Firepolishing, tack fuse and anneal - multitasking

Bev Brandt · Post by **Bev Brandt** » Mon Feb 02, 2004 9:50 pm

I have two pieces that are at nearly the same stage in their lives. I wonder if I can do what I want to both of these pieces in the same firing.

One is 2 layers thick and about 8" x 8". I need to cold-work some edges, then fire-polish it.

The other is about 3/8" thick and about 12" x 12". I need to grind some edges AND put a layer of thin clear on top of the piece. I mis-annealed this piece in it's first firing (dammed, pattern bars, frit, on top of clear) and it has a crack in it. I don't think I went through the annealing range slow enough. I think I should go about 70F DPH from 960 to 750 instead of the 120 DPH drop I did at the first firing.

My questions:

Will the crack in the second piece heal at fire-polishing temps?

Can I fire both pieces at once to 1350 (both pieces are BE) and expect to both fire-polish one and fire-polish AND tack fuse the clear on the other?

I'm assuming that I should anneal at the slowest schedule - which would be that for the larger piece. Though I don't *think* that'll be an issue for a smaller, slightly thinner piece, I thought I'd ask you folks here.

Thanks all!

- Bev

Tony Serviente · Post by **Tony Serviente** » Mon Feb 02, 2004 10:24 pm

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 prevent the pancake effect. I would go ten degrees hotter than the first fuse for the thick piecee, and for the thin one a separate firing just to polish it.

Bev Brandt · Post by **Bev Brandt** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 10:17 am

Tony Serviente wrote: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 prevent the pancake effect. I would go ten degrees hotter than the first fuse for the thick piecee, and for the thin one a separate firing just to polish it.

Thanks Tony. I'm supposing that I should try to heal this crack first and not try to multi-task by healing AND clear-capping the piece in the sam firing. Is there such thing as multi-tasking in fusing?

Bev - trying very hard to be linear

Tony Serviente · Post by **Tony Serviente** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 4:30 pm

Just a few weeks ago I healed a piece, and added a decorative edge at the same time, so you can do a few things at once, just all depends on the situation. I often try to do a few processes at once, especially with the thicker pieces, just to avoid as many heat ups as I can, since that is the danger zone for my work, and it appeals to my frugal, and green side.