Efcolor Enamelling
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- Опубліковано 15 лис 2011
- Basic enamelling on a copper blank using Efcolor Powders and the Efcolor Stove Set.
For more information check out the Projects4Crafters.com website.
The enamelling pages contain free downloadable project sheets: www.projects4crafters.com/#/en...
You will also find Efcolor enamelling hints, tips and ideas on the Projects4Crafters facebook page: / freecraftprojects - Навчання та стиль
A very good, professional, presentation which is clear and straightforward. Well done to the presenter.
Thank you!
Excellent video - I have just completed a kiln based enameling course - and wanted to extend my practice before investing in a kiln etc. I am so pleased I found Efcolor as it provides a relatively cheap and very flexible way to get a feel for the processes involved.
Totally recommend purchasing the Efcolor oven kit, if you shop around it's less than £12 - includes the tools that are outlined at the start of the video. Additionally, I bought a starter set of colours which while not my favourites, gave me plenty to start with. That said, I went out two days after getting the basic set and purchased ten or more additional colours. These are less than £2 each. When you get the enamel first, the 10ml pots seem a little stingy, but they do last a long time as long as you follow the advice to reuse the spills. I use either yellow pages paper, or A4 pronter, both work well. Thanks again for an excellent video!!
Thank you Sepa Man! So glad you found the video useful and have discovered the joys of enamelling with Efcolor!
No probs! Glad I could help. Great news that the cans work - thanks for sharing! There'll be more videos soon but in the meantime I'm on Create and Craft TV this Saturday (22/06) at 3pm demonstrating enamelling Christmas decorations with Efcolor and Color-Dekor.
Thanks Sophie! Glad you found the demo useful. It's been a long time since I did this video but, at last, I'm working on some new ones to show how you can create different effects and enamel both sides of a copper blank :)
This demonstration was great, it would be fantastic to see some new ones ! :)
i just loved this demonstration just brilliant x
Thank you so much for info on glue re stamping and painting it opens up a whole new world of design possibilities I will check out the web sites you recommend also going to have a play with rub on and may be see if I can set some peel offs under a thin coat good luck with new vids big love marc
fab I will keep a look out for you as that were I first saw this product you were good on camera and came over very well and that you believed in the product you were selling and not just doing a job which is important a real crater good luck I am sure you will be fab big love marc
Excellent video. A fascinating hobby. Thank you.
Michael Lewis Glad you liked it Michael and yes enamelling is a great hobby! :)
thanks for the info your a star drink cans work ok just use inside bit to enamel great as card toppers etc. just don't bend as they are flexible I found I could glue several cut out shapes together using e600 glue or any strong glue and then glue the enamelled bit to the top made them more ridged lot t and as cans were free and easy to cut in big shot no problem with cost and experimenting great product so easy to use cant wait to see what you come up with thank again for info marc
Good luck with the peel offs - I have experimented with stickers but found that in the main they didn't work as they couldn't take the heat and started to melt and warp. Years ago I used to triple emboss over peel offs though and they coped with the heat, so you should have success with them - fingers crossed!
Thanks Stephanie Alexandra - I know it's been ages since I did this video. I am planning several new videos including a wet felted poppy which is already in the pipeline and how to enamel two sides of a copper blank as well as other techniques. I promise it won't be long now!
hope you do more soon
I'm very excited to try this, as I've only ever worked with torch firing enamels or using my school's kiln. however, you should not simply sweep away the fine powder of the enamel. any bit that is breathed in can be harmful. after you have finished using a color and poured the leftover powder back in its container, carefully crumple that piece of paper in on itself so any remaining fine enamel powder is contained inside, and throw it out. even while shifting, wear a mask so the fine partials are not breathed in. please take appropriate caution when working with powder enamels.
+Joanna Konarzewski
Hi Joanna, Thank you for your concern and I'm sorry it has taken me so long to respond but I wanted to check with the manufacturers first. When it comes to using traditional enamel powders you definitely have to be very careful as they are made from ground glass. However, these are resin based powders which I have been assured are not as harmful, especially in the tiny amounts as seen in the video. (For the video I only enamelled one piece and if I had worn a mask whilst filming I think everyone would have struggled to hear what I was saying.)
