About Us
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Thompson Enamels in the 21st Century

     Thompson Enamel currently manufactures glass products for many different kinds of applications.  Included in its product line are enamels for copper, silver, gold and steel, enamels for aluminum and 300 series stainless steel, enamels for standard float window glass and 400 series stainless steel, enamels for stained glass and hot glass blowing, and enamels for Effetre (Moretti) glass for making lamp worked beads.  Thompson recently has developed new products for the art enamelers which include acrylic enamels, watercolor enamels, and enamel crayons.
     The enamel is a fusion of silica, soda, lime and a small amount of borax.  Though normally transparent, various amounts of opacity can be produced by adding or growing crystals within the glass structure.  A wide range of colors are produced by incorporating certain elements, mostly transitional metals.  The physical properties of glass can be controlled to permit bonding to most metals and other glass substrates.
     Enamels begin as a mixture of raw materials weighed up in powder form.  The powder is placed into clay pots which have been heated to a temperature of 2100ƒF.  After a period of time the powder changes into a liquid.  This is called smelting.  The enamel is removed from the pot using an iron ladle.  The hot liquid glass is poured between metal rollers which roll the glass out into flakes.  When cool, the flakes are ready for grinding.  To prepare the enamel for various uses, the flake or lump enamel is pulverized in a grinding machine.  The pulverized powder is sized by passing through various size screens to result in various particle sizes such as 80 mesh enamel.
     Thompson also manufactures many accessory enamels products as well as furnaces, tools and equipment used by enamelers.
     Thompson has a work force of 22 people.  Two enamel artists are involved with quality control.  Considerable time is spent on research and development.  In addition to the many new products introduced during recent years, we recently installed four computer controlled electric smelters to manufacture our enamel colors.  All colors coming from the smelters are air cooled and never touch water at any stage of manufacturing.  The result is enamel colors with unequaled aging properties.
     Thompson's customers use our enamels for a variety of products.  Many automotive emblems for trucks, special edition cars, and motorcycles are made with Thompson Enamels, as well as numerous companies who manufacture pins, badges and military insignia.  Other customers include school programs and individual artists working with enamels for metal and enamels for glass.
     In a time where quality becomes increasingly desirable over disposable items, Thompson is committed to providing glass materials for products that will last for many lifetimes.