Title: enameling-msg
Subject: Info on enameling methods.
Author: Edited by Mark S. Harris
Last saved by: Mark S. Harris
Keywords: medieval, enameling, crafts, jewelry, glass

enameling-msg - 4/14/10

Enameling techniques. Medieval and Renaissance enameling.

NOTE: See also the files: glasswork-msg, metals-msg, glues-msg, painting-msg, tiles-art, pottery-msg, fabric-paint-msg.

************************************************************************
NOTICE -

This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday.

This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org

I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with separate topics were sometimes split into different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance, the message IDs were removed to save space and remove clutter.

The comments made in these messages are not necessarily my viewpoints. I make no claims as to the accuracy of the information given by the individual authors.

Please respect the time and efforts of those who have written these messages. The copyright status of these messages is unclear at this time. If information is published from these messages, please give credit to the originator(s).

Thank you,
    Mark S. Harris                  AKA:  THLord Stefan li Rous
                                          Stefan at florilegium.org
************************************************************************

From: kruella118 at aol.com (Kruella118)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Enameling question
Date: 26 Mar 1996 02:59:24 -0500

Regarding a question from Peter Rose (WISH at uriac.uri.edu) about Cellini on
enameling:

Please forgive me gentlemen, for jumping so late into your discussion, but
I believe I can help.

The reason Cellini is obscure in the beginning of his chapter on enameling
is because he's actually discussing engraving techniques. He is preparing
a plaque for basse-taille enameling, which is enameling on a low-relief
engraving. For some reason, Cellini does not discuss the enameling
technique he used to embellish three dimensional castings.

The word "pece greca" means "Greek pitch." Even Cellini didn't make
everything from scratch, he bought his pitch from suppliers from Greece.
The addition of brick dust (plaster of paris is better) makes the
composition less gooey, and the wax causes it to melt at a lower
temperature for easier working. Engravers typically have a preferred
formula for their pitch bases, which are intended to support and secure
the metal as it is worked. This technique has not changed at all through
history, and modern books on engraving may explain the technique clearly
enough to make your translation easier.

This pitch is indeed similar to the dopping cement used to attach a stone
to a dop stick. If you attempt to engrave a plaque without a pitch anchor,
the pressure on the metal will cause the plaque itself to cut into your
hands, or worse from Cellini's point of view, the graver will skip and
ruin the work. Cellini's pronouns are also confusing when he says to "heat
it." The pitch is heated, not the plate, when the plate is anchored. Both
the plate and the pitch are heated to remove the plate from the pitch when
the engraving is complete, and any remaining rediue on the back is removed
with alcohol (vodka works, isopropyl is better) so as not to interfere
with the enameling later.

The outline with the compass means scribing a border around the intended
enamel area. The glass will not extend all the way to the edge of the
plate. When setting the finished enamel into a larger piece later, this
metal border will protect the prongs or bezel wire from chipping the
glass.

Cellini says to engrave the plate to depths that differ by the "thickness
of a piece of paper." When the plate is enameled, the resulting
differences in the depth of the glass show a suprising range of color that
give richness to the enameled image. Basse-taille is my favorite technique
because of the beauty of even simple designs.

Cellini also later says not to touch up the engraving with punches or
chasing tools, as that will cause the enamel not to adhere properly. I
have found that this is not the case with modern enamels, which fire at a
higher temperature because of their lower lead content. But this was not a
discussion on the comparative composition of enamels -- I hope this helps
and I wish you joy with your translation.

THL Rowena MacLeod, Barony of Arn Hold, Atenveldt
reply to: wballard at nwrc.ars.pn.usbr.gov 
because I'm borrowing this account

Date: Fri, 10 Oct 1997 18:24:03 -0700
From: KyraKai <fiddlersgreen at geocities.com>
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Re: FWD>enameling

> From: arenal at bc.sympatico.ca
>         I am trying to get a mystical blue on Sterling silver and having
> nothing but failure. If I depletion gild, use transparent flux, I am
> still getting yellowing or graying of my Thompsons "winter" blue. To
> make matters even more confusing, I acheived the mystical blue on some
> testers, but when I work on a piece of jewellry, it doesnt work. At my
> wits end..... could you possibly help me?
> 
>                                                 Lissa

Have you spoken to Thompson Enamel.  I understand from my roommate that
they have a number that you can call.  He also said that if you have any
solder exposed that it could cause discolouration when you fire your
piece.

Date: Fri, 10 Oct 1997 21:42:51 +0000
From: "Ben Shaifer Jones" <imperial at earthlink.net>
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Re: FWD>enameling

This has helped me in the past.  Give it a try and see if it helps 
you.  If not, nothing lost, elsewise, you can finish your jewerly.

Try grinding your enamel to break off the outer layer that has taken 
up moisture.  After grinding this loose, rewash the enamel and 
continually rinse into the water is clear.  Dry the enamel fully (can 
use mild heat) and try the project again.  When firing, bring the 
heat up slower than before to allow any resisidual moisture to vapor 
off slower since small cavities within the enamel lend a cloudy or 
off color look.

