Source of small glass furnace in UK?

David Billington wrote:

Apparently my knowledge came from reading the archives of this group and not a direct response to my question. Go here and type in "rigidizer" and "rec.crafts.glass" in the proper spaces.

A May 1998 letter from Henry Halem to Mike Firth posted in this group:

Dear Mike, Colloidal Silica is used, as you discovered in the Ceramic Shell foundry industry. It is used in the insulating industry to rigidize fiber boards as well as fiber blanket. The former Carborundum Company markets a product called Moist Pack which is fiber blanket soaked in Colloidal Silica and packed in a plastic wrapper to keep it from drying out in shipping. Colloidal Silica is more expensive than Sodium Silicate but is superior because it will give a harder surface especially on soft fiber board. Sodium Silicate will work but will give a "softer" result but might be adequate for your application. Colloidal Silica can be obtained in the following way: Look in your yellow pages for foundry suppliers, call one and ask if they have colloidal silica, if they don't ask if they can put you onto a supplier that does. When purchased in small quantities it will cost more than when purchased in quantity. I have never heard of a gallon of Colloidal Silica going for $40 to $50. That is a rip off if I ever heard one. Sounds like your going through the wrong dealer. I would imagine if you lived in a small town you would have trouble getting the product. Try the closest major city. To be honest it has been quite some time since I've purchased the product and do not know what the current price is but I know it's not the price you were quoted. If you have a Ceramic Shell foundry near you I bet you could go to them and they would give you a gallon. Or at the least sell you a gallon on the cheap. They use it by the barrel in Shell foundries. Please feel free to post this letter in rec.crafts.glass if you wish. Good luck. Henry

Halem Studios, Inc. * tel. 330/673-8632 Franklin Mills Press * fax 330/677-2488 P.O. Box 906 * email snipped-for-privacy@glassnotes.com Kent, OH 44240 * web site