Search found 1077 matches

by Morganica
Wed Jun 27, 2018 5:04 pm
Forum: Kiln Casting
Topic: How to polish a casted sculpture
Replies: 18
Views: 53011

Re: How to polish a casted sculpture

Hand polishing is massively satisfying, both to the practitioner and to the collector (or whoever is petting the glass after you're done). ;-) But it does take time and it's not for people who don't want to end up with arthritis in the hands or whatnot. Paul Tarlow's coldworking book explains it ver...
by Morganica
Mon Aug 08, 2016 12:03 am
Forum: Kiln Casting
Topic: surface problem on casting
Replies: 5
Views: 13530

Re: surface problem on casting

Yes, you have devit on the glass, and I'm willing to bet that the problem starts before the glass ever goes into the kiln. What you think is partially melted glass is actually crystallized material from the glass (AKA devitrification). Devit isn't quite as cut and dried as most people think--it's us...
by Morganica
Tue Jun 14, 2016 4:43 pm
Forum: Kiln Casting
Topic: glass vase using crystal
Replies: 3
Views: 9618

Re: glass vase using crystal

The reds are going to be a problem unless formulated for the prolonged firing of most casting. They tend to opacify (and can sometimes turn brownish). I've tried casting with Bullseye's standard transparent reds and had them go opaque. Typically I'll use Burnt Scarlet Striker or Ruby Red Tint, both ...
by Morganica
Wed May 25, 2016 4:55 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: SPECTRUM GLASS CLOSING DOWN
Replies: 29
Views: 70821

Re: SPECTRUM GLASS CLOSING DOWN

The governor, Kate Brown, was appointed when the last governor (Kitzhaber) resigned (rule in Oregon is that if the governor's gone, the secretary of state takes his place). She's facing a fall election to get in for real, has no real challengers, but several supporters (such as Precision Castparts) ...
by Morganica
Sat Apr 30, 2016 12:41 am
Forum: Kiln Casting
Topic: glass vase using crystal
Replies: 3
Views: 9618

Re: glass vase using crystal

Maggie, you should be able to use whatever red lead crystal that manufacturer makes. Gaffer, for example, makes Orange Red. Which crystal are you using?
by Morganica
Mon Mar 07, 2016 1:20 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Walls of drop mold vase very thin
Replies: 4
Views: 8636

Re: Walls of drop mold vase very thin

Well, if the glass gets so thin on the side that it splits open, you have at least one of three issues: Too much heat, too fast heat, or too little glass. Fortunately, it's pretty easy to figure out: Go look to see where the glass went. If it's that thin all over, you simply don't have enough glass ...
by Morganica
Sun Mar 06, 2016 2:27 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Viewing window in homebrew fibre kiln
Replies: 22
Views: 34138

Re: Viewing window in homebrew fibre kiln

One suggestion, whatever you use: Remember that it can be very dark inside a kiln. ;-) Only half joking. I have a nice big quartz window in my new fiber kiln and I love it...as long as the kiln is actively firing. That way the elements illuminate the interior. When the kiln has gone into the downra...
by Morganica
Sun Mar 06, 2016 2:17 am
Forum: Business Topics
Topic: Here comes the lawsuits...
Replies: 2
Views: 8896

Re: Here comes the lawsuits...

Yup. From what I'm reading in the local forums, the lawyers are promising that neighbors will at the very least get their yards completely replaced, medical care for the family for years, etc., etc., and some cash. I kinda wonder where they think the money's gonna come from, after the lawyers get pa...
by Morganica
Wed Mar 02, 2016 4:42 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Viewing window in homebrew fibre kiln
Replies: 22
Views: 34138

Re: Viewing window in homebrew fibre kiln

One suggestion, whatever you use: Remember that it can be very dark inside a kiln. ;-) Only half joking. I have a nice big quartz window in my new fiber kiln and I love it...as long as the kiln is actively firing. That way the elements illuminate the interior. When the kiln has gone into the downram...
by Morganica
Wed Mar 02, 2016 4:26 am
Forum: Business Topics
Topic: Bullseye Being Investigated by Oregon DEQ
Replies: 29
Views: 66880

