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  • ASK THE EXPERTS
  • "In the beginner's mind there are possibilities but in the Expert's there are few"...Sunryu Suzuki, Zen Master

    A forum for questions you have on enameling issues. 
    • 3,760 total views
    • 68 total members
    • Last updated October 6, 2015

ASK THE EXPERTS

What's New

  • Evelyn Markasky
    Evelyn Markasky joined the group ASK THE EXPERTS
    Feb 26
  • Gisela Brill
    Gisela Brill: Hi, does someone have old color lists of Schauer, Linkenheil, Soyer, Degussa, Bythe enamels? Igot a nice number of enamels and I can‘t determin clearly what they are.
    Also does someone know which company produced the enamels Linkenheil used to...  more
    March 15, 2022
    • Gisela Brill
      Trish White Hi Gisela
      I would suggest calling the companies - and you will probably have to make a sample of each color.
  • Edmund Massow
    Edmund Massow: Thank you very much, Gabor und gute Nacht. Edmund
    October 7, 2020
  • Edmund Massow
    Edmund Massow replied to a topic in the group ASK THE EXPERTS:
    October 7, 2020
    Hallo, which thickness should have Dold foil for enamelling. i forget it all times! thank you Edmund
    • Edmund Massow
      Gabor Forgo Hallo Edmund
      According to Brepohl Gold foils should have a thickness between 3 to 5 micrometers.
      Kind regards
      Gabor
    • Edmund Massow
      Trish White Thanks Gabor for the info - I am so use to just ordering gold foil in general that I never knew it had a specific thickness-
      Regards, Trish
  • Constantina Papasotiriou
    Constantina Papasotiriou: Thank you that you accept me in the group. I have no questions yet. I want first to understand how this page works and learn from what you discus. I am an amateur and begginer in enameling. Sorry that my Engilish are not perfect. I am from Greece and I...  more
    September 23, 2020
    • Constantina Papasotiriou
      Trish White Hi Constantina,
      The "Ask the Experts" page is for posting questions that you need an expert to help you solve when you have issues with enameling or anything else on your mind. You can access the Library for Tutorials, and there is also Videos,...  more
    • Constantina Papasotiriou
      Constantina Papasotiriou Thank you for the information.
  • Ingrid Regula
    Ingrid Regula: Basse taille,
    cloisonne', combination in silver wire- wrapped setting
    July 17, 2020 - edited
  • Leasa Romphf
    Leasa Romphf: Do i enamel first or solder first...im never sure which comes first. I torch enamel. Any help would be appreciated.
    January 28, 2020
  • Trish White
    Trish White: A glass brush comes in handy when you have to drill out an air bubble - the enamel piece is run under water and a glass brush is used to clean the hole of debris- rinse well - and should you touch the enamel with your fingers, a small amount of Dawn...  more
    January 26, 2020
  • Charles Winkel
    Charles Winkel: When the enamel is fired you don't have to clean the enamel. when fired the enamel turns to glass. Just apply your next coat. Don't touch the project with your bear hands. Your fingers will apply body oil.
    January 25, 2020
  • Jelena Petrovic
    Jelena Petrovic: Hi,what is the best method to clean enamel between coats?Fiberglass brush or Rubbing alcohol or something else?Does it need to be cleaned at all if it is not greased with fingers?Thank you
    January 25, 2020
  • Cynthia Miller
    Cynthia Miller: Thompson doesn't make this exact color any more. I believe it was 2210 or 2015. Does anyone know who might make this color in lumps? Thank you.
    August 10, 2019
    • Cynthia Miller
      Trish White Have you called Scott Ellis from - e-namels.com? he still sells a lot of Thompsons old leaded enamels.
  • Charles Winkel
    Charles Winkel: Be real careful if you get an e-mail from a friend that says view document. This is trouble. Don't open
    February 2, 2019
  • Wendy Myers
    Wendy Myers: I'm interested in finding out more about a technique that has been called "lava". It is colored like lava and has some texture when it is fired although it isn't sugar coat. Any ideas would be appreciated.
    January 31, 2019
    • Wendy Myers
      Trish White I have not heard of this "lava" technique or the enamel that looks like lava - where did you hear of this?
    • Wendy Myers
      Wendy Myers I've seen several postings on a Facebook enamelist page with photos. It's a nice contrast to the glassy surface.
  • Wendy Myers
    Wendy Myers joined the group ASK THE EXPERTS
    January 31, 2019
  • Henry Borysewicz
    Henry Borysewicz posted a topic in the group ASK THE EXPERTS:
    January 29, 2019
    Has anyone tried firing gems like cubic zirconium or synthetic ruby under enamel?
