dam/s

[jackiesimmonds]

No, I am not losing my temper, I just want to know where one can buy ceramic dams for the kiln!   ??

[Angie]

i think Warm glass sells dams

[Steampunkglass]

i think Warm glass sells dams

You got there before I'd finished typing!  They do, and so do creative glass, but both are showing them as out of stock 

[Nina A]

they seem to be in stock here....

http://www.creativeglassguild.co.uk/prod/dam-mould

[Pat from Canvey]

I cut up my old shelves with a household tile saw to make my dams. Old because after many, many pot melts, the surfaces become blistered so I reuse the edges. Similar to this http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Diamond-Blade-Wet-Saw-Tile-Cutter-450w/p/215754?CAWELAID=120135120000003471&CAGPSPN=pla&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_campaign=Google+Shopping+-+Tools+%26+Workwear&tmcampid=104&tmad=c&tmplaceref=&tmcustom=mkwid|P6ia6fj4_dc|pcrid|43364653852|&gclid=CNXuxvfk18MCFfQZtAodSiMANA

[jackiesimmonds]

yes, knew they were out of stock in places....did not spot them on CGG.  Thanks.   Also good idea about cutting up old kiln shelves, I have some which were used in my enamelling kiln, they are covered in the centre with enamel and other stuff, (enamel on metal is grubby work sometimes, when the enamel drips off and onto the shelves)  but they are probably clean around the edges.  I do have a tile saw, with a diamond blade on it for cutting glass.  Will it spoil that blade if I cut the kiln shelves with it?  Anyone?

Also - can one use fire bricks?

[shafeenan]

Someone suggested to me that if you just want shallow dams you can cut up those ceramic tile edging strips - sort of like coving or dado rail that come in the sort of sizes that ceramic tiles do....depends what  you want, I guess.

[Pat from Canvey]

Tiles are ceramic as are kiln shelves and both are softer than glass.

[Angie]

Tempsford glass also do them

[jackiesimmonds]

thanks everyone.  I shall have a go at using the edges of my old kiln shelves.     And I shall see if I can pick up something useful from my local tile shop, great idea.....and I have some spare ceramic shelves in the garage, I think...............

[Pat from Canvey]

You can also use flat pieces of terracotta from a builders merchant but not sure how long these would last. Don't forget I use terracotta flower pots in my vitrigraph kiln and these are OK as long as I anneal them.

[jackiesimmonds]

Anneal the terracotta pieces do you mean?  How do you do that?  Sorry to be so ignorant.......I feel such a dork.

I anneal my copper sometimes, that goes into a hot kiln for just a minute or so. 

[Pat from Canvey]

Since I'm using a brick kiln, I just let it cool down to room temperature on it's own. With the vitrigraph, I put the ceramic fibre bung back into the hole in the bottom of the kiln and let it cool. If I don't put the bung in, the flower pot develops cracks.