On edge clear strips

[Jeanice]

I've been planning a piece in my head for a few weeks but can't seem to figure out my strategy. When making a piece using on edge strip construction that involves lots of clear strips (with some opal strips here and there) I'm afraid that lines between adjacent clear strips will be seen. Is there a particular method that will help all the clear pieces seem to become one without any lines?
- Fire hotter and/or longer hold?
- Flip and fire?
- Clear powder on top on first firing? Add clear powder after first firing and fire a second time?
- Clear strips 1/16" taller than opal strips?
- Am I just over-thinking the whole thing?

96 glass. Strips to be 1/4 to 3/8 inch. Piece will be dammed. I have great glass cutting skills .

I found a picture yesterday that is similar to the one in my head but I'm not sure I would be allowed to post a picture belonging to someone else.

Thank you in advance for any advice you may have, no matter how technical. (Actually, I like technical...)
Jeanice

[David Jenkins]

Two side-by-side on-edge strips would be 1/4" of clear. Could you stack 1/4"-wide clear strips NOT on edge, so that they don't show any joint lines?

[Jeanice]

Well, yes, I have used strips that way before. But, in this case it wouldn't work and I can't think of a way to explain. I'm going to post a portion of a picture and hope that I'm not abusing someone's rights. Gimme a minute.

[Jeanice]

OK, here is a portion of the picture I found yesterday that best describes what's in my head.

[DonMcClennen]

You will "always" see a line between abutted clear strips. Why not eliminate strips and fill in design with chunks and frit?

[David Jenkins]

@Don: Won't she run the real risk of filling the clear areas with air-laden, cloudy masses?

[Morganica]

It's a matter of degree (heh-heh). It's hard not to have a fine line between clear strips when they're fused together on edge--a small amount of air gets trapped and creates a very fine line of bubbles (and sometimes schmutz, if the glass isn't cleaned well enough).

However, it doesn't always happen, first of all, and second, if you clean your glass well with stuff that doesn't leave a residue, and put a good bubble squeeze in the schedule, the line will be very faint.

Mostly, though, the contrast between clear strips and red opal strips will be strong enough that you'll have to look close to notice what's going on between the clear strips. Did you notice it in this example?

[JestersBaubles]

You will "always" see a line between abutted clear strips. Why not eliminate strips and fill in design with chunks and frit?

I think if you filled with frit, you would lose the nice straight lines of the red strips.

Dana W.

[Jeanice]

A big thank you to everyone for helping. So basically there really isn't a technique to eliminate the fine lines between clear strips other than making sure the glass is super clean without any cleaning residue. That's what I'll do then. Thanks again for all your help!

[charlie]

here's an example of exactly what you're thinking of doing. this is 1" thick.

http://s587.photobucket.com/user/chania ... ort=6&o=18

you have to be super clean, and you can't use the grinder at all because that will leave visible veiling. also, it is possible to pick up a slight amount of powder from the wash on the bottom side if the glass has any movement at all before it fuses. i had to use a power washer at the car wash to get the bottom clear of embedded powder. i also ground both sides flat on my vibrolap before slumping, which also embedded very fine powder into any crevice.

[DonMcClennen]

Simple solution to Charlies problem. I always fire strips on thinfire.. makes for a clean powder free surface to build piece on.

[Jeanice]

I had planned on assembling the piece on Papyros or Thinfire. Probably Papyros. I'm always moving the pieces around and changing my mind, never quite satisfied. The paper makes a huge difference.

Does anyone think that a light coating of clear powder would help to make the lines disappear?

Charlie: That's a beautiful piece! Was that a keeper or did you sell it?

[Morganica]

A light coating of powder might actually make it worse. I'd give it a shot, see how doing what you planned works. Once you've seen it, you'll have a better idea of next steps.

[charlie]

[quote="Jeanice"]Charlie: That's a beautiful piece! Was that a keeper or did you sell it?[/quote]

i've had some offers for it, but none high enough so it's still in my house. almost all the things i make i use or display in my house for a while before going to a gallery. my wife has a harder time than i seeing things go to someone else though, oddly enough.

[Jeanice]

I put a test piece (5x5") in the kiln yesterday, with powder on top (before reading Ms Cynthia's post). Looking at it right now and I can't decide where the lines are coming from. Are they on the top or bottom, or are they inside the body of the glass? I really don't think they are on the top since I can't see them as I tilt the piece in the light. I can feel some of them on the bottom with my fingernail. I'm going to clean it and fire it upside down today to see if I can make the bottom lines disappear. I'll put powder on half as a test. If there are still some lines then I will break it to see if I can figure out where the lines are coming from.

I know this can be done without lines because I've seen pictures of pieces without lines. Or maybe they weren't made with the strip method at all...

As a note, I guess I'm looking for information more on the technical side, or maybe "glass theory". I'm not new to glass, 28 years in stained glass, but only four years in kilnforming. Maybe with only four years that makes me a newbie? I'm certainly not as famous or experienced as all of you! Others have said it before but I want to say from my heart that you are all such a big help.

Jeanice

[Jeanice]

I just had a brain jolt! Or was that the coffee? What if each strip had a light coating of Super Spray or Spray A or whatever so that when the pieces were assembled the fluxing agent was between the strips of glass? I only use home-made devit solution so I don't have any to make a test.

[rosanna gusler]

It will make the lines more visable. Especially borax. I have never seen a strip piece in person that had no lines. R.