WarmGlass.com

Hi Karen, So you wrote.... "I'm very new at fusing and am totally intimidated by my kiln. It sits in my work room and mocks me every day". This is a typical response/emotion that I think most people have when they first start fusing. I used to get stress headaches and pace in front of the ...

Hi Rocky,

Tape for repairing mufflers?

The sash from your bath robe?

Cheers,

Bob

Hi again Bonnie, Two more suggestions: 1) try lighting from the side as well. There should be highlights around the edges that might add that pizzazz you are looking for. 2) When I started photographing my work I did the "guy thing" and thought that if some light was good then more lights ...

Bonnie, I would suggest two things: sign out a book on photographic lighting from your local library. Lighting clear and transparent glass is very difficult and the books I looked at always had an exercise on how to light a clear wine glass. Try lighting from slightly behind (if the piece is in a st...

Hi Molly, I fire polish using visual observations. Fire polishing depends on the glass type, the colour of the glass, the proximity to the heating elements and the rate of heating. So it is difficult to say that one temperature works for all situations. Firepolishing is one of the critical signs tha...

Hi Stacey,

Yeah the rolling stringer problem is a problem. The problem with all glues is that they burn off way before fusing temperatures are reached. Even slight air currents caused by raising the kiln lid can cause stringers to shift.

The flattened stringer has worked well for me.

Cheers,

Bob

Hi Nichollette, Don't know about the tongs but I can make a suggestion for gloves. For most cases of opening kiln lids at normal operating temperatures a pair of welders gloves are sufficient. If you are working inside the kiln you probably want to go with high temperature gloves such as Zetex. Reme...

Hi Indigo, I haven't used noodles but I have used a stringers a lot. One of the problems with stringers is to prevent them from rolling around on the project, or kiln shelf. What I do to prevent this is to grind one side of the stringer flat. To do this press the stringer against a grinder bit with ...

Hey Kathie,

For good food try Betelnuts on Union Street.

Cheers,

Bob

Hi Sheila,

I have run an Orton KilnVent at a lower speed using a dimmer switch and have found it works just fine.

Marty... do you ever get visits from Social Services?

Cheers,

Bob

Tony,

I was thinking back to Lisa's original photographs. I thought they looked like they were near the sharp angles in the bends of the glass. I had heard that the sharp bends could focus the stress differences. Just a guess.

Cheers,

Bob

I have a hepa filter on an dust collector. I let it run while and for several hours after working with powder. I also have an electronic air cleaner on my furnace. I clean up work surfaces with a damp sponge.As Ron says you can't eliminate it, I just try to minimize it.

Cheers,

Bob

Barbara Muth wrote...."Lisa, I think Bob Leatherbarrow used to do anneal soaks at both temps and has stopped doing that since having conversations at Bullseye (if I remember correctly). Ask him about it. Bob???" Yes I used to use a multiple step annealing program. It resulted from my misin...

Now I thought the pink/blue dye was in the wash so that you could see when the wash completely covered the surface of the shelf. As the first few layers of wash go on (rotating the shelf 90degrees after each coat) the dye on the mullite shelf makes a tartan pattern. With successive coats the beige o...

Suzan, The short answer is... shift happens. I would hazard a guess that you made the assumption that the glue would hold the pieces in place until they reached fusing temperature. In reality the glue probably burns off at about 400 to 600F and the pieces, not having anything to fix them in place fe...

Hi Hugo, I have used copper wire but it oxidizes and becomes brittle. They are more prone to breaking off. If you do use copper I think something thicker that 1/32" would be necessary. I used copper wire (on a spool) that I bought in a craft store. I works most of the time. If the piece has any...

A wet belt sander will do most edges. Use a lap wheel if you want a flat, horizontal edge .

There is lots of information in the archives on edge polishing. Look under Steve Klein, Marty, Brock, Doug amongst others.


cheers,

Bob

Hi Karen, If the marks are from the piece slumping onto the mold (on the underside or back of the piece) then you cannot remove the marks by fire polishing the piece. Fire polishing normally occurs at about 1325F for Bullseye glass. This is above the slumping temperature of the glass (~1150F). You w...

Joan, Try placing a "U" shaped hanger made by bending wire directly on the shelf. Put your single piece of glass directly on top with a small opening in the "U" not covered by glass. Take to full fuse. The glass should stick to the metal... it has for the hundreds on ornaments I ...

The Super Spray is a milky coloured liquid ... correct? You didn't use Clear Coat? I would suggest shaking the bottle well, pouring the milky liquid into the cap of the bottle. I use a clean artist's brush to apply a coating over the entire piece. When the Super Spray dries the entire surface should...