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Can you really fuse and slump at the same time using Kaiser-Lee boards? Has anyone done it and are there any draw backs to doing it this way?

Ellen,
I am not an advocate of fusing and slumping in one firing. These things happen at two very different temperatures. Though, I know that people do fuse and slump in one firing. In order to do this you would need to be using a shallow mold and perhaps only tack fusing as opposed to going to a full fuse.
Since the Kaiser Lee board comes in 1" thickness max (I think) then if you carved into it it would create a shallow mold. Therefore, it is the constraints of the mold material, not the material itself that would perhaps allow you to fuse and slump in one firing.

By the way, I have used the Kaiser Lee board to carve into to make molds and LOVE using it. Be sure to wear a dust mask or respirator when you are doing your carving.

I'm sure other people have different views on this. Hopefully they will respond too.

Lynda

I fuse and slump in one firing whenever possible, why waste electricity? The trick is knowing when it will work. I find with float glass that it USUALLY works if the the shape is shallow, I am slumping over not into the mold, and the mold will support the glass and not let it 'run' when it gets hot enough to fuse. If in doubt, experiment with free used window glass on a new shape and see . Have fun, Jolly

Hi Ellen

we tell people to full fuse and slump into kaiser lee board as long as they go only 1" deep. You can cut out shapes of the 1" board and use it as slump mold. If you wanted to use the same mold to make a vase or a deep dish, you just set it on posts. But than you need to full fuse several layers of glass first. You can also use the same mold as a dam and do a casting.

If you have any more questions, just give us a buzz

petra
kaiserlee@earthlink.net