Search found 38 matches

by Wallace Venable
Sun Jun 03, 2012 6:20 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Go and stop and go? Or just go?
Replies: 30
Views: 31774

Re: Go and stop and go? Or just go?

I would guess that these schedules are artifacts of an "ancient" way of doing glass fusing. Before the introduction of computers and digital controllers, how would you do a ramp? Probably by turning the temperature knob on your kiln in a number of steps. For example, a schedule might say &...
by Wallace Venable
Mon Apr 19, 2004 4:48 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Silicated Plaster Recipe Needed
Replies: 4
Views: 7066

I use equal parts of: Plaster of Paris (from Lowes) Diatomateous Earth (swimming pool filter media from Walmart) to which I add about 5% kiln wash (Hot Line or Bullseye) It may not be "the best" mix, but the only exotic stuff is the shelf wash, which you should already have. This mix can b...
by Wallace Venable
Tue Mar 02, 2004 2:15 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Rheostat to control Quickfire Kiln?
Replies: 6
Views: 9568

I have described one way of dealing with this in Large Rural Mailbox Annealer, or Annealer Temperature Management for Jacks http://www2.cemr.wvu.edu/~venable/rmi/studio/mailbox.pdf This is cheaper than an "infinite heat switch". By the way, true rheostats are seldom used as controllers now...
by Wallace Venable
Wed Feb 18, 2004 4:22 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Whatewash as Kiln Wash?
Replies: 1
Views: 3047

Whatewash as Kiln Wash?

I've been reading a book on "Prehistory and History of Glass Technology." We know that much early glass art was kilnworked from pieces traded internationally as ingots. In the book it is stated that the crucibles in which glass ingots were made were frequently lined with lime. Also that in...
by Wallace Venable
Tue Feb 10, 2004 6:21 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: argh HELP WITH MOLD IDEAS
Replies: 22
Views: 24118

Most of the make-a-mold suggestions have been about ceramic molds. Nothing wrong with those, of course, but there are lots of other kinds. If you actually are a fused glass crafts master, I'd assume you own, or studied, eith Brad's Contemporary Warm Glass book or one of the others. These give good i...
by Wallace Venable
Tue Feb 10, 2004 6:00 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Spectrum & Bullseye Clear Fusible Glass
Replies: 10
Views: 11146

Well, yes, if its NEW glass the Spectrum is flat and 96 COE while the Bullesye is textured and 90 COE.

The possible gotcha is that Bullseye used to sell very flat double rolled 90 which were reported produced by Spectrum under contract. (Sigh - I loved the 12 x 12 inch sheets of this glass)
by Wallace Venable
Sat Feb 07, 2004 6:26 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: help with printing laserjet files without fusing images
Replies: 2
Views: 3928

I told him be email that I don't do it that way. I let the printer fuse onto a transfer medium. Some other experimenters have reported ways to skip printer fusing and transfer unfused toner. A potentially messy procedure at best, and it may damage a printer if you get it wrong.
by Wallace Venable
Wed Feb 04, 2004 7:02 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Looking for Bullseye Millefiori
Replies: 9
Views: 10342

Now you see why some of us buy torches and glory holes as well as kilns. Its not hard to make in SMALL quantities. Rudy Fritc teaught in in the kiln class I took with him, or you can take Loren Stump's flameworking class and REALLY learn ablut detailed cane.
by Wallace Venable
Mon Feb 02, 2004 6:31 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Gecko fusible
Replies: 23
Views: 24577

There have been several discussions of various forms of "fused batch" and/or "cullet" made specifically for re-melting in the studio. Some of this is/was coming from China, and early buyers were getting product not really ready for market. Personally, at present I will stay away ...
by Wallace Venable
Sun Feb 01, 2004 5:43 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Xerography question
Replies: 2
Views: 4556

I would think it is a toner issue. I have successfully used two HP printer toners and a Xerox toner. It is, of course, impossible for me to test all of the toners on the market. I would appreciate email (or posts) providing information on success or failure with specific products. Definitely works f...
by Wallace Venable
Tue Jan 13, 2004 4:34 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: xerography questions
Replies: 6
Views: 10925

