impromptu molds and dams

[Suzette A]

I am looking for impromptu mold and dam ideas. Found objects, re-purposed goodies.

Ideas I am considering:

Food cans
Altoid tins
ceramic tile
steel foil (used to create a firing box for metal clays)

Can anyine give me pros and cons of these ideas?
Obviously everything would be kiln washed and lined with fiber paper as appropriate.

Have a lovely Sunday!

[linn keller]

hi suzette,
i'm as big a fan as anyone of re-purposing stuff for glassing....but a suggestion when you're on the hunt...consider the material of which the object you're considering is made. why? compare the melting point of the material to the temp it'd be subjected to in the kiln. if it'll melt or give off bad fumes, i'd nix it from the get-go. and if it's a shape you can't live without, make of mold of it and then a copy from that mold.
some things don't take to kiln wash well and you might need something like MR 97 (?)(i think that's an excellent bn spray) or the Universal mold coat stuff that you mix with acrylic-based house paint and you can coat ceramic pieces without removing glaze, etc.
ceramic tile cut up can work splendidly for dams.
have fun searching for cool one-of molds.
linn

[Bert Weiss]

There are a few characteristics you need to understand when repurposing stuff. First is melting point, for instance, aluminum will melt before fusing temperatures. Another is expansion and contraction rates. Then there is whether it will stick to hot glass. With steel, will it rust and flake apart? Never use galvanized steel, it will create toxic fumes.

I use fiber boards, fiber papers, fiber blankets, fiber ropes, firebricks, 304 stainless steel, mullite kiln furniture and shelves, vermiculite boards, and a variety of sands and other refractory powders.