Hopes this helps,

Valdimir Uskovich

Date: Sat, 11 Oct 1997 00:43:05 -0500
From: Gunnora Hallakarva <gunnora at bga.com>
To: arenal at bc.sympatico.ca, sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Enamelling Question

>        I am trying to get a mystical blue on Sterling silver and having
>nothing but failure. If I depletion gild, use transparent flux, I am
>still getting yellowing or graying of my Thompsons "winter" blue. To
>make matters even more confusing, I acheived the mystical blue on some
>testers, but when I work on a piece of jewellry, it doesnt work. At my
>wits end..... could you possibly help me?

Greetings!

If you have any bare metal unfluxed you will get discoloration.  I've found
that if you aren't real careful in heating the flux it can develop cracks
and then the underlying metal oxidizes and contaminates the color.

Thompsons also sells a liquid enamel preparation that's opaque white.  I
have had very good success fluxing, using the opaque enamel first, then
placing my color down over the white.  You get a nice bright color on top
of the white as well.

Another idea to consider is calling Thompson's.  They've been very helpful
when I've spoken to them in the past.

Gunnora Hallakarva
Herskerinde

Date: Sun, 12 Oct 1997 13:14:08 -0500
From: Gunnora Hallakarva <gunnora at bga.com>
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Enamelling Sources

As a follow-up to the question about enamelling, here are some helpful
sources.

Thompson Enamel can be contacted at:
Thompson Enamel 859-291-3800 650 Colfax Ave Bellvue, KY 41073
[area code updated: 9/02 - Stefan]

Thompson's has always been very helpful.  Get their catalogue!

Meanwhile, here are some websites you should check out:

The International Guild of Glass Artists
http://www.bungi.com/glass/igga/

IGGA Article on Enamelling Safety
http://www.bungi.com/glass/igga/cgg7d.htm

The Enamellist's Society
http://www.craftweb.com/org/enamel/enamel.htm

Art Glass World
http://www.artglassworld.com/

Art Glass World also maintains a WWW message board where you can place
questions that will be seen by other glass artists
http://www.artglassworld.com/wwwboard/

Hope this helps!

Gunnora Hallakarva
Herskerinde

Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1999 15:07:59 -0500
From: <marsha.greene at mpan.com>
To: sca-arts at UKANS.EDU
Subject: Re: Help! Glass enameling problems, need advice

I read the following about enameling on Bronze, and also believed it could
not be done.  I have done a bit of enameling, mostly on Copper and silver,
wanted to try brass (I am told red-brass is recommended, has a higher
copper content, than yellow-brass), and eventually bronze.

Last night I was looking through an old out-of-print book on Enamels, I
think from the 60's, and there was a whole chapter on history (wow! highly
unusual).  There was a discussion on metals used and it included Bronze!
and some pictures of enamels on bronze!    The text essentially said that
the vitreous enamel was poured in a molten state into the champleve cells
of the bronze.     I will bring the book to work, so I can site chapter and
verse, and see if I can find the museums where the pieces discussed are
held.   Never say never!     Hillary /Ansteorra

>--- Gregory Stapleton <gregsta at perigee.net> wrote:
>> I've cast some low-phosphor Bronze medallions and wish to enamel the
>> background.  Every time I try to enamel them, the enamel that I'm using, a
>> medium-fire enamel, seems to draw up and glob.  It doesn't settle
>> down and smooth out.
>>
>> Gawain Kilgore / Gregory Stapleton
>
>According to my Dad, who did industrial enameling until he retired, you
>can't enamel bronze with vitrious enamel.  Something about needing an
>oxide bond between the metal and the glass, and the tin in the bronze
>alloy has too low a melting point, and vapor pressure too high, and you
>can't do it.  Sorry.  This is vicarious, and someone else may have
>different info.  Good luck.
>
>-- Harriet

Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1999 19:02:51 -0400
From: "Gregory Stapleton" <gregsta at perigee.net>
To: <sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu>
Subject: RE: Help! Glass enameling problems, need advice

Thanks, Hillary!  I look forward to your source information.  I've come to
find out some more, myself, since my original post.  I should be able to
enamel on bronze, I just need to use the correct enamel.  Also, some modern
bronze has too much silica in it to be enameled.  Evidently, the metal has
to oxidize for the glass to have something to grab onto and the silica helps
to prevent this oxidation.  My bronze is definitely oxidizing, so I think
the silica content is nil or low enough not to matter, though I'm trying to
get the actual makeup of it.  Also, I've come to learn that I was putting a
much too thick coat of enamel powder onto my bronze.  I've had some better
success with much thinner coats, though I'm not there yet.  I have at least
successfully enameled copper, so that's some progress. :)

Gawain Kilgore/Atlantia

Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1999 20:20:45 -0700
From: Edwin Hewitt <brogoose at pe.net>
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: cloisone' was enameling problems

Lorine S Horvath wrote:
> Wow!! Tarrach here.  As one who reads a lot about early period (5-8th
> century, I would have thought that one could not enamal on anything BUT
> bronze.

