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Hi Anna,
I believe you have all the substitutes for Klyrfire. If using a flat piece of metal, the holding agent is not necessary- just a fine mist of water -
Liquid Enamel can also be used as a binder to hold your dry enamels in place. You can kill two birds with one stone by firing a counter enamel and base coat at the same time. - paint a layer of liquid enamel on the back side of the metal, and sift the counter enamel into it while its wet. Dry the piece, turn it over and sift a base coat of enamel on the front. This helps the expansion of metal and glass equalize when cooling and lessens the chance of warping.
There is also Squeegee oil and oil of lavender that are often used with painting enamels. Artist, Katy Bergman Cassell found that using Squeegee oil was the best binder to use for the complex dimensional forms because it dries slower than water binders.
I use sometimes CMC, which I think I had got from Enamelwork Supply a zillion years ago. I dilute 3.5g in 100g of boiling water (it has to boil and be stirred for some time to dissolve well). Then I let it cool and it lasts for a couple of months. In these proportions it makes a rather sticky glue. I use it the same way I'd use Klyr-fire.
Vincent Paeder said:
I use sometimes CMC, which I think I had got from Enamelwork Supply a zillion years ago. I dilute 3.5g in 100g of boiling water (it has to boil and be stirred for some time to dissolve well). Then I let it cool and it lasts for a couple of months. In these proportions it makes a rather sticky glue. I use it the same way I'd use Klyr-fire.
Wow Vincent that sounds like extra work!! Do you then brush it on or dilute it enough that it can be sprayed?
Anna Margolis said:
Thanks, Trish. I just have read about all the holding agents, but never used'em . Will hairspray actully work and not cloud the enamels? I got interested in the spraying method after watchin this tutorial by Jan Harell https://youtu.be/lJuzhRGpA7I -she insists on spraying the surface with aerosol
Jan is using Klyr Fire mixed with water and a spray bottle attachment that has air.
I have not used Hairspray but it is alcohol and will burn off in the kiln so I see no problem with the enamels and I have heard it used by other artists. I think it might be messy as the aerosol hairspray will land on your work surface and be sticky. I generally do use the same product as Jan, and you will find most workshops that are taught have the same sprayer.
Trish White said:
Wow Vincent that sounds like extra work!! Do you then brush it on or dilute it enough that it can be sprayed?
Well not really, I leave it to stew on the hot plate with the magnetic stirrer on and come back to it an hour later. I use it mixed with a bit of enamel and I wet-pack. With 3.5g CMC/100g water, it's a bit viscous so to spray I'd dilute it somewhat. Brushing works ok, although it can do with a bit of surfactant (I use one called Surfynol 465, but anything water-soluble that reduces surface tension should do).
Hairspray works with opaque enamels only, it will cloud transparent enamels. I sometimes use a pump hairspray for bowls.
best wishes Gisela
Anna,
Geargian Minankari artists are using traganath, if you are in Russia - you can find it in livemaster.ru.
There is also lily root powder, similar to traganath.
I use since more than 50 years very successful Wall-Paper-Glue. Make at first a thick solution, and thin it than with desilled wator so as you need it. Thicker solution hold very strong cloisonné-wires on steeply areas. very strong thinned it is perfect for spraying and holding enamel powder also on vertcal sufaces. Spray at firs a thin layer of thinned wallpaper glue to the metal, powder an also thin shift of enamel over this. than spray again only so much glue, that the on sieved powdwer get moistered. Than again enamel powder. If nescessary a new spray and a new powder sieving. mostly are 3 times well. At last spray glue again, so that the on sieved enamel is light dump, but not wet. Dry and fire.
Good luck
edmund
Edmund Massow said:
I use since more than 50 years very successful Wall-Paper-Glue. ...............
Good luck
edmund
Thank you Edmund - the glue is very good.