Search found 1462 matches

by Brad Walker
Mon Jan 17, 2022 6:58 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Sandblast grit
Replies: 6
Views: 6977

Re: Sandblast grit

were there not debates here in the distant past where you could get better results when firing glass by using Aluminum oxide grit and NOT carbide. Yes, several debates. Mostly they centered on a belief that sandblasting with silicon carbide is more likely to devitrify upon firing. The only "pr...
by Brad Walker
Sun Jan 16, 2022 6:02 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: sandblasting dissipate?
Replies: 6
Views: 5798

Re: sandblasting dissipate?

You'll get a matte finish. Exactly how matte depends on the grit used during the sandblasting, the temperature, and the hold time.
by Brad Walker
Tue Dec 21, 2021 9:20 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Fusing glass to a ceramic tile
Replies: 1
Views: 3522

Re: Fusing glass to a ceramic tile

Glass and ceramic have different coefficients of expansion, so will crack if fused together. The cracking could be anything from crazing, with small cracks everywhere, to so severe that the two will break apart after firing.

Experiment if you wish, but don't do it with anything valuable.
by Brad Walker
Sun Dec 12, 2021 10:26 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Is is possible for glass to get too hot?
Replies: 4
Views: 4578

Re: Is is possible for glass to get too hot?

I'm guessing that my kiln shelf paper wasn't designed to deal with temperatures like that and sort of disintegrated. If you used thinfire paper, it's only good up to about 1525F. If you used fiber paper, each paper has a rating for its maximum temperature. Firing in a crucible would have probably w...
by Brad Walker
Sun Dec 12, 2021 1:07 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Is is possible for glass to get too hot?
Replies: 4
Views: 4578

Re: Is is possible for glass to get too hot?

The glass will get more and more runny the higher the temperature. By 2000F it will be more like a liquid than a solid and you will most likely need some sort of container (crucible) or barrier (dam) to keep it from running off the shelf. The ash will melt and mix with the glass at temperatures abov...
by Brad Walker
Fri Dec 03, 2021 8:37 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: schedule issue-did I screw up?
Replies: 2
Views: 3755

Re: schedule issue-did I screw up?

No problem.

I routinely turn the kiln off at 750 and let it cool on its own to room temperature with pieces as thick as 1/2", even 3/4". Your kiln would have to cool at several hundred degrees an hour for it to be a problem, and no kiln cools that fast on its own.
by Brad Walker
Thu Nov 11, 2021 11:14 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Fusing problem
Replies: 2
Views: 4482

Re: Fusing problem

Three options. 1. Go slower from 1100 to your top temperature. 2. Hold longer at the top temperature. 3. Increase the top temperature. Any of the three will work. Just keep notes on what you try. Tack fuse temperature usually anywhere from 1350 to 1450, with a five to ten minute hold, depending on t...
by Brad Walker
Sun Oct 31, 2021 1:38 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Drop out firing schedule
Replies: 1
Views: 2617

Re: Drop out firing schedule

Hold at 1250 to 1300 until done.
by Brad Walker
Mon Oct 25, 2021 9:34 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: how to use this glass cutting tool?
Replies: 5
Views: 7815

Re: how to use this glass cutting tool?

Just a guess, but looks to me like one end is a glass cutter, used to score the glass, and the other end is a suction cup to keep the tool in place. Could be used for circle cutter or strip cutting or possibly both.
by Brad Walker
Thu Oct 21, 2021 9:50 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Capped silver foil & fuming
Replies: 8
Views: 8300

Re: Capped silver foil & fuming

Is it just contamination of the shelf one has to worry about or can the kiln become contaminated such that it would damage future firings. I've kept a separate shelf for silver stain in the past. Is that sufficient for silver foil, too? Thank you. A separate shelf makes sense if you use a lot of si...
by Brad Walker
Wed Oct 20, 2021 10:05 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Capped silver foil & fuming
Replies: 8
Views: 8300

Re: Capped silver foil & fuming

If you cap so that fumes can't get out, then you shouldn't have a problem. Shouldn't make a difference what you cap with.
by Brad Walker
Sun Oct 17, 2021 7:17 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Unknown Jen-Ken kiln controller code "Stnd": help?
Replies: 1
Views: 2393

Re: Unknown Jen-Ken kiln controller code "Stnd": help?

What brand controller? Made by Barton or Orton? 3 button or 12 key?

Have you tried unplugging kiln (not turning off) and then plugging back in?

You could also call Jen-Ken and ask. They're usually very helpful.
by Brad Walker
Thu Oct 14, 2021 11:15 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Fractures appeared!
Replies: 11
Views: 7604

Re: Fractures appeared!

Over time, that usually happens. I have deliberately fused Bullseye and Spectrum S96 glass together and watched the piece fall apart over time. First, you see nothing, then a crack appears, then it spreads, and eventually the piece breaks. This can take years and years, or it can happen overnight, d...
by Brad Walker
Wed Oct 13, 2021 10:41 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Fractures appeared!
Replies: 11
Views: 7604

Re: Fractures appeared!

Why would Spectrum and Oceanside not be compatible? I assumed they were using all the same technology and formulas. Similar (not necessarily same) technology and formulas, but different manufacturing facilities, different countries, different levels of experience. It's really hard to make consisten...
by Brad Walker
Wed Oct 13, 2021 3:29 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Fractures appeared!
Replies: 11
Views: 7604

Re: Fractures appeared!

Is there a potential compatibility issue between Wissmach and Oceanside that anyone has heard about? Yes, there is. There's also potential incompatibility between Oceanside and the old Spectrum System 96. And with Youghigheny Y96. And with any other COE96 glass you can think of. There's more to com...
by Brad Walker
Tue Oct 05, 2021 3:24 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: The screw on running pliers.
Replies: 20
Views: 61997

Re: The screw on running pliers.

The amount of pressure does not change until the stop is hit. Thus, the glass should break when the pliers are applied. The glass does start to break when the jaws clamp around the glass, but it doesn't break optimally. If you have no screw, then the jaws come into contact with the glass and contin...
by Brad Walker
Tue Sep 14, 2021 11:55 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Duraboard as elevated second shelf?
Replies: 4
Views: 4420

Re: Duraboard as elevated second shelf?

Your board is probably small enough to be ok, but you may find that you're not happy with the results of the firing. The temperature at the top of the kiln will most likely be much much different than the temperature at the bottom of the kiln. You'll have to experiment to see how much different thin...
by Brad Walker
Fri Sep 03, 2021 8:06 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Silver Fuming
Replies: 6
Views: 6843

Re: Silver Fuming

jim burchett wrote:text tiles
Test me the results. :D
by Brad Walker
Fri Sep 03, 2021 6:40 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: The screw on running pliers.
Replies: 20
Views: 61997

Re: The screw on running pliers.

Looks like I have been doing it wrong for 20 years! What I thought I was told was to put the jaws on your glass then tighten the screw, then back off a quarter turn. I suppose it makes more sense to advance it a quarter turn but this has worked for me for all these years and therefore conclude that...