I'm not sure what you are looking for but one mistake I have made was the
assumption that cloisone' on bronze and gold was enameled cloisone'.
As it turned out, the more common process was to inlay garnet into
the cells and then carefully hammer the metal walls to spread and set the
stones into place (essentially the same technique as tube setting, but
the cells would take the place of the tubes).
--
Edwin

Date: Sun, 2 May 1999 16:41:40 -0500 (CDT)
From: Lorine S Horvath <lhorvath at plains.NoDak.edu>
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Re: cloisone' was enameling problems

Well I am aware of the cloisonee work with garnet on gold (infact, just
yesterday, I gave a friend of mine who is into stone cutting a bunch of
chaep garnet to break along the crystalin plane for me so I can do this).

However, what I was refering to is the redish enamal work that is common
on irish and pictish bronze work of the 6-7th century. As you sound
interested in this subject, you may want to ILL Anglo Saxon Studies in
Archaeology and History #4 (1985).  It has several very interesting papers
in it including "Dark Age Garnet Cutting" by Bimson, Further Evidence from
East Anglia for Enammelling on Early Anglo-Saxon Metalwork by Scull, and A
Study of the Cross-Hatch Gold Foils from Sutton Hoo by East among others!
Real good reading!

Date: Wed, 05 May 1999 14:33:09 -0400From: rmhowe <magnusm at ncsu.edu>To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.eduSubject: Re: cold enameling There is also a fairly new series of low fire enamels that fireharden around 200 degrees in the oven (I think). I tried yesterdayto find it on the web, but could not find a particular page listingit. I think Rio Grande may carry it. But you'd have to order theircatalog to find out. http://www.riogrande.com/That should be below the temperature you are having trouble withwith your other metal fuming out at any rate. Magnus

Date: Wed, 05 May 1999 14:19:41 -0500From: <marsha.greene at mpan.com>To: sca-arts at UKANS.EDUSubject: Re: cold enameling There is a difference in the 'enamels' and the metals they may be used on.One source book declares 'Enamels' as material fused to metals.  I believeMel (cold enamels) is referring to the 'Polymer' enamels, and the kilnfired glass is called 'Vitreous'.  I guess in the truest sense, both formsare enamels.The traditional historical enamel is 'Vitreous' enamels, based on silicaand ash materials (ie glass) with pigments added for color . Vitreousenamels usually are ground to a fine powder, mixed with a binder andpainted/wetpacked/sifted onto a surface, then fired at high temperature(1300-1500deg) in a kiln till the glass softens.     I have also seenperiod examples of vitreous glass enamels in a solid form, set into bevelor cloisons like gem stones.With the advent of petroleum products, we now have available 'Polymer'enamels, made from a petroleum resin and pigments.  The pigment is mixed(1:1) with a polymer hardner (like SuperGlue), and then sqeezed onto cellsor laid onto the metal (puddle and pull method).  It can be hardened to dryover time, or you can accelarate the process in an oven at 250deg.  (don'tuse your kitchen, toxic fumes, use toaster over outdoors).Many SCA artisans and vendors have been using the Polymer stuff to createinsignia medalions and decorative jewelry and cloak clasps.  They are verypretty, and I bought a few from a Jeweler/armourer at GulfWars recently,who I believe is from Calontir.  Mistress Athena of Ansteorra has beenusing the Polymer for years.  The 'enamels'  most oft used tend to betransparent jewel tones, though I know you can buy it in opaques.   Theproblem with this material that I have seen is that over time, it may tendto dry up, become dull and crack off the base metal (brass seems the mostpopular used).   Though this may be because some of the jewelry we tend towear in the SCA gets worn 'hard' and stored in many environments from coldcamp sites to hot cars, before it gets taken out and worn at an event, andthis may not being doing the resin any favors.For these artisans, the use of the Polymer material is probably easier,quicker, and faster turnaround than the use of the Vitreous material.    Ihave not  yet found examples of a historical use of a resin based 'enamel'(like the polymers), but Mistress Athena has stated that the ancientscollected tree resins and mixed pigments with it (ie. pitch from tree sap).I need to research some more to find some examples of such.Everytime I hear someone calling the Polymer resin based jewelry as'enamels'  I twitch a little.   To me, its not enamels, only the vitreousform is.   The average person does not generally know  the differencebetween the two types.  I have some qualms with the use of the Polymerresins in historical reproductions for A&S entry, but not in use as SCAsubstitutions in awards and jewelry.   The Polymer resin can be used onbrass, which vitreous does not tend to like.  SCA'ers like brass, as itlooks like gold.    You can buy the polymer stuff from Rio Grande, theyhave two brands.  I recently bought some from my local jewelry supplier, toplay with, and to lay into the cells of some brass medalions I have etchedfor kingdom awards.  The vitreous enamels are best found from Thompson'sEnamels, and there are Oriental and English companies that make it as well.     Hillary /Ansteorra

Date: Thu, 06 May 1999 09:32:09 +0100
From: Scot Eddy <seddy at vvm.com>
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: cold enamleing

I recently made a set of wedding crowns fro my wife and me and I used
Testor model paints (the gloss enamel variety) and we were happy with
the results. It's cheaper then the poly enamels and easier than the real
thing. Use a toothpick to avoid the brushstrokes on the surface.

