Got a kiln and havent stopped firing since! a few questions.

[toolfan88]

HELLO! Im so happy to be partaking in the world of glass. My mother owns a small beading company and iv always been fascinated with glass. While speaking with one of her costumers about the beauty of a glass pendant she told me she had a kiln that was only used once. She let me have it and all her glass for free!! that was a month ago.... I havent stopped making things since. slumping and fusing pendants and plates and just having fun!!

I have some failed experiments and some successful experiments. everything i read suggests experimenting. I have a few "failed" pieces that im thinking about experimenting with more. THats where my question comes up.

So I have a 5"x5" plate i made. 3 layers of glass that got a big bubble where two pieces of glass i cut meet. iv learned about longer bubble press times since then but the piece still remains. What will happen if slump it into a dish mold i have? will the bubble pop? what if i flipped it over so the bubble was on the bottom? is there a way to do a bubble press now after the glass has been fully fused? oh the possibilities! Im strongly thinking about just putting the piece into the slump and see what happens. but id love some advice. i dont want to have it hours in the kiln only to find out the bubble popped and got glass everywhere. Any suggestions??? btw it is system 96 glass. i have a slumping firing schedule but im always open to trying new ones.

-Dennis

[Paul Schulz]

you could try drilling a very small hole in to the bubble with a diamond bit, then re slumping it with it on the bottom,,but make sure your air holes are open in the mould,,,,well that's what i would try ,,am sure someone will have a better idea

[Stephen Richard]

"So I have a 5"x5" plate i made. 3 layers of glass that got a big bubble where two pieces of glass i cut meet. iv learned about longer bubble press times since then but the piece still remains. What will happen if slump it into a dish mold i have? will the bubble pop? what if i flipped it over so the bubble was on the bottom? is there a way to do a bubble press now after the glass has been fully fused? oh the possibilities! Im strongly thinking about just putting the piece into the slump and see what happens. but id love some advice. i dont want to have it hours in the kiln only to find out the bubble popped and got glass everywhere. Any suggestions??? btw it is system 96 glass. i have a slumping firing schedule but im always open to trying new ones.

-Dennis"

will the bubble pop?
not unless you fire very hot. I assume the dish is shallow, so 630ºC should be high enough to slump, but will not change the bubble.
what if i flipped it over so the bubble was on the bottom?
You will get a bubble on the new top but with a thicker "film"
is there a way to do a bubble press now after the glass has been fully fused?
No. It is sealed and the only way out for the air is through the broken bubble.
bubble popped and got glass everywhere
That won't happen, the bubble breaks when the glass is soft enough for the expanding air to push its way through the soft glass. There will be no explosion.
i have a slumping firing schedule but im always open to trying new ones.
Try the ones from the Bullseye education site and the S96 site. They are slightly different.

[Haydo]

I'd keep it to cut up one day to go into a mosaic or part of the mix in a crucible for a vitrigraph cane making episode. You could break away the thinner parts of the bubble, dam the piece because it's over 6mm thick and fire away until flattened out. This will require peeking, so will need a longer soak at fusing temp that can be cancelled once you get what you want. See what comes out, you may be either happy or sad. Doesn't really matter because you've done the right thing by working small. peace, haydo