Broke it during blasting

[S.TImmerman]

I have this large (20") organic looking disk that broke during sandblasting. You can see how perfect it fits together. These were all taken after it broke.

I know, i have read its easy to tell if you try and fix a break. Is that every time? What if I fused a layer under it? Its 3mm thick right now .

Thank you!

[Warren Weiss]

I'd give it a shot with the bottom glass added. That it is opalescent glass may be the saving grace. Surely, transp. glass would show. I'd go to 1550 to get a good flow. Anneal at much slower rate than you used the first time.

Warren

[Vonon]

Oh yeah. Try to save it! Very cool piece.

[Valerie Adams]

I think you should just make peace with it.

[Barb R]

I would cut up the broken pieces and use them as accents in other pieces. What a beautiful piece and a shame.

Barb

[Morganica]

Are you sure it's only 3mm? And how did it break? Did you drop it or hit it with the blast gun, or did it come apart during the blasting?

If so, yep, add another 3mm of clear on the bottom and you should be good. Even if the pieces do contract a bit so the break lines keep showing, I think it's still going to be cool. Reminds me of really expensive exotic birdseye wood.

If it's more than 3mm, just dam it. In fact, if it's thicker and you've got a good, tight circular dam that will push the broken pieces together so it might look better.

You could also put a thin piece of clear underneath. That's a little riskier, but it'll pull up and (hopefully) become very round, with a slight lip on the edge that could be attractive. You'd have to watch to make sure it doesn't fuse too long and make holes.

Cutting it up works, too, but I like this as-is.

[bob proulx]

You could also cut a larger piece for the bottom and spread the pieces fill the gaps with frit and make it look like that was the plan all along. It would make a funky looking piece sign.
Bob

[S.TImmerman]

Honestly it looks a lot prettier in person.

I am embarrassed on a couple levels.

I got the calipers out and it's 3-4/16

I had pressed it down to make it thinner as it was originally close to 1/2 thick.


One of the SS spacers I was using caught the very edge and I had to cut it off before I started sandblasting it. I think this may have weakened it. ( was this a stupid move) ?


What I was going to do was slump it in a very organic shape

Can I dam it holding the broken edges very tight together and doing so would putting it on a bed of clear frit? Frit over it? Or on a clear sheet?


Thank you very very much!!!!

[Barb R]

I would put a piece of clear underneath it and dam it very tightly and fuse it again - going slower and adding a bubble squeeze. I think this piece is really cool. I hope you can save it.

Barb

[S.TImmerman]

Could I bother you all with a schedule? I should go to "1500" I'm curious why so high, and how long I should keep it there. I will be putting a thin circle of system 96 under it. I have a casting ring big enough however I can't dam it real tight with the ring. So I'll make a circle with thick fiber cloth and dam it all the way around.

I welcome any thoughts please, or changes

Thank you very much, as always!
Shereen

[Morganica]

Personally, I'd keep it under 1500, just use the normal full, flat fuse schedule for your kiln...except that when you get to process temps hold it there for your normal process time and peek at the end. If it's not fully smoothed out, hold it until it is, then bring it down as you normally would. This glass has already had a lot of heatwork so I'm not sure I'd want to add a really hot firing. (OTOH, I'm fairly timid about this stuff)

I think you probably had a couple of stress factors in that firing. If you had a spacer caught in the flow, yes, that could introduce some stress during cooling, as the glass tried to contract around the spacer. Also, if you're pressing between two shelves, you've got to take the extra insulation into account.

My kilnshelves are a half inch each, so when I do a pressed piece I automatically anneal for that much more thickness. If I weight the shelves I may add even more, depends on what I'm weighting it WITH. Mullite brick are nice and heavy, but they add to the insulating effect. Lately I've taken to using stainless steel square pipe, which weights down a pressing beautifully but is a much better conductor (and dissipator) of heat than mullite.

[S.TImmerman]

Thank you, your information is with more than its weight on gold to me! If you and your family ever come down to San Diego, I have zoo tickets earmarked for you.

Please give me notice and they will be therefor you ! It's the least I can do!

[twin vision glass]

It is such a GORGEOUS piece and well, I would love to see it cut into a few really interesting stips and you could get a few fabulous pieces out of the piece. Is it cane work. Ughghgh! so much work to loose it. What did you fire it at . I think you said it was 96 . Are you firing at 950 F. or a different temp. Look forward to seeing how you solve this beautiful piece and were the journey takes you. (P.S. I can see long strips following the flow of the piece blended with complimentory colours like a starfish sand dollar. Les