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I tried to make some simple glass chimes for a wind chime for my garden. I fused a bunch of two-layer strips of 3mm glass, about 1/2" wide and 6" long together and I put a thin strip of 1/4' fiber paper between them at one end to create a channel through which I can thread a hanging cord. When I took them out of the kiln this morning, I see that the edges of the top layer that was over the fiber paper are extremely sharp. It's dangerous to handle them and I'm sure that any cord I use will be very quickly cut by the edge.

I've had the same problem with the top edge of pocket vases as well.

Does anyone else have the same problem? If not, how do you avoid it?

I fired them to 1480oF. Was this too hot? Should I have just tack fused them?

Jennifer

What kind of glass? If you were using float, you need to fire hotter (I fire 1525 fahrenheit). If it's a fusible glass, then you might try some wet/dry sandpaper and lightly buff the sharp edge off.

I used both Spectrum 96 and Bullseye - not fused together of course, but I made strips of both and fired them at the same time. I know I can sand the glass after I've fired it, I'd just like to know if there's some way of avoiding the sharp edges in the first place. I can't imagine all those people whose glass wind chimes and pocket vases I see on the internet have to sand each piece before they offer it for sale, do they?

Jennifer

it is a volume issue. there is onlyone layer over and under the paper. the glass wants to be 1/4" thick and so pulls in towards the middle leaving spikes. you can fuse at a lower temp to try and avoid this or add some more glass to the problem areas. r. edit. or sand/grind.

rosanna gusler wrote:it is a volume issue. there is onlyone layer over and under the paper. the glass wants to be 1/4" thick and so pulls in towards the middle leaving spikes. you can fuse at a lower temp to try and avoid this or add some more glass to the problem areas. r. edit. or sand/grind.

Thanks Rosanna,
I'll try the lower process temp. first and if that doesn't work, I'll add extra glass.
Jennifer

i use thin braided wire to hang chimes. it lasts far longer in the sun.

Good suggestion, Charlie. Thanks.

As a potter I made fused glass wind chimes on pottery bells for years. What we did was to make a u shape of nichrome wire and fuse it between 2 pieces of glass. 25 years later I have customers tell me they still have theirs.

Laurie,

I just ordered some hi temp wire and hope to use it this week.

Jennifer