[TheForge] pot

[Andrew Vida]

On 8/8/2012 11:13 AM, Ries Niemi wrote:
> Bruce, re-enameling may be theoretically possible- but where I live,
> its usually practically impossible, with, basically, no shops who do
> it.

I'm wondering whether you could get one of the blowers in your area to 
do it.  There is a glass shop in Renton, methinks... I dropped in there 
several times, a few with Seshat so she could  see what they did as she 
was very interested in glass blowing at that time.

I've done enameling and it is not terribly difficult.  The hardest part 
for large work like this is obtaining a large and consistent heat.  A 
large forge set to a low output should be good for this sort of work. 
With large "industrial" pieces such as pots and bath tubs, the surfaces 
are prepared with an agent whose name escapes me at the moment to help 
the frit stick to the surface without blowing away.

The base frit is essentially flour-ground and is applied through a 
sifter.  If you want the dots, reapply more stick stuff and sift a 
larger mesh frit over it.  Fire.  Done... though I would imagine larger 
work like that (I've only done smaller pieces) will need to  "anneal" to 
avoid cracking and spalling of the surface as the metal cools.