Working Deep : Bullseye Lesson

[Charlotte Kay]

Dear Warm Glassies of Amazing Knowledge and Helpfulness,

I also asked this question on the Bullseye message board connected with their new paid video lesson "Working Deep" which involves building up several up to to many layers of sheet glass.

I recently took a wonderful course at Bullseye Bay Area with Jeremy Scidmore called "Painting with Glass".
We worked mostly with 4mm clear and used powders and frit fired to various temps to achieve different results in our test pieces.

I liked how the low firings 1350-1375 retained the gritty texture with dimension from the brushes and other tools used to manipulate the powders and frit.

Working at my studio on a project, I used 3mm clear glass for 3 of my base layers, sifted with frit, powders etc, and each fired individually to full fuse. (I have a small Skutt Firebox 14)
For the top layer I used BE Soft Ripple Glass with powders fired to the low temp of 1350 to retain the texture/dimension of the glass and powders.

So,when WORKING DEEP, if I want to fire all 4 (or more) layers together (with a dam) how best to go about retaining the texture in the top layer? Say, it's a tree, leaf or building in the foreground.
Do I first fire the bottom three (or more) layers together (and damed) to full fuse?
Lastly, add the top layer (damed) and fire to "tack fuse" temp? I can't figure out a fusing schedule to achieve this result. Would I use a schedule for a two layers tack to get it done quickly without affecting the middle glass (like a fire polish)? Concerns about thermal shock/ annealing

Thanks, Charlotte

[Stephen Richard]

This is a suggestion only.
Fire all layers. Then put the decoration on the top and refire. This will be a slow rate of advance, so the top temperature will be lower than for the other firings. Observation or experimentation will be required to determine what the appropriate temp will be.

[Tony Smith]

I agree with Steve. You need a separate firing since you lose all texture with full fuse temperatures.

Tony

[DonMcClennen]

Check Bullseye website for tip sheets on working deep...they suggest schedules etc. If you fire last layer separate to retain texture you will have to SLOWW your firing and annealing way down to accommodate thickness.. A 10 layer piece takes about 72 hours per firing!

[Charlotte Kay]

Thank you Steven, Tony and Don!

Yes, last year I did the original 22 layers "Working Deep" from the Bullseye Tips Sheet from 2005. Formed a square 6"x6" using crystal clear with Paul Tarlow's "fossil vitra" leaves in transparent powders on several alternating layers. I did the double layer prefire method and then the assembly/dam of the block with the looooong firing. It's a heavy hunk of glass but came out beautifully! The top three layers are clear.

Now, I'd like to use about 12 layers, (about 1") for a test piece using a tack fuse design for the top that retains dimension and texture (say another leaf for example). I see that I would want the bullnose rounding of the top which I would get if all 12 layers were fired together.

Lastly, I would then add my final frit/powders to the top this hunky hunk and refire? Thus, would the firing schedule be a slow rate (suggestions?) up to a tack fuse temp. and then? quickly down? suggestions?
This is where I can't find any info.

The beautiful works of Jeffery Sarmiento show the depth, but I can't tell from pics on the Bullseye Gallery if he used a tack fuse on the top layer.

http://www.bullseyegallery.com/Artwork- ... NewID=2256

Many thanks for your help and advice.

Charlotte

[DonMcClennen]

On the Bullseye website look at tip sheet #3...it gives you ALL the data! You must consider the thickness for your schedule each time you refire!

[Jerrwel]

Thank you Steven, Tony and Don!

Yes, last year I did the original 22 layers "Working Deep" from the Bullseye Tips Sheet from 2005. Formed a square 6"x6" using crystal clear with Paul Tarlow's "fossil vitra" leaves in transparent powders on several alternating layers. I did the double layer prefire method and then the assembly/dam of the block with the looooong firing. It's a heavy hunk of glass but came out beautifully! The top three layers are clear.

Now, I'd like to use about 12 layers, (about 1") for a test piece using a tack fuse design for the top that retains dimension and texture (say another leaf for example). I see that I would want the bullnose rounding of the top which I would get if all 12 layers were fired together.

Lastly, I would then add my final frit/powders to the top this hunky hunk and refire? Thus, would the firing schedule be a slow rate (suggestions?) up to a tack fuse temp. and then? quickly down? suggestions?
This is where I can't find any info.
Charlotte

Firing Schedules for Glass http://www.warmglass.org/servlet/the-15 ... ass/Detail may not help you with designing your layup, but the insights for firing and the schedules are invaluable. The time saved not looking for references online (which may or may not exist) alone is well worth the cost of the book.

[Valerie Adams]

I just saw some of Jeffery's work in Emeryville and Portland; all of it was completely smooth.

[Buttercup]

Tried to access this link, using Firefox, but it couldn't be found. Too bad, looked liked a useful link.Was it Graham Stone's book?.

Firing Schedules for Glass http://www.warmglass.org/servlet/the-15 ... ass/Detail may not help you with designing your layup, but the insights for firing and the schedules are invaluable. The time saved not looking for references online (which may or may not exist) alone is well worth the cost of the book.
Jerry

Jerrwel

Posts: 167
Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2005 8:25 am

[Jerrwel]

Tried to access this link, using Firefox, but it couldn't be found. Too bad, looked liked a useful link.Was it Graham Stone's book?.

Yes, it is Graham Stone's book at Warmglass. Suggest you call to get a copy as I'm not having luck currently with getting to the listing on Brad's website which I've alerted him about.

[Buttercup]

Thanks, Jerry, however, it's available locally so the postage will probably be better than international shipping. Jen

[Morganica]

To answer the original question, yup. You can fire and leave texture on the top. I did this one in Catharine Newell's first class, years ago. We fired the layers flat, separately, then stacked them. I drew the fine wing outlines (which anatomically have the bee's wings coming out of its armpits, but hey) in powder, as heaped up as I could get it while retaining the fine line quality. Then we fired the stack to fuse it together. When you run your hands over the surface you can definitely feel the lines, like sandpaper. No tack fuse needed.

[Charlotte Kay]

Thanks all, I have ordered the Graham Stone book from Brad.

Cynthia, I have used the expression "smaller than a gnat's *butt" but now will use "smaller than a bee's armpit".

I'd love to take a class with Catherine! She is coming to BE Bay Area in November but we will be on vacation that same week after the madness of Fall Open Studios. Next time!

If you used a full fuse to this prefired stack, was it at the lower end temp of a full fuse? I am still working on obtaining the texture on top of a stack.
Is there such a thing as a Cauldron Melt for near-miss and failed projects?

*polite version