gauge of steel for ring molds etc

[nagginwitch]

I am looking at buying some stainless steel to make ring, square, and tile molds.  Is there any information on what gauge metal that would work best for it to keep it’s shape under firing?

Also, for tile molds, would I be better off using a square “ring” without a bottom?  It sure would be a whole lot simpler.  I can always cold work to get it to the final dimension if the mold looses it’s shape a bit.

[waynecengraver]

I had a local blacksmith make me a bunch of steel molds they are 1.5mm gauge stainless steel and the molds are 30mm deep (doesn,t have a bottom just sits on the kiln shelf also stainless steel 3mm gauge)  I line the kiln shelf with fiber paper and line the mold with fibre paper. My largest mold is 350mm x 250mm and varying shapes and sizes down to 100mm square. They are extremely robust and you could not bend them with your bare hands they last forever I regularly fuse glass upto 25mm thick with no problems, I  need very long annealing times though. Hope this helps

[Vital-Spark]

Are you saying your kiln shelf is Stainless Steel 3mm thick or is it a piece of SS sheet on your kiln shelf?

Also they are rectangular not rings, right?

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