That said, if you are going to be doing a lot of enamelling or are cleaning up after an enamelling session then I would always recommend wearing a dust mask in case the atmosphere might get dusty causing you to breathe in the powder. I also always wash my hands thoroughly afterwards. However this is good studio practice when crafting with any craft mediums including embossing powders and glitters etc. When enamelling with Efcolor I tend to try and conserve paper where possible in an effort to do my bit for the environment - it would be so easy to get through a whole ream in one session otherwise. When cleaning up I either wipe down my desk with a damp cloth or hoover it and the surrounding area depending on what I have been doing. But I must apologise if you feel I have wrongly assumed that most crafters are aware of safe working/cleaning practices. The manufacturers "always recommend wearing a dust mask" (as they have no way of knowing how careful users will be) although they have assured me "it is safe".
Thank you once again for your concern and I hope every crafter is aware of and employs the necessary safe crafting practices when being creative.
That's wonderful!!! I was curious about the composition of that enamel and why it was so easy to work with. Makes sense.
I appreciate your response.
I just wanted to make sure other's knew it was important to take precautions, for sure.
My enameling teacher, when she teaches, also doesn't use a mask (because yes it muffles), but while working, with traditional non-lead based enamels wears a respirator because of how much work she does.
So yes, it is proportional.
For paper, I recommend re-using newspaper or for a smoother surface, magazine paper. That's a good bit of recycling right there ~ and you can cut each page in half, so that's twice the paper. :). It works really well.
Thank you again for the reassurance and info (and demo!).
J
Yes you can use anything that will withstand 150ºC so glass/ceramic/wood/metal/papier mache & chipboard are ok (although the latter may warp a little with the heat & if flexed, once cool, will crack the enamel). Efco sell small, thin copper sheets which I know go through the Big Shot & you can enamel on but again if flexed the enamel will crack. I'm not sure about drinks cans - my concern is the decorative coating which could bubble with heat? If you can scour that off it should be fine though.
Thank you I have just brought every colour powder the stove kit some blanks, I saw some were you can use glass chipboard any thing that can take a 150degree, I was wondering could I use aluminium drink cans as I can cut 100 of shapes out of them using a big shot/ cuttlebug ect also if I embossed the blanks before would that show throw sorry lots of questions lol what else would you recommend I get as said I have every colour ,shaker lids the stove tool kit do I need a glue thanks
Glad you liked the video. I'm almost there with the next one! (I've discovered I need a bigger memory card for my camera as it keeps running out of space half way through a demo :( ) However, I promise there are more on the way soon... :)
Hello, You know if ef color powder is lead free?...
@@Argendiego Hi, sorry for the delay in getting back to you. Efcolor enamel powders are resin based rather than the ground glass of traditional enamelling powders (hence the low melting temperature). As far as I am aware there is nothing nasty in any of the powders but I would advise that you contact the manufacturers, Efco, at efcouk.com to make sure. On a side note, as a safety recommendation I'm sure that all manufacturers would advise anyone doing a lot of enamelling of any sort to wear a mask to stop you breathing in the powders. I hope that helps!
@@Projects4Crafters I Appreciate your answer, Thanks!....
Great video. Am just starting to use some Efcolor powders that I bought several years ago. I''ve tried some brass charms but am getting a lot of bubbling and pitting. I'm using the tealight stove with a healthy, even layer of powder and heat for 2 to 3 mins. Any suggestions to avoid the bubbling and pitting? Your pieces look so lovely! 😊
Hi Emma, I'm sorry for not getting back to you sooner. I have a couple of suggestions for you. First, make sure that you have cleaned the surface of your charms by lightly sanding them and wiping away any grit with a clean tissue. Secondly, make sure the stove isn't getting too hot. I think this is probably the most important with regards to your problem as I think your blanks are getting too hot, especially too much heat from above which Efcolor doesn't like. Tea lights vary quite drastically these days. In the past I've found the Glimma 100 pack of unscented tea lights from Ikea have worked well. There are some night lights that masquerade as tea lights which don't get hot enough as they produce more light than heat whilst other tea lights produce too much heat. It may be worth leaving the lid of the stove off whilst firing your blanks to prevent too much heat building up. Also, if lighting 3 tea lights is producing too much heat, then you could try only lighting 2 tea lights. It may take a little longer for the blanks to fire but that way they shouldn't overheat. Good luck and do let me know how you get on!
@@Projects4Crafters Thank you so much for all the suggestions. I will try them and let you know how I get on. I think you might be right about the heat. Also, the cleaning .... I didn't clean my charms first; they are oxidised and possibly coated with something. Am itching to have another go, very many thanks again!! 🤗😊
@@EJPARSONSUK I look forward to hearing how you get on Emma!
