Comments on: About The Artist http://alohilanidesigns.com Patsy Croft's Enamel and Goldsmith Blog Mon, 21 May 2012 11:45:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Patsy Croft http://alohilanidesigns.com/about-the-artist/comment-page-1/#comment-18417 Patsy Croft Wed, 09 May 2012 21:54:57 +0000 http://alohilanidesigns.com/?page_id=451#comment-18417 Good to hear, yes the thin layer also gives you more clarity in your transparent enamels, and easier to dry. You will fine not only is it less work to use fine silver, but the enamels are clearer, and sparkle more. You should purchase the fine silver and when you open it do not touch it, just around the edges to cut the sizes and start enameling. No annealing, it is pure silver and very soft. If you ever have to put it in pickle it might get a bit frosty. If you still do not have the jewel bubble free, up your temperature 20 degrees. You should not need to fire more than 1 minute 15 seconds on a 1 inch piece. So if you are firing longer and that could be the problem. If you have a jewelers loupe look real hard at the jewel, as it might not be bubbles but small particles that did not get rinsed out when washing your enamels. You can tell as these are usually around the edges, where they settle as you are enameling. Have Fun, Patsy Good to hear, yes the thin layer also gives you more clarity in your transparent enamels, and easier to dry. You will fine not only is it less work to use fine silver, but the enamels are clearer, and sparkle more. You should purchase the fine silver and when you open it do not touch it, just around the edges to cut the sizes and start enameling. No annealing, it is pure silver and very soft. If you ever have to put it in pickle it might get a bit frosty. If you still do not have the jewel bubble free, up your temperature 20 degrees. You should not need to fire more than 1 minute 15 seconds on a 1 inch piece. So if you are firing longer and that could be the problem.

If you have a jewelers loupe look real hard at the jewel, as it might not be bubbles but small particles that did not get rinsed out when washing your enamels. You can tell as these are usually around the edges, where they settle as you are enameling.

Have Fun, Patsy

]]> By: Emily http://alohilanidesigns.com/about-the-artist/comment-page-1/#comment-18416 Emily Wed, 09 May 2012 21:11:14 +0000 http://alohilanidesigns.com/?page_id=451#comment-18416 Dear Patsy, Thank you for all that sound advice!I realized I can considerably reduce the mini bubbles by enamelling really thin layers although I haven't managed to achieve a totally bubble free surface. I'm not sure the 925 is worth the effort and time! I will order some AG999 and see what the difference in result is. So with fine silver do you just anneal and pickle before enamelling? Thank you again for your advice. Your website is a godsend! Claire Dear Patsy,
Thank you for all that sound advice!I realized I can considerably reduce the mini bubbles by enamelling really thin layers although I haven’t managed to achieve a totally bubble free surface. I’m not sure the 925 is worth the effort and time! I will order some AG999 and see what the difference in result is. So with fine silver do you just anneal and pickle before enamelling? Thank you again for your advice. Your website is a godsend!
Claire

]]> By: Patsy Croft http://alohilanidesigns.com/about-the-artist/comment-page-1/#comment-18348 Patsy Croft Mon, 07 May 2012 19:25:44 +0000 http://alohilanidesigns.com/?page_id=451#comment-18348 Emily, Welcome!! It could be several things, but first let's start with cleaning the metal. On copper use a product like Comet Cleanser.I see you are in the UK and may have this, have in the grocery store for cleaning kitchen surfaces. You can order Penny Brite from the enameling supplier. This is just for copper. On silver we do not usual enamel on 925 silver. We use pure or called fine silver.You will get bubbles on 925! If you have to enamel on 925 then you need to perform depletion on it as many as 10 times = heat and in pickle, rinse with clean warm water and a brass brush. Just lightly. You do not brass brush it the last time. And if you brush it too hard and not under running warm water you deposit brass on the sliver. Another one, let the enamels dry before firing. On copper fire at 1550 degrees. I fire on fine silver at 1420 degrees. If I fire too low I also would get tinny bubbles.No ultra sound. The difference in price in sterling silver and fine silver is not much, exp. to go through all the trouble of depleting. Let me know how it goes! Patsy Emily,

Welcome!! It could be several things, but first let’s start with cleaning the metal. On copper use a product like Comet Cleanser.I see you are in the UK and may have this, have in the grocery store for cleaning kitchen surfaces. You can order Penny Brite from the enameling supplier. This is just for copper. On silver we do not usual enamel on 925 silver. We use pure or called fine silver.You will get bubbles on 925! If you have to enamel on 925 then you need to perform depletion on it as many as 10 times = heat and in pickle, rinse with clean warm water and a brass brush. Just lightly. You do not brass brush it the last time. And if you brush it too hard and not under running warm water you deposit brass on the sliver. Another one, let the enamels dry before firing. On copper fire at 1550 degrees. I fire on fine silver at 1420 degrees. If I fire too low I also would get tinny bubbles.No ultra sound. The difference in price in sterling silver and fine silver is not much, exp. to go through all the trouble of depleting.

Let me know how it goes! Patsy

]]> By: Emily http://alohilanidesigns.com/about-the-artist/comment-page-1/#comment-18346 Emily Mon, 07 May 2012 17:58:14 +0000 http://alohilanidesigns.com/?page_id=451#comment-18346 Hello, I am struggling to find the reason for the army of tiny air bubbles in my transparent enameled surfaces. They appear on copper and 925 silver alike. I rince my colours with distilled water. I heat, quench and pickle the metal several times... I thought cleaning the metal with an ultrasound would help but they're still all over the place. I would like to achieve a perfect bubble free surface, HELP! Hello,
I am struggling to find the reason for the army of tiny air bubbles in my transparent enameled surfaces. They appear on copper and 925 silver alike. I rince my colours with distilled water. I heat, quench and pickle the metal several times… I thought cleaning the metal with an ultrasound would help but they’re still all over the place. I would like to achieve a perfect bubble free surface, HELP!

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