Michael's carries Porcelin 150 which is the low-temp, oven bake (200
degree) stuff or you can find it in the Pearl catalog here is the web
address...
http://www.pearlnyc.com/pearl/ind.html

Jovian Skleros
Ansteorra

Date: Fri, 7 May 1999 02:57:01 -0400
From: Melanie Wilson <MelanieWilson at compuserve.com>
To: "INTERNET:sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu" <sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu>
Subject: Cold Enamal

I'm not sure we can be talking about exactly the same thing, I realise
polymer enamal is [not] exact for historical reproduction but I use it as it is
something I can do safely with the kids around, however having done both
for years, I can't really tell the difference one done except the polymer
feels a bit warmer, but a bit I couldn't in a blind test tell the
differance I'm pretty sure. not without a lab anyway !

Mel

Date: Tue, 08 Jan 2002 15:03:09 -0500
From: rmhowe <MMagnusM at bellsouth.net>
To: - Regia Anglorum - North America <list-regia-us at netword.com>,
   "- SCA-ARTS at listsvr.pca.net" <sca-arts at listsvr.pca.net>,
   - StellarArts <StellarArts at yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Interesting Book on Medieval Metalwork and Enamelling Techniques

Something I bought used this last week (not for sale by me btw):

Weathered, Newton: Mediaeval Craftsmanship and the Modern Amateur -
More Particularly with Reference to Metalworking and Enamelling; 
with illustrations; Longmans, Green and Co., 39 Paternoster Row,
London, EC4. New York, Toronto, Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras; 1923.
Printed in Great Britain. 
    Has a nicely tooled book cover and clasp in it along with a 
number of other projects like boxes, a cross, jewelry, a lamp, 
repoussee, etc.

    Joining of metals, Enamelling: Cloison'e, Plaque work, 
Grisaille, Enamelling in Relief, Plique a jour.
Manipulation of sheet metal. Theophilus and the Renaissance.
On Lustre. Etruscan Grain Work in Gold. Niello and some Trivialities:
Niello, Jewellery, Foil Impressions; Glass Gems, Casting in Metal,
Suggestions of Colour for Woodwork, Gesso, Casting in Clay.

   His projects were: a Russian Morse (cross pendant); Silver
and enamel cross; Enamelled dish; enamelled cup; Brass and enamel
casket; Cloisonn'e Enamel; Silver Box; Brass and Enamel Box;
Painting in Grisaille; Casket; Candlestick with enamel panels;
Copper box - six sided; Copper box - enamelled; Two silver boxes;
silver box; Silver repouss'e; paper knife; Gothic spoon; Book
cover - leather and enamel; From an engraving by Etienne de Laune;
Neillo Cover; Brooches; Comb Ornament; Glass Cast and Mounted in
Silver and Enamel; Pewter Cast. These are illustrations of the
finished projects from the techniques he has discussed with are 
not otherwise depicted in process.

    It does a lot of comparisons of techniques from Theophilus 
and Cennini to then (1923) available materials and techniques. 
For discussion of techniques it is somewhat similar to the
better technically illustrated Metalwork and Enamelling by 
Herbert Maryon (the guy who did a lot of the restoration work 
for the major British finds of the earlier part of the last 
century). 150 pages with a lot of examples and discussions of 
making medieval replicas. No original antiquities depicted 
though.

   For those of you interested in working with the techniques of
75 years ago it may well be worth searching out. I've had time
to peruse it but not read it thoroughly. Some of the techniques
were rather unique I thought. The man did experiments simulating
the medieval techniques and records his experiences.
   I generally begin looking for such things with 
http://www.bibliofind.com/ 

Master Magnus Malleus, OL © 2001 R.M. Howe
*No reposting my writings to newsgroups, especially rec.org.sca, or
the SCA-Universitas elist. I view this as violating copyright
restrictions. As long as it's to reenactor or SCA -closed- subscriber
based email lists or individuals I don't mind. It's meant to 
help people without aggravating me.* Inclusion, in the 
http://www.Florilegium.org/ as always is permitted.

Date: Thu, 25 May 2006 00:08:30 -0400
From: rmhowe <MMagnusM at bellsouth.net>
Subject: [SCA-AS] Actual Agate Mortars and Pestles for enamel painting
To: - Dunstan <Dunstan at yahoogroups.com>, 	- EKMetalsmiths
	<EKMetalsmiths at yahoogroups.com>,	- Metallum_Lochac
	<Metallum_Lochac at yahoogroups.com.au>, 	- SCA-ARTS
	<artssciences at lists.gallowglass.org>

When I took multiple cloissone courses my teacher was
very specific about needing an agate mortar and pestle
to grind the 80 grit glass used for enamelling to something
much finer, more in the 320 grit range. This is done to
prepare the glass powder for painting with glass enamels.