    • Henry Borysewicz
      Trish White Hi Henry,
      I have checked with one of my colleagues - and you must look up the heating temp of the stone before putting it under an enamel - I rather see the stone on top!
  • Henry Borysewicz
    Henry Borysewicz joined the group ASK THE EXPERTS
    January 29, 2019
  • Diahn Flair
    Diahn Flair: I am new to enameling and have been looking at the work of many different enamelist to see what effects are possible. This picture is of a piece by Diane Druin and I think it looks like mother of pearl on the inside. Is this effect one type of enamel...  more
    January 21, 2019
    • Sofi Etsadashvili likes this.
    • Diahn Flair
      Mary Chuduk Piece is by Erica Druin, daughter of Marilyn Druin. Metalwork by Michael Goode. Transparent over fine silver with gold foil.
  • Diana Wieler
    Diana Wieler: A Dream Come True -- Guilloche! Dear friends, since I began enamelling 9 years ago I've been looking for someone who does guilloche work on metal. That's the name for the elaborate designs engraved into metal using something called a 'Rose Engine'. It...  more
    January 13, 2019
  • Yvonne Cupolo
    Yvonne Cupolo: Looking thru some old boxes of lead bearing enamels , I found a small bottle of " Liquid Palladium"..4 grams..with Thompson label. How is this used on vitreous enamels ?
    January 1, 2019
    • Yvonne Cupolo
      Trish White Liquid metals are very fine particles of gold (M-12) or palladium (M-13) mixed with organic medium. They can be applied with a brush or crow-quill pen for fine lines or...  
  • Charles Winkel
    Charles Winkel: There is no radiation with the enamel. What you have to worry about with old enamel is the toxic fumes that firing gives off. These fumes are dangerous. One of the best things that Thompson has accomplished was to eliminate these dangerous enamels.
    October 6, 2018
  • Cathy Hazel
    Cathy Hazel: Thompson Forsythia... Has anyone actually tested the radioactivity of this vintage enamel? Everyone (users and Thompson enamels) are telling me it is safe, but I have only heard from folks that would be benefit or find comfort from this believe. Love to...  more
    October 3, 2018
  • Sheridan Conrad
    Sheridan Conrad: I am rather new to enameling, however, a jeweler for four decades. My question is where do I obtain a product called lily root. I want to do vertical work and if anyone has any to sell or a direction to buy it I could sure use your help. Thanks
    August 3, 2018
    • Sheridan Conrad
      Trish White Hi Sheridan,
      It seems Lily root is not sold in any of the suppliers - I have a jar which I would be happy to sell you but if you are doing vertical work and 3-d cloisonne you can use BLU-STIC -sold by Thompson Enamel -
    • Sheridan Conrad
      Sheridan Conrad Yes, i would love (LOVE) to purchase it frim you!
  • Anna Margolis
    Anna Margolis: I have just ruined a piece and I want to understand what went wrong(-: I have enameled either fine silver or copper before, but this time it was a  sterling silver plate I have cleaned it the way I usually clean copper- anneal, pickle, scrub and so on....  more
    June 24, 2018
    • Anna Margolis
      Trish White Hi Anna,
      Are you saying that the Silver you used was "silver plated" - because you cannot enamel on plating.
      You must depletion guild Sterling Silver to bring up the fine silver - the salts in the silver disrupt the enamels and that is why we use clear...  more
    • Anna Margolis
      Anna Margolis Thanks, no I didnt mean it was silver plated, I meant it was a piece ("a plate") of sterling silver. I do use the clear flux first - I was just wondering whe the adhesion of the enamel to the piece was so bad - was it because I didnt do depletion...  more
    • Anna Margolis
      Trish White Copper responds to a wide range of enamels - both opaque and transparents- Sterling Silver is an alloy of 925 parts fine silver and 75 parts copper. and it also contains Salts - Because Sterling silver contains copper fire scale appears when the metal is...  more
    • Anna Margolis
      Anna Margolis Dear Trish, thank you for your suggestions and advice. Especially about EtchAll ( I have another brand of glass etching cream- hope it also works)- if it will help me to get my cloissone wires back without doing bending it over and over again - its a bit...  more
  • Allen Green
    Allen Green joined the group ASK THE EXPERTS
    March 6, 2018
  • Margie Foster
    Margie Foster: Thanks Trish, after thinking about it the liquid enamel my have gotten wet. After the liquid enamel was dry, I wet packed flux on the front and fired them both at the same time. I'll try it again one at a time.
