laminate fused glass to 3/16 plate

ernest porcelli · Post by **ernest porcelli** » Mon Dec 22, 2003 10:25 am

anyone know how to laminate a fused glass piece about 24"x24" to a piece of plate. this laminated piece is then to be drilled with 1" holes.if it works i need to make 6 panels. anyone ever do such a project? thank you for your help ep

Brock · Post by **Brock** » Mon Dec 22, 2003 11:31 am

Never done exactly what you're proposing, but I have laminated lots of fused glass to plate, wirh silicone. Trowel an even coating, press fused glass into it. Brock

Paul Housberg · Post by **Paul Housberg** » Mon Dec 22, 2003 9:26 pm

Brock wrote:Never done exactly what you're proposing, but I have laminated lots of fused glass to plate, wirh silicone. Trowel an even coating, press fused glass into it. Brock

Can't imagine you can use silicone without getting bubbles - some look like ferns and may not appear until several months later. Not an issue unless the glass is transparent.

If the glass does not have to be truly laminated for safety purposes, you can run a bead of silicone along the edge of the two layers of glass (assuming they're the same size) - not between the layers, but on the outside edge only. Even a thin skin of silicone will hold the pieces together. You could also skin the edges of the holes assuming none of the edges will be visible.

To truly laminate the glass, you can use a laminating resin made by Glasslam or Uvacol. But, it's expensive to get started with these products and there's a steep learning curve.

I'm curious, Brock, what kind of silicone you use and if you're able to get away without bubbles.

Brock · Post by **Brock** » Tue Dec 23, 2003 12:02 am

I'm curious, Brock, what kind of silicone you use and if you're able to get away without bubbles.

I don't use any partcular brand, although I'm starting to use that GE silicone everyone recommends. I have done transparent tiles on float
this way with no bubble problems. They weren't large, but it;s easy to tape around the area you want glued, and press the voids and bubbles out, then peel the tape away. Brock

Bert Weiss · Post by **Bert Weiss** » Tue Dec 23, 2003 12:52 am

Paul Housberg wrote:
To truly laminate the glass, you can use a laminating resin made by Glasslam or Uvacol. But, it's expensive to get started with these products and there's a steep learning curve.

I have used the low contraction laminating resin from Zircon. Bohle also makes a similar product. The Glasslam and UVacol resins have a much higher rate of contraction and can cause breakage.

Like Paul says the learning curve is steep and the kit is expensive. The basic idea is that you use VHB double stick tape to establish a seal and a thickness and then you fill the hole with resin. (you need to leave a hole for filling the cavity and one for air to escape. You need clamps and a tilt table to get the resin to do it's thing. I also recommend running another bead of silicone around the perimeter to insure the seal. The resin makes a huge mess when it breaks out of the seal and falls on the floor. The resin has a great deal of static pressure, making it really want to leak.

I was advised by Bullseye that about 10% of the projects that have been done with the Bohle resin have failed.

I don't quite understand how your holes are involved, but if the holes are doing anything structural, I'd have the float glass tempered. You can't temper the fused glass though.

I have used the Zircon 901/383-9307. ask for Ed. I believe he was the original chemist for Glasslam and then went out on his own. Given that he makes his product in the US, it must be considerably less expensive than Bohle whose products are very expensive after importation and markup.