Anyway it took me five years to find an agate mortar and
pestle [prohably because it didn't occur to me to look on
eBay where one company sells them in fairly large lots].
I kept looking at our local gemshows, up to six per year,
and all I could find were softer ones. None of the suppliers
I knew of carried them.

When I bought one last night there were nineteen left in
this particular lot and he had a second page up so I assume
the dealer has more.

Item title: Mortar and Pestle 3" Agate for Lab Shop Home Chalcedony
Web address:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7414391856
On eBay the dealer is known as Opticaspace.

He also has some small crucibles, some of which are in the 4000°F
range and some which are cheaper in the lower ranges.
They might be good for mixing specific small amounts of metal
alloys. Although Rio Grande, I have been informed, sells an
Ancient Bronze mixture. The Romans and Celts regularly enameled
on bronze brooches. I am hoping it will work with manganese
bronze. Have some, will have to try it.

OpticaSpace / AA Portable Power Corp
2700 Rydin Road C
Richmond, CA 94804
ebay at mtixtl.com

Magnus

Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2006 09:08:32 -0400
From: rmhowe <mmagnusm at bellsouth.net>
Subject: [SCA-AS] Enameling with Goldstone [glass]
To: - EKMetalsmiths <EKMetalsmiths at yahoogroups.com>, 	- Dunstan
	<Dunstan at yahoogroups.com>,	- SCA-ARTS
	<artssciences at lists.gallowglass.org>, 	- Metallum_Lochac
	<Metallum_Lochac at yahoogroups.com.au>
Message-ID: <449FDC50.2040704 at bellsouth.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

I wondered what my teacher was doing with the goldstone
I have always seen in brown.  I got an email from her some
time ago saying she was using that and ground Swarovski
Crystals [Austrian leaded glass] to enamel with.  I wrote
to her about seeing the emerald green goldstone [for anyone
who has never seen brown or green goldstone it is fairly
translucent with many hundreds of tiny golden flakes per cubic
inch. 

She is grinding it up and enameling it.  Apparently goldstone
is a type of glass.  So I suppose you could use obsidian too.
Said it is working real well in the agate mortar and pestle.
She thinks that since it is glass it should be available in other
colors too than just the green I've seen and the brownish
gold she has presently.  I reckon I am buying goldstone
next.  The people with it return on the 7th of July.

I posted their address recently. It is the first green goldstone
I have ever seen and it is beautiful. 

South East Gems & More
custom designs, jewelry repair, cut stones, wire wrapping,
facet rough, cabbing rough, tumbling rough, equipment and supplies.
P.O. Box 14577
Augusta, GA 30919
www.segems.com
Mark 706-490-4550;  Patricia  706-490-4515  Green Goldstone

My teacher also mentioned doing granulation in her last email. I'll have
to find out if she means the tiny applied metal balls or something
enamelish.  I wrote back and asked.  Haven't heard yet.
The period reference for that is
Birka V--Filigree and Granulation Work of the Viking Period :
An Analysis of Materials from Bjorko by Wladyslaw Duczko
(Illustrator) Library Binding, 118pp. ISBN: 9174021621
Publisher: Coronet Books  Pub. Date: June  1985
Ordered from Amazon 9/10/00  $37.49

One on 7-8th C enameling and glass in the Style of the Vendel Culture:
   Arwidsson, Greta.: Vendelstile. Email und Glas im 7.-8. Jahrhundert.
(Acta Musei Antiquitatum Septentrionalum Regiae Universitatis
Upsaliensis II./ Valsgärdestudien. 1.)  Uppsala & Stockholm
(Almqvist & Wiksell), 1942. 136pp.+ 8 plates, 94 illus. hors texte.
19 text figs. Lrg. 4to. 31 x 24 cm. Cloth, Wrappers.
You might try Ronnells.se for a copy. They respond in English if
you email them.  That is the biggest bookstore in all of Scandinavia.

Magnus

Date: Tue, 27 Jun 2006 08:39:20 -0400
From: rmhowe <mmagnusm at bellsouth.net>
Subject: [SCA-AS] Re: [Metallum_Lochac] Goldstone and Sunstone
To: Metallum_Lochac at yahoogroups.com.au, 	- EKMetalsmiths
	<EKMetalsmiths at yahoogroups.com>,	- Dunstan <Dunstan at yahoogroups.com>,
	- SCA-ARTS <artssciences at lists.gallowglass.org>

Tyghra na Tintagel wrote:
<<< Goldstone is, in fact, a simulant for the natural Sunstone.  I picked up
a beautiful piece of natural Sunstone being sold amongst other gemstones
on a rug in the courtyard market held in front of the Tarragona
Cathedral in Spain.  Sunstone is the national stone of Spain so I
thought it a little serendipitous to find such a lovely piece in a
country that truly appreciates it.

