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Do mica powders have to be compatible with the glass...example....Can I use any mica on float glass? What is the best way to apply it? Should it be used between two layers of glass?

doctac wrote:Do mica powders have to be compatible with the glass...example....Can I use any mica on float glass? What is the best way to apply it? Should it be used between two layers of glass?

No. Yes. Spray. Not usually, unless you fire it on top first, then cap it. Micas on float are underwhelming, they require an opaque background to be dynamic. Brock

doctac wrote:Should it be used between two layers of glass?

This gives a different look than micas on top. Try both ways on a test piece. As Brock mentioned, a dark background is usually best, but if you apply the mica heavy enough you can get a decent appearance on clear.

An airbrush is definitely the best way to apply.

Micas on float work well with enamels. Mica doesn't sink in to float like it does on BE. It will sink in to enamel though. Geri Comstock and I have each done some experimenting with these. One pitfall is that the mica can sink in to the enamel layer and disappear. If you apply enough and fire it right, it can look really cool.

I found that a spray of mica on the surface of the enamel during the first firing will allow me to slump enamel side to the mold in the next firing. The mica protects the enamel from sticking to the mold. This allows me to make a bowl with a float glass interior and matt, mica covered, colored, exterior.

Thanks for replies this a.m...Would you advise then using Thompson Enamel first on clear float, firing, then applying mica (airbrushing), capping with another layer of clear float and refiring? Final thickness will be 5/8 for a sink...I hope...Is there a problem with doing this in stages...Each piece of float is 1/8"....using 5 layers...Anyone know where I could get 10 mm float already cut into 18 inch diameter circles?

doctac wrote:Thanks for replies this a.m...Would you advise then using Thompson Enamel first on clear float, firing, then applying mica (airbrushing), capping with another layer of clear float and refiring? Final thickness will be 5/8 for a sink...I hope...Is there a problem with doing this in stages...Each piece of float is 1/8"....using 5 layers...Anyone know where I could get 10 mm float already cut into 18 inch diameter circles?

A couple of points. I have had some bad luck with lots of thin layers of float. Because the top layers are not very heavy they tend to get bubbles under them. Setting up a thick mass with a thin bubble near the top is a bad situation, difficult to anneal and prone to cracking on reheat. I get my best results with 2 layers of 10mm.

You can get precut ground and polished circles of 10mm. There are companies in Michigan and North Carolina and companies who import them from Asia. Do a search and see what you get. You might find a local shop with the grinder to polish them.

Personally I can make a lot of circles from sheet glass and work out a nice fire polish for the cost of a precut. Cutting out circles in 10mm is a snap when you have the right tools.

I quit using Thompson enamels way back in the past century. It's Ferro for me for a zillion reasons.

i have also had good results using micas over ferro enamels. i have not sprayed them, but used them by brush and air pen. rosanna