you could always contact JC to see if she'll sell you her tutorial on emamels- check out her website or you can email her directly and you can always ask her questions~ take her class, it's awesome!!!!

ok bump! so the health danger with enamels is the fineness of the enamel? like it gets stired up in the air and into your nostrils easily? or is there more dangerous compounds coming off of the enamels when they are heated, as with copper leaf??

I didn't have time to read this whole post so forgive me if this has been mentioned. Arrow Springs has the JC Harrell sifters and they are so much better then the red ones. This was made with the cones.

I LOVE enamels. Little snow man I made awhile back, and a landscape I made with the JC sifters and cones.

Susan, heating it is not a danger as it is only ground glass. It being inhaled is very bad. If it is airborne, it's not good. I do have a ventilation system but I don't wear a mask. I know some do and I should too.

Heat control is the answer to many enamels issue. If the bead is cool, the enamel won't stick. If it's barely warm enough for some to stick or you wait too long to melt it in, the enamel will ball up on itself, instead of adhering flat to the bead (can be a cool effect, if that's what you're going for). For good adherence to the bead, bring your bead up to a slight glow before adding the enamel and then gently melt it in quickly. If you over heat the enamel, it can get muddy and ugly. You can get some interesting organic effects by putting a few layers on and boiling it on purpose, though.

I love using enamels, they add so much color and texture to the beads.
If you are interested you could of course get my tutorial on enameled murrini ( also known as multi murrini tutorial) ;)

I love using enamels, and I would echo what others have said about J.C. Herrell's sifters. They allow you to use a fine line of enamels so you can "paint" them on in very small amounts. Here is a kitty I did using one of the smallest size sifters.

http://i865.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps50d9b15a.jpg

Wow, this is really fantastic! You are real artist. My compliments!

It is beautiful Dawn. I did not understand what you mean. Where can I buy those stencils, how do they look like and how do I use them?

Thank you!!!

Stencils come in all different designs and you can find them at hobby stores. You can use plastic ones too. Put your stencil on your work surface and sift your enamel over it. Lift your stencil off carefully not to disturb the pattern. Then heat your bead and lay it down over the pattern.

Thanks, I will give that a try!

Another way JC taught us in class was to make sure you had a wet paper towel down with the enamel jars on top of it, you can use her metal shifters, tap out the color and use the same shifter for the next color. Just make sure you have a lot of wet paper towels around to wipe up any enamels that get on your surface!

Bump with a new question.
I've never seen this addressed b/f but I've often wondered about it.

If enamel is teeny, weeny glass particles that we don't want in our lungs, why is it we don't care if it gets in our eyes? We wear nothing to protect our eyes. I doubt diddy's count as eye protection again floating glass.

Our eyes flush themselves. And the didys do offer some protection.

Lungs cannot work in the same manner, they can't remove the glass partials.

IMO it's apples and oranges. A scratched cornea at worse, to compromised lungs.

I'm not at all advocating for working without a mask. I'm working today with enamels and I'm sure I look like a Breaking Bad episode.
I'm asking a logical question.

If, as one poster suggested, the particles float around in the air for a while, I wonder if we shouldn't consider protecting our eyes.

I'm not sure that a scratched cornea is the worst that could happen or that diddys DO offer protection. I haven't seen any research proving that point.

And thanks, I was actually aware that our eyes function differently than our lungs. :-P

I have a new question. DH has decided to play with enameling metal and bought a starter kit. I had already asked him if he was going to share his enamels. i see on the jars it says 'thompson enamel for metals' Does this mean they will nto work on my 104 glass?

Vicki, that's for enameling copper, for example. Thompson's has a variety pack. I got that to start out. AND clear and white. They do some cool things with copper leaf and foil. :wink:

I haven't used Thompson Enamels yet, one because I don't have proper ventilation and two because I wan't to educate myself first.

So let me see if I understand this and please correct me if I'm wrong and/or add to this.

The concern is Scilicosis, which is a chronic lung disease caused by inhalation of "crystaline silica". Which I am assuming Thompson Enamels contains, but I don't know.

Adittionally ways to prevent the dust particulates (Crystaline Silica) is to use proper ventilation to remove the dust particulates from your work surface and work area. Wipe down with damp cloth to clean work surfaces as not to stir the particulates during the cleaning process and in future working sessions. A Ventilator (not a dusk mask) can be used as an added prevention. From everything I have read the concern is the inhalation of the particulates into the lungs, not the absorption.

See this link for definitions of Scilicosis:
http://www.lung.org/lung-disease/sil...silicosis.html

See this link, particularly page 4 to prevent inhalation of the dust particulates:
http://www.cbs.state.or.us/osha/pdf/pubs/3301.pdf

Can anybody tell me what if any other concerns regarding the use of the Thompson Enamels exists, other than Scilicosis? or can you confirm that this is what the concern is?

Inez,

I think Thompson Enamels is just ground up glass. But you might email them to ask.

Here's my two cents:
I have never seen anything that specifically states "Do not inhale tiny glass particles" but that's probably b/c it seems like a "duh" statement. ;-)

However, I HAVE heard one should not get glass in your eyes. :lol:

Our lungs are under attack, so to speak, daily...every time we breathe. Small particles flying around every day are filtered by our nose and nasal passages.

I believe that we should worry as much about the fumes from our torches and glass as the flying particles of glass. Which is to say, that caution is warranted in every aspect of our work.

"Fairy dust" and enamel probably fall into this category (but I've never measured them to be sure) :razz: that I found in lung disease data from Nat'l Lung Assoc.
"Fine particles, with a diameter of 2.5 microns or less (pm2.5) represent the most serious threat.
Particles this small easily penetrate the alveoli, the very smallest air sacs of the lung, and because this region of the lung has a slow clearance system, the deposits persist to perpetrate damage for long periods of time. A study conducted in Belgium in 2002 showed that the tiniest particles,
termed ultrafine particles – those less than 1 micron in size – may pass through to the blood stream and then to the rest of the body.
Exposure to particle pollution increases the risk of premature deaths and can trigger asthma attacks, wheezing, coughing, and lung irritation in people with sensitive airways. Persons with chronic cardiovascular disease and diabetes are also at high risk

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Articles2/10208/209/



good info here.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Articles2/9304/280/

Wow! Did you do the snowman freehand? Awesome!!

Gorgeous Cynthia!!! WOW!!
Enamels are not JUST ground glass, although they do have some ground glass in them, they are made of highly saturated pigments containing metals and minerals. Which makes I think makes them more dangerous than frit per say.

You can have well ventilated areas with big swamp fans and still use a wind break for your enamels. I use a cut down box in front of the breeze to break the wind while using any enamels and take it down when not using then. It works well for silver leaf or gold leaf too. If you don't have a wood box to cut down use a picture frame that has a stand on it.

Can you take a picture to show what you mean Kamputer? I'm having a hard time visualizing it.

Enamels
 

Good ventilation is a must! If you have a movable suction hood, position it directly above your enamels. I prefer to sift enamels for smooth, even coverage. A respirator mask is a great investment.

[IMG]http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...digoPlume1.jpg[/IMG]

Have fun and be safe!
Heather

This is the tutorial you were talking about isn't it? http://www.jcherrell.com/EEAT.htm

Do you see how to purchase it?

J.C.'s website indicates that the enamels tutorial is no longer for sale, sadly. She does ask that you sign up for her newsletter to be notified if she ever writes one again. I've been waiting a long time...

Mimi