I have been using Papyros Kiln Paper (Well I think it is cant remember since I bought it quite a while back) for Fusing Coasters in my Paragon SC3. Have found that the underside never seems to smooth. Certainly seems to be a bit of the texture of the kiln shelf maybe. This I am sure could be for many reasons but as I got a small supply of Thin-Fire paper from my Warm Glass starter kit which does seem to be alot smoother.
So am wondering should I maybe just use Thin-Fire, should I put a layer of the Papyros under the thinfire. What would be best.
Have a few coasters from my playing and would like to Fire Polish them to try and get a nice smooth finish all over. (Doesnt need to be as these are going into a picture frame for my Nephew). So if Fire Polish the coasters will the side that is currently nice and shiny end up textured as well.
I don't want a perfect finish to them in the sense that it looks mass produced I want it to look handmade by me so a little scruffy I am happy with. Just would like an all over smooth shine just to make me totally happy.
So far have only fused 3 coasters and am having much fun
Anything shelf side down will pick up the texture, even at lower, fire polishing temperatures. The only way to get super shiny surface both sides is cold working whichever side was face down last.
I thought the idea of Papyros *was* to impart texture - I've not used it. Thinfire WILL give you a smooth surface and a batt washed shelf, gently rubbed down to take out the brush marks (or sprayed on) can be effective too.
Thinfire is only good for one firing, I don't know about Papyros. Thinfire works out much more expensive than batt wash/shelf primer, but in a small kiln such as an SC3 you aren't really using much at all.
Right am gonna have to look up cold working...but think I will try thin-Fire on my next and see.
I only had the other paper (Not 100% certain it is Papyros) for shelf lining when annealing beads in my tiny kiln and that was only for Annealing beads.
Well I am really enjoying fusing at the moment. Waiting to open the kiln to see what I have created is quite exciting.
CHeers
R
Glad you're enjoying yourself. I agree with Dawn, and a rubbed-down batwashed shelf can give as good a finish as thinfire. Thinfire also sometimes sticks to things (especially cobalt blue). Never used papyros. I think that to get both sides to a supershiny finish will be a lot of work, though I wonder what would happen if you could stand the coasters on their sides or on a heat-proof cradle which just held them up at the corners.
Ok so will have to Flame Polish the one side and be happy. It isnt an issue but think mostly just getting used to what I can achieve. Will also be having a quick play with PMC and see what sort of mess I can make with that....will possibly be an abstract blob of silver by the time I;ve finished. But given thsat a pile of bricks can be classed as art all will be good :-)
If possible use a different shelf for PMC, as I'm told metal fired on a shelf in the kiln will leave a nasty mark on some glasses fired later on the same shelf (especially reds, I think).
Nick
Welcome to the happy world of anxiously waiting to see what the Kiln Fairies have left you! ;D
I like to use Primo - single-use kiln wash. It gives quite a smooth finish but crumbles to powder during firing so glass can't stick to it. Also doesn't curl up at the edges like Thinfire from a roll tends to do.
as Moira says, thinfire can curl up, I put an offcut of waste glass onto each corner of it to hold it down.
I just roll thin fire the opposite way before using it and it stays flat then.
I've been known to use a shelf prop to hold down the corner of a piece of Thinfire if it tries to roll up- usually if I'm fusing lightweight things like frit balls. If you're fusing things the size of a keyring or bigger, they'll hold the Thinfire down.
If you use it, it's 25% cheaper at the mo from Glass Studio Supplies, as they've got their sale on ;D