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KILN CASTING

Kiln casting is a general-purpose term that refers to the melting of glass inside a mold inside a kiln. It contains many of the elements of fusing and slumping, but is generally more complicated and requires a greater understanding of warm glass principles.

The simplest kind of kiln casting involves the placing of glass frit or particles on top of a mold to form a bas relief (not unlike a plaque), but in most kiln casting the glass is totally encased inside the mold. Kiln casting can be done with pieces of glass of just about any size, ranging from frit to larger chunks that barely fit in the kiln.

Pate de verre is sometimes used as a generic term for kiln casting, but it actually refers to a very specialized kind of casting in which a mold is filled with a paste containing very small pieces of glass, then fired.

The steps involved in kiln casting can vary depending on the particular kind of casting, but all casting projects generally contain these steps:

• Model creation
  • Material selection (clay, wax, etc.)
  • Using a latex master mold

• Mold manufacturing and preparation
  • Plaster/silica molds
  • Lost wax casting
• Filling the mold with glass
  • Filling with glass frit or chunks
  • Using a crucible drip
  • Pate de verre
• Firing the casting
• Annealing and cooling
• Removing and cleaning the casting