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Bev-If you go to the low end of fire polish temps it won't heal. You have to heat the body of the piece to full fuse to heal, not just the surface. You may not even make it that far, as often the cracks resolve to full separation fractures on heat up. You will also have to dam the thick piece to pre...

I usually aim for a pretty even 3/4". Less than that and I lose them in handling. I also try and keep the wall thickness as uniform as I can, to prevent uneven heating which the mold and glass does not like. I have not had a problem going thicker, it just wastes the plaster.

I don't use oil either. All of my Toyo cutters are air lubricated. Interestingly, I still get months of use from the heads, and that is with high use production cutting.

Archie-Yes, you have to heat the stainless to apply the wash. I spray mine on, using at least 4 passes. If you have not fired the uncoated stainless first, do so and go to at least 1000F before applying wash. As to the slump, if it balances cold it will stay balanced hot. If your bowl form is bigger...

I usually go at least ten degrees hotter than the initial fuse. This is a generalization, and depending on the situation it may be much hotter than that. Sometimes it works, and when it doesn't it is usually because the "healing" left a scar. I've got two patients in the kiln right now tha...

I have a Taurus III and do the same as Linda. Pilot gold marker and markstay are the best I've found. I have also had people tell me that vaseline, or rubbing a candle on the mark are also effective.

I'm not a torchworker per se, but I pull, twist, and generally contort glass over a torch to make decorative elements that I then incorporate into kiln worked vessels. I combine the elements cold, and let the kiln "glue" them up. Can't see any advantage to doing it hot. Paul Stankard lets ...

In Ny state 400 amp is the default for homes, and I suspect it is the same where you are. Anything higher than that really escalates the service installation costs. If you think you will have a few kilns, and want to plan for more(or bigger) in the future, I would get as much amperage as you can aff...

Jusy-As to why it worked before and not this time; I have an item in production that is a high relief fused design on a 16 x 16" base. If I fire it in my top fired kilns I get a good slump every time. If I fire it in my top and side fired octagonal kiln I get about 7 out of 10. For my situation...

I was doubtful, but showroom associate at Corning said it was. Granted, that is not definitive, but imagine the liability issues of selling a glass chair, that could break into big dangerous pieces! The lawyers themselves would be hawking these things!

I've seen some pretty radically bent glass tempered. Check this out http://www.europebynet.com/drilldown.as ... 382366&v=0. I was too skeptical to actually sit in it, but it's made for use.

Easier to get than Nichrome, and pretty too,is brass wire. Clean it with steel wool before encasing and it will look like a cross between brass and copper when you're done cooking it.

A reminder-Never open an attachment unless you are expecting it, even if it is from someone you know. Many viruses will capture the address books from an infected PC, and propagate themselves through mailings to everyone in it. They exploit our trust in receiving mail from someone we know, and when ...

Unless it hits minus twenty this winter I am done with my outdoor cutting trials. Results of my latest effort were done at five below, and still no discernible difference. Despite my bulky gloves and heavy coat I was still able to run the scores with no trouble. I even threw in some Bullseye 3445, o...

Cut some more narrow strips and deep curves this morning at 5F-Wissmach and Bullseye. Used some Fracture/streamer, which can be difficult even at room temp. Glass was happy to do my bidding. My hands don't do well in the cold and cutting in gloves is awkward, so biggest problem was thawing my digits...

I would not have the birds in the same room. Even overheating a teflon skillet on the stove can kill them, so who knows what the usual chems used in your studio will do. They have delicate little respiratory systems. At the least I'd ask a vet, or call a vet school for their opinion. As to how long ...

I use a dremel with a sixteenth bit for signing. The bits are cheap and they last a long time.

I just wear cotton, and even 18" from the 1675 glow I'm ok. I wear elbow length kevlar gloves and have no discomfort at all.

Mira-Most switches are either on or off, with nothing in between. An infinite switch has either a few in betweens, like high, medium and low, or a continuous range, like a rheostat. They do this in various ways, but it means you have "infinite" control. A switch for an electric range would...

Did some outdoors cutting of Spectrum Baroque and Wissmach Opal, at 10F. Managed half inch by two foot strips, and very deep curves with no problem. Granted, the rigors of scientific process are being short changed here, but my crude test is confirming to me that temperature doesn't matter. We might...