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Because jewelry isn't my primary product, I neglected to mention that my earrings and pendants aren't marked individually. They're displayed together with a legible sign that lists price and a little pertinent info.

I find at shows there are some (potential) customers who are afraid to even enter the booth space. I make sure every item I offer is priced so they can see it without asking, much for the same reason Marty mentioned. That way, if they can't afford my work, I don't have to do any song and dance aroun...

I have very little experience with Spectrum irids but when I tried them, I didn't find the irid coating to be as intense as Bullseye's, so that could be part of the situation. But to get irid to crack like that, I've fired it hotter than I normally do, and then do sacrifice cuts to clean up the edges.

I don't fill mine anymore either. I contacted Toyo several years ago and we did a troubleshooting session. They suggested using something less viscous than cutting oil (I can't remember what it was; may have been Lamp Oil) but the smell got to me. Now, I have a tiny jar on my bench and just dip ever...

I love that the heart is revealed as the box is opened. Beautiful work and a very special gift!

Yes, it'll strike but the rainbow irid with obscure the color a bit. Although Tekta isn't available with an irid coating as far as I know, so you must be using 1101-0031.

I'm guessing you're talking about Laurie Spray's molds. She will supply detailed firing schedules for you to start with. Most of her molds are fairly shallow; I've got one that I just use as I would any other. Many of my shallow molds don't have holes drilled in them anyway. But I'm a big advocate o...

Shelley Lewis wrote:Thanks, Valerie! How long do you hold at 1450?

Shelly, it depends on the kiln. My fiber kilns don't require a hold. If I'm using a brick kiln I'd probably hold at 10 minutes or so. That's why I mentioned visually checking; every kiln is different.

I make lots of dichro dots out of clear backed dichro. The key is that you can only tack fuse them when incorporating them into other pieces, or they'll flatten out into dichro squares again. Place 1/4" dichro squares on the kiln shelf, dichro down. That way the clear glass balls up for a lens ...

Bullseye does not label its glass as 90coe; it's labeled 'tested compatible'.

Don beat me to it with the rest/eating area for students. Think of it this way; if you've got a portable type arrangement where students eat in the gallery, they'll be enjoying the art for sale and probably shop while relaxing. A bench in the coldworking area would be helpful for changing shoes. I'm...

Have your base layer be a single piece of glass. Cut a center layer piece an 1/8" shorter than the height of your pendant. Make a horizontal cut 1/4" from the top of your middle layer piece, cutting it in two pieces, and lay the two pieces onto the bottom layer, leaving an 1/8" horizo...

For the time being, you could just add one of those ring guard things inside.

The easiest way is to simply layer your glass with the center-most layer having a void for the fiber paper to sit. When I was making those kind of pendants they were always 3-4 layers thick.

Thanks Bert. I think I'll just go with Tekta, since I'm sitting on an oversized case!

I need to quickly make 16 dessert dishes for a party. I'd like to do a simple mica design on float, in a 6" square size. Can I fire the mica, polish the edges, and slump single layer (3mm) dishes in one firing? (That's not asking much, is it?) And if so, can anyone offer a rough schedule? I'd p...

Depending on the age of the brother, I find that boys tend to like to make bugs (you can add copper legs before firing) and monsters (as magnets). Or, kids like to decorate their backpacks, so zipper pulls are fun too.

I would've fired these pieces with the dichro on the black face down on the shelf. Then, in a second firing, cap with clear.

Nina, I did a party for my neighbor's 10 year old daughter. Had plenty of pendant-sized blanks pre-cut as well as lots of stringer, dichro bits, and frit balls. Gave each girl a little cup of diluted white glue (cheap non-aerosol hairspray works well too) and a toothpick. Placed all the bits in muff...

Water pump... I'm definitely going to purchase one made for aquariums but need to decide which gph. They are available from 60 to 1000 gph. Plus, I want to run the pump from a "clean water" bucket that's on the floor, rather than put the pump in the tray of the saw where the water is dirt...