melt off on subsequent fires in the kiln?<br /><br />regards JimJBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06515340715169329720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2150611447290079449.post-30256189616060431632014-12-16T18:47:29.081-08:002014-12-16T18:47:29.081-08:00As nearly everyone has commented, this is a wonder...As nearly everyone has commented, this is a wonderfully useful blog. I'm sure it takes a lot of your time, but I hope you never doubt that it's well worth it!<br /><br />So now, having read most of the questions and answers, I'm about ready to jump in. One question, though, and one comment: Can I put a copper piece together by silver soldering (which I'm comfortable with) and then enamel it? For torch firing a small pendant made this way, would you recommend dipping, or firing the back side, then the front?<br /><br />As to my comment: You cover safety issues pretty well, but in one of your responses you describe liver of sulfur as pretty stinky without alluding to its toxicity. You might have warned of its dangers elsewhere, but in any case people who use it should be aware that hydrogen sulfide, the "stinky" gas liberated in its use, is highly toxic, not much less so than hydrogen cyanide. Take it outside, and if you can smell it, you should worry about it!!!Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12382670982783155145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2150611447290079449.post-50749335890624749692014-11-03T19:46:50.564-08:002014-11-03T19:46:50.564-08:00g in tucson-
looks like a great kiln for enamelin...g in tucson- <br />looks like a great kiln for enameling. I would recommend The Art of Enameling by Linda Darty. Good luck! Copperhearthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14047969786800186070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2150611447290079449.post-33340538118944763482014-11-01T13:58:40.356-07:002014-11-01T13:58:40.356-07:00Love your blog!
I have been using a torch fired ...Love your blog! <br />I have been using a torch fired approach to enameling, but since I have a kiln, Paragon SC2 I am wondering if I can kiln enamel with it? What is a good book to teach me how?g in tucsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12544450031162356746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2150611447290079449.post-81889770687575659442014-07-17T07:10:14.376-07:002014-07-17T07:10:14.376-07:00Savor-
I think I know what the problem is. There a...Savor-<br />I think I know what the problem is. There are a couple ways to approach torch firing. If you apply your enamel to a cold piece of metal and apply the torch to the powdered enamel, the torch will kind of burn the enamel. You can only really apply the torch to bare metal or an already fired layer of enamel if you are starting cold. This is why you see in the photo that I am only heating the piece from the bottom. I apply enamel to one side and heat on the bare metal side, then clean the metal and apply enamel to the bare metal, and heat again from the previously fired side. Using this method one side will be blackened but because the enamel is already fused it won't burn off. I do this for pieces that will be in a setting so you won't see the back. <br />Alternately, if you apply the enamel to hot metal, you won't have this problem and you can heat the whole piece in the flame. So for instance when you are doing copper tubing, put the tubing on some kind of a rod or mandrel, heat the piece to glowing in the torch, and then roll it in some enamel powder, then continue to heat until the enamel fuses. <br />So basically avoid applying a torch to powdered enamel on cold metal. Hope that helps!Copperhearthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14047969786800186070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2150611447290079449.post-32199180772174201602014-07-17T06:55:39.464-07:002014-07-17T06:55:39.464-07:00Andy-
This is a tricky one. I can't say that I...Andy-<br />This is a tricky one. I can't say that I have ever tried anything comparable but I have a few ideas for you. First of all it is possible to enamel on brass although I haven't tried it myself. Brass is not quite as compatible with enamel as copper, silver, and gold are but it is possible. Maybe get some scrap brass and do some experiments first. The thickness of the metal might be a problem in that it will be harder to get the metal up to the right temperature. If you have access to a kiln that would be preferable to a torch. Otherwise you will need to have quite a hot torch. You might want to grind your enamel down into a finer powder with a mortar and pestle, mix it with a little water or binder, and then very carefully wet pack it onto the design motif. Good luck! Copperhearthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14047969786800186070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2150611447290079449.post-66764131069616712412014-07-12T08:59:13.259-07:002014-07-12T08:59:13.259-07:00CopperHeart...I didn't mean to call you Barbar...CopperHeart...I didn't mean to call you Barbara lol! I had just read the last post you wrote and it was in my head. Silly me.Savorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04228585303683735582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2150611447290079449.post-8106941798661255312014-07-12T08:56:46.901-07:002014-07-12T08:56:46.901-07:00Hi Barbara,
