Sticking Fiber Paper

People are reporting different behaviours of their thicker fibre papers such as small fibres sticking to the glass after a fuse, and a different smell from the burning binders.  These are most likely to be from a body soluble refractory fibre paper.

It seems more suppliers are selling the body soluble versions of fibre paper. It sticks to glass and it gives off a smell of volatile chemicals. I don't like it, but I may have to use it due to the unavailability of the more health risky refractory fibre that worked very well without so much sticking.

There are several ways to minimise the fibres sticking to the glass.  They all relate to adding a separate coating of separator to the fibre paper before firing.  Among the coatings that can be used are 

• shelf paper on top, 
• a kiln wash solution brushed on, 
• kiln wash powder dusted over, 
• sprinkled alumina hydrate, and 
• boron nitride (Zyp is one brand name).  

Others have found that simply soaking the fired glass in water overnight allows the fibres to be brushed off with stiff brushes.

It seems body soluble refractory fibre papers tend to stick to the glass at anything over low temperature tack fuses.  This requires an additional layer of separator to be applied over the paper.  It is each person’s choice, of course, but I will continue to attempt to get the older version of fibre paper.