base glass question

[Susanbuckler]

Hi
I think I know the answer to this question but I want to check before I proceed..truly a newbie question
I always use one full piece of glass as my base glass for the blank if I am not using a clear cap on top of a design.
However, most of my glass is 10 X 10, less when I cut off the rolled edge. I know I can buy larger pieces of glass & will do that in the future.
Any issues I need to consider when to make a base of white opaque for a 11- 1/2 X 5 - 1/2 rectangle that I plan to design stacks on top of?
I assume the two pieces of white opaque will fuse together fully and not leave a line.
Also, same question if using a clear cap?
If I was not just a weekend fuser, I'd have more time for experiments and work out some of the answers to my questions.
Thanks for the advice.
Susan

[David Jenkins]

You'll get lots of other help/advice here - let me add mine. One word: Experiment. If you want to know how a certain glass, layup, surface (irid, dichro or not) will behave, do a small experimental fuse. It may not replicate what you'll see in your final production fuse exactly, but it will probably come close enough to tell you whether you're on the right track or not. I routinely do 2-10 small experiments on pieces that incorporate new glasses and designs where I think I might have problems. (And don't ask about my last set of maglesses - I'll bet I did 25 different tests before I was satisfied with what I was doing!) I have a Paragon Caldera, and pretty much it's in use every day running one test or another.

Whether you get lines, and whether they're visible from above and/or below, depends on lots of factors. I sure haven't broken the code on that yet, but I'm getting better at predicting what I'll be seeing. The particular glass you're using plays a large part in the final appearance - line-wise speaking.

And as a final thought: The more work I've done, the more tolerant I've become of lines that I can't get rid of. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!

[Judd]

Leave a line? You mean, laying up pieces of white as the base, placing glass on top, then firing? Yeah, you'll probably have a line where the two white or clear glasses join. You can use that as a design element, or go ahead an buy larger glass.

[lorimendenhall]

I'm a newbie too but my answer is "it depends". I've done this and had instances where there is no noticeable line and also where there is a noticeable line.