Goldstone looks nothing like Sunstone.  If you get a 10 times loupe or
preferably, slightly higher magnification on to it, the little sparkly
flecks will reveal themselves to be little flakes of copper with perfect
hexagonal outlines.  That's about as interesting as it gets for most
gemmologists :)

Grinding it up for enamelling purposes sounds intriguing though, as does
the green version!  Must try it sometime.

Tyghra >>>

That is a most interesting bit of information. I shall
have to look at it when I buy some green and brown goldstone
in two weeks.  The dealer is coming back to town.

Lillian, my teacher, wants to know if there are any other colors
than green and brown.  She thinks there must be.
Has anyone seen any other colors? 

I was amazed at the emerald green with the wonderful flecks.
I only saw it the last five minutes of the show but the sellers
promised they were returning in two weeks for the next one..

She can use it under a transparent layer of colored glass on top of
a clear one for special effects.  I suppose she can alter the
color a bit that way.

Here is how my teacher Lillian uses it in enameling:

<<< The goldstone looks like glitter in the glass.  I layer it in with clear and
transparent to get the effect.  If you grind it, you can control the density
of the glitteryness.  A little goes a long way. >>>

She is using her new agate mortar and pestle to grind it with.
They come in a very pretty box as well.  Mine is very well
made.  We bought them from an ebay dealer.  opticaspace

<<< I can try the bottom heat on the tripod.  The metal mesh eats alot of btus,
but that might not be a problem if I use two torches.
http://www.rocksmyth.com/ is the site with lots of Jean Stark stuff.  Check
out the dragonfly. >>>

I think the second paragraph refers strictly to granulation.
There are some amazing pieces on those pages.
We were talking a bit via email about how she is trying to
heat her pieces from above and below. 
Another email in which I was talking about granulation with her
revealed the following:

<<< http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archive/200112/msg00263.htm 

This looks like good instructions to me, except I copper-plate my granules
first to lower the melting temp.  I am going to see about buying some
pre-made granules, for uniformity.  L >>>

I'll have to check with her about how she copper plates granules.
I have plating equipment but I suspect a pen is being used
instead of a bath.  How would you plate granules that are too
small to attach to an electrode?

Jean Stark teaches jewelry at Meredith College in Raleigh NC.
She and her daughter are very well known for their work and
their inventiveness.  They invented a way to photo-resist on
metal with a special little machine.  It takes extremely bright
flashbulbs to burn through a photo-resist.  Then the item
is cleaned and etched.  I have taken those classes from someone
else at the Raleigh Pullen Arts Center here.

I know other ways to do the same thing without the exposure
machine.  It costs somewhere over a hundred.  Being a natural
scrounge I have an electric arc machine for doing single
newspaper pages in the basement I bought at State Surplus.
The guy I used to know twentyfive years ago used to expose
his screens for screen printing beneath a strong halogen light
for an hour or so.  He silk screened shirts, signage and very
large backdrops for special events.  The light hung over a
table inside his workshop.

The Stark's classes are a bit too expensive for me to attend.
Somewhere in the US $450 dollar range plus a lot more for
materials.  My teacher is one of Jean's students. Then Lillian
teaches folks at the NCSU Crafts Center once she has mastered
a technique.  Her classes are a fifth of what Jean Stark's are
and she is very talented herself.  I take what I would have paid
the Starks for some classes and buy equipment and reference
books instead.  That way I have something tangible to use and
refer to.  Lillian I can afford to take classes from. Hers are still
hard to get into. 

Right now she is taking granulation classes from the Starks
and experimenting on her own.  I want the two of us to
collaborate on the experimentation.  I have some equipment
that should be useful in the process I know Lillian doesn't have.

Granulation is the placing of small balls of gold or silver on
the surface of an object and fusing them together.
Lillian wrote me she is actually copper plating the silver balls
before she solders them.  The ancient technique involves
some sort of copper salt so this makes some sense. Silver
can have copper leached out/off of it with acids like plum vinegar,
which is how the Japanese brightened silver/copper alloys.

Anyone knowing exactly which copper  salt was involved
please reply!

She also told me a quarter ounce of the pre-made silver balls
costs $150 so is looking for a way to make them herself in
certain sizes which you have to control the silver amount very
closely in. 

I have a curious old tool which apparently was
made for shearing many small sizes of wire to exact lengths.
Have no idea what it is called but when you put it in a vise
and drop the wire down a similar sized hole it stops it where
you set a bottom plate for any length and shears the wire
by sliding the two holed plates against one another in a
fashion that apparently is cam actuated.  It was a lightly
rusty antique when I bought it and cleaned it up.
This thing should precisely cut wire into small bits to
put on a charcoal block and heat into balls.
Lillian does that and then drops it into water.
I also have screens she doesn't and rolling mills, casting
molds and other cutters.  So I am hoping we can collaborate.

I will let you folks know if  I learn something special.

