Search found 328 matches

by Tony Serviente
Wed Mar 07, 2018 10:54 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Finding Tin Side of Float Glass
Replies: 17
Views: 30407

Re: Finding Tin Side of Float Glass

No tin side to Spectrum (Oceanside) or BE or any other art glass. They are not floated on tin in their manufacture.
by Tony Serviente
Mon Apr 19, 2004 9:14 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Spidery Spectrum bubbles - manufacturing defect?
Replies: 2
Views: 5341

What kind of Spectrum are you using?
by Tony Serviente
Mon Apr 19, 2004 9:13 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Fusing glue
Replies: 15
Views: 27537

I glue up alot of things that either have to be moved into a kiln from across the room, are too difficult to lay up on a kiln shelf or need to flipped and fired face down. White glue has all the attributes I need. It can handle non flat, and even heavily textured glass. It sets up within an hour. It...
by Tony Serviente
Mon Apr 19, 2004 2:54 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Drop ring formula??
Replies: 11
Views: 15536

When I was doing four layers I was not pre fusing. You can do the drop and fuse in the same firing. I did many dozens that way. You can also get some very interesting effects by stacking different shapes and colors.
by Tony Serviente
Fri Apr 16, 2004 2:27 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Armour glass etching cream
Replies: 9
Views: 11546

Eye protection too! Put the bottle in warm water, in a disposable containter, as it will etch faster when warm. Brush on glass, wait 5 minutes, though more will not do any harm. Wash off with copious amounts of water. Don't forget that this cream works best on clear glass, and doing thin lines. If y...
by Tony Serviente
Fri Apr 16, 2004 11:54 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: stainless steel question
Replies: 21
Views: 31927

Great idea, and cheap too. Palette strapping bands could work similarly, providing they had paper on the inside to release and also to protect the glass from the rust dust.
by Tony Serviente
Thu Apr 15, 2004 4:36 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: stainless steel question
Replies: 21
Views: 31927

Annah-Have the form made so the sides taper gently upward. I don't think the angle needs to be steep. If the sides of your form were an inch high, a difference of a quarter inch diameter should do it. If the walls don't taper, you run the risk of the glass getting stuck. Since you'll be going pretty...
by Tony Serviente
Thu Apr 15, 2004 11:17 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: stainless steel question
Replies: 21
Views: 31927

Charlie-I did a sink with a 30" diameter using 16 guage stainless, and did not stiffen it on the sides. Propped it up on bricks, washed it down well, and it worked beautifully. I have not used that form enough to know if warping will be a short term problem, but my experience with flat stainles...
by Tony Serviente
Thu Apr 15, 2004 11:09 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: BE thinfire shelf paper
Replies: 11
Views: 12118

I think the fiberboard is the reason. I fire almost exclusively on mullite, and sometimes on stainless. Fusings are two layers and up, so glass shrinkage isn't the issue. How is your fiberboard holding up, and old is it?
by Tony Serviente
Thu Apr 15, 2004 9:57 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: BE thinfire shelf paper
Replies: 11
Views: 12118

What is your firing surface, and are you going to full fuse?
by Tony Serviente
Thu Apr 15, 2004 9:50 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: slumping bowls?????
Replies: 3
Views: 5026

Without seeing your form I am going to guess it is steeply sided, and that will quite often give an uneven slump. Either a two firing approach will get it even, or putting a rim on it, and cutting it off after.
by Tony Serviente
Thu Apr 15, 2004 9:46 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: BE thinfire shelf paper
Replies: 11
Views: 12118

The new thin fire does not curl up or shrink. While it does not tear, it will wrinkle in the center of bigger pieces, a foot square and up or so. It is dense enough to cause bubble problems and it will also plug up a vaccuum filter about five times as fast as the old stuff. In spite of all that, I p...
by Tony Serviente
Thu Apr 15, 2004 9:40 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: stainless steel question
Replies: 21
Views: 31927

If the drop is not steep sided, as Charlie mentioned, the glass will be able to slide up a hair and not crack. I have done many drops with no paper and no problems, as long as I thouroughly washed the inside lip of the form.
by Tony Serviente
Wed Apr 14, 2004 2:46 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: stainless steel question
Replies: 21
Views: 31927

Ditto Charlie-I use same kind of rings and they work well.
by Tony Serviente
Tue Apr 13, 2004 9:10 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Optimum thermocouple location??
Replies: 5
Views: 7092

If you are going to be doing any slumping or draping, just make sure you position it high enough to always be out of the "shade". If your probe gets glass between it and the elements it will cause you to say unpleasant things in the direction of your kiln. I use sheathed thermocouples, so ...
by Tony Serviente
Tue Apr 13, 2004 4:39 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Drop ring formula??
Replies: 11
Views: 15536

I was doing hanging vases, so was not trying to have them touch. Adding weight to the center will accelerate the drop, elongate the shape, and thin the top and sides. If you want a nice flat bottom cook it longer or hotter, but if you let it go too long the top edges may get paper thin. You will hav...
by Tony Serviente
Tue Apr 13, 2004 8:24 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Drop ring formula??
Replies: 11
Views: 15536

Deb-Drop outs are very tricky. For a while I was doing ten at a time, with the same rings and glass, and each one was different, even accounting for different placement in the kiln! I have done them with up to four layers, and would combine the fuse and drop in the same firings, one of the few times...
by Tony Serviente
Mon Apr 12, 2004 8:59 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Another bowl bites the dust!
Replies: 4
Views: 6097

Confetti is particularly sensitive, and wants to be coddled much more than most glasses. The problem is the thickness differential where the shards are. It can be half as thick in some areas as others, and that makes for very uneven heating. I ramp up three times as slowly for Confetti.
by Tony Serviente
Mon Apr 12, 2004 8:54 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: buying (slightly) used jen ken -- your $.02??
Replies: 7
Views: 9553

Marla-If the price is attractive to you, and is significantly less than brand new I would go for it. One of my kilns is a 28" Jen Ken and it is still doing daily firings after 14 years. Kilns are basically big toasters, and in many ways less complicated, so there is not a great likelihood of hi...
by Tony Serviente
Mon Apr 12, 2004 8:54 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: making animals stand
Replies: 3
Views: 6374

Creative kiln furniture stacking, or whatever else will take the heat. Friend of mine used to make turtles and frogs, and she would not only slump them to stand nicely, but to get the feet to turn out in a very natural looking way. I have made fused hands, that I would then slump to look as if they ...