A message from Beth deVitry to all members of ASK THE EXPERTS on Grains of Glass!
I apologize for my inexperience and am sure you may have gotten this question before....... I have two photos in my album and they have a cloudy final clear coat. I am wetpacking (only because I try sifting but I don't think have the right tools and haven't mastered that skill yet) I used Thompsons 2010 soft fusing clear on the sunflower. I just purchased " ENT-106-
1 transparenthard fusing clear medium enamel (by Cool Tools). This is what I used on the blue piece. I don't know if you can see the the cloudiness and beige tone. I used a stone to smooth the final coat and then used a glass brush to clean. I put it back in the kiln just a short while. Any ideas what I might be doing wrong?
If you use flux as a finishing coat it should be a thin coat and you should sift it on. I would also use a soft fusing flux as it melts quickly and will not disturb the enamels underneath - If you use a higher melting temperature flux over a low melting temperature enamel underneath - the lower melting enamel will melt quicker then the top coat, creating a problem. Most probably you are applying too much flux - practice a little sifting on a sample piece of metal - fill your sifter with enamel in your right hand - hold your piece in the pads of your fingers of your left hand and litely tap the sifter with your pointer finger moving it across the piece, from the edge to the center tilting it as you go. Dump the enamel back into the sifter, and try again until practice makes perfect.
Hallo Candy,
Did understand I your question well? You're searching who sells Cool Tools Enamel? If so, Google here:
Edmund
it could be Thompson enamels and you could call Thompson and ask them - but I would suggest when you buy enamels buy them from an Enamel Company - this way you know the brand and can address any problems you may have with them directly or if you buy from an intermediate source like "Cool Tools" you ask them who their enamel supplier is, so that you can mark your enamels accordingly and again call the source.
Thanks for your reply, Edmund. The cool tools site was where I checked and didn't find the enamel manufacturer anywhere on the site. I'll have to call them. I agree with Trish. I stick with Thompson Enamels so I know who makes them and have a way to get more information. When RioGrande started carrying enamels it was made by an English company, I think. They've started carrying Thompsons at Rio. Nothing like knowing the maker and being able to ask questions from the source.