Opened up the kiln this morning and discovered my bowl cracked directly down the middle. I know why it cracked. It wasn't an annealing problem.
I'm slumping both sections back to flat now and want to try and use the crack as a design element. Question is, what's the best way to meld the two back. The piece is 1/4". Do I cut 2 layers new glass to fit between the crack, and hope all sides fuse evenly with no dips evident? Do I cut 2 layers and slightly larger than the crack and place these above and below and again hope they even out? Colors used were (pattern bars) salmon, brown, white, black and light gray.
Second question is is there a limit to the number of times a piece can be fired? When all is hopefully repaired, I'll probably have fired this thing 7 times.
...Kelly
Broken Bowl - help repairing
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Jackie Beckman
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Kelly,
How large is the crack, and are the two pieces actually apart, or still connected at one end of the crack? How large a piece was it?
I think once you have it flat again, it will be easiest (and look best) to add an entire layer of clear under the whole thing, even thin clear if you don't want to add too much extra thickness. (I say clear only because then your pattern bars will still be visable from the under side) Then, once the clear is there to support it, you'll be able to add design elements to go with your pattern bars. Maybe if you still have some left you could use them going the other direction. Whatever you add, it will be best to add it on another layer rather than to try to piece in a patch in there.
You could cut the pieces on a tile saw and reassemble it that way too.
You don't mention what kind of glass it is, but BE suggests that after more than 3 firings some glasses MAY shift out of compatibility. I don't have much experience with the colors you mention, so I can't tell you how those specifically act.
One tip you may know already, but I'll mention it just in case - on each subsequent firing, some of us (not all) think its a good idea to ramp up slower each time. In this case, where you are questioning a previous annealing, this is even more important. Also, pattern bars are thick by nature, so adding an extra layer and given all the previous firings, I would go up slow, anneal for the entire new thickness, and cool from annealing very, very slowly - especially if the piece is large.
Good luck - post a picture when you save it.
Jackie
How large is the crack, and are the two pieces actually apart, or still connected at one end of the crack? How large a piece was it?
I think once you have it flat again, it will be easiest (and look best) to add an entire layer of clear under the whole thing, even thin clear if you don't want to add too much extra thickness. (I say clear only because then your pattern bars will still be visable from the under side) Then, once the clear is there to support it, you'll be able to add design elements to go with your pattern bars. Maybe if you still have some left you could use them going the other direction. Whatever you add, it will be best to add it on another layer rather than to try to piece in a patch in there.
You could cut the pieces on a tile saw and reassemble it that way too.
You don't mention what kind of glass it is, but BE suggests that after more than 3 firings some glasses MAY shift out of compatibility. I don't have much experience with the colors you mention, so I can't tell you how those specifically act.
One tip you may know already, but I'll mention it just in case - on each subsequent firing, some of us (not all) think its a good idea to ramp up slower each time. In this case, where you are questioning a previous annealing, this is even more important. Also, pattern bars are thick by nature, so adding an extra layer and given all the previous firings, I would go up slow, anneal for the entire new thickness, and cool from annealing very, very slowly - especially if the piece is large.
Good luck - post a picture when you save it.
Jackie
Thanks Jackie - seems almost immediately after I posted, I saw this topic discussed under "Seam Question".
I'll try your suggestion this afternoon. Can't really do anything about the number of firings though. Will have to keep my fingers crossed that all will work.
I have other things waiting to be fired. This has put me behind. I'm gonna have to get a larger kiln. Just when I think or better yet, tell my husband that I have everything I need and won't be buying anything else, the glass just keeps sucking me right back in. Guess I'll never have enough toys.
...Kelly
I'll try your suggestion this afternoon. Can't really do anything about the number of firings though. Will have to keep my fingers crossed that all will work.
I have other things waiting to be fired. This has put me behind. I'm gonna have to get a larger kiln. Just when I think or better yet, tell my husband that I have everything I need and won't be buying anything else, the glass just keeps sucking me right back in. Guess I'll never have enough toys.
...Kelly
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Barbara Muth
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I had had my kiln, a jen ken 24 incher, a month when I told my husband it wasn't big enough... And we bought the biggest we could for the current space...KAG wrote: I have other things waiting to be fired. This has put me behind. I'm gonna have to get a larger kiln. Just when I think or better yet, tell my husband that I have everything I need and won't be buying anything else, the glass just keeps sucking me right back in. Guess I'll never have enough toys.
...Kelly