Playing with float glass!!

[Anea]

OKay all, I have been searching through the archives for a couple of days now, and think that I have enough information to start playing with this glass. I am used to 90 coe BE or UB, but have a friend who wants to enhance his projects that use float so I am ready to experiment. I am picking up free scrap from a window shop at 1pm. Just wanted to see if there was any extra advice you would give to someone playing with this glass for the first time?

Thanks
anea

[Tony Smith]

Not all float is compatible, so try to use glass from the same sheet or at least from the same case.

Tony

[rosanna gusler]

use borax devit spray. rosanna

[charlie]

and the bending/fusing/annealing temps are different then be.

but other than that, it's the same.

[Bert Weiss]

OKay all, I have been searching through the archives for a couple of days now, and think that I have enough information to start playing with this glass. I am used to 90 coe BE or UB, but have a friend who wants to enhance his projects that use float so I am ready to experiment. I am picking up free scrap from a window shop at 1pm. Just wanted to see if there was any extra advice you would give to someone playing with this glass for the first time?

Thanks
anea

Anea

Try and get the thickest glass that you can. !/4" and thinner definitely need borax. 3/8" or 1/2" don't. Float glass isn't as "flowy" as BE. it slumps about 80º warmer than BE and anneals 80º hotter. There is plenty that you can do with it.

[tom suter]

I have been playing with float myself and have had good luck as far as fusing but more problems annealing. I done a arch 18" wide 12 " high 1/4" layer with sky Blue Vodka bottles crushed up with a green bottle crushed and mixed up. It came out really nice but I ended going up to 1600 to get the frit to fuse smooth. But did get devit but it looks okay on this project. It was a peacock the arch was the feathers spread and then I tacked on a 1/4" body on top.

[Anea]

I just set up my first small test pieces. I took one small sheet of 3/8 float, and sliced it into about 1 1/2" squares. Then I spiraled some copper wire.

For the first one I placed the spiral on the first layer of glass so that there will be two more layers of float above it. For the second one I placed it above two layers of float so there will only be one layer of float above it. For the third I did two small spirals ans placed one on the bottom layer and one on the middle layer. I dammed it and set it to fire.

I am firing at 500 dph set 1560 hold 30 minutes, AFAP to 970 hold one hour, 250 dph set 920 hold 1 hour and finally 300 dph set 550, cool to room temp.

I did not use an overspray as I want to see what the glass does in my kiln. I tested really small so that I can see the results in the morning when I wake up, and I didn't want to put too much energy into the test pieces. I will post tomorrow and let you all know how it goes. Thanks for all the advice and support.

Anea

[Anea]

I have been playing with float myself and have had good luck as far as fusing but more problems annealing. I done a arch 18" wide 12 " high 1/4" layer with sky Blue Vodka bottles crushed up with a green bottle crushed and mixed up. It came out really nice but I ended going up to 1600 to get the frit to fuse smooth. But did get devit but it looks okay on this project. It was a peacock the arch was the feathers spread and then I tacked on a 1/4" body on top.

Did you also use float glass as a base for this? I am a bit confused. Are glass bottles such as those for Vodka considered float glass? Sorry but I just don't quite get it. Are they compatible for the most part?
anea

[Bert Weiss]

I have been playing with float myself and have had good luck as far as fusing but more problems annealing. I done a arch 18" wide 12 " high 1/4" layer with sky Blue Vodka bottles crushed up with a green bottle crushed and mixed up. It came out really nice but I ended going up to 1600 to get the frit to fuse smooth. But did get devit but it looks okay on this project. It was a peacock the arch was the feathers spread and then I tacked on a 1/4" body on top.

Did you also use float glass as a base for this? I am a bit confused. Are glass bottles such as those for Vodka considered float glass? Sorry but I just don't quite get it. Are they compatible for the most part?
anea

Anea

You are way off with your annealing. For 3/4" I would soak at 1000 for 4 hours, take 4 hours down to 900, 3 hours down, to 700 3 hours, down to 300. If I understood you right your glass will just crack at one hour for 970, probably violently.

[Anea]

Okay I got the pieces out of the kiln this morning and they luckily did not crack violently. They were so small only 1 and 1/2 inches square, so I am guessing that is why I didn't have any cracking problems.

The one with the copper on the bottom layer of float with two layers of float over it devitrified a bit. Its wrinkly and foggy looking but I have seen much worse devit. It looks like it only tack fused, there are clearly still three different pieces of glass. The funny thing is, the way it pulled in on the top layer. Its almost like there was a weight or something in the middle of the top piece of glass the way it sucked in and sunk down. It almost has a lip of thinner glass all the way around, never seen anything like it.

The one with two layers of float and then a copper spiral with one layer of float on top did not devit. It too is only tack fused and it did that same weird suck into the middle from the sides thing.