    November 14, 2017
  • Trish White
    Trish White: Hi Margie,
    Sounds like not all the areas of your Liquid Enamel were completely dry and the moisture puffed up your enamel as it was heated. Another thought -  perhaps there were areas of your copper that were not completely clean - you know when the...  more
    November 14, 2017
  • Margie Foster
    Margie Foster: I'm having trouble with liquid enamel. I put it on bare copper. After firing, some  areas are smooth, some areas have puffed up. I don't know what went wrong. I know the enamel was completely dry and was fired at 1450. 
    November 13, 2017
  • Gina Carroll
    Gina Carroll joined the group ASK THE EXPERTS
    July 30, 2017
  • Vjacheslav Yegorov
    Vjacheslav Yegorov joined the group ASK THE EXPERTS
    November 15, 2016
  • Diana Wieler
    Diana Wieler: 831 Grisaille White -- Thompson Vintage Leaded Enamel -- does anyone have experience with this enamel and what effects does it produce and what technique?  I have acquired a reasonable amount (3 pounds!) and want to know how best to put it to use.  It...  more
    October 27, 2016
    • Diana Wieler
      Charles Winkel Leaded white doesn't act any different then unleaded. The difference is temperature, it fires at a higher temperature, and a longer firing time. It is also very hazardous. It gives off lead fumes in firing and applying. It's worth your health using...  more
  • Trish White
    Trish White: Hi Fiona - I would suggest getting some pigments- follow Linda's suggestions, and experiment.
    August 16, 2016
  • Rudolf Molnar
    Rudolf Molnar: Jim you can use 24K gold foil for enamelling. Looks beautiful and is it not so expensive.
    August 6, 2016
  • Jim Jordan
    Jim Jordan: Thanks Trish, that's too bad.  It's so easy and cheap to put down a shinny gold layer.
    August 5, 2016
  • Jim Jordan
    Jim Jordan: I recently got a gold plating pen and it works well.  I'm plating a nickel layer under the 24K gold plate to keep the silver from migrating through the gold.  It looks so nice that I'm wondering if I can gold plate over silver then enamel over the...  more
    July 31, 2016
    • Jim Jordan
      Trish White No you cannot enamel on gold plating because it is too thin and will dissolve into the glass. Thompsons offers a heavy silver plated steel that is good for only 1 firing.
  • Jim Jordan
    Jim Jordan joined the group ASK THE EXPERTS
    July 31, 2016
  • Mali Portnaya
    Mali Portnaya: Hello everyone! I am just wondering has anyone tried to work on a white gold? Had some problems with using only 18k gold wires, and don't know what will happen if I would use white gold 18k as a plate
    July 20, 2016
    • Mali Portnaya
      Trish White What were the problems you experienced?
    • Mali Portnaya
      Mali Portnaya Wires were just bombing from the flux
    • Mali Portnaya
      Mali Portnaya I was using yellow gold wires
    • Mali Portnaya
      Trish White I am going to push this along to a few of the gold pros -
    • Mali Portnaya
      Trish White Inquiring minds want to know what temperature you are firing your wires at?
      Perhaps you are firing too high.
  • Mary Rose
    Mary Rose: Hello, does anyone  enamel on enameling iron, enameled iron tiles, or enameled steel plates?
    May 28, 2016
    • Mary Rose
      leslie litt Yes I do and I like them I usually get them already counter enameled a base coated on top
  • laura taskey
    laura taskey posted a topic in the group ASK THE EXPERTS:
    May 24, 2016
    I'm trying to find the correct procedure for using SE-2, separation enamel. Can someone please help with that? Thanks.
    • laura taskey
      Trish White HOW TO USE SEPARATION ENAMEL - by Joseph A. Osina Prepare copper by Kiln firing...  
    • laura taskey
      leslie litt If you are interested in the US contact Tom Ellis at Thompson enamel and ask him to send you sheet he has written up on procedure if not in US send email to him he might beagle to send to you as an email attachment
  • Trish White
    Trish White: Hi Pam,
    I would also suggest Linda Darty's book, "The Art of Enameling" - she covers Watercolor Painting Enamels & Acrylic-
    Acrylic Enamels are standard enamel powders dispersed in an acrylic polymer resin. You can mix these colors and apply them thinly...  more
    May 23, 2016
    • Trish White
      Pamela Wilson Thanks, Trish! I haven't checked Linda's book yet as half of my studio is in storage. Thanks for the tips - this will be a fun experiment! Pam
    • Trish White
      Fiona Sands I'm interested to know if anyone has used ceramic underglaze pigments on enamel..Linda mentions these as wrll
  • Trish White
    Trish White: Have you looked at Thompson's Workbook? if not, you can buy it directly from them.
    May 22, 2016
    • Trish White
      Pamela Wilson HI Trish, yes, I have and i bought an acrylic enamel set from Thompson a few years ago but have never opened it. I will be calling Tom Ellis tomorrow to see what he can tell me. Thanks!