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Hallo Vincent,
next the proposal of Gabor, you can an about 2-3 mm thick shift of Talcum powder sprinkle over the place where the enamel is. Then heat up the kiln to about 750-800 degree C for half an hour.
Let the kiln then cool down. Remove the loose Talcum powder with a vacuum cleaner. If necessary, make the procedure twice. Now no Trivet or so should stick to the bottom again.
Instead of Talcum you can also 2-3 layers of glass fiber-mats place at the bottom of the kiln . If the kiln is hot, press the mat down with a long spatula or so. The mats have however a great disadvantage. Little grains of the glasfiber can for a long time fly around in the kiln as well in the workshop. That is very UNHEALTHY!!
Another possibility: Protect the bottom with a 6-8 mm thick unglazed ceramic tile. Such tile you can at ceramic-tool-supplier buy.
Such contaminants of enamels can ruin the whole kiln, because it by every firing erode the bottom deeper and deeper. For this reason, I protect new kiln from the beginning with a ceramic tile.
edmund
Vincent, I note that you have a muffle kiln which has a fibrous material covering the heating elements, not a brick-lined kiln. This type of kiln requires different care to the inside.
I would not recommend scraping away the spill if it is big enough to risk leaving a pitted uneven surface. Instead use a kiln blanket that is most often used by hot glass artists instead of a kiln shelf to protect the bottom of the kiln. Here in the US, Thompson sells it. Warm Glass UK calls it fibre paper.
It is a fibrous sheet about 3mm thick that you cut to size to cover the entire floor of your kiln. On first use, as the kiln heats a binder burns off and the white blanket turns brown and generates light smoke about midway in the heating. When the firing temperature is reached the blanket will have returned to white and is ready to use. Over time a certain amount of spillage dirties the central area and when the buildup seems like it is beginning to penetrate the blanket, throw it away and put down a new one.
Most muffle kilns are kind of rounded on the inside and don't fit a kiln shelf very well.
Hi Gabor, Edmund and Vera,
my apologies for the delay in my reply I have been away for work.
Thank you all very much for your kind help with this. I thought I should include a photo just to show the damaged area.
I was just wondering how hazardous the fibre paper is? I have young daughter and I am concerned about her breathing in any dangerous fumes particles. Also, if I just cover the stain with a shelf, will the kiln be increasingly damaged with every firing?
Thank you so much again for your guidance.
Serge
Serge
Hallo Serge,
the Talcum powder should absorb the largest part of the liquid enamel. That should prevent a time long, that the bottom of the kiln becomes more damaged. Nevertheless, I would protect the bottom in addition with an unglazed ceramic plate.
The fibre paper and the glass fibre mats smokes only short in the first firing. Then the bonding-agent should all be burned. Aerate the room well during and a time after firing the mats.
Edmund
To relieve your mind you might want to find out from the manufacturer where the heating elements are located in your kiln. In my Paragon SC2 muffle kiln the elements are in the sides, so there would not be a worry about enamel damage on the bottom getting near the elements.
If you use fibre paper the fibers remain undisturbed inside the kiln and are not made of fiberglass. And the smoking is just the bonding agent as Edmund says.
Hi all, thank you very much for your invaluable comments.
I feel much better informed now and able to deal with this issue!
Hope you're all having a great weekend!
Vincent
Ask the Expert - Tom Ellis - Thompson Enamels says,
don't care about cleaning, try to get some Kaolin powder (safer than many other things) , make a Kaolin-mud and paint it thick on the bottom of your kiln, you can do it over the . Let it dry before using the kiln. It's what the potters do and I always do that. you can put a ceramic tile on the painted bottom. Protect it with kaolin and let it dry before using.
you can also ask Uhlig
Francoise and Chis...just to clarify...kiln wash cannot be used on a muffle kiln, which is what Vincent has.
I wrote a mail to Uhlig factory their answer in german
Emailflecken kann man nicht entfernen. Wenn Sie daran kratzen kann es zu einem Loch in der Muffel führen.Wenn Sie ein Gesteinsmehl wie zum Beispiel Talkum aufstreuen und einbrennen klebt die Stelle nicht mehr.Sie können auch Kaolin verwenden, dann aber bitte als Pulver aufstreuen und einbrennen. Das Kaolin, dass nicht am Emaille haftet ausblasen oder absaugen.Wenn die Muffel feucht ist und Sie den Ofen einschalten kann das zur Beschädigung er Heizspirale führen.Am besten man verwendet eine unglasierte Keramikplatte als Unterlage, diese kann man austauschen wenn die Verschmutzungen zu groß sind.
to resume :
éjust put some powder like Talc or kaolin on the email dirt.the best is to put a raw/unglazed ceramic plate on the bottom of the kiln that you change from time to time."
I would put kaolin powder then put a ceramic plate and protect this plate with kaolin mud that I would let dry before using.
Uhlig says NOT TO SCRATCH A MUFFLED OVEN
Hello everyone, I have recently acquired un Uhlig U24 muffle kiln which I am very happy about. However, it has some enamel damage on the bottom of the ceramic enclosure where the previous owner has been a little careless. The damaged area is approximately 4 cm square.
I was wondering if there is anyway I could remove this stain or repair the the surface? Also, how much effect would it have on the operation of the kiln and my enamel work? Any info or expertise on this matter would be hugely appreciated.
Thank you very much in advance.
Best wishes,
Vincent