Distorted Ornaments

Suzan · Post by **Suzan** » Wed Nov 19, 2003 4:03 pm

Hi folks!

I've been making a lot of ornaments recently and some of them distort significantly. E.g., on a 15" shelf, I had one large snowflake (6 triangles, 3 on bottom, 3 overlapped on top) in the centre, and six smaller ones around the perimeter of the shelf. 3 were perfect, the other 3 were distorted, as if some of the parts got up and walked around. All ornaments were glued to wax paper, and I used the Orton vent for the whole cycle. Also, I made 3 other single layer ornaments where I added a small piece of clear to the bottom and sandwiched hi-temp wire as a hook. Again, these were glued, 2 out 3 shifted significantly, 1 was good.

Does anybody know what the cause of the shifting is?

Cheers,
Suzan

charlie · Post by **charlie** » Wed Nov 19, 2003 4:08 pm

poltergeists?

a picture would be worth at least a 1000 words in this case.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Wed Nov 19, 2003 4:14 pm

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 fell willy-nilly... or at least where gravity dictated.

Solution? Place pieces so that they will overlap properly when they slump.

Best guess I can make.

I agree that a photo would help.

Cheers,

Bob

Lia Howe · Post by **Lia Howe** » Thu Nov 20, 2003 10:33 am

I agree with Bob. Sometimes you have to place your pieces with some thought. If you use glue to hold your pieces in place, and that means that glass is being held at weird angles. When the glue burns off gravity takes over. and pieces fall all over. I have had a piece flip right over after the glue burns off. I now take some time to consider the after glue possibilities. This has helped tremedously.Lia
P.S I also agree with the poltergeist theory. It sometimes can be the only answer.Lia

Mark Kemp · Post by **Mark Kemp** » Thu Nov 20, 2003 2:13 pm

I've had small pieces jump across the shelf an inch or so a couple times. I think it happened when the pieces were small and I had too much glue under them. When the glue heated, it suddenly bubbled or gassed and threw the piece. That's my theory, anyway. Poltergeists are another theory that had possibilty.

Suzan · Post by **Suzan** » Thu Nov 20, 2003 2:22 pm

That seems possible. I had made up 3 shelves of ornaments, and in some cases, I was using undiluted glue, and fairly thickly, on others I used a small amount of straight glue, and again on others, the glue was diluted, since I was also applying frit on some ornaments.

I'll try a few tests and report back!

Suzan · Post by **Suzan** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 11:13 am

I did another batch of fifteen ornaments on three shelves, using only diluted glue & wax paper, and one test piece where I slathered on the glue. The test piece came out fine, and three of the fifteen ornaments were distorted.

But then I suspected my Orton Vent. I noticed that it vibrates the shelves a little, so I tried yet another batch of 15 without using the vent, and they all came out fine.

There were fumes from the wax paper initially, but they disappeared after a few hours; just closed the studio door (in basement) and the fumes didn't make it upstairs.

Cheers,
Suzan

Lia Howe · Post by **Lia Howe** » Mon Dec 01, 2003 12:52 am

PLEASE don't just close the door to contain the fumes. VENT them outside. It may seem that the smell goes away but it really doesn't. PLEASE err on the side of caution. A stove hood over your kiln (vented outside) may give you the suction you need. This is a cheap way to provide you with at least some ventalation. My husband went the other way. In my studio I have to wear a seatbelt to stay in my chair. He is really sensitive to odours. My kilns are also outside in my studio. I was also reminded by someone that burned off wax paper creates vapours of wax. Breathing that in can't be good. I have had lots of teachers really encourage studio safety. You can't work at what you love if oyur health won't let you.Lia

charlie · Post by **charlie** » Mon Dec 01, 2003 1:07 pm

Lia Howe wrote: PLEASE don't just close the door to contain the fumes. VENT them outside. It may seem that the smell goes away but it really doesn't. PLEASE err on the side of caution. A stove hood over your kiln (vented outside) may give you the suction you need. This is a cheap way to provide you with at least some ventalation. My husband went the other way. In my studio I have to wear a seatbelt to stay in my chair. He is really sensitive to odours. My kilns are also outside in my studio. I was also reminded by someone that burned off wax paper creates vapours of wax. Breathing that in can't be good. I have had lots of teachers really encourage studio safety. You can't work at what you love if oyur health won't let you.Lia

candles?

Lia Howe · Post by **Lia Howe** » Mon Dec 01, 2003 1:23 pm

Hopefully you don't stand over your candle snorting the fumes. I can't have scented candles because the smell drives my husband sick. You have to remember that everything you sniff goes through your lungs like a big filter.Lia

charlie · Post by **charlie** » Mon Dec 01, 2003 2:13 pm

no i don't, but there's a bazillion candles being burnt each year, and you don't see people keeling over because of it. well, you do, but that's because of the lead in the wicks.

there's a lot more wax in a candle than there is in a piece of waxed paper.

Lia Howe · Post by **Lia Howe** » Mon Dec 01, 2003 5:07 pm

Charlie, I am not trying to pick a fight. I was just hoping to let people know that ANYTHING burned off from your kiln should be vented outside. Sorry to tick you and all the other candle lovers off. That was not my intention.Lia