Liquid Enamels: Dip It, Brush It, Sgraffito It!

The following supplies will be used for course demonstrations and objectives. A suggested item and/or vendor has been provided below for reference. Click the vendor name (in red) to be redirected to a page where you can find the item. The quantities needed for each item are listed first. If ordering, please be aware that some items may come in larger quantities than needed for this class. We recommend not opening an item's packaging until the day of the workshop. Student participation during or in-between class sessions is strongly encouraged but not required - observers are welcome.

Metal/raw materials (note iron wire cannot be galvanized):

• 12"x12" x copper sheet - 22g or 24g (Parawire)

• 6"x6" min. x pre-enameled steel plate - 28g (Thompson)

• 1 x roll of annealed iron wire - 28g - optional (Amazon)

• 1 x roll of annealed iron wire - 18 to 22 (Amazon)

Enamels (note high contract color recommended or color of choice, such as flame red 771, hunter green 791, sky blue 799):

• 4-8oz x liquid enamel - 533 white (Thompson)

• 4oz x liquid enamel - 772 black (Thompson)

• 4-8oz x liquid enamel - transparent bc-303L (Thompson)

• 4oz x liquid enamel - color of choice (Thompson)

Hand tools:

• 1 x round nose pliers (Rio Grande)

• 1 x chain nose pliers (Rio Grande)

• 1 x flat nose pliers (Rio Grande)

• 1 x snips / flush cutters (Rio Grande)

• 1 x jewelers saw (Rio Grande)

• 1 x pack saw blades - 2/0 (Rio Grande)

• 1 x burlife / bee's wax (Rio Grande)

• 1 x bench pin (Rio Grande)

• 1 x half round hand file - #2 cut (Rio Grande)

• 1 x rotary tool - flex shaft, micro motor, etc. (Rio Grande)

• 1 x set of needle files - #2 cut (Rio Grande)

• 1 x half round forming pliers (Rio Grande)

• 1 x center punch (Rio Grande) 

• 1 x scribe (Rio Grande)

• 1 x ring clamp (Rio Grande)

• 1 x rawhide / plastic mallet (Rio Grande)

• 1 x riveting hammer (Rio Grande)

• 1 x chasing hammer (Rio Grande)

• 1 x steel block / steel surface (Rio Grande)

• 1 x small steel ruler (Rio Grande)

• 1 x sheet of sand paper - 220 to 600 grits (Rio Grande)

• 1 x calipers (Rio Grande)

• 1 x dividers (Rio Grande)

• 1 x sanding sticks (Rio Grande)

• 1 x parallel pliers (Rio Grande)

• 1 x large shear - to cut steel sheet (Rio Grande)

Enameling setup with kiln:

• 1 x fireproof area - steel sheet, tiles, etc. (Amazon or Home Depot)

• 1 x kiln - mini or full size (Rio Grande or Rio Grande)

• 1 x sifter - 60, 100, 150 mesh mesh (Etsy)

• 1 x fine point tweezers (Rio Grande or Rio Grande)

• 1 x steel "paint spatula" - aka palette knife (Etsy)

• 1 x alundum stone (Etsy or Etsy)

• 1 x steel screen - for your kiln size  (Rio Grande or Enamel Warehouse)

• 1 x steel trivet - for your kiln size (Rio Grande or Enamel Warehouse)

• 1 x firing fork / spatula (Rio Grande or Enamel Warehouse)

• 1 x tongs or tweezers - for moving hot objects (Rio Grande)

• 1 x crockpot or lidded glass container - for pickle (Amazon)

• 1 x pickle - sodium bisulfate or citric acid (Rio Grande or Amazon)

• 1 x copper tongs - for pickle (Rio Grande)

• 1-2 x spatulas (Amazon)

• 1 x brushes - 1 per 1/2" increment up to 2" (Amazon)

• 1 x tupperware with lid - 1 per enamel color (Amazon)

• sink or large tub of water - for cleaning enamel

Other/miscellaneous items: 

• hard work surface

• fan and open window or ventilation system

• safety glasses 

• ear protection

• pencil and notebook - note taking

• rags/towels

• straw

• painters tape

• Elmer's glue (or water soluble glue)

• toothpicks

• wooden sticks from your yard - flexible 

• block eraser

• x-acto blade

• card stock

• sewing pins

• newspaper

• paper clips and jars with stand

• sand

• saw dust