Aluminum and Hot glass

Anyone try using aluminum foil, or aluminum trays in the kiln for slumping or fusing? What's it's melting temp?

Reply to
jk
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One of my metal books states the melting point of Aluminum is 1220 F degrees. I've heard/read that people mostly use fiber, ceramic or stainless steel for slumping molds. SS melting temp is 2500 F degrees. Regular steel is 2750 F, and Iron is 2793 F.

Cheers, Dianne

Reply to
Di-a-rama

I have it on good authority that your fusing questions are gonna be answered, and soon.

How are you gonna package that bottle of Scotch so it won't get broken in shipment? ;>)

Reply to
Moonraker

[Actually, stainless steels tend to melt at higher temperatures than cast iron, due to the admixture of chromium. While alloys vary, they tend to melt at above 2600F. While it's true that pure iron has a higher melting point, hardly anything is actually made of pure iron. Cast iron has a certain percentage (about 3.5%) of carbon, which lowers the melting point to about 2096F. Mild steel has much less carbon, and its melting point is higher, above 2700F. But as mild steel is heated in air, it oxidizes rapidly, so it tends to flake apart in a kiln. That's why stainless is usually preferred - it holds together much better in these circumstances. Aluminum, of course, is totally useless at the temperatures required for glass fusing or slumping- it's long gone by the time the glass is anywhere close to melted.]

Andrew Werby

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Reply to
Andrew Werby

Hi, Andrew--thanks for the correction and detailed explanation. I was reading from McCreight's book "Practical Casting", so it's possible there is a disclaimer or two in that data! :)

Cheers, Dianne

Reply to
Di-a-rama

Uh actually mold making questions/tape, but we won't quibble, and how are you going to ship? Want to watch for a tipsy postman.

Reply to
Javahut

Geez I had given up all over again... now you give me renewed hope! All I want to see is how the damn molds are made by the pro. I have all the stuff, and do it now, but I suspect there's a better way. Wouldn't it be a riot if I'm doing it right all along? Would that justify a full refund? The problem is the scotch is contained in an $800 Baccarat crystal decanter. Hmmm maybe I can pour it into a paper cup and ship it? Or better yet maybe a trade for that digital controller I need?

Reply to
jk

I guess this was a silly question, but I was in the dollar store yesterday, and was thinking what great mold making material all those amuminum plates would be? Does molten aluminum retain it's shiny qualities when hardened?

Reply to
jk

If you're talking about those polished serving dishes (like Armatele, etc.), I don't think they're pure aluminum, but have a large aluminum content. Those pieces are cast and polished, so if you wanted to use it as raw casting material, you'd probably have to re-polish.

Cheers, Dianne

Reply to
Di-a-rama

I have used aluminum to make cast bases into which to blow glass, which I then work as here

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of this, I intentionally make the aluminum fairly thick and work toheat the glass without overheating the aluminum. Aluminum is used to makecast optics and other molds, always with enough thickness to drain the heatfrom the surface so the 1800-2000 degree glass does not melt the mold. Theglass is removed fairly soon. Aluminum when cast commonly has a satin or matt finish. Brass melts several hundred degrees higher than aluminum, so my brassgoblet bases are much thinner. I have cast some small brass molds - dominos and a face - which I intendto try to fuse into, keeping the temp below about 1400F as well as presssome glass into.

Reply to
Mike Firth

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