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Cord holes in fused glass

Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2003 9:23 pm
by Torsten
Hi everyone,

I am fusing glass pendants. Big question for me: how are the cord holes created? Can anybody let me know?

Thanks so much

Torsten

Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2003 9:50 pm
by Tracy
Torsten-
I'm not sure if this will help you any for I don't make any pendants. However, when I need to make a "hole" in one of my pieces to put a cord in for hanging, I just roll a small piece of fiber paper and put it between two of the layers of glass. The glass will end up slumping around the fiber paper leaving a "tube" to slide a cord in.
-Tracy

Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2003 9:50 am
by vblue
Like Tracy said, use fiber paper. That's what I do with my pendants that I want to run the cord through. Just be sure that you look at your piece from the side and visualize the glass slumping down. Make sure that the top piece is far enough over to slump all the way down. My first couple of pieces look like "critters" about to bite someone. :lol:


Vernelle

Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2003 10:24 am
by Susan Wright
WHen you use the fiber paper you have two choices as to how to create the whole. The first is like the ones above where you let the glas just slump over the fiberpaper and you get a bump shere the hole is. The second is to make a sandwich with your bottom piece, middle layer is
-x- so that glass- and fiber paperx are level and top with glass. This way you get a smooth level top with the hole sandwiched horizontally and vertically between glass. depending upon the thickness of your middle glass will determine which glass/fiber you use. With fiber paper you can easily varry the size hole for the application.

Some people coat mandrells (stainless steel rods) or toothpicks with bead release and sandwich those to create their holes.

Sometimes on small pieces I drill the holes with a diamond tripple ripple bit and water.

There is quite a bit on info in the archives on hole making so do a search of old archive.

Susan W

Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2003 2:58 pm
by Jason Boebinger
Ive done many pendents and Ive found the way I perfer to do is use a channel bit. it cut a tiny groove in thside of the glass so u can then wire wrap it.

Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2003 5:38 pm
by Gale aka artistefem
Also, if you drill a hole front to back or side to side before you fire the glass