Hi there,
I've been using my kiln for annealing and fire polishing and silly little things. But I want more out of it!! I've been reading around and checking out how to make moulds and so forth. In the tutorials here, I found some weird stuff....
Firing leaves & flowers between 2 sheets of glass?
Firing a dollar bill?
Is this for real? I spent my lifesavings on my kiln and i can just picture it exploding or something....ha ha. Seriously, does anyone have suggestions on SAFE wierd stuff I can fire in my kiln? It would be greatly appreicated.
Thanks,
Jan
Putting weird stuff in my kiln...
Moderators: Brad Walker, Tony Smith
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Janz
I guess cause I'm nervous. I haven't had any classes in fusion, but I've read alot and tried to learn all I can that way.
I'm surprised that you can put things like leaves in a kiln. I was even surprised to find out there are moulds made of stainless steel! The reason I think why is cause I don't know any better. I'm sorry if I sounded foolish, but like I said I spent everything on this kiln and I really am scared.
I'm eager to try new things, but I'm also eager to know what, if anything could go wrong.
I'm planning on trying the baking-soda bubble trick, and I was hoping that some of you would share some other intruiging things to try.
I'm surprised that you can put things like leaves in a kiln. I was even surprised to find out there are moulds made of stainless steel! The reason I think why is cause I don't know any better. I'm sorry if I sounded foolish, but like I said I spent everything on this kiln and I really am scared.
I'm eager to try new things, but I'm also eager to know what, if anything could go wrong.
I'm planning on trying the baking-soda bubble trick, and I was hoping that some of you would share some other intruiging things to try.
Re: Putting weird stuff in my kiln...
Firing leaves & flowers between 2 sheets of glass?
Jan - I tried firing a dried flower between 2 sheets of moretti glass in two specimens and I had a weird looking bubble on both..... I fired at 1470F for 3 mins.............
I only do small pieces for jewellery so that might have been the problem??
Good luck and let us know what happens.........
cheers
Bea
Jan - I tried firing a dried flower between 2 sheets of moretti glass in two specimens and I had a weird looking bubble on both..... I fired at 1470F for 3 mins.............
I only do small pieces for jewellery so that might have been the problem??
Good luck and let us know what happens.........
cheers
Bea
Simply Bea Beads
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Alecia Helton
- Posts: 108
- Joined: Mon Aug 25, 2003 12:35 am
- Location: outside of Dallas TX
Putting weird stuff in my kiln
You can try putting heavy leaves, small pieces of a cedar branch under a piece of clear dichroic, dichroic side down. Be sure to vent kiln for the first 1000 degrees. You'll get a subtle kiln carving in the dichroic. Heavier pieces like the cedar work better than normal pieces like a regular leaf.
Alecia
Alecia
Alecia Helton
Wear Original Wonders!
Carrollton TX
Wear Original Wonders!
Carrollton TX
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jerry flanary
- Posts: 158
- Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2003 11:11 pm
- Location: norfolk, va
I believe it is helpful to have DRY stuff. If it is wet try going slow through the boiling range and again at the chemical moisture range (6 or 700) The more you let the moisture gas off before the glass softens, the less gas for bubbles. Also try one with the leaf dipped in kiln wash or zircar. One side two sides. Report back.
What kind of kiln do you have? I'm sure board members can tell you all kinds of the worst that can happen stories.
I hope you didn't bet the farm on glass cause she is a wily horse.
j.
What kind of kiln do you have? I'm sure board members can tell you all kinds of the worst that can happen stories.
I hope you didn't bet the farm on glass cause she is a wily horse.
j.
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Janz
I see, i see.
Well, I fired a leaf and some flowers today between some scrap clear Sys.96. The flowers left yellowish staines, and the leaf...well maybe it will look better in the morning. I think Jerry is right, dry stuff is so the key. I will try this again though...
I have an Evenheat...I believe it is the GT 14-6 (Don't know offhand) with the Rampmaster II. I wanted to get a small kiln primarily for annealing my lampwork but then decided to get a larger one....I was planning on getting a larger one in a few years anyway, so why not now? The only thing I regret is that now there are so many things to try, and learn, but that Sys. 96 glass is pricey here!