Magnus

Date: Tue, 27 Jun 2006 20:07:08 -0400
From: Lois Fitzpatrick <soothsyr at optonline.net>
Subject: [SCA-AS] Goldstone colors
To: artssciences at lists.gallowglass.org

There is also blue goldstone available. It is usually a navy-blue color with
silver-appearing sparkles. I have a couple pf pieces of commercially-made
jewelry with it. A number of years ago, I also purchased a few pieces as
cabochons.

Elena Norreys
East Kingdom

Date: Fri, 30 Jun 2006 21:38:50 -0400
From: rmhowe <mmagnusm at bellsouth.net>
Subject: [SCA-AS] Re: [EKMetalsmiths] Pinzart 6"x6" Sheet Mica
To: EKMetalsmiths at yahoogroups.com, 	- Metallum_Lochac
	<Metallum_Lochac at yahoogroups.com.au>,	- SCA-ARTS
	<artssciences at lists.gallowglass.org

A. Fisher wrote:
<<< Mica is indeed one way of supporting plique. It is my understanding that 
while the enamel does stick to it, it only sticks to the uppermost layer 
of the mica, and the remnants can be stoned off during finishing. 
Gradually one would use up the mica sheet, but it would take a while. >>>

Thank you for all the information, here is what my teacher,
Lillian, said her experiences are:
<<< Well, I don't know much about Plique a jour.

I have tried it over mica,  just pierce your silver and lay it on a mica
sheet, filling the voids with enamel.  Wires are OK, too, but it should be
structural enough to hold together.  The mica peels off after you are done.
It leaves a funky finish, which I guess you could stone off and flash fire.

Valerie Timofeev is a Russian who builds filigree cups and bowls and fills
it with enamel. It is transparent, and amazing.  I have no clue how it
works, but I am guessing that it has to do with surface tension, rather than
backing it.

You can also enamel with silver filigree on copper foil and etch away the
foil after.  I you get any better answers, I'd be interested. >>>

That was Lillian's sum total reply. 
I will pass your tips on to her.
Everyone contributes, everyone learns.

If enameling isn't everyone's cup of tea it at least has it's
own skill set and keeps useful chatter going.  ;)

I hope we get some other replies.

It would be very interesting seeing some awards pierced
and transparent.  Earrings made this way could be
especially attractive with the light passing through them.
Myself? I like pendants and badge making generally,
domed and not domed.

I made all the tiny leaves, stems and knot for a Laurel
medallion several years ago from fine silver ribbon,
put it in the kiln, and I guess someone must have bumped
the table because they all shifted off center when they
melted into the glass.  There went two day's work.

I had taken a long thin needle nosed set of pliers and
ground the leaf shape onto them on the gradually tapering
jaws.  One side being rounded, the other being tapered
to a point. By gripping the stem in the leaf itself first
I could then wind it around the pliers and then bend the
'in air' stem away from the leaf and it had worked really well.

For the knot I used my broken and ground needle eye stuck in a
pin-vise invention.  If the wire is annealed then your bends
can be as small as one side of the needle eye and you can
bend to your pattern flat on your paper pattern.

At least with a -pierced sheet- this could not happen.

As to the unfortunate black spots from popped firescale or
the result of using blue glue to hold the ribbons on in difficult
places that leaves holes in the enamel - I use a very sharp
awl point to crack them out, refill, and remelt.
I also think that the firescale often cracks off the stainless
steel trivets that we use to support the pieces in the furnace.
So cleaning them might help. The only exposed copper I
have when I fire is on the edges since I fire both sides at
once for the initial firing.

Just picked up a Jelenko Dental Furnace off eBay today.
I didn't expect to win by at least $40 but I guess many
people forgot to bid on it.  It only went about $11 above
the $69 starting price.  These things have a 3 x 3 x 3"
firing chamber, so would seem adequate for enameling.
There are lots of them on eBay under dental equipment
or Jelenko.  I figured someone would bid over $100,
so bid just to see what would happen in the low $80's
Very surprised when I won.

I reckon I shall buy some mica now since I know how it
is used thanks to you two.

As to the ceramic sheet - could you not use some tile
and possibly coat it with spray silicone or thin kiln wash
or bead release as a parting release and then stone it off? 
Or coat it with lamp-black from a candle on the surface?
This is what pewterers did before pouring metal into a
bronze mold.  They held their mold parts above the
candle upside down to coat it.

We used to coat rtv molds with vaseline sprayed in an
airbrush after we had thinned it with Methyl Ethyl Ketonr
or MEK, available at many paint stores. Seems like it
might be possible to do the same with thinned bead release.

At this I am just speculating.
How useful it might be I don't know.

Thank you,

Magnus

===========
Other possibilities: I've heard of titanium being used similarly, but 
the people I know who have tried it said it stuck. I think one needs to 
fire the titanium a few times first, to build up an oxide coating or 
some such.

You can also buy a fairly expensive and fragile but quite useful thin 
ceramic sheet- maybe 2x2 inches- and a support for it. The enamel sticks 
a tiny bit to it, but not badly. It is expensive, small and really 
fragile, though. I've used this, and it works pretty well. (I haven't 
personally used the others.)