I'm new to your website thank yo...Hi Barbara, <br /><br />I'm new to your website thank you for the great tutorial!! I came across while looking for assistance on torch firing. <br /><br />Here's the issue: All my copper pennies (dated before 1982)and copper tubing have been failures. I got an assortment of powders from metalclay and they simply aren't working. <br /><br />I use a butane and propane torch (bought b/c of previous failures). I use a vingar/salt pickle to clean copper and nothing seems to work. <br /><br />My enamels come out black, cracked and not fully fused to metal. I've tried Brenda Lewis' method as, well. Any thoughts as to what I'm doing wrong? <br /><br />BTW, I am a photographer who got this notion...I wanted to enamel so I thought starting small with pennies and copper tubing was the way to go.<br /><br />Thanks for any help you can give. I will enamel!!!! :)Savorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04228585303683735582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2150611447290079449.post-42125780321013055012014-06-09T03:29:43.602-07:002014-06-09T03:29:43.602-07:00Hi, I read this with interest, as I have an unusua...Hi, I read this with interest, as I have an unusual enamelling project on the go. I wish to enamel a blue rampant lion (like the Scottish emblem) on to a brass sword pommel. These are quite thick (1/2 inch roughly), so I wonder...can you enamel on to brass? Can you enamel on to a thick piece of metal (because of the firing from the bottom) and could you do something so fine as a rampant lion motif in a circular area only 1-1.5 inches in diameter? Any thoughts or ideas would be much appreciated. Many thanks.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08560508642151858592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2150611447290079449.post-74852792523790987292014-05-19T09:03:40.876-07:002014-05-19T09:03:40.876-07:00I love that scalex. I have ever known about it but...I love that scalex. I have ever known about it but I read Linda Darty Kays book Art of Enameeling and tried it on bronze. Earlier it was so much eorkin way to clean clear metal face after enamelling. Now it was like a game. I ordered it from USA far away Finland. Now I am happy with my enamel work. There is so much to learn. I wonder if I could send a picture what I have been enamelled. Nut it might be imposdible here. Vidit www.facebook.com/jewelrysmithailasalminen. Ailahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13813932229165546459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2150611447290079449.post-44570180923181684612014-05-19T06:16:23.916-07:002014-05-19T06:16:23.916-07:00Hi Barbara,
I actually use a butane torch for my ...Hi Barbara, <br />I actually use a butane torch for my occasional torch firing. I have one that's a bit bigger than the average kitchen torch and has a bigger flame. I find it works fine for smaller pieces, maybe around 1.5" in diameter or smaller. If you want to do larger pieces or a whole lot of torch firing it might be worth your while to get a bigger torch. Even a propane plumber's torch works fine. Copperhearthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14047969786800186070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2150611447290079449.post-59955940112574561232014-05-19T06:13:00.423-07:002014-05-19T06:13:00.423-07:00Hi Susan,
I don't think you really need kiln ...Hi Susan, <br />I don't think you really need kiln wash. I've never used it in my trinket kiln. Copperhearthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14047969786800186070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2150611447290079449.post-43679957791529069962014-04-13T12:16:16.669-07:002014-04-13T12:16:16.669-07:00Wow, thanks for such an informative blog! And, tha...Wow, thanks for such an informative blog! And, thanks for sharing your knowledge. I think you should write a book on enameling techniques, your Etsy pieces are wonderful. <br />I am just getting into enameling. I do wire work,metal clay, metal fabrication, and etching and looking forward to adding enameling to my designs. The information you have here is wonderful and also I've learned a lot just from reading the questions and comments. <br />I'm going to be using a Blazer large flame butane torch. Do you have any experience with it? I see some others use a torch with MAPP gas, but can't find out what kind of torch it is. Any ideas on the torch firing?<br />thanks<br />BarbaraAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18148916422148228742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2150611447290079449.post-45380626767105110252014-04-11T09:34:01.184-07:002014-04-11T09:34:01.184-07:00I bought a trinket kiln and need to ask you should...I bought a trinket kiln and need to ask you should I use or can I use kiln wash in it for enameling?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15499653578527059246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2150611447290079449.post-59059040493113995522014-03-31T18:13:29.224-07:002014-03-31T18:13:29.224-07:00Sorry Jenny I don't know much about the area. ...Sorry Jenny I don't know much about the area. Anybody out there know where one might be able to take enameling classes in the LA area?Copperhearthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14047969786800186070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2150611447290079449.post-180450223686563402014-03-31T18:12:19.578-07:002014-03-31T18:12:19.578-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Copperhearthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14047969786800186070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2150611447290079449.post-45095541849842175452014-03-30T22:27:05.593-07:002014-03-30T22:27:05.593-07:00I would like to take a class in Los Angeles/Orange...I would like to take a class in Los Angeles/Orange County area. The type of work I would like to do is with fine silver (very detailed items. I have experience with PMC/ACS and general metal smith experience. Any suggestions for the OC or LA area? Thank you in advance.<br />Jennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09868978011622411951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2150611447290079449.post-61793639554992896562014-03-30T16:11:04.266-07:002014-03-30T16:11:04.266-07:00Check again Sheryn- I replied just after your prev...Check again Sheryn- I replied just after your previous comment. Copperhearthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14047969786800186070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2150611447290079449.post-85809053197810788242014-03-30T08:47:21.912-07:002014-03-30T08:47:21.912-07:00Can't understand why you would answer everyone...Can't understand why you would answer everyone else's questions and none of mine..no onehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18013722897945957169noreply@blogger.com