I've been "betting the farm" on glass for a couple of years, it's been my sole income for a year now. After a few years copper foiling and lead get well....kind of mundane. This kiln is my biggest investment so far and it can only lead to more and better things.
Probably.
I hope.
Jan
Well, I fired a leaf and some flowers today between some scrap clear Sys.96. The flowers left yellowish staines, and the leaf...well maybe it will look better in the morning. I think Jerry is right, dry stuff is so the key. I will try this again though...
I have an Evenheat...I believe it is the GT 14-6 (Don't know offhand) with the Rampmaster II. I wanted to get a small kiln primarily for annealing my lampwork but then decided to get a larger one....I was planning on getting a larger one in a few years anyway, so why not now? The only thing I regret is that now there are so many things to try, and learn, but that Sys. 96 glass is pricey here!
I've been "betting the farm" on glass for a couple of years, it's been my sole income for a year now. After a few years copper foiling and lead get well....kind of mundane. This kiln is my biggest investment so far and it can only lead to more and better things.
Probably.
I hope.
Jan
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jerry flanary
- Posts: 158
- Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2003 11:11 pm
- Location: norfolk, va
Does this oven make an audible click sound when it kicks on or off?
I didn't see anywhere in the rampmasterII literature that it would have a High limit switch. If the relay goes in the ON position or the controller brainfarts the kiln could go max itself out. You might ask their tech about it. Maybe it's in there and I didn't see it. This senario is pretty dang rare but that's why they have fire codes about not having anything flamable within xx" of an oven....
Some gases can attack the elements and shorten their life. Big deal. Replacement coils are available from Duralite (I always say Duracraft, I don't know what it is. It's in the back of Henry Halems book.) Always try to increase the thickness of the wire when you replace them. I've heard thicker lasts longer.
Play have fun. Do your ghost images of the flowers and the leaf look better on a black background?
j.
I didn't see anywhere in the rampmasterII literature that it would have a High limit switch. If the relay goes in the ON position or the controller brainfarts the kiln could go max itself out. You might ask their tech about it. Maybe it's in there and I didn't see it. This senario is pretty dang rare but that's why they have fire codes about not having anything flamable within xx" of an oven....
Some gases can attack the elements and shorten their life. Big deal. Replacement coils are available from Duralite (I always say Duracraft, I don't know what it is. It's in the back of Henry Halems book.) Always try to increase the thickness of the wire when you replace them. I've heard thicker lasts longer.
Play have fun. Do your ghost images of the flowers and the leaf look better on a black background?
j.
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Janz
My leaf became a big devitrified bubble...BUT.....I can see what was MEANT to happen, so this is encouraging. I'm going to pick up a few squares of clear s96 and shove a ton of diffrent leaves in there and see which work best. hmmm black eh....that sounds fun.
My kiln does click alot. It has an alarm that I can set when it reaches a temp. of my choice. I can't say I use this feature....
I think I've got it really well set up. My kiln sits on a cement block built special for it, and nothing but stone walls around it. (Of course, it is about 2 feet away from the walls.) I've got a fire alarm, and extinguisher at arms length. I'm not worried about burning down my studio, and home...I'm just worried about how much it might cost to fix it!! Scary!!
Thanks for all the tips.
Jan
My kiln does click alot. It has an alarm that I can set when it reaches a temp. of my choice. I can't say I use this feature....
I think I've got it really well set up. My kiln sits on a cement block built special for it, and nothing but stone walls around it. (Of course, it is about 2 feet away from the walls.) I've got a fire alarm, and extinguisher at arms length. I'm not worried about burning down my studio, and home...I'm just worried about how much it might cost to fix it!! Scary!!
Thanks for all the tips.
Jan
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gone
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Jack Bowman
- Posts: 126
- Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2003 10:52 pm
- Location: Utah
- Contact:
[quote="Janz"]"I see, i see."
Said the blind carpenter as he picked up his hammer. And saw.
" The only thing I regret is that now there are so many things to try, and learn, but that Sys. 96 glass is pricey here!"
Jan,
I just spent some time in Canada (BC) and the friend I was visiting found it worthwhile to go to the US for glass. Got it for right around half of the price in Canada. Had to pay some duty bringing it in, but still worth the trouble.
