Help with slumping bottles

croses · Post by **croses** » Tue Sep 30, 2003 4:26 pm

Finally collected enough bottles this summer to slump flat in a big Paragon kiln..but am having trouble researching firing schedules for standard wine bottles and bottles that are thick, wide and tall (like a large jack daniels bottle.) I tried slumping a few standard bottles but am getting nowhere. The bottles have not achieved a complimentary flat shape. I have lots of sacrifices. Would anyone be willing to share a slumping schedule as I just don't know how long to hold a bottle at 1250 plus degrees or if I should go hotter and for how long. Does it make a difference if the bottle is clear or green? Thanks for any suggestions. Celeste

charlie · Post by **charlie** » Tue Sep 30, 2003 4:51 pm

if they're different, they could all require different schedules. that said, there's a tutorial on this board on how to slump bottles, and it's come up in the past so you can search the archives for different schedules.

you can always fire them and look into the kiln to see if they're flat enough. keep track of the time, and that's your schedule. it'll be different depending upon the bottle and your kiln.

there's usually no difference depending upon color but since they're different glasses, different thicknesses, and sizes, they will probably not all slump the same in the same schedule.

i haven't been able to slump them totally flat. they seem to all have a bubble around the shoulder.

i've also sprayed the up side with borax to prevent devit.

Dani · Post by **Dani** » Tue Sep 30, 2003 4:52 pm

I recently tried a few kiln-loads myself, and with the help of Carol on this board, had great success. I fired at cone 015 or just over 1450 degrees in my big kiln. I just ramp at about 300 degrees an hour and leave the kiln closed overnight to cool naturally.... no crashing, holding, etc. And as with everything I fire, I use overspray. Color of bottle and even size didn't matter, but I can only do two shelves for even heating.

Nancy Juhasz · Post by **Nancy Juhasz** » Wed Oct 01, 2003 7:56 am

Hi Here is the addy for the slumping of bottles on this site. http://www.warmglass.com/Bottles.htm
I had a terrible time finding it so I just keep it written down so I can go to it. I have no idea how to find it otherwise.

I use this schedule all the time. I do have a problem with the bottles breaking if used as windchimes if it is raining and they stick together and another one hits it. Solution is to make sure the bottles are on short enough ties to they can't stick together when wet but long enough to be able to hit each other to chime.

Good luck with your bottles. I really enjoy them. Nanc

Nancy Juhasz · Post by **Nancy Juhasz** » Wed Oct 01, 2003 9:16 am

Hi Charlie,

How do you apply your Borax solution? I have made the solution in Brad's book (1 teaspoon borax to 1 cup distilled water) with and without the distilled water, used warm, hot, and cold water, sprayed it, brushed it, and I always seem to get mottled spots. I have used it at 1450 and above. There must be something I am doing wrong. I would love to use it on the bottles so that I wouldn't have to flash vent to prevent devit. Do you have any idea what the problem is?

Nanc

charlie · Post by **charlie** » Wed Oct 01, 2003 12:26 pm

Nanc wrote:Hi Charlie,

How do you apply your Borax solution? I have made the solution in Brad's book (1 teaspoon borax to 1 cup distilled water) with and without the distilled water, used warm, hot, and cold water, sprayed it, brushed it, and I always seem to get mottled spots. I have used it at 1450 and above. There must be something I am doing wrong. I would love to use it on the bottles so that I wouldn't have to flash vent to prevent devit. Do you have any idea what the problem is?

Nanc

i mix it in a 16 oz plant mister. warm tap water, a couple of drops of dish soap. i don't measure how much borax i use. it's at least a couple of tablespoons. when i use it, i just hold it over my sink, spray it on heavily and let it drip off. the soap will cause the surface tension to go down and thus coat it completely. don't let it hit the back where it will meet the kiln wash: it will stick badly.

when i'm spraying on a piece with frit or powder, i obviously can't tilt it, i put the piece on a large piece of newspaper, and spray in the air above the piece to let the droplets settle out of the air. this way the frit doesn't get moved.

for bottles, i just set them up in a row on their bases and spray from one side. this prevents the borax from getting on the back. let dry completely before moving, and keep track of which side you sprayed.

also, i use it when full fusing, which in my kiln is at least 1480. if it's blotchy, it may not be cured enough. try a higher temp.

Nancy Juhasz · Post by **Nancy Juhasz** » Wed Oct 01, 2003 1:02 pm

Thanks Charlie I'll try a new batch again. Nanc

Linda Denli · Post by **Linda Denli** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 8:39 am

I am totally intrigued about the idea of slumping bottles, but what do you do with them when they are slumped? I imagine a round bottle coming out of the kiln as a sort of flat silhouette type bottle shape, is this right? I'd love to know more as I do seem to end up with a lot of empty wine bottles!

Best wishes

Linda

charlie · Post by **charlie** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 10:37 am

cheese boards, spoon rests, windchimes. it's common to sandblast or etch a design in the front face of them.

i've given lots of them away as spoon rests. i slump them so the neck falls over a steel U shaped piece of metal to make a handle, or on a clay bent form i made. then i glue 3 cork disks on the bottom to prevent slipping or marring surfaces.

there's lots of examples out there.

Dani · Post by **Dani** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 10:57 am

Charlie, I haven't managed to get a good, crisp etch on mine. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks.

charlie · Post by **charlie** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 11:05 am

Dani wrote:Charlie, I haven't managed to get a good, crisp etch on mine. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks.

i haven't done this at all. jim robbins here in phx (he used to be on this board, so may have an address in the memberlist) uses photomasking and sandblasting on them. he sells hundreds/month of them.

Judy Schnabel · Post by **Judy Schnabel** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 11:11 am

Celeste,

First of all, 1250 isn't nearly hot enough (in my kilns) to flatten a plain old wine bottle, let alone Grey Goose or anything else heavy.

In my smaller Jen-Kens I fire to 1530 but only to 1450 in my oval Jen-Ken.
I do not anneal smaller bottles, but I do program an annealing cycle for large, thick bottles.

Check out the schedule on the board and go from there, adjusting for your kiln.

Judy