Experimental Enameling on Steel

Jessica is attempting to do torch fired enamel on mild steel. As she finds out, enameling steel is doable but trickier than copper.
A few of my supplies... (most are amazon affiliate links)
A hole punch amzn.to/2vq1oDK
Scotch Brite Cleaning Pads
Standard Tiles or Metal Tray
Stainless Steel Trivet amzn.to/2M7Iw6n
Firebrick amzn.to/2VSKCeQ
Buckets with mild acid, neutralizer (water and baking soda), and water
Torch (I used propane torch, but a map gas will do)
Thompson Enamels amzn.to/2QcNKMa
80 Mesh Sifters amzn.to/2Hqa6Y4
Safety Glasses amzn.to/2JrvhY7
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Enameling Videos:
First Time Trying Enameling: • Trying Out Enameling f...
DIY Cutting Board: • DIY Cutting Board with...
Forging Copper Bowls: • Forging Copper Bowls {...
Forging Copper Handles: • Making Copper Handles ...
Enameling Pendants: • Enameling Pendants at ...
Enameling Copper Cups: • Enameling Copper Cups
Torch Fired Enamels: • Trying Out Torch Fired...
Logo Enameled Keychains: • Making Hand Enameled K...
Christmas Projects Enameled: • Jessica's Enameled Chr...
LIVE Enameling Demo: • LIVE: Enameling Demons...
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[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

Jessica now has her own channel... Enameling with Jessica kzbin.info/door/qtkAB5JxEpbu3prevetAvw . Check it out if you get the chance!

[@valtcustom3602]

Please keep us updated on what you learn. The knowledge you and that other dude (the one with all the hammers) share is priceless for those of us trying to sort things out and several steps (maybe several miles) behind you guys. Thank you for all you share.

[@jimbobtheimpaler8403]

I wondered how simple this would be. Thank you Ma'am for sharing your process.

[@moretimethanmoney8611]

I used to work for a plumbing contractor that had been in business since the early 1900s. There were photographs in the shop of when they would apply enamel to cast iron tubs and sinks using a humongous torch. Cool process. The mistakes were awesome too. It's good to see troubleshooting and repair. Next, enameled copper electroplated steel.

[@TheLealDeal-bp7to]

do you know anything about the enamel inside water heaters?

[@davedoessomestuff8176]

Always happy to see a new video from you guys.

[@justgonnagetbetter1037]

Beautiful work Jess! As soon as I finish getting some things moved around I can get the rest of my cabochoning and jewelry stuff out. I can't wait to try this!!!!

[@jenniferroselynn]

Thank you for the information... I'm looking for different options for enameling but don't have a lot of area to do it in, so I'm so glad to have caught this with a torch!!

[@NeilGraham.I.M.F]

That's pretty cool. Good job Jessica! Good to see you on another video. I really like the first blue and yellow 1 I think the colors went well together

[@Watford4321]

Use a kiln, clean the metal, put the items inside some box tube to protect from direct heat. The edhes peeled due to temerature diferentsil on the thin efges with direct heat from a torch. Sloser ramping in a kiln will make a big difference.

[@AndyDaviesByTheSea]

Hi Jessica well done on pushing the boundaries of your experience, I love folks who push the limits a bit. Let me know when you start making your own enamel advertising signs. Kind regards . . . Andy

[@hannemannironworks1651]

They look great Jess!

[@windyhillfoundry5940]

Thanks Jessica, I've been pondering trying this on some castings in the kiln. I'm going to have to try this👍

[@larryking606]

Great Job Jessica , You have a knack for Art forms ! Take Care of your Eyes ! God Bless !

[@beni2094]

KZbin didnt inform me of this video. I asked about this so super excited to finally see it. Thank you so much

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

Glad you enjoyed it :) Jess

[@tomcarlson3244]

I liked to see the process. They are all pretty, I liked the sky blue one lower right.

[@catherineasselin7986]

Tanks you, i recentely have the chance to buy emailing oven and im tend to do blacksiting with it . Now im tinking to do steel emaling will be fun. Merci beaucoup 😊🙏

[@coffeesstudios2122]

Don't know someone built a compressor, just saying.. little homemade kiln.. really cool to see that done. Great job Jess.

[@augiezehner6059]

I didn’t know you could fire enamel with a torch. That’s pretty cool! I like the blue one the best. Maybe if you cleaned the flowers with alcohol or thinner before enameling them it wouldn’t have bubbled. There might of been a little oil on the surface of the metal.

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

That is something I could definitely try. I don't think there were any bubbles in the white / first layer of enamel. So I partly wonder if it wasn't scale that formed on the second firing and got trapped. ~Jessica

[@GWIRailroad]

Very nice Jessica, wish I could take on some enameling, but my brain is on over load. Maybe when I get a little further with my blacksmithing. Enjoyed seeing you grow with your craft. Blessings Wayne.

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

Totally understand! Sometimes you only have enough time to focus on one extracurricular thing. Hope you're having a great week. ~Jessica

[@dragonstonegemironworkscra4740]

Truely blessed with this. Question answered though it wasn't mine originally. Did love it. Side note. Wonder if a courser sanding would help. Definitely looks a tad more finicky than copper. Thank you very much 🙏 God bless you now Crawford out ⚒️🧙‍♂️

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

Thanks for watching! Glad you liked it. Hope you're having a terrific day! We'll see you on the livestream Friday :) Blessings, Jessica

[@drason69]

Very cool Jessica! I think if you added some copper stems, and put them with a split cross, it would look awesome!!. Maybe the cross could be enameled, as well?? 😀⚒️❤️🙂

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

That's a really cool idea :)

[@jacobkaltz1958]

Nice video

[@jeanetteblix2764]

Thompson enamel sells a basecoat for steel. Works beautifully.

