Supporting beads in wire mesh for a batch anneal

[ShinySnail]

Hi,
I have just bought the following from B&Q and was wondering if anybody else has tried the same stuff?

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9436441&fh_view_size=10&fh_location=%2f%2fcatalog01%2fen_GB&fh_search=wire+mesh&fh_eds=%c3%9f&fh_refview=search&ts=1288691830496&isSearch=true

Just a bit worried that it's not suitable - It's got a white powery dust on it, assume this should just burn off?

Any advice would be appreciated, I don't get to use the kiln very often so have a bit of a big batch to do, don't want to loose them!

[Zeldazog]

do you know what metal it's made of?  It just says "metal" on the description online.

[ShinySnail]

No 
Sorry that's not very informative... I can't find the thread now but somebody on here did say they bought mesh for annealing from B&Q...

[Zeldazog]

I always had it in my head that people would be using the steel plate with punched holes in it... but I don't have a clue.

[Kalorlo]

I think stainless steel mesh is what's recommended 

[Tills]

looks good.. I have been looking for some of this for ages!

Please let us know how you get on!

[Zeldazog]

I remembered this image from ages ago, which is why I was thinking the holey stuff:

Reply #1

http://www.frit-happens.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1672.0

[MadelineBunyan]

I'm sure mesh would work the same way as that once bent and trimmed to shape

its the 'metal' question that concerns me a bit, maybe fire it first on some kiln lining of some kind, without any beads in to burn off anything unwanted? (with extractor/ventilation on!)

[Zeldazog]

Yes, I thought so too, Madeline, mesh would do the same thing, but that was the only picture I could find (probably why I had punched hole mesh in my head the first place)

I too would be more concerned about what the actual metal is, as some have quite low melting points?

[MadelineBunyan]

powdery coating sounds like it could be galvanised with zinc. (which we used to burn off in the forge at college!cant weld to it y'see! dont know what temp it burns off at though)

how easy is it to bend? if its very soft then it probably isn't any good, if its pretty hard then it might be steel.

I'm fairly sure that if it was stainless theyd tell you so.(and charge you more)

[poledra1958]

I used the mesh that I got for firing metal clay on a gas hot I had a spare that the 1.6 mandrels would go through.  I then cut down some old 1.6 mandrel to fit in the kiln, (as I only have a small kiln).

http://www.artclaysupplies.co.uk/acdl_item.php?mc=firing&item=48

Jenny

[silverleaf]

I recently bought some stainless steel mesh from:

http://www.themeshcompany.com/acatalog/Stainless_Steel_A5_Sized_Sheets.html

I bought the one with the aperture size of about 4mm - it is fairly easy to bend to shape but rigid enough to stay that shape!

Helen

[fionaess]

You want to batch anneal?  Just put your beads in a pyrex lid/dish/cup  - pop it into your klin and away you go- as long as its for soft  glass beads 

[Hules]

I've got the holey steel mesh from B&Q - chopped down to size and bent to shape.  It made an annealing rack to kebab my beadies and enough spare for an L shaped piece to poke my mandrels into if I ever get round to garaging my beads with my bead collar.  It's worked brilliantly. 

I didn't know you could put them in a pyrex dish.  I'll have to try that, I'd get loads more in! I went to the kebab as a way originally to prevent the silver glass fuming the white on my beads.

[stuwaudby]

White powdery coating sounds like galvanised iron mesh.

Zinc melts at 420 DegC so will melt off at the 512 DegC you need for annealing. It will proably oxidise before forming droplets in your kiln. Probably ok for resting mandrels on, personally I wouldnt risk my kiln. Definatly don't rest your beads directly on it, they will discolour or be marked.