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Brock, I never heard the end of this debate and was curious. My blaster is loaded with SiC which for surface carving and top irid blast is fine. I got an order for the Celtic pattern sushi I did in your class which will be an embedded sandwich a-la your style. I was thinking of doing a test case for...

You shouldn't have to go as high as 1400 for a nice firepolish. I'd ramp at what ever safe speed is required for the thickness of your piece up to 1000F and then go at 400dph to 1300 with about a 5 min hold and then anneal. You should get a nice firepolish.

Phil

Cliff, That is correct. The pieces I'm now doing require a very flat surface and a high firepolish. I run my fusing between 1510 and 1525 for a short period and I get a fairly flat piece of glass to start with. I grind the surface, front and back, with the Felisetti to the finish I want. I then fini...

I have the Felisetti grinder and I use it a LOT. I got very frustrated that much of my work would come out with a surface finish that I did not like. The Felisetti is just the trick. The weight is kind of a non-issue as you are moving it from side to side not hefting it up and down. Actually, you wi...

At 1/3" you may be going through bits because you might not be getting good lubricant to the top of the disk. The Glastar's are really a stained glass tool and work optimum for thickness of one sheet, or 1/8". I'd have to look at mine but from my feable recollection, the sponge that comes ...

Flash......Crafty lawyer/mortgage broker pulls emerging glass artist leg. He buys it hook, line and sinker. Phil Hoppes was quoted as saying "This has been a good experience for me. I wasn't sure so I did some checking with some very good people I know on the web. It made me think of a lot of t...

Lots of good feedback and I really appreciate it. The alarm bells just went off in my head when I left this guy yesterday. I don't like the tone of that comment so I will politely call him today before I spend any more effort on this one. I want to make sales but not at the expense of the path that ...

I kind of look at it like when you get a custom or semi-custom home. You go to an architect and say I like this design but flip the bedroom and paint the living room green. That does not give you ownership of the design. In high tech you go to a software contractor and 9 times out of 10 if you want ...

Had a very interesting day today. I went to meet with a potential client about some fused dinnerware. Let me preface this with the potential client is also an attorney. Anyway, I bring in my portfolio and we sit down and discuss what he likes and dislikes, what I can do and what he would be interest...

Thanks Lynn. That explains things a little better for me. I thought the binder that burns off when I rigidize my fiberboard shelves was in the collodial silica not in the board itself. Still makes sense to run it up to 1350 to harden it however.

Phil

I was just thinking along the thinfire stuff. Yep, you can reuse the thicker stuff. I've got a box of the old thinfire which I'm trying to go through. I haven't tried the new stuff. It is suppose to not shrink which would be a good thing.

Phil

How is it you dry it but you don't want to go higher than 300. If it is rigidizer, which is nothing more than colloidal silica, don't you want to burn it out or won't it burn out when you slump the first time?

Phil

Where in AZ are you? Charlie, me, Jackie and Cindy are all in the Phoenix area. My studio is up in Overgaard which is where I am most of the time?

On the fiberpaper, yes you have to throw it out after you use it. That is why thinfire or Brads J110 is handy if you buy it in bulk the cost/fire is not too bad. Let's get back to your shelves. First a few questions: 1) When you checked the shelf for flatness did you look across at least two directi...

You can firepolish and slump at the same time in most if not all cases. The temp for firepolishing starts around 1200 and goes up to 1300. It will vary depending upon the size of the piece, the depth of the slump and the type of finish you are looking for. Most of my work is rather thick (3/8" ...

Hi Charlie, Bummer Dude :cry: I've heard from a few sources that the chad trick only works on smaller pieces. 10x20 might be a little large for that. I'm thinking you are right on the flatness of the glass. On the small sushi's we did in class I over etched on a few places and I got small bubbles be...

A couple of observations. My first guess on the bubbles is that it is coming from your shelves. You did not mention the size or type of kiln but I'm guessing you are using mullite shelves. (These are the heavy, ceramic tile like shelves) This type of shelf is notorious for causing bubbles. A few thi...

The angle of the light going toward your glass will equal the angle of the light reflected off of your glass. Bottom line if you shoot your object with the light straight on it will all reflect back right into your camera. You want to set up your object with the lighting coming from 3 different dire...

I've set myself up as an S corp. Hey, I use to be an engineer so anal doesn't even begin to describe how I keep records and I just set up a company checking account and I'll be very careful to keep personal and business separate. For this year I had to refile with the IRS as they granted me S corp s...

When I set up my glass studio as a business one of the things I was most concerned about was the shear liability of selling something made of glass. Given the litegious nature of our society these days and the shear number of ambulence chasing lawyers out there, I was, and still am concerned about t...