Jack
Said the blind carpenter as he picked up his hammer. And saw.
" The only thing I regret is that now there are so many things to try, and learn, but that Sys. 96 glass is pricey here!"
Jan,
I just spent some time in Canada (BC) and the friend I was visiting found it worthwhile to go to the US for glass. Got it for right around half of the price in Canada. Had to pay some duty bringing it in, but still worth the trouble.
Jack
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jerry flanary
- Posts: 158
- Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2003 11:11 pm
- Location: norfolk, va
Yeah
Apparently Sys96 is expensive everywhere but we've got it best stateside. An australian friend bought 5#s of bullseye in WA state for $30 (I thought it was mispriced) and she said it would have been almost 400 in australia. Does this sound right? On the other hand, she said Gaffer is dirt cheap over there.
Janz, the clicking is a mercury relay switching on and off. They last a long time but you should be aware that there is a tube of mercury in there- so try not to run into the kiln w/ your forklift, ok? That's the only other horror to really worry about.
If you can educate yourself on how kilns work, run, and are put together you will be able to save on repair costs by learning how to do simpler things like replacing elements. It's kinda like changing a lightbulb but with out all the glass. Unless you know it's not in your temperment.
j.
Apparently Sys96 is expensive everywhere but we've got it best stateside. An australian friend bought 5#s of bullseye in WA state for $30 (I thought it was mispriced) and she said it would have been almost 400 in australia. Does this sound right? On the other hand, she said Gaffer is dirt cheap over there.
Janz, the clicking is a mercury relay switching on and off. They last a long time but you should be aware that there is a tube of mercury in there- so try not to run into the kiln w/ your forklift, ok? That's the only other horror to really worry about.
If you can educate yourself on how kilns work, run, and are put together you will be able to save on repair costs by learning how to do simpler things like replacing elements. It's kinda like changing a lightbulb but with out all the glass. Unless you know it's not in your temperment.
j.
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Janz
I am working on a plan to get my glass from the U.S. My uncle flies down twice a week..and he works like, 45 min. drive from the Warner-Criv outlet. How intruiging says I....
Theres a company called Dragon Art glass...I think they are exclusivly in Quebec. Their glass is hand-rolled, really lovely stuff. Similar to Yoghi, without the milky quality. You'd think local stuff would be cheaper, but we pay about 6$ for a 6 x 10" square.
I like to learn more about my kiln, some of the stuff is a little technical and the manuals don't offer much by way of explanation. But the way things are done here....it's like they don't want you to know. People are kind of snotty, the more questions I ask, the less they want me around. I can imagine my prof. recoiling in horror if she found out how I scour the recycling for scrap glass, broken windows, mirrors. "It 's just not done!"
But this is putting all the eggs in the basket in the cart before the horse!
Thanks to all for the info....the more I use my kiln the less I fear something horrid will happen.
Jan
Theres a company called Dragon Art glass...I think they are exclusivly in Quebec. Their glass is hand-rolled, really lovely stuff. Similar to Yoghi, without the milky quality. You'd think local stuff would be cheaper, but we pay about 6$ for a 6 x 10" square.
I like to learn more about my kiln, some of the stuff is a little technical and the manuals don't offer much by way of explanation. But the way things are done here....it's like they don't want you to know. People are kind of snotty, the more questions I ask, the less they want me around. I can imagine my prof. recoiling in horror if she found out how I scour the recycling for scrap glass, broken windows, mirrors. "It 's just not done!"
But this is putting all the eggs in the basket in the cart before the horse!
Thanks to all for the info....the more I use my kiln the less I fear something horrid will happen.
Jan
Pick up a copy of Contemporary Warm Glass, available through this web site. It'll give you a wealth of information and ideas to work from.
There's also a lot of good info on the Spectrum and Bullseye web sites that you can take advantage of.
Kilns really aren't so scary, it's just a matter of getting in there and doing to become familiar with how yours works...sounds like you're having no problem with that.
C.
There's also a lot of good info on the Spectrum and Bullseye web sites that you can take advantage of.
Kilns really aren't so scary, it's just a matter of getting in there and doing to become familiar with how yours works...sounds like you're having no problem with that.
C.