Thank you Eileen - that's most considerate of you.
The kiln wash thing is in Cindy Jenkins first book. She advises mixing it 2:1 with water and doesn't seem to add anything else to it. She doesn't say what type she used, however, and mine came with my kiln a few years ago and was nameless.
Never mind. I'm teaching myself to pull stringer until I can get usable mandrels!