Pot melt - Float question

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Nickie Jordan
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Pot melt - Float question

Post by Nickie Jordan »

I don't really have a kiln with enough depth, and, really intend to move in a different direction, but, the pot melt technique is SO interesting.
If a person was to use float glass, I would imagine the temp to hold would be a bit higher, and, a longer hold then Randy was using ? (I think he was goimg up to 1675F, holding for an hour), any ideas ?
Would the float 'flow' like BE at the right temps ? I loved the ripple effect. Any devit might blend right in - or am I wrong ?
Have you tried anything similiar, Bert ?
Thanks in advance for any input from anybody ! - Nickie
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Bert Weiss
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Re: Pot melt - Float question

Post by Bert Weiss »

Nickie Jordan wrote:I don't really have a kiln with enough depth, and, really intend to move in a different direction, but, the pot melt technique is SO interesting.
If a person was to use float glass, I would imagine the temp to hold would be a bit higher, and, a longer hold then Randy was using ? (I think he was goimg up to 1675F, holding for an hour), any ideas ?
Would the float 'flow' like BE at the right temps ? I loved the ripple effect. Any devit might blend right in - or am I wrong ?
Have you tried anything similiar, Bert ?
Thanks in advance for any input from anybody ! - Nickie
Nickie

Don't waste your time trying to potmelt float glass or bottle glass. They has very lousy flow characteristics. Lead crystal or BE or 96 are better flowing glasses. They are formulated with more flux than float or bottle glass.

Now that I wrote that, I seem to remember a picture of Colin's cast float glass that was pretty cool. So maybe it is a learnable technique, but certainly not as straight forward as using a casting glass.
Bert

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Nickie Jordan
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2003 12:16 pm
Location: Palmer, Alaska
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Contact Nickie Jordan

Post by Nickie Jordan »

Thanks Bert,
I'm just trying to 'own a technique' - maybe this is the proper area ? lol, N
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Nikki ONeill
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Post by Nikki ONeill »

Burt:
Will float glass flow and cast reasonably well if it is crushed coarsely or fritted? If it doesn't flow well, is it also a waste of time to try making sculptures via a pate-de-verre technique where a plaster mold is filled with frit, with a reservoir of frit atop the piece? Sure would be a great way to use up a lot of float.
Nikki
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