Removing glass shards from the kiln

bepnewt · #1 2012-12-18, 8:41am

When I checked the kiln this morning, one of my blown ornaments was a pile of shards. It was blown pretty thin and there are lots of pieces in there. and I bet a lot of tiny ones.

I have a Chili Pepper, so the bottom of the kiln is a 2" blanket of fiber. I had to leave for work so didn't get to look closely, but I wouldn't doubt that there are tiny pieces down in the fiber.

I don't know if the fiber blanket can easily be removed or not. If so, then I can probably just take it out and shake/pick out the glass. If not, then the best plan I can come up with for getting the glass out is pick out the ones I can, then turn it on it's side and GENTLY shake as much else out that I can.

What is the best way of dealing with this with the Chili Pepper?

-BEP

ps. I don't have a Shop Vac anymore.

CMode · #2 2012-12-18, 10:18am

I also have a Chili Pepper kiln and have bits of glass as well as bead release all over the bottom of it. My grand plan was to just use the small hose attachment on my regular vacuum cleaner to clean it out. I don't think I would try removing the fiber blanket in there for fear it would tear and not go back in the same way.

You can probably tip the kiln over onto an open trash bag and shake most of the loose glass bits out. Otherwise, without vacuuming, I would probably just leave the tiny bits alone in there. They shouldn't get in the way of anything. I use rod racks inside my kiln though, I don't place beads directly onto the fiber blanket. If you do that the bits may be a problem. In that case I might buy another piece of fiber blanket and lay it on top to protect my beads.

bepnewt · #3 2012-12-18, 11:30am

I do have 2 bead racks, but I do lie a lot of things on the bottom - ornaments and marbles. I think I'll pick out what I can then use the smallest attachment on the vacuum to get the rest. I didn't want to run glass through the new vacuum, but I guess it shouldn't hurt it.

Thanks for the reply, Christie!
-BEP

mcorey01 · #4 2012-12-19, 7:15am

Just a thought that my help with the situation, consider using a cloth roller with the sticky paper to pickup the smaller pieces.

istandalone24/7 · #5 2012-12-19, 7:25am

ummm, would that not make all the fibers stick to the roller as well as glass?
seems like a recipe for ripped fiber blanket.

bepnewt · #6 2012-12-19, 7:57am

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcorey01

Just a thought that my help with the situation, consider using a cloth roller with the sticky paper to pickup the smaller pieces.

Quote:

Originally Posted by istandalone24/7

ummm, would that not make all the fibers stick to the roller as well as glass?
seems like a recipe for ripped fiber blanket.

I got most of it out by hand last night and there's only tiny pieces left. The lint roller might work since it's not too sticky. I looked closely at the fiber in the bottom and it is a lot tougher and denser than I thought - I don't think it will stick to a lint roller.

We'll see tonight! I'll report back.

-BEP

AVTrout · #7 2012-12-19, 7:59pm

I have a Paragon Bluebird and also have a bajillion pieces of bead release at the bottom of my kiln. I used a ShopVac one time and that worked really well, but the ShopVac broke and now I'm SOL, lol.

Elizabeth Beads · #8 2012-12-19, 9:02pm

DustBuster! You can use it on the fiber blanket, it won't suck it out. My first kiln was a Chili Pepper.

istandalone24/7 · #9 2012-12-20, 6:37am

Quote:

Originally Posted by AVTrout

I have a Paragon Bluebird and also have a bajillion pieces of bead release at the bottom of my kiln. I used a ShopVac one time and that worked really well, but the ShopVac broke and now I'm SOL, lol.

isn't the regular bluebird firebrick floor? i know the xl is....