Re: Bullseye Being Investigated by Oregon DEQ

Cynthia, there is nothing wrong with speculating... at least I said that was what I was doing. And being from the local area and having gone to a lot of their winter and summer sales, I know that they produce a lot of glass both before and after each sale. If their scrubbers are not functioning to ...
by Morganica
Thu Feb 25, 2016 10:33 pm
Forum: Business Topics
Topic: Bullseye Being Investigated by Oregon DEQ
Replies: 29
Views: 66880

Re: Bullseye Being Investigated by Oregon DEQ

I'm just speculating, but I wonder if the elevated levels of arsenic and cadmium in the air that was detected and started all of this was related to the Feb winter sale that Bullseye has each year. I would suspect that since they sell so much glass during this that they had been producing more to g...
by Morganica
Sat Feb 20, 2016 7:58 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Bullseye & Uroboros air pollution problems
Replies: 4
Views: 8989

Re: Bullseye & Uroboros air pollution problems

This is hearsay, but what I heard was that Bullseye was quite a bit behind schedule in regard to air quality testing. This plus them maintaining their manufacturing facility in a residential area and not changing their formulations to minimize the amounts of cadmium and arsenic are going to present...
by Morganica
Sat Jan 16, 2016 9:03 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Stainless Steel for molds?
Replies: 15
Views: 33476

Re: Stainless Steel for molds?

Beam deflection increases as a cube of the beam length, so it's important to place the supports (fire bricks) as close to the glass as possible. In the image above, there's probably 25% of the length that does nothing to support the glass, but it increases deflection by about 2.4 times. Tony True. ...
by Morganica
Tue Jan 12, 2016 10:13 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Stainless Steel for molds?
Replies: 15
Views: 33476

Re: Stainless Steel for molds?

Stainless has a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than glass, yes, so it'll get bigger with heat, and shrink more rapidly when cooled. If glass gets in the way in either direction (so that the metal encloses the glass and it can't escape), there can be enough force to crack the glass. I've use...
by Morganica
Sun Jan 03, 2016 11:53 pm
Forum: Newcomer Forum
Topic: Restoring glass after grinding and edge
Replies: 3
Views: 9476

Re: Restoring glass after grinding and edge

Coldworking will take down the edges, definitely. The problem with any kind of coldworking is that once you start, you pretty much have to coldwork the rest of that area to match because otherwise it will always look different. Touchup with varnish or something similar will probably always show a bi...
by Morganica
Mon Dec 28, 2015 1:42 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Clouding on float and plate glass
Replies: 8
Views: 14611

Re: Clouding on float and plate glass

Don, is it occurring on one face or both faces? That would be the first clue. I use a lot of salvage plate and float, and the older, thinner glasses (i.e,. 4mm or less), especially the older ones, will exhibit this fairly often. When it occurs for me it's spread evenly but not perfectly across the f...
by Morganica
Sun Dec 27, 2015 6:35 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Boiling Glass?
Replies: 9
Views: 20533

Re: Boiling Glass?

I think you're mixing up a couple of processes. When I've heard the term "boiling the glass" it's meant deliberate overfiring, i.e., using an extremely hot or prolonged processing schedule that makes the glass very liquid/soft/loose/runny. Liquidish, runny glass will seek its own level in ...
by Morganica
Wed Dec 23, 2015 2:12 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Chads
Replies: 10
Views: 17654

Re: Chads

The problem with chads is that they change the volume of the glass at that point in the piece. If you're capping a 3mm sheet of cobalt blue with a 3mm sheet of clear, you've got a 1:1 ratio of blue:clear. If you add a chad, you no longer have that 1:1 ratio. If the chad is cobalt, it'll be darker bl...
by Morganica
Sun Dec 13, 2015 4:59 pm
Forum: Newcomer Forum
Topic: Help with devitrification
Replies: 9
Views: 18638

Re: Help with devitrification

So I've been doing my first fusing and I'm getting some devitrification on only some colors. What am I doing wrong? I'm doing some 5-6 layer stacking and some double sheet fusing at the same time. When you reach full fuse temp and it is cooling down do you open the door to force cool or just let th...