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There's a huge difference in CTE between copper and glass. You can get away with copper wire or foil inclusions as copper is pretty malleable, but depending on the thickness, a copper plate may have sufficient stiffness to break the glass during cool down.

Tony

Take a look at the lapidary wheels that Kingsley North carries. They carry 4" diameter x 1" thick radius wheels that work very well. www.kingsleynorth.com

Tony

You might try damming the piece. That would keep the edges straight.

Tony

It's likely a broken element. Look for the break and pull on one side of the break gently with pliers and overlap the other side of the break by a few turns. Then order a new element from Evenheat.

Tony

Stop by a pottery supply house and ask about broken kiln shelves. They usually have a bunch and sell them at big discounts.

Tony

The irid side won't pick up as much texture as the non-irid side. Try it anyway and see if you like the result.

Tony

It depends on how big the hole is. A small hole would be for a pyrometer or thermocouple and a large hole ~1-1/2" would be for a tapered peephole plug.

Tony

I use the Olfa cutting mats. Available at Michael's and A.C.Moore.

Tony

Try stuffing a piece of fiber paper between the element and the rod two or three places along its length... It might give it just enough resistance to keep it from creeping.

Tony

Spartan makes hundreds of cleaning solutions. Would you post more information about which Spartan cleaner and how you prepared it?

Tony

Amazing work Don!

A 12" diameter is about 113 square inches. Multiply by 0.25 to get the volume of the circle 1/4" thick. That gives you 28.3 cubic inches. Glass weighs 0.09 lbs per cubic inch. So you need about 2.5 lbs of glass to make a 12" diameter 1/4" thick.

Tony

In the book "The Art of the Possible", psychologist Dawna Markova suggests that each of us has three communication channels: visual; auditory; and kinesthetic. One is primary, another secondary and the remaining is tertiary. Your primary channel is the main way you learn. Some people prefe...

White or brown. Doesn't make a difference. Or use silicon carbide. Do not use sand, glass beads or iron slag (black magic). 120 grit is best for general use.

Tony

What Brock said.

Tony

Did you try Klockit? They have a pretty extensive listing of movements and hands.
http://www.klockit.com/depts/Hands/dept-5.html

Tony

1490 is too hot for most mica. Try 1410 for 20 minutes. If you need the higher heat to get the glass to move the way you want, then you'll have to do separate firings. The best approach to applying mica is with an airbrush. Mix the mica with kleerfire and a bit of isopropyl alcohol. Build up a half ...

Laurie Spray wrote:Tony..... I have never seen that kind of "snow" in a new kiln, have you?

Yes. My 23" Evenheat shed particles for weeks until I really got into the grooves and cleaned hem out. My 2541, not so much.

Tony

The elements move a small amount when the power cycles on and off. Right now, that action is loosening brick particles in the element grooves. Make sure you vacuum the grooves as best you can. Also, it might help to run the kiln empty for a couple of short cycles (no need to anneal). This should get...

Apply kilnwash to the dams. It's cheap insurance against a leak and it only needs to be done once. Use fiber paper that is shorter than the height of the glass strips and the edges will round over without needles.

Tony