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It helps to establish a relationship with a local industrial supplier of refractory materials. I'm lucky to have such a supplier here that wholesales to foundries, crematoriums, and the like. They've taken a liking to struggling individual fusing artists like myself, and offer special pricing to the...

Had the same thing happen when using that thin flimsy kiln shelf paper. I used a hammer to make interesting pieces to refuse - getting it out of the ring. I've heard some folks say you might heat the works up & grab it with gloves, however I didn't mind learning the lesson by losing the piece. N...

Under the trademark Fiberfrax, LDS Moldable. Comes premixed ready to go, has a hot face of 2300 degrees F. I got it in a 5 gallon pail.

I've use model clay that doesn't dry - so you can use it over again. Then obtain fiber paste ready to use in a pail (I went to a wholesale refractory supplier, Smith - Sharpe in Minneapolis). This stuff is super sticky but can be placed over the clay and, once hardened, becomes a wonderful refractor...

If the panel has lead "H" around the perimeter, open the outside channel wide and use 1/4" steel rebar surrounding the panel. The sides extend past the top edge a bit, with holes drilled into the steel for hanging (bottom corners are bent to keep it one piece, nice & strong - top ...

Hey Bert - I use them in thick fused slabs (color bars) mostly for adding volume as well as creating effects with color. By the time I cut the slabs into square rods & make kiln formed cylinders, then pick them up (warm) on a collared blowpipe & turn them into vessels, the veils have had ple...

I use nuggets, and what happens when you put them together is; you get marks at the seams where they meet each other. Every shape has these seams where they meet other shapes - if we start with pieces, you'll see evidence of those shapes in the glass at normal full fusing temps. Bigger the pieces, l...

A kiln is a simple thing, really - just an insulated box. Elements (ordered through Durolite) are based on the interior size, and Durolite will help you determine all that if needed. A controller regulates the on/off cycles of the power to the elements. I prefer a controller built into a portable bo...

CBS dichroic has a film placed onto a copper substrate that slips right off the copper if you roll a hot bubble across it. Often sections of this come off and are lose inside the plastic bag. This thicker than usual film would make nice fairy dust.

A local clay center or college might have a machine to roll-out clay in slabs to your desired thickness, which gives you a head start making clay molds. There also exists buckets of fiber refractory mixed in a sticky gooey form you can layer around shapes (like the top to a barbecue grill or other s...

Assuming you have a main bench, here's a tip used in studio's in Germany (and mine). For lay-outs of patterns cutting glass - use wood trays set on saw horses instead of dedicated tables. We use 4' x 8' sheets of 1/4" plywood beefed up with raised edges (1" x 2" strips top and bottom)...

Is it your contention if we cannot follow protocal 'properly' using glass, it should be left alone? Why use glass, because I'm a craftsman wanting to promote the beauty of glass. I think it's worth having a discussion about, keeping the integrity of our trade. Why have we been able to purchase 'Tiff...

Unfortunately we don't have access or time with kilns, and the kids would like to take their projects home right after they make them. This makes the task a lot more challenging, and most likely less permanent a project.

Children's museum is looking for ideas to use glass in hands-on projects for children, ages 2-12. I realize this is a challenge that may require prep-work ahead of time to make it safer. Any ideas?

Temperature changes here in Minnesota make silicon the best choice for attaching glass inserts to metal outdoor works. Make sure you use silicon best designed for such use - Sil-pruf. It contains UV inhibitors, sticks to itself, and is most tunacious - it does however take 3 days to cure so needs ti...

Try mixing kiln wash to a thick consistancy like cake frosting. Put it into an empty cleaned standard plastic mustard bottle, and squeeze out lines onto the prepared kiln shelf for bias relief. It won't be as accurate as painting, sandblasting, and such - but it's a creative way to include letters a...

Stepping stones I've made using discarded blown objects work well. Every hot shop throws away glass that's perfectly able to be piled up inside a high-walled perimeter (dam) which can be any shape because it's made spur of the moment. Just make sure no rogue glass is added to the pile, and fire away...

I'm fortunate to have actual tons of Wasser glass sent to me around 1993 when the company changed hands. I've found it to be extremely touchy mixing with other brands of glass. I've made roll-ups and brought it to the glory hole hoping to find another way to use it up. It's got a lot of flux in it, ...

I've seen hot glass pick up rocks onto a gather, and casters pour including them in their molds - both with favorable results. However it's a crap shoot, with every rock different components. The ones I saw used were small and well-rounded.