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A silicone carbide abrasive of the same girt you are using right now will be just as much work as the diamond. There are several books on coldworking and one on sale on this site that is very good. You need to move from a coarse grit through finer ones to the surface you want before firing. Somethin...

My schedule was approximately (I forgot to look up the schedule when I was in the studio)
150c/hr- 650C, 20 mins (observe)
skip to 515C, 45 mins (tack fused pieces)
80c/hr - 370,0
off

The observation is essential for me, as different arrangements of pieces used

I will be going into the studio later today and will get the schedule for you.
The answer to your question is "yes, slowing down will help."

I never take my hankerchief drops beyond 700C

And Yes, Marty.
One of those you mention is one I have been using for a while, but now is less satisfactory. So, I am on the hunt for a different one.

Steve- your very simple query is dripping with frustration! There are several distributors that I deal with (or know about) but you'll have to contact them for overseas shipping info: Bendheim, Sunshine, Rainbow, Hollander. Does location in the US matter that much when it comes to UK shipping? Than...

You will see from this ( http://glasstips.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/slumping-cracks.html ) my view that you had too fast a heat up rate for the thickness of the piece. Also my view that you need to slow down from around 540ºC to allow the whole piece to be the same temperature from top to bottom. This ...

I am looking for a glass and supplies distributor located on the east coast of the US or Canada who can/is able to export glass and supplies to the UK. Are there any suggestions?

This is a suggestion only.
Fire all layers. Then put the decoration on the top and refire. This will be a slow rate of advance, so the top temperature will be lower than for the other firings. Observation or experimentation will be required to determine what the appropriate temp will be.

I think you would get better results if you put all the unfused pieces in the kiln in their final configuration and took to rounded fuse. Then they would be properly fused together, especially if the central pieces overlapped the petals. Your kiln may be different, but as Dana says, it appears to be...

We really need much more information about the firing conditions and schedules to help. But, don't expect the copper to stretch and form in the same way the glass does. If I understand you correctly you attempted a drop ring with copper imbedded in the glass. I would expect this to break - every time.

Dana,
Have you tried 630ºC for 30 mins to see if the lower temperature with a soak will do the job as well or better?

I slumped transparent glass ..half green, half purple with the colored glass on the back side, clear on top with frit in the center. After the slump the back (color side) show vertical lines around the plate radiating outward. Center slumped ok. I suspect I may have held it at temperature too long ...

They manage because they use high quality brushes. Really, most of the brushes we get are inferior.
You can spray batt wash on with a mouth atomiser if you like. Need to mix the separator more thinly, and so apply more coats. But it works

On that shape you should be able to do it at 630ºC maximum, Possible 610ºC with 30min soak. You are doing it at 685ºC
Lower temperature usually leads to less marking on the bottom of the mould.

I've used Thinfire the same way you have described except used only one layer in front of 3mm fibre paper inside dams. Works well.

Do you have some sort of system to make it self supporting?

Holland & Barrett in the UK. Most any herbalist or wholefood store

I agree with Marty. Bricks are best used as props and weights rather than the dams themselves

twin vision glass wrote:Oh dear Stephen, what are you doing to your shelves. What a sad thing. Are there Gremlins in your studio .

No just a stupid user!