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Tumbling Kiln wash from cabs

Does this work fairly safely? I got talked into making hundreds of very small cabs (all under 3/4" most under 1/2"). One of the colors I am using (Bullseye lapis would have to check the exact number if anyone cares) all stuck to the kiln wash or vice versa. It was even Bullseye kiln wash which I usually don't have a problem with. I had someone else pull one shelf out and pop another one in ready to go and fire it so all were done before I realized this color was a going to be a pain and I now have about 400 of the little things all covered in kiln wash.

So I'm *not* scrubbing them! I need to avoid the usual chemical solution (lime away or ....). Dug through the archives and only found one mention of using a tumbler this way so am after more opinions.

I can get a hold of a vibratory tumbler easier than redoing all these things. Is it effective and if so which tumbling medium, stainless or porcelian?

Thanks,
michey

michey wrote:Tumbling Kiln wash from cabs

Does this work fairly safely? I got talked into making hundreds of very small cabs (all under 3/4" most under 1/2"). One of the colors I am using (Bullseye lapis would have to check the exact number if anyone cares) all stuck to the kiln wash or vice versa. It was even Bullseye kiln wash which I usually don't have a problem with. I had someone else pull one shelf out and pop another one in ready to go and fire it so all were done before I realized this color was a going to be a pain and I now have about 400 of the little things all covered in kiln wash.

So I'm *not* scrubbing them! I need to avoid the usual chemical solution (lime away or ....). Dug through the archives and only found one mention of using a tumbler this way so am after more opinions.

I can get a hold of a vibratory tumbler easier than redoing all these things. Is it effective and if so which tumbling medium, stainless or porcelian?

Thanks,
michey

michey - if the surface is smooth on all sides the tumbler should remove the kiln wash but you will probably also get a matte finish which could be reversed by firepolishing the cabs afterwards. use plastic pellets and 600 grit silicon carbide with water and a drop of dishsoap. just check them periodically.

i tumble some earring parts in a Tumble Vibe 5 with stainless steel pinshot covered with water, just above the level of the shot, and then a squirt of lemon joy. the shot doesn't hurt the glass. i ordered something from Rio Grande ... super sunsheen, i think ... to enhance the cleaning properties, but i haven't tried it yet because i'm away from the studio for a couple of weeks, in another state. if the back of the cabs will be visible, i think the previous person's comments about firepolishing is probably right. btw, i dont use BE kilnwash on my jewelry pieces, only on plates. for jewelry, i use kaolin and alumina hydrate, 50/50. i like the results better. for those cabs that need cleaning, you might also use 220 grit waterproof blacksandpaper. the cleanup goes very fast indeed, and you could blow thru those cabs much faster than you think. dump them into a pan of water, and rub them on the sandpaper on a hardsurface, like the kitchen counter. that sandpaper strips off kilnwash very fast. when i use the tumble vibe,i am cleaning polishing rouge off of the metal parts i have fused into my earrings. good luck. kitty.

You mentioned not wanting to use Lime Away, however it's probably the easiest way to clean them up. Pour it over all cabs, let set for awhile then wearing rubber gloves, you can pick up each one and using your thumb just wipe off all the kiln wash. Linda

I agree with Linda. If you soak cabs for about 15 minutes in Limeaway, the stuck kiln wash usually will fall right off. I slosh cabs around several times during the soak to aid in this process. No scrubbing is required most of the time.

Good luck!

Geri

Thank you everyone. I appreciate all the help. Someone else is going to do the limeaway for me. I can't handle, open the chemicals or even be in the same room with it open without triggering a migrane currently which is why I was avoiding that solution. It is the fastest solution though.

I am going to give a borrowed tumbler a try next week for future options but turns out we need the cabs sooner than that for this batch.

Geri Comstock wrote:I agree with Linda. If you soak cabs for about 15 minutes in Limeaway, the stuck kiln wash usually will fall right off. I slosh cabs around several times during the soak to aid in this process. No scrubbing is required most of the time.

Good luck!

Geri

geri, is limeaway something available at my local walmart, home depot or lowes?
thanks
D

dee wrote:

Geri Comstock wrote:I agree with Linda. If you soak cabs for about 15 minutes in Limeaway, the stuck kiln wash usually will fall right off. I slosh cabs around several times during the soak to aid in this process. No scrubbing is required most of the time.

Good luck!

Geri

geri, is limeaway something available at my local walmart, home depot or lowes?
thanks
D

Possibly. It depends on if you have hard water where you live. I buy it at the grocery store (Safeway). It's made for removing hard water deposits on sinks and things.

Geri

michey wrote:Tumbling Kiln wash from cabs

Does this work fairly safely? I got talked into making hundreds of very small cabs (all under 3/4" most under 1/2"). One of the colors I am using (Bullseye lapis would have to check the exact number if anyone cares) all stuck to the kiln wash or vice versa. It was even Bullseye kiln wash which I usually don't have a problem with. I had someone else pull one shelf out and pop another one in ready to go and fire it so all were done before I realized this color was a going to be a pain and I now have about 400 of the little things all covered in kiln wash.

So I'm *not* scrubbing them! I need to avoid the usual chemical solution (lime away or ....). Dug through the archives and only found one mention of using a tumbler this way so am after more opinions.

I can get a hold of a vibratory tumbler easier than redoing all these things. Is it effective and if so which tumbling medium, stainless or porcelian?

Thanks,
michey

There is more on this tumbling here n over craftweb recently

Biggest problem with glass is them banging in2 each other especially during the polish