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Annealing small thick pieces

Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2019 12:46 pm
by FusedLightStudio
I have always used BE “Annealing Thick Slabs” schedules for pieces of any size. The smallest thick pieces I’ve fired have been 6” by 8”.

Another glass artist showed me a smaller piece that was a uniform 1-inch thick, about 4” by 4”, and said it didn’t need to follow the BE schedule for annealing because of the smaller dimensions. Annealed overnight, it was fine five years later. I didn’t have an opportunity to examine it under a polarizer.

Is there a guideline about this? What dimensions are considered a “slab”? How would I determine the annealing schedule for, say, a piece that’s 1” thick and 2” by 2”?

Re: Annealing small but thick pieces

Posted: Mon Oct 07, 2019 4:13 pm
by DonMcClennen
Over many years I have fused numerous smaller thick ( 1",1 1/2", and 2") pieces. Dimensions 2"x 3" , 2 1/2 x 4" and on up to 5" x 20" . I have always used the Bullseye suggested schedule for these based on the smallest dimension of each piece.. My work often sells as corporate awards and I have never had a failure ( probably over 200 pcs. over 20 years) I think if you sell your work then you owe it to your customers to stick with works and the recommendations of the science based Bullseye ramps. If however your just making stuff for yourself it doesn't matter if it fails 2 years down the road when it was left in the sun then experiment away! Just my 2 cents