Generally I fire "in air"- meaning that the enamel isn't supported by 
anything, really. The metal frame is on a tripod support. There are 
limitations on cell size and I think it tends to require more firings, 
but one can do domed shapes that way, which is why I prefer it.

I would not trust glass as the bond between plique wires. If I do 
filigree, I solder it (eutectic or IT solder, then depletion gild). You 
can also pierce sheet by sawing (or, I suppose, etching) to make the cells.

I think etching, then removing the backing metal mechanically, sounds 
like a horrible amount of work. And I'd be concerned about acids 
affecting the enamel. Still, I know it's a traditional approach, at 
least in theory!

I do not tend to use copper in plique, since the firescale tends to pop 
off while the glass is still tacky, resulting in black specks in the 
enamel. I do have a piece of pierced copper with silver filigree that I 
built to experiment with, though. Just earrings, so not a big deal if it 
fails!

Hope this helps!

-Amanda Fisher
http://www.afmetalsmith.com

rmhowe wrote:
<<< Okay, this has my curiosity up.  I have never heard of enameling on mica 
before.
The only too brief page mentions no back enameling.

Questions:

I presume it doesn't stick to the mica?

Can you lay down wires and fire between them on it?

I may need someone to reexplain the plique a jour technique to me.
I understand it is like enameling in a set of small windows only I thought
the depressions in  the metal were first eaten out by an acid, and then
once the enamels were fired in them, that probably the front is covered
with enamel and the back removed by abrasion or etching to expose the
cells.  Here is your chance to educate me on something.
I wouldn't ask if I knew. I have never done enameling on mica or
pliique a jour.  I have done plain enameling and silver cloissone [which
can be also done with copper wire]. 

Would someone elucidate?

Magnus

http://pinzart.zoovy.com/c=MaLXZuJrPkiH74Uo4Qeh1tjjB/product/0973-MIC-2
>>>

From: Bob Woods <bobwoods at mac.com>
Date: July 4, 2009 12:31:52 AM CDT
To: pewterersguild at yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [pewterersguild] coloring pewter

  On Jul 3, 2009, at 11:36 AM, Stefan li Rous wrote: 
> Just to clarify here. For this last medallion, the Goutte, are you 
> firing it for the low-fire Pebec enamels, or real enamel? My 
> assumption has been that true enamels require a temperature high
 > enough to melt glass, which isn't something you can do in a home 
> kitchen oven, and that it would melt the pewter you are enameling. 
> 
> Stefan

Yup, the low-temp glass painting "enamel", around 300-325 Fahrenheit.  Well below the melting point of most pewters of around 600 F,  depending on alloy. Easily fired in kitchen or even toaster ovens.

  I also occasionally do true enameling, mostly on silver, as used in  the cloissonne and champleve techniques. It uses colored powdered  glass as the medium. Temps there can vary from around 1100 F up to  around 1600 F, which is starting to get somewhat close to the melting  point of fine (100%) silver at 1750 or so. Definitely far into the  realm of kiln temps, which is why I've got a small enamel kiln.  

Real enamel is far more labor intensive compared to the low-fire  "enamels" which only require painting, letting it dry for 24 hours and  baking it from 15-30 minutes, which is why I've been able to afford to  donate the medallions to the kingdom. My material costs for the  painted pewter medallions are on the order of roughly 35 - 50 cents  each, and I do them in batches of 20-60 at a time.

  I seldom would sell a small enamel piece for less than $50 and some  could run up to $300 or so, depending on size and complexity. A  complicated design for the enamel, fabricating fancy mounts, large  size, or graver work on the silver base in combination with  transparent enamels to do textural or diapering-type backgrounds all  can be factors. Most enamels that I've done are custom designs, done  one at a time on commission.

  It commonly takes 4 hours or more for even a simple piece, needing  anywhere from 5-15 (fairly quick) firings in the kiln to build the  enamel up, and hand-grinding down rough and high spots between  firings. Big and complex pieces can take up to 2 days of shop time.  

The results with real enamel can be vibrant, permanent color with  subtle gradations, shading and depth and also is about as period as  you can get.  

Conchobar

From: "mandrisa at gmail.com" <mandrisa at GMAIL.COM>
Date: January 8, 2010 7:54:10 PM CST
To: CALONTIR at listserv.unl.edu
Subject: Re: [CALONTIR] Kiln?

<<<Does anyone know where I can get a good quality kiln at a decent price for enameling?

Ishmala bint Yuhannah >>>

I've heard of people getting good deals at china conventions.
Annette

From: Ro <wickedpict at YAHOO.COM>
Date: January 8, 2010 10:59:51 PM CST
To: CALONTIR at listserv.unl.edu
Subject: Re: [CALONTIR] Kiln?

Check out the PMC dealers. They are usually tabletop size and have the temp control for enameling.
 
Shajar

<the end>

Edited by Mark S. Harris	enameling-msg	Page  of