The one with one layer of float, then copper, then float and another spiral and then one layer of float on top, did not really devit either. It too is only tacked and did the same weird sucky in thingy.

I am thinking that I am going to lay up the glass and copper the same way tonight but hold it way longer at 1560 so that maybe it will full fuse instead of just tack, maybe hold for and hour or 90 minutes. What do you guys think? I am also going to use an overspray, if I have some, I never use the stuff so I am not sure if I have any at home. Am very tempted to use the same annealing schedule since I made it out okay, should I press my luck? Remember these are very small pieces.

Thanks everyone-

I enjoy learning from this board and these great people
Anea

[Bert Weiss]

Okay I got the pieces out of the kiln this morning and they luckily did not crack violently. They were so small only 1 and 1/2 inches square, so I am guessing that is why I didn't have any cracking problems.

The one with the copper on the bottom layer of float with two layers of float over it devitrified a bit. Its wrinkly and foggy looking but I have seen much worse devit. It looks like it only tack fused, there are clearly still three different pieces of glass. The funny thing is, the way it pulled in on the top layer. Its almost like there was a weight or something in the middle of the top piece of glass the way it sucked in and sunk down. It almost has a lip of thinner glass all the way around, never seen anything like it.

The one with two layers of float and then a copper spiral with one layer of float on top did not devit. It too is only tack fused and it did that same weird suck into the middle from the sides thing.

The one with one layer of float, then copper, then float and another spiral and then one layer of float on top, did not really devit either. It too is only tacked and did the same weird sucky in thingy.

I am thinking that I am going to lay up the glass and copper the same way tonight but hold it way longer at 1560 so that maybe it will full fuse instead of just tack, maybe hold for and hour or 90 minutes. What do you guys think? I am also going to use an overspray, if I have some, I never use the stuff so I am not sure if I have any at home. Am very tempted to use the same annealing schedule since I made it out okay, should I press my luck? Remember these are very small pieces.

Thanks everyone-

I enjoy learning from this board and these great people
Anea

Anea

You can pick whatever time you like, but you will never anneal float glass at 970. I soak at 1000. Graham soaks at 1030.

The temperature at which glass reacts is a bit unique to each style of kiln. It has to do with the interplay between time and temperature. I never fire above 1500 in my big kiln or my medium kiln, but you might have very different results.

I can't stress enough how important a slump test is for EVERY fuser. Do a slump test and soak 100º below slump temp. Directions are in Lundstrom Fusing Book 1 or in the WGBB archives. This test will assure you the right annealing soak temperature in your kiln with your thermcouple and controller.

Annealing off the mark is a terrible waste of time and energy.

[Bert Weiss]

Okay I got the pieces out of the kiln this morning and they luckily did not crack violently. They were so small only 1 and 1/2 inches square, so I am guessing that is why I didn't have any cracking problems.

The one with the copper on the bottom layer of float with two layers of float over it devitrified a bit. Its wrinkly and foggy looking but I have seen much worse devit. It looks like it only tack fused, there are clearly still three different pieces of glass. The funny thing is, the way it pulled in on the top layer. Its almost like there was a weight or something in the middle of the top piece of glass the way it sucked in and sunk down. It almost has a lip of thinner glass all the way around, never seen anything like it.

The one with two layers of float and then a copper spiral with one layer of float on top did not devit. It too is only tack fused and it did that same weird suck into the middle from the sides thing.

The one with one layer of float, then copper, then float and another spiral and then one layer of float on top, did not really devit either. It too is only tacked and did the same weird sucky in thingy.

I am thinking that I am going to lay up the glass and copper the same way tonight but hold it way longer at 1560 so that maybe it will full fuse instead of just tack, maybe hold for and hour or 90 minutes. What do you guys think? I am also going to use an overspray, if I have some, I never use the stuff so I am not sure if I have any at home. Am very tempted to use the same annealing schedule since I made it out okay, should I press my luck? Remember these are very small pieces.

Thanks everyone-

I enjoy learning from this board and these great people
Anea

Anea

You can pick whatever time you like, but you will never anneal float glass at 970. I soak at 1000. Graham soaks at 1030.

The temperature at which glass reacts is a bit unique to each style of kiln. It has to do with the interplay between time and temperature. I never fire above 1500 in my big kiln or my medium kiln, but you might have very different results.

I can't stress enough how important a slump test is for EVERY fuser. Do a slump test and soak 100º below slump temp. Directions are in Lundstrom Fusing Book 1 or in the WGBB archives. This test will assure you the right annealing soak temperature in your kiln with your thermcouple and controller.

Annealing off the mark is a terrible waste of time and energy.

[Anea]

Okay I got the pieces out of the kiln this morning and they luckily did not crack violently. They were so small only 1 and 1/2 inches square, so I am guessing that is why I didn't have any cracking problems.

