No-Flake Firing Foil

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No-Flake Firing Foil

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No-Flake Firing Foil

No-Flake Firing Foil

Price:

£9.95

SKU:

ACC-600

Product Description

At last, an alternative to stainless steel firing pans!

Create a no-flake firing box for even the smallest kiln. No-flake firing foil is easy to fold into a low cost, sturdy metal clay box that is easily moved in and out of the kiln, with kiln tongs (of course). And the best thing, it doesn't flake so keeps your kiln clean.

Ordinary stainless steel makes a good container for carbon firing because it wont melt at the high temperatures needed to sinter metal clays, but the extreme heat oxidizes and expands the metal. As the metal cools, tiny flakes of oxidized steel begin popping off the surface in a process called 'spalling'. You can see it and hear it and it can go on for hours after a firing leaving black flecks for several inches around the pan.

No-flake firing foil is made from a special alloy that does not spall.

The package contains the foil and folding instructions. Have a peep at the video below to see how to fold the box. You get two sheets of foil measuring 12 inches square. This is enough to make one good sized box with a lid.

Some extra info:

(This info was collected from the great Metal Clay yahoo group, so therefore it is mostly peoples experiences and advice, not set in stone instructions).

Some people say that the foil last longer than the stainless steel pans, as when the pans spall (flake), they get weaker and weaker until they eventually fail.
One person had managed to get 50 odd firings out of one box!
Paying extra care when folding does pay off. If you are careful you will prevent tiny tears being introduced during folding, which can enlarge during firing.
You may have to amend your firing temperatures slightly if you have been using a stainless steel pan. As the foil is much thinner, you may need to lower the temperature.
Test pieces is always the best way to go. The worst thing is spending ages on a piece and end up with a bad firing.
When measuring up for size, make sure to leave room around the box so that the air can circulate around it.
To work out the right sizes and master the folding process, why not practice on a paper version first.
As they are made out of foil, then can be a bit less sturdy than the stainless steel pans. So be careful for wobbles whilst taking them in and out of the kiln.
These boxes do develop cracks eventually, so you may have to replace them as and when.

Product Videos

How to Fold a Metal Clay Firing Box from No-Flake Firing Foil by Cool Tools (07:13)

Learn to make a metal clay firing box that won't mess up the inside of your kiln. No-Flake Firing Foil is a special high-temperature alloy that does not flake when heated to metal clay firing temperatures. The stainless steel firing pan that is most commonly used for firing metal clay was designed for cold and hot foods, not the red hot heat of a jewelry kiln. The extreme heat heavily oxidizes and expands the metal. As it cools, thousands of tiny flakes begin to pop off the surface, called "spalling". The flakes look like soot, but they are tiny bits of oxidized stainless steel. If you listen, you can hear it happening...sort of like Rice Krispies. You can also watch it happening. Spalling can go on for hours after a firing and it makes a mess of the kiln and the area around the pan. No-Flake Firing Foil is different. It's a special alloy that does not spall at extreme temperatures, so there's no mess and no flaking. Make any size box you need. We include written instructions with the product and include dimensions for box sizes you can make. Watch how easy it is to fold a box from this foil. Here's what you'll need: the foil, a 12" metal ruler, a wide burnisher (the wedge end of a ring clamp is perfect), a small ball burnisher or ball point pen for scribing, and a pair of household scissors. If you are firing bronze or copper clay, steel clay, PMC PRO high strength metal clay, heat sensitive stones or Accent Silver you will need to fire in carbon to protect the articles from oxidation. No-Flake Firing Foil allows you to customize the size of your firing container. Add vent holes where needed using a box knife.Visit us online at www.cooltools.us for this and other great jewelry making tools and supplies.