[Enamel Bits] Enamelling in odd directions

Jewelry Discussion
1

Hi everybody! Okay, I’m about to foray into the unknown once
more.

I have a cast ring with small scale-shaped depressions I made
specifically to fill with enamel. The depressions go all the way
around the piece. Here are my questions which hopefully someone
will kindly answer:

  1. Can I fill the depressions with gummed enamel and place the
    ring on its side in the kiln, or will the enamel run out/squish
    to the side?

  2. If the answer to #1 is “no”, what’s the best way to do the
    ring since the enamels go all the way around the band?

I should preface your answer by saying I know next to nothing
about enamels, so feel free to use small one-or-two-syllable
words. :slight_smile:

-Kieran, student whose ambitions outweigh her skill

2

You can enamel all the way around the ring. Make sure you apply
the enamel in thin coats.

3

Hi – One of my favorite projects in school – fabricating a ring
that was cloisonne enamelled inside and out. You should have no
problems with the enamel running out while you fire it – the
biggest problem will be letting the enamels dry and then getting
it into the kiln without knocking them out !! I fired my piece
hanging from a niobium hanger that I constructed and then tied
down to a piece of kiln furniture with binding wire. The niobium
is good to use for this purpose because it doesn’t drop too much
or lose too much slack when it is heated up to firing temps. You
can order it from a number of different places, including the
enameling suppliers. Have fun! Laura lwiesler@att.net

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4

Hi Kieran,

I recommend that you find a copy of Margaret Seeler’s book “The
Art of Enameling”. In it you will find excellent directions for
creating an enameled ring. This is the best book in my collection
for on how to construct complex enameled projects.
You may have to have your library find a copy for you, or you may
be able to locate a used copy for yourself.

Klyr-fire is a binder that holds unfired enamel to a form before
being fused in the kiln. The Enamel Emporium (713-984-0552)
sells other binders (from Japan) that are said to have superior
holding power. Haven’t tried them, but expect I will at some
time.

Hope this helps.

Carol

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5

HI! An old enamelist here, suggest supporting the ring on
something in its vertical position. Fill, fire only to the
beginning of shiny stage. Remove from kiln, re-fill if necessary
and fire again to shiny stage, enamel won’t necessarily run out
of the depressions unless you have overfired. Then just grind
off excess and re-do. Pat DIACCA Topp

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