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Fusing and Stained Glass Tips and FAQ's => Fusing Tips and FAQ's => Moulds => Topic started by: Lloki on August 09, 2009, 12:07:40 PM

Title: Stainless Steel Mold Thickness?
Post by: Lloki on August 09, 2009, 12:07:40 PM
Does anybody out there have any stainless steel molds?
If so, how thick is the steel?
I'm thinking of making my own mold (small enough to go in an SC2) and I've seen some stainless steel sheets at 1.2mm and 2mm thickness, just wondered if they would be OK?
I know it'll be hard to form, but I know some chaps who could do the hard work for me!
Title: Re: Stainless Steel Mold Thickness?
Post by: Zeldazog on August 09, 2009, 12:52:44 PM
There might be some information here, I had a quick glance and couldn't see anything about thickness though:

http://www.warmtips.com/Cat1.htm (http://www.warmtips.com/Cat1.htm)

Or have a look on Dennis Brady's glass campus, I think he might have something about moulds.

I'll dig out a link for that site in moment.

Title: Re: Stainless Steel Mold Thickness?
Post by: Zeldazog on August 09, 2009, 01:02:18 PM
Here we go, there's a couple of useful tips in there, also read about holes in slumping moulds

http://www.glasscampus.com/tutorials.htm

On the warm tips tutorials, there's something about a bean can used as a hankerchief vase mould, so that gives you an idea about how thin it can be.

If you're slumping INTO the mould, remember you'll need an air hole.

And I think you have to ramp slower than usual (well, I suppose that depends how you usually do it) because of the expansion rate of stainless.


If you ask Trudi, she has my Brad Walker book at the moment, I am fairly sure there's something in there about stainless moulds.

HTH

Dawn
Title: Re: Stainless Steel Mold Thickness?
Post by: Lloki on August 09, 2009, 10:40:36 PM
Brilliant!
Thank you Dawn :D