The one with the copper on the bottom layer of float with two layers of float over it devitrified a bit. Its wrinkly and foggy looking but I have seen much worse devit. It looks like it only tack fused, there are clearly still three different pieces of glass. The funny thing is, the way it pulled in on the top layer. Its almost like there was a weight or something in the middle of the top piece of glass the way it sucked in and sunk down. It almost has a lip of thinner glass all the way around, never seen anything like it.

The one with two layers of float and then a copper spiral with one layer of float on top did not devit. It too is only tack fused and it did that same weird suck into the middle from the sides thing.

The one with one layer of float, then copper, then float and another spiral and then one layer of float on top, did not really devit either. It too is only tacked and did the same weird sucky in thingy.

I am thinking that I am going to lay up the glass and copper the same way tonight but hold it way longer at 1560 so that maybe it will full fuse instead of just tack, maybe hold for and hour or 90 minutes. What do you guys think? I am also going to use an overspray, if I have some, I never use the stuff so I am not sure if I have any at home. Am very tempted to use the same annealing schedule since I made it out okay, should I press my luck? Remember these are very small pieces.

Thanks everyone-

I enjoy learning from this board and these great people
Anea

Anea

You can pick whatever time you like, but you will never anneal float glass at 970. I soak at 1000. Graham soaks at 1030.

The temperature at which glass reacts is a bit unique to each style of kiln. It has to do with the interplay between time and temperature. I never fire above 1500 in my big kiln or my medium kiln, but you might have very different results.

I can't stress enough how important a slump test is for EVERY fuser. Do a slump test and soak 100º below slump temp. Directions are in Lundstrom Fusing Book 1 or in the WGBB archives. This test will assure you the right annealing soak temperature in your kiln with your thermcouple and controller.

Annealing off the mark is a terrible waste of time and energy.

Thanks Bert-

I missed the part about the annealing temp when I read your post. I was annealing based on a reccomendation on the CR Loo site that sells the frit and other accessory glass that is compatible with float. I will probably anneal for a while at both temps just to be safe and try the slump test. I have the Lundstrom book to reference.

Thanks again-
Anea

[Brian and Jenny Blanthorn]

Okay I got the pieces out of the kiln this morning and they luckily did not crack violently. They were so small only 1 and 1/2 inches square, so I am guessing that is why I didn't have any cracking problems.

The one with the copper on the bottom layer of float with two layers of float over it devitrified a bit. Its wrinkly and foggy looking but I have seen much worse devit. It looks like it only tack fused, there are clearly still three different pieces of glass. The funny thing is, the way it pulled in on the top layer. Its almost like there was a weight or something in the middle of the top piece of glass the way it sucked in and sunk down. It almost has a lip of thinner glass all the way around, never seen anything like it.

The one with two layers of float and then a copper spiral with one layer of float on top did not devit. It too is only tack fused and it did that same weird suck into the middle from the sides thing.

The one with one layer of float, then copper, then float and another spiral and then one layer of float on top, did not really devit either. It too is only tacked and did the same weird sucky in thingy.

I am thinking that I am going to lay up the glass and copper the same way tonight but hold it way longer at 1560 so that maybe it will full fuse instead of just tack, maybe hold for and hour or 90 minutes. What do you guys think? I am also going to use an overspray, if I have some, I never use the stuff so I am not sure if I have any at home. Am very tempted to use the same annealing schedule since I made it out okay, should I press my luck? Remember these are very small pieces.

Thanks everyone-

I enjoy learning from this board and these great people
Anea

Anea

You can pick whatever time you like, but you will never anneal float glass at 970. I soak at 1000. Graham soaks at 1030.

The temperature at which glass reacts is a bit unique to each style of kiln. It has to do with the interplay between time and temperature. I never fire above 1500 in my big kiln or my medium kiln, but you might have very different results.

I can't stress enough how important a slump test is for EVERY fuser. Do a slump test and soak 100º below slump temp. Directions are in Lundstrom Fusing Book 1 or in the WGBB archives. This test will assure you the right annealing soak temperature in your kiln with your thermcouple and controller.

Annealing off the mark is a terrible waste of time and energy.

2 do this correctly U need 2 go up slow I think its 50f hour

This right Bert ???

[Bert Weiss]

2 do this correctly U need 2 go up slow I think its 50f hour

This right Bert ???

I am not at home this week so I don't have my data handy. Brian, you are really the expert about annealing thick chunks. I'm good with big slabs up to 1.5" thick.

[Brian and Jenny Blanthorn]

2 do this correctly U need 2 go up slow I think its 50f hour

This right Bert ???

This is from Pete

http://talk.craftweb.com/showthread.php ... eadid=1359

First things first

Gives a method 4 finding aneal point