Using Old Foil
by Joyce
(Minneapolis/Burnsville, MN)
Does foil ever get too old to use? I haven't worked on a glass project for sometime so my foiling supplies have been in plastic wrap. Now when I tried to put foil on a piece of glass, the foil will not easily stick.
Also Thank you for the tip on using a Carborundum stone. That will save me sometime at the grinder.
Thank you for your advice.
Joyce
Answer
It's difficult to tell the exact shelf life of foil. I have foil that's over five years old that works like a charm, but I've heard from other people that can't get one year old foil to stick.
However, before you deem your foil useless, try wiping the edges of your glass with alcohol before you apply the foil. The edges of the glass must be absolutely clean, and the alcohol will do that, plus it seems to make the foil adhere better. Also, make sure you have burnished the foil very well, pressing it down as tightly as possible.
