Regarding Bill Wrobel’s question: the fiberboard is 6 or 12mm?

Regards,

Mihai

Thanks for your kind comment. It is indeed our good fortune to have this contact with you. Just imagine that, a mere 10 years ago, we would all of us have been pretty much confined to our studios. And now we can talk like this and discuss ideas together!

You also asked a question: our own trays are made from 1/8 inch gauge mild steel which are ½ inch deep. As noted earlier, each side of the tray has an L-shaped profile.

All the best,
Stephen

P.S. I can’t be certain we did get your referral from AllExperts. But I’ve checked our inbox, and everything is answered and up-to-date.

P.P.S. So that other folks know, this is Carl’s profile on AllExperts.

Thanks ever so much for your continued efforts to promote the excellence of painting on glass.

I am curious about the gage of the metal you use for the trays shown in the video. Obviously, it isn’t necessary to use 1/4″ steel, but what do you use or recommend?

Also, did you get the recent referral I sent to you via Allexperts.com. (I noticed some time ago that you all were co-contributors to the site.)

Again, thanks you all for your generosity.

Carl Trimble
Trimble Studios
Dallas, Texas

A very Happy New Year to you as well! And thanks for your comment and question.

Now we don’t dry out the whiting. We just use it straightaway.

All the best,
Stephen

P.S. As with all these things, different situations can give rise to different results. So the best thing is always to march forward armed with good advice and always be prepared to make your own observations and conclusions.

This is rather ‘spooky’! I find I have a few days to spare and thought I would look at achieving a better result when firing using whiting. Just then your email arrived. In a way you have given me some more ‘play’ time now because I shall hurry on over to a super local blacksmith that I know and talk about making a tray (or two?).

A question: does one have to dry off the whiting in the kiln (just in a pile on the bat) and then sieve it before using it as you describe?

If this is necessary, then at what temperature and for how long, please? (I have a feeling I may be thinking of plaster of Paris – some years ago before I came and did a course with you two, the guy who taught us said we had to bake out the whiting before using it to work with).

Clarification would be most gratefully received. And let me tell you how very much I enjoy your frequent messages.

I wish you a very happy new year!

All the very best,
Shelagh

Thanks for your comment. You are absolutely right in your observation. We should have made this clear in the main body of the post. We will now add a comment there to that effect.

The tray itself is made from 4 separate pieces of mild steel whose profile is L-shaped. These are then duly welded together to form a tray with a large hole in the middle.

To plug the hole, we insert a piece of fibreboard which is used pretty much forever because it doesn’t suffer any wear-and-tear.

Thanks so much, Bill, for pointing out the need for clarification here!

All the best,
Stephen

Now it looks like there is/are a sheet or two of 6mm fibreboard at the bottom of your tray before you add whiting in the video.

Is this correct – or is it just more whiting that I am seeing?

And again thank you for sharing this tip.

Thanks for your comment. It’s always helpful to us and others to know what works for different people. You ask whether you should also press the Plaster of Paris. Truthfully, now, what can I say? Myself, I’d certainly want to know that all pockets of air had been removed from any powder – whether whiting or Plaster of Paris, or anything else – that I’d used in order to prevent the heated glass from sticking to the kiln.

Maybe you’re using such a fine layer that there’s no air to expel.

Can you say?

Here’s the point: we can tell you and others what works for us – this doesn’t mean it’s the only thing which works. Therefore it’s wonderful that you and others also join in and say what works for you. Thanks so much!

All the best,
Stephen

P.S. Thank you also for sending us an image of the kind of glass painting that you do. It’s always so helful for us to know something of the direction that you are heading for. We’re therefore always glad when you and others send us images of their work. Thank you!