I’ve seen a couple of cool tools videos about enamelling and you always mention a counter enamel. What would happen if I want the reverse to be polished silver?
Hi Michelle, the purpose of counter enamel is to prevent metal from cracking and warping. Enamel expands and contracts at a different rate than metal, which can cause the metal to stress and crack. Counter enameling equalizes the pressure on the metal by applying a layer of enamel to the back of the piece. Hope this helps!
@@cooltoolsvideos Thank you for that explanation. I’d love to ask what the alternative is for any jewellery where a splash of colour is wanted? Is there a hard wearing paint alternative?
@@StarCaledonia Powder coating is always a great option! You can learn more in our Learning Center here: cooltools.us/blogs/learning-center/powder-coating-videos
This was great and I’d like to learn more, but I wasn’t able to find any videos for how to apply the different style enamels. Is there a link available?
Hi Amanda, you can find all of our other enameling videos here: www.cooltools.us/searchresults.asp?Search=pro+video+enamel&Submit=Search If you have any questions feel free to reach out to us at 888.478.5060 or sales@cooltools.us. We are happy to help!
Pit and bubbles can be caused by 2 things. Either the metal isn’t perfectly clean before the enamel is applied, or there is still some moisture present when the piece goes into the kiln. If the enamel is pulling away from a spot creating an irregularly shaped pit it was likely not clean. If you have a perfectly round and small pit/bubble and several of them, then your piece was probably not completely dry before being fired and the escaping moisture caused the disruption. Try giving your pieces a bit more time to dry before torch firing them and make sure to clean your pieces [and your hands] with a surfactant prior to applying your enamel. Hope this helps!
Hello, if your piece isn’t moving beyond sugar fire, I’d try moving the flame of your torch a bit closer to the bottom of your enamel to increase the heat. If you’re working on a larger piece and this is happening, it might be that your piece is a bit big for the torch firing technique, and you could try using a secondary torch at the same time to heat the piece more evenly. Hope this helps!
Yes, you could use a screen on a tripod, just be sure to place a trivet on top of the screen to place your enamel piece on (so the counter enamel on the back of the piece doesn’t fuse to the screen). Hope this helps!
Was the best thing I learned in sheetmetal class at school, back in the day. Thank you for showing me it's still done this way
Are special dark safety glasses required for torch enameling or will clear impact resistant glasses be sufficient?
Hi Oscar, clear impact resistant glasses are sufficient. Hope this helps, thanks for watching!
Well done! Good to know a cost saving way to enamel! Thanks!
I’ve seen a couple of cool tools videos about enamelling and you always mention a counter enamel. What would happen if I want the reverse to be polished silver?
Hi Michelle, the purpose of counter enamel is to prevent metal from cracking and warping. Enamel expands and contracts at a different rate than metal, which can cause the metal to stress and crack. Counter enameling equalizes the pressure on the metal by applying a layer of enamel to the back of the piece. Hope this helps!
@@cooltoolsvideos Thank you for that explanation. I’d love to ask what the alternative is for any jewellery where a splash of colour is wanted? Is there a hard wearing paint alternative?
@@StarCaledonia Powder coating is always a great option! You can learn more in our Learning Center here: cooltools.us/blogs/learning-center/powder-coating-videos
@@StarCaledoniaI like wet packing enamel to add a little color on silver- you don’t counter enamel
This was great and I’d like to learn more, but I wasn’t able to find any videos for how to apply the different style enamels. Is there a link available?
Hi Amanda, you can find all of our other enameling videos here: www.cooltools.us/searchresults.asp?Search=pro+video+enamel&Submit=Search
If you have any questions feel free to reach out to us at 888.478.5060 or sales@cooltools.us. We are happy to help!
that was awesome! thanks for the vid!
I am struggling with getting a flat surface and also getting some pits and bubbles. How can I avoid these and get a smooth perfectly flat surface?
Pit and bubbles can be caused by 2 things. Either the metal isn’t perfectly clean before the enamel is applied, or there is still some moisture present when the piece goes into the kiln. If the enamel is pulling away from a spot creating an irregularly shaped pit it was likely not clean. If you have a perfectly round and small pit/bubble and several of them, then your piece was probably not completely dry before being fired and the escaping moisture caused the disruption. Try giving your pieces a bit more time to dry before torch firing them and make sure to clean your pieces [and your hands] with a surfactant prior to applying your enamel. Hope this helps!
Thanks for sharing your skills
Karen what happens when the enamel doesn’t reach the glossy texture and you put the torch fire for long time? And look like sugar texture?
Hello, if your piece isn’t moving beyond sugar fire, I’d try moving the flame of your torch a bit closer to the bottom of your enamel to increase the heat. If you’re working on a larger piece and this is happening, it might be that your piece is a bit big for the torch firing technique, and you could try using a secondary torch at the same time to heat the piece more evenly. Hope this helps!
Love the idea that we can use torch firing on enable. Is there any sterling silver enamel that I can use this torch firing technique?
🙏🏼🌺
Hi Ingrid, you can technically enamel on sterling silver; however, we always recommend enameling on fine silver.
I don’t mean torching on sterling & enamel I mean any type of enamel material that turns into sterling or fine silver with a torch?
@@ingridinthis3d5dnow25 There is nothing like this that we are aware of, as enamel is made of glass. Hope this helps!
@CoolToolsVideos great video. Im new to this, so why fine silver instead of sterling?
@@russellmarley7803 you can solder fine Sterling without solder. With sterling silver you need solder
Is using a screen on tripod ok?
Yes, you could use a screen on a tripod, just be sure to place a trivet on top of the screen to place your enamel piece on (so the counter enamel on the back of the piece doesn’t fuse to the screen). Hope this helps!
Hi Karen. Could you tell me what would be the gauge of copper that didn't need counter enamel . Thank you
Hi John, Depending upon the size of your piece, you can usually get away with skipping counter enamel on pieces that are 16g.
Thank you
Karen is that gauge or grams again Thanks
@@johnderwin That is gauge