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Moving Stringers

Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2004 12:55 pm
by Ted A.
I'm trying to tack fuse stringers on a piece and it's not going well.

I want to create a design made of 1mm black stringers on top of a previously full fused piece. The placement of the stringers must be very precise for the design to work. However, even though I've glued them down (glass tack), they keep moving once the kiln starts to heat up.

Is there some way to keep the stringers in place until they are fused?

I'm still farily new to fusing, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Happy New Year.

Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2004 1:02 pm
by Brock
One way to be successful at this, although it's a lot of work, is to resist the piece, and cut out small channels where you want the stringer to stay. Sandblast those channels about half the thickness of the stringer, and they will definitely stay in the grooves you've created. Brock

Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2004 1:11 pm
by Lisa Allen
You can also put sharpie marks where you want the stringers, then take a dremel with a diamond tipped bit to make little channels.

Lisa

Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2004 2:05 pm
by lissa
Someone posted here not long ago that they grind what will be the bottom of each stringer flat so they don't roll about. Haven't tried it but it makes sense and sounds easy.

lissa.

Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2004 2:30 pm
by Rick Wilton
place the stringer against the edge of a regular wet grinder to flatten one edge. This is a technique taught to me by Bob Leatherbarrow at a recent class I took. This worked well once you figure out the correct pressure, they break easily.

Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2004 3:49 pm
by Patty Gray
An easy way to have the stringer flat on the bottom is to put them into the kiln on a kilnwashed shelf (by themselves) and just go to a tack fuse firing. It will flatten the bottom then they will not move around.

Good luck.

Patty
http://www.pattygray.com

Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2004 5:06 pm
by twinkler2
I grind them :) It easy ! You just have to watch the pressure cause boy they break easily. I still glue them in place too

I never thought about grooving the glass- I' try that way too !

Have fun
Me Kim

Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2004 5:33 pm
by Mary Kay Nitchie
Hi Ted-

Glue your stringers to the piece. Let the glue dry. Then fire face down. Those stringers won't go anywhere.

Good luck!

Mary Kay

Good Ideas

Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2004 10:10 pm
by Ted A.
I'll try creating a flat surface on the stringers, which sounds fairly easy to do. If that doesn't work, creating a channel seems like a sure thing.
Thanks to everyone for the advice.
Ted