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Vermiculite Board
This is part two of a
multiple part tip on vermiculite board. Click here to start
with part one.
The warm glass artist can use vermiculite board in several
ways, including the following:
- Kiln Shelving. The board's rigidity and
thermal shock resistance make it useable as a kiln shelf. Both
the 2" and 1" thickness can be used, just make certain that you
support the board well with short kiln posts or other kiln
furniture in order to minimize the possibility of warping. It is
necessary to use fiber paper on top of the board to prevent
sticking; kiln wash alone is not always sufficient.
- Drop Rings and similar molds. Vermiculite
board makes an excellent drop ring. Just cut a hole of the
desired size in the board, cover with fiber paper, and slump.
The board is more rigid than most fiber boards or other
refractory materials.
- Mold Boxes for kiln casting. The board can
be used to build a reusable mold box for casting.
This process is described in Bullseye's Tip Sheet Number 5,
available for download from this page:
http://www.bullseyeglass.com/connection/education/
- Backing board for kilns. The combination
of rigidity and resistance to heat (up to 2012F/1100C) makes
vermiculite board an excellent back up insulation for kilns.
Stay tuned for future tips on the specifics of
using vermiculite board for each of these processes.
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Copyright 2005 Brad Walker.
All rights reserved.
This article is one of a series
on refractory materials for the kiln worker.
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