(has anyone tried this or similar yet?)
Could have, but why. All the fuss and cost of a stainless container,
burying the sheet in carbon, etc. So much easier to just put on a
proper coating of Prips flux. Quicker too, I think. Then you can
anneal with a torch, anneal with a Kiln, or heat treat however you
wish. No problems with fire stain or fire scale, which is your
desired result.
It never fails to amaze me that people, presented with a solution
that works, continue to try and make the whole process more complex
to no real good effect. Prips or similar fluxes are a proven
effective, trusted, inexpensive, relatively simple, and well
documented method that’s been taught and used in the U.S. for around
sixty years now, and much longer in Europe. When Fred Fenster taught
my sophomore class how to use it in 1972, it took just one fairly
short demonstration and we all knew it and understood it. I for one,
have found nothing superior since then, and use it the same way
still. If people wish to continue to try and invent the square and
hexagonal wheel, well, that’s their choice. Personally, I’m sticking
with the round one.
And if it’s the sprayer that turns you off, well, Richard Thomas who
taught for decades at Cranbrook, came up with a mix, only a bit more
complex to make up, which he called Ring-a-ding (after the bell that
goes off in your head when you get an inspiring good idea). That
works only for annealing, not for soldering, and is slightly less
effective at keeping the original surface polish during annealing,
but it effectively prevents fire scale and fire stain, and is a
simple dip or brush on protectant, no spray required. Metalsmith
magazine published that formula over 20 years ago. It too works, is
inexpensive, and totally simple to use.
Maybe instead of repeatedly writing about it, I should put together
kits of chemicals, sprayer, bottle, etc, for Prips, and just the
stuff for Ring-a-ding (though that one might have some sort of
copyright or trademark protection. I’d have to check. At one point,
mid '70s, Richard Thomas had a local (Detroit area, just a bit south
of Cranbrook) jewelry supplier, C.R.Hill, which is still around,
making and selling the stuff, though they tended to make it too
dilute… Perhaps one of the Detroit area Orchidians might call them
up and ask if they still have any sort of exclusivity on commercial
sales of the mix… There never were limits on mixing it yourself for
your own use.
cheers
Peter Rowe