Me parece estupendo, aunque no entendí cuanto tiempo se debe tener en el hornillo. ?how long must be the part in the oven?It´s great
+Maribel Longuera Hi Maribel, the copper blanks only take a minute or two on the tea light stove for the Efcolor powder to melt. It depends on the size of the copper blank - if you are enamelling a small shape you can almost watch it melt (as it takes seconds rather than minutes), especially if you place it directly on the firing plate rather than a U-strip. However, if you are enamelling a larger shape or enamelling a different surface e.g. ceramics then it will take longer, but you should still be thinking in terms of anything from 1 minute to a few minutes. Hope that helps! :)
+Projects4Crafters thank you
Hi I’m new to this and wondered do you do the back and sides as well? Thank you. X
Hi, Mystique 2470!
When enamelling copper blanks you can choose whether you want to just enamel the front or whether you'd prefer to do the back as well. You don't enamel the sides as there isn't enough surface to worry about. Ultimately, some people prefer to enamel the back as they are allergic to copper on their skin. Over time, if the copper isn't enamelled or sealed with varnish it will tarnish.
If you do decide to enamel both sides I would always recommend that you enamel the back first. That way, when you enamel the front, if you happen to nick the edges slightly due to not quite placing your blank on the stand correctly it won't matter as it will be on the back and out of sight.
Hope that answers your question and... Happy Enamelling!
That’s a great answer. Thank you for ur time. X
It's a pleasure! Happy Enamelling! Fee x
Please!, can someone tell me if I can get the EFcolor sent to US?. Thanks!
+Tamy C
Hi Tamy, Sorry for the long delay in getting back to you. Life got really crazy last month and I completely forgot to check for messages here. As far as I'm aware there isn't anyone stocking Efcolor in the US as yet. However, I believe you can purchase Efcolor from Amazon who will ship to the States. Cooksongold also distribute outside the UK so it may be worth checking them out too. (www.cooksongold.com/category_select.jsp?query=Efcolor).
Hochanda TV (a UK craft channel which is also available to watch online worldwide) is going to be running an Efcolor One Day Special towards the end of January too. I'm not sure if they ship to the US but it may be worth checking them out.
I hope this helps Tamy and again, I apologise for the delay in responding.
Hi!, :) Thanks for responding to my question :) and you don't have to apologize, I understand.
Look at me thanking you now lol.... I really appreciate you taking some time of your busy life to answer our questions. I recently bought a conventional oven. ;) But, I still want to get the EFCOLOR. I will check the links and again, Thank you!
+Tamy C
Hi Tamy, Efcolor prefers to be heated from below so if you use an ordinary oven (rather than the tea light stove) and you have options for which elements heat up it's best if you can set it to heat only from below. If Efcolor gets too much heat from above it can make the enamel pull away from the edges of your blank. Good luck and be prepared to get totally hooked on enamelling! 😊
New to all this, would this work on a sixpence?
Hi Benjamin, not sure how come I missed your message - so sorry for the 10 month delay in getting back to you! Yes, I don't see why you couldn't enamel a sixpence as you can use Efcolor on anything that will withstand 150°C e.g. Copper, Aluminium, Glass, Ceramic, Wood, Mountboard, Papier Mâché etc.
Once again, I'm so sorry for not answering your query sooner!
Re glue - there is an Efcolor glue but you only need it if you are wanting to enamel a curved surface & so need the glue to stick the powder in place whilst it melts or if you want to paint/rubber stamp a design which is then covered with powder. For more info check out the enamelling section on the Projects4Crafters website (see link above). You will also find various hints & tips on the P4C facebook page (again, see link above). If you need any more advice don't hesitate to contact me. :)
Could u tell me the name of this item plz
Hi Margarita,
I have used Efco's Efcolor Cool Enamelling Stove Set which includes the tealight kiln and all the tools used in the video. I've also used Efco's Starter Set of Efcolor Powders which includes 10 tubes of powder, 3 copper or brass blanks and a couple of sieve tops. These two sets give you everything you need to get started. If you click the links above you will see more information about Efcolor and ideas for what you can create with it. The Efcolor range is available from various craft retailers and also from Amazon.
Links for Amazon UK are:
Stove Set (sometimes called an oven or kiln set): www.amazon.co.uk/Efcolor-9371606-Kiln-Set/dp/B004KT2JOW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1530196344&sr=8-1&keywords=efcolor+stove
Powder Set: www.amazon.co.uk/Efcolor-9371710-Enamelling-Set/dp/B004KT6KZG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1530196458&sr=8-1&keywords=efcolor+powder+set
I hope this helps! :)