Tact Fuse

Greg Rawls · Post by **Greg Rawls** » Fri Oct 10, 2003 11:00 am

I have slumped a piece of glass into a wavy ribbon. I want to tact fuse it to another piece of glass while getting it to fuse to the glass without loosing the shape. Suggestions on a fusing schedule? How fast should I go? (the base piece is 8" x 12" single layer) What should be the target temperatue and how long should I soak? THANKS!!!!

Amy on Salt Spring · Post by **Amy on Salt Spring** » Fri Oct 10, 2003 11:18 am

Tack fusing temperatures are higher than slumping temperatures so anything that has a shape and isn't supported in that shape will melt and deform at a tack fuse temp. When I tack fuse (or "sinter" which I've heard it called which sounds cooler) its more a matter of time than temp. After the initial slow heating stages I take it fast up to 1450 as I do will with most fuses but only leave it there for maybe three minutes. That way I get rounded edges and the pieces are adhered but not melted into each other.
Amy

charlie · Post by **charlie** » Fri Oct 10, 2003 11:26 am

look at last years magnets. #75 was a good example of a tack fuse with rounded edges, whereas #71 was one with the edges sharp, but still firepolished edges.

Ron Coleman · Post by **Ron Coleman** » Fri Oct 10, 2003 12:44 pm

If the ribbon of glass is standing on edge on the base glass you might have a chance of tack fusing, depending on how tall the piece is. If it's laying flat I think it will just sag into full contact.

You might try this little trick. Use a leaded frit like Ferro Frit #4319 to act as a hotmelt glue. #3419 starts melting at 1000 f. You could coat the contact points of the ribbon with a slurry of 3419 and something like Klyr Fire to hold it in place. Heat up to about 1150 and it will fuse. Your glass has to be able to stand in place by itself and not fall over while you're heating.

Another product that might work is Back Magic.

Ferro frit 3419 contains lead, about 60% +.

Ron

tom suter · Post by **tom suter** » Sat Oct 11, 2003 1:43 am

You could try and cheat by clean your edges really good and use a good two part epoxy.

charlie holden · Post by **charlie holden** » Sat Oct 11, 2003 1:41 pm

Glueing is not cheating. It is often stronger than tack fusing.

vidrio · Post by **vidrio** » Wed Oct 15, 2003 10:30 am

Amy on Salt Spring wrote:Tack fusing temperatures are higher than slumping temperatures so anything that has a shape and isn't supported in that shape will melt and deform at a tack fuse temp. When I tack fuse (or "sinter" which I've heard it called which sounds cooler) its more a matter of time than temp. After the initial slow heating stages I take it fast up to 1450 as I do will with most fuses but only leave it there for maybe three minutes. That way I get rounded edges and the pieces are adhered but not melted into each other.
Amy

Hi,

You seem to know what you are doing, and I'm just a beginner. I have two questions for you.

I am trying to make a sign with letters. I have fused the base (8"X 14")and now want to tact fuse the letters on top. I don't want to lose the creamy texture of the opaque letters in the clear base, and I want the
letters slightly raised. I want to keep the forms too, but a little rounding would be okay. Would 1450 for a few mins get me there?

Also trying to figure out how I could take 5 tiles and make a box lantern,
by tact fusing the pieces together with cabchons. Is this way out there?
At 1450 wouldn't the tiles all puddle? Any ideas. I'd like to stay away from glues and wires and other messy stuff.

By the way, although I'm living in Costa Rica, I'm from Victoria, and both my Grandmother and Mother are buried in Ganges Cemetary on Saltspring. Hope the rains haven't hit too hard yet.

Thanks

Vidrio

Amy on Salt Spring · Post by **Amy on Salt Spring** » Wed Oct 15, 2003 12:57 pm

Hi there--how did you end up in Costa Rica from here? We are having mostly lovely weather actually--it was about 68 and sunny yesterday on Salt Spring. Of course the rains are on their way (its looking a little cloudy today) but even then being in the rainshadow of VI we get so much less than everyone else around us we can't complain (and its always beautiful even on the rainy days...)

As far as knowing what I am doing...well that varies from day to day

but here is my two cents...
for your sign, if your prefired base is thick then be sure to do your ramp up to 900 or thereabouts a little more slowly than normal. Then I would take it up to 1450 and watch it carefully until you have the level of rounding that you want and then stop the firing, open the kiln to flash vent and then close it when you've gotten below fusing temps and let it drop to your annealing temp. I'm guessing it will take 5-10 min at 1450 but every kiln is different so watching is best. Be sure to add extra time onto your annealing to equal the thickness of the piece.

Don't have any idea how you would do a lantern like that in the kiln. I'd recommend trying some UV glass glue (which is clear and not messy if you are careful) or some other cold technique. Maybe someone else has a good idea. Ron Coleman is always doing amazing things with 3D objects in his kiln.

Hope this helps!
Amy