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The vases that have a dramatic drape to them...sort of like a handkerchief...do you start out with a square or a circle? How do you determine the size you need?

Also, does the thick, rigid fiberboard need to be fired before using? Kiln washed? Is it reusable?

Thanks a bunch,
Jen

YOu use a mold called a floral former. It looks like a martini shaker and I expect you can get a martini shaker at a restaurant supply store instead of ordering a floral former.

Measure the size of the former by taking the tape measure from the rim, down the side, across the bottom and back to the rim on the other side. This measurement is the largest you can go if you don't want the glass to touch the shelf. Lets say it's ten inches. If you use a square piece of glass (a handkerchief drape) your measurement from one corner to the opposite corner can't exceed 10". In fact, if you don't want the glass to reach the shelf, it should be smaller than 10". You can use a square or a circle...Center the glass on the mold. As it drapes, the heaviest sides, those with the most glass will bend down first (the corners in the case of a square) and the rest of the glass will start to drape in folds on top of those. In the case of a circle, what I've noticed is that opposite sides will drop first (looks like a taco shell) then the sides that remained up will begin to drape last.

Fiberboard does need to be prefired to burn off the binders. If you are using it for shelving, rigidize it, cure it and you'll have a more stable board. Prime it as well. If you are using it for other purposes like molds, it can be rigidized as well and reused, but it's fragile and will easily dent and tear. Use primer. I've not used fiberboard that wasn't rigidized for any purpose. I assume that rigidizing isn't madatory though.

Why did this post twice?

Guess that's a question for another forum

Thanks so much, Cynthia! I have a floral former, but haven't used it yet and was curious about the starting shape. I really appreciate your fast reply.

Thanks,
Jen

Cynthia and Jen,
Just for the fun of it, instead of a square or a circle, try an oval! Get it a little off center on the long axis and it provides wonder swoop to what I use as the back of the vase.

Jerry

I recently tried firing a 2-layer-glass with glassline painting, onto a stainless steel former covered in fibre blanket.

I got the taco shape...but it would not drape further. Does this mean I wasn't going hot enough? I went to about 625C.

Can I refire it as it is, or would the draped sides melt further and hit the shelf? I know I can "flatten" it by doing a full fuse ...not sure which to try.

thanks

jackiesimmonds wrote:I recently tried firing a 2-layer-glass with glassline painting, onto a stainless steel former covered in fibre blanket.

I got the taco shape...but it would not drape further. Does this mean I wasn't going hot enough? I went to about 625C.

In my kiln, that would be pretty cool to be doing a drape, especially w/two layers of glass. I would try 660 deg C.

Dana W.