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I believe there is a legitmate case to be made that a proprietary technique (i.e. developed or significantly enhanced by an individual) is intellectual property and re-teaching it, without bringing meaningful added value of your own, is unethical. This past weekend I taught a powder wafer class. It ...

I've posted in the past about having problems with particulate falling from the fire brick lid of my kiln. I coated the lid with a refractory coating and that work for a while...but is now cracking and stuff is falling again. I've received lots of advice (thanks) and settled on a plan to: 1) remove ...

In order for a conce design to make UL approval, it has to have a metal plate between the light bulb and the drywall. That's good and timely information for me Bert - Thanks. Do you know if there is any (legit) free source for basic/simplified UL standards for household lighting? I've been to their...

[quote="Lani McGregor"]I agree with Cynthia (mostly)

Lead (and Back Magic has lots) will react with sulfur to make lead sulfide (black/brown). Many amber colored glasses contain sulfur (called “carbon/sulfur ambersâ€

Black Magic (Back Magic) has a high lead content and wil turn dark in a reducing atmosphere in the lkiln. I don't know if the process is reversible if you fire again with the vents open. Ron Doesn't there need to be something in the kiln to make it a reducing atmosphere? Also, it seems that only ce...

Does Black Magic react with glass if over fired (1450F x 10min). I've got a bunch of gray/black glass in my kiln that wasn't that color when I put it in.

- Paul

ellen abbott wrote:If you figure out how to avoid it, let me know. But we have tried all manner of things.

Try adding 3% alumina hydrate to your mix and/or brushing colloidal silica onto the mold. Both tips attributed to Ruth Brockman.

- Paul

While we are on the topic of kiln repair, where are peoples favorite places to get: 1) wound elements 2) fiber board 3) quartz tubing 4) stainless steel buttons to wire the tubes to. I'm hoping for an element vendor who can help me size them -- I've never done this before :) Lastly, where I've seen ...

PAUL ARE YOU TRYING TO GET A HIGH POLISH OR ARE YOU TRYING FOR THE FROSTED BEACH GLASS LOOK ? I HAVE BOTH ROTARY AND VIBRATORY BUT HAVE NOT DONE MUCH WITH GLASS. THE VIBRATORY WILL BE MUCH FASTER FOR WHATEVER. LET ME KNOW WHAT LOOK YOU ARE WORKING FOR AND WILL SEE IF I CAN HELP. CAROLE....S.C. Than...

I'm curious if anyone has used a tumbler (rotary or vibratory) to cold work small pieces of glass?

What media did you use...how many grits did you work through...and how long did the whole process take?

Thanks,
Paul

Well, the trick is to get the rocks dry before you try to cast them. Some rocks will split even after they are dry and it has to do with the things they have trapped in them; not much you can do about those, but the water you CAN do something about. My trick is to toss them into a stainless steel m...

As mentioned, small pieces like cabochons can be fire polished with a torch. To minimize risk of thermal shock, heat them on a hot plate prior to brining them into the torch. You still need to go slowly -- but the hot plate will get you there faster.

- Paul

Hi all. I have been using a simple plaster, silica mold mix with good results. I have read about additives such as fiberglass mesh for bigger molds, and for more durability. What exactly do you add, and in what quantities. Finally where do you get the stuff? By the way, molds would be used for slum...

charlie wrote:sandblast and fire polish in the original mold.

What about just brining the bowl up to a high enough temp to burn out organics -- but before the glass moves -- would that do it?

- Paul

Cynthia, Maybe I'm not sure what you're experiencing: reds being less saturated in color in a thinner section? If so, this seems strange because a curiousity of cad/sel reds, oranges and yellows is that they DON'T reduce (or increase) in saturation like many other colors in relation to their relati...

Hello oh wise ones- I sure have missed being able to post on the board during the transition and getting a new email... but all is well now :lol: I have a question. I have been playing with pot melts lately and have made some into dinner plates, as a general rule I believe they are okay to eat on (...

Okay, I've re-read this thread a bunch of times -- and I know this isn't really what Lani is looking for -- but it occurs to me that the best teachers I've had have been: 1) Brad's book 2) This board and the associated archives I couldn't have progressed as far as I have without the two. Brad's book...

...and I confess, I interrupt and ask too many questions... I don't believe that's possible. If a teacher ever tells you that you ask to many questions -- so long as the questions are on topic (which means the number of questions is not the issue) -- then I would demand my money back. It is a gift ...

The best teachers are the one's who share freely, having the confidence in their own skills and talent that they don't let a 'fear of competition' prevent them from..ummm...teaching. I didn't realize just how tough this can be until recently when I taught a three day, 12 hours powder and frit class....

I am aware of the photo resist, but don't understand how to get 'grey tones' - any idea about that ? I had a job a couple of years ago, that was bigger than my exposure unit - by quite a bit. I ended up using the sun as the light exposure source (up in Alaska, in March, is a lot different than any ...