[@johnportwood6223]

Good job I liked the pink one it reminds me of a pink dog wood. Thank you an. God bless

[@kidkv]

Nice work Jess! Tell Roy, to be quite 😀

[@lt7476]

I think what would be neat to see would be for you to repair an old enamel table that has several chips so that people like me that love to see antiques revived could figure out how to repair them. Even an old enamel basin. Please do a video on that or to make an old white basin become an entirely different color.

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

That is a cool concept! Unfortunately my kiln is too small. -Jessica at Christ Centered Ironworks

[@annedinan8749]

If you use a ground coat on the steel before enameling you will not get the gassy bubbles and will get better overall results.

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

Yes, I have started using that.

[@peterlai9018]

I wonder if hand torch method of applying heat to enameling steel will work with repairing chips, scratches and defects on Weber kettle's porcelain enamel. Thanks for showing us!

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

I think it might. It would be worth exploring. I think the key would to be to heat it slowly and to heat the nearby area to where you are trying to add enamel. Thanks for watching! -Jessica at Christ Centered Ironworks

[@stanervin6108]

Have used a bucket of sand for dishing so long, don't know if I'd do any better with a real swage block!

[@henrygardiner7740]

Jess, is this enameling a similar process to that used in cloisonne work? Glass beads melted into metal base? So cool - your vid! Thanks!

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

Yes, it is! Cloisonne incorporates vitreous enamel (powdered glass) like I am using here, in some techniques. Also they add silver wire to create "cells" for their patterns.

[@hepburn118]

I'm just going off of what I have learned from watching other enamel video's (a lot of them!!), and I get the feeling that you might be overheating the steel. Or still heating too fast. Only reason I say that is it looks like you might be getting edge burn. This is coming from a guy that has never once enamelled anything though, so make of that what you will.

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

That could be the case. But also, sometimes I don't apply enamel to the edges as thickly as I ought to. -Jessica at Christ Centered Ironworks

[@bluestarfishmurphy6372]

hi jessica, just a thought, about other steel projects, i was given some really lovely steel enamelled tiles about 6inches square, that had a sort of cartoonish , mod, op artish designs on a white background. really interesting. just a thought. thanks for your vids

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

That's cool! I've thought of doing some tiles too. -Jessica at Christ Centered Ironworks

[@howardfraga6743]

Hi Jesica I really liked your video and I believe this process would be a way to finish my product, I make Smart Phone stands out of wire and am looking for decorative finish and was looking at a camp ware type enameling but seemed to involved and Toxic? I'm trying to send you a pic of phone stand now

[@anthonyunger3803]

Have you ever done any larger items?, I've been curious as to doing my own enamel coating on some cast iron pans.

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

The largest I have done is a 6" bowl

[@steves7896]

I wonder if this process could be used to repair chipped appliances and bath fixtures?

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

That's a good question. It seems like it might be possible to spot heat with a torch, bring it up to red, then apply the enamel, and continue to heat until fused

[@monochromatichobo1020]

You don’t need a ground coat (gc16) to mediate between that enamel meant for non-ferrous metal and the steel???

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

I have found it mostly isn't necessary on very small pieces. I have tried using ground coat on larger pieces. -Jessica at Christ Centered Ironworks

[@frankobrienmd1503]

Nice. I have a old Dr’s office Autoclave. It heats to about 600°. I wonder it that,is hot enough to set the enamel?

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

When I use a kiln, the temp is between 1400 to 1500 degrees Fahrenheit.

[@monochromatichobo1020]

Nope

[@Jellooman]

Wonderful, I wonder how this process would respond using an induction forge?

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

That is a great question. If you get the chance to try it, let me know the results! -Jessica at Christ Centered Ironworks

[@Jellooman]

I tried induction and it worked really well. It allowed me to apply enamel to both sides of the piece at once.

[@Lightness108]

😊👍🏼

[@blacksmither231]

Could you describe what type of 'torch' you use please? Would an oxy acetylene work? If so what tip size would you use? THANKS!

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

I am using a Benzomatic TS4000 attached to a propane tank. -Jessica

[@00_negative]

What a lovely video. Cheerio! That's my British accent. Did it sound british?

[@CURIOUSSHAMAN]

Can you use Mica instead of enamel powder to get same effect?

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

Sometime people add mica flakes or powder to the surface of a piece to give it shimmer. It can be fired into the top layer of the enamel. But I have always been told that mica will not stick on its own. -Jessica

[@user-ry8rq4it8v]

Where to buy this glass enamel material

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

I believe I have a list of materials in the video description. Specifically, the enamel is from Thompson Enamel. -Jessica at Christ Centered Ironworks

[@christopherconkright1317]

How hot do they need to get will it undo hardening or tempering?

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

Enameling generally is in the 1400 to 1450 degree F

[@helenhillhoppe4322]

What is the grade of steel and thickness you used?

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

10 gauge mild steel

[@alanmurdock4319]

Could you just set these in a small gas forge?

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

Possibly. I haven't tried that yet. The air currents may blow off the enamel powder before it fuses to the surface.

[@GeorgeJirout]

✝️

[@deannak1841]

Not sure what enamels you were using… but enamels can chip off even months later, from what I know, you should use a metal ground on steel since most o these types of enamels are meant for silver, copper and jewelers brass…. Though I’m nobody and artists are meant to break rules so keep us informed!

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

I was using enamel from Thompson Enamel. Since making this video, I have read more about the ground coat. I have tried using it by both spraying it on and painting it on (before enameling), but haven't had perfect results. I haven't had any chipping on the pieces I made in this video yet, but you are correct.