Enameling Trivets

Can kiln used enameling trivets be made of plain steel sheet ?
I know they are usually made of stainless steel - but of course I have on hand plain steel sheet and need a specially shaped trivet .

Thanks,
Patty

I have some older ones that are plain steel. They create a patina and require that you file a new surface to the part that will touch your work to prevent contamination. You can always try and see if it works with the steel you have on a piece of scrap.

Yes, stainless is the best BUT in a pinch other metals can do.
I have make some from tin cans in an emergency. Thick ones without the plastic inside.

Sharron in beachside Puerto Vallarta, mexico

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Thanks - I tired rigging something up with SS wire , with less than good results. So I guess I need to stop being cheap and order some 4 prong trivets ! sigh …
Thanks for the input.
Patty

Yes, I have made custom enameling trivets from thin steel sheet that I cut with bench shears. I also have a titanium one that I bought, but have found that titanium is softer–a titanium wire contraption I created sagged, dumping the hanging enameled piece onto the mica beneath. Fortunately it was only a test piece, and I went back to using steel. You can also shape steel binding wire, coiled or twisted. HTH,
Makena

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Thanks Makena - I guess I should give it a try after all (white I’m waiting for my SS sheet to arrive anyway !)

Patty

@liveoak, nichrome wire works for high heat situations like rigging holders for enameling purposes.

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Sorry, I seemed to have missed this .
Actually Betty, I had to go look up what nichrome wire was .
So thanks for the tip & making me learn something new :slight_smile:
Patty

A stainless trivet won’t shed scale in the kiln and maybe on the molten glass as the other steel can. An instructor at Thompsons Enamel mentioned nothing but stainless is used in their kilns.

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Thank you for giving me the definitive answer - it’s just want I needed to know.
Patty