"...different shades of black.." I assume you are asking if a grayscale image can be reproduced. The general answer is "yes." A xerox or laser printer prints a gray tone by creating a dot pattern similar to "half-tones. Old copy machines did not do this well, hence we had pr...
by Wallace Venable
Sun Jan 11, 2004 6:48 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: recycled/float/window glass class recommendation?
Replies: 7
Views: 7756

OLD window glass may not be "float." My general guess is that the change-over is post 1950 in much of the US. I was given some old window glass to play with, and couldn't master the technique of finding the tin side with a UV light. Then I bought some new window glass at Lowes - and had no...
by Wallace Venable
Sun Jan 11, 2004 6:34 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: xerography questions
Replies: 6
Views: 10925

I have only used "laser" decal paper. I think ink-jet decal paper might work, but that they have different sueface finishes. It is possible, however, the the ink-jet paper might melt in the fuser of the printer or copy machine. Both types pf paper cost about the same. If you have ink-jet p...
by Wallace Venable
Sun Jan 11, 2004 6:22 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: pattern bar from 100BC
Replies: 10
Views: 11129

The "kiln" control is only one part of the virtuosity. That is "only" a matter of having a big enough brick pile to make cooling take place over several days. Imagine managing to get a variety of compatible colors without having any concept of COE, etc. I'm sure they had a good g...
by Wallace Venable
Fri Jan 09, 2004 4:40 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Thermocoule precision?
Replies: 30
Views: 25521

A thermocouple in a kiln is NOT simply reading air temperature. In addition, it is being heated by radiation. If it can "see" elements, the total it indicates might be significantly different. Think of a piece of black metal in the sun - it might be too hot to touch, although the air tempe...
by Wallace Venable
Wed Jan 07, 2004 7:06 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: large circle cutter
Replies: 18
Views: 19426

Wow, 23 inches and up is pretty big. At that size the rigidity needed for a rotating cutter gets difficult or expensive. You dan't say how many of these you need to do, or what your expected investment level is. I'm happily cutting 12" circles with an $8.00 homemade device, and if I had to go b...
by Wallace Venable
Sat Dec 20, 2003 6:04 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Compressor size?
Replies: 17
Views: 15326

I've got a small compressor - I think about 2 to 3 hp and 12 to 15 gallon tank. I originally bought it to fill tires, spray paint, etc. I can accomplish a lot with it, but everytime I slowly work through a good project I can't help thinking how nice it would be to have a bigger unit.
by Wallace Venable
Sat Dec 20, 2003 5:58 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Fusing Photos and Drawings to Glass Using Xerography
Replies: 6
Views: 8760

Brock >>> I think you're waaayyy past student stage Wally. Hmmmm . . . Staying a student keeps me from aging. (Except in the knees and hips.) >>> . . so what if you loaded a color ink jet printer with enamels? NOT IN MY PRINTER, YOU DON'T... Seriously, it's a great idea. Some of the clay ceramics ty...
by Wallace Venable
Sat Dec 20, 2003 5:15 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Fusing Photos and Drawings to Glass Using Xerography
Replies: 6
Views: 8760

Fusing Photos and Drawings to Glass Using Xerography

I've posted a .PDF handout on my process for fusing images to glass at http://www2.cemr.wvu.edu/~venable/rmi/studio/xer4jac.pdf This handout reveals the techniques which I taught in the Xerography In Glass class at Corning last October. I'll be away from my computer next week, but will consider ques...
by Wallace Venable
Mon Dec 08, 2003 1:58 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Pyrometer, bubbles, kiln temps UPDATE
Replies: 16
Views: 15297

For information on REALLY CHEAP pyrometry, see my page

http://www2.cemr.wvu.edu/~venable/rmi/s ... ermo-1.pdf

There is a "look-up" voltage-temperature table at

http://www2.cemr.wvu.edu/~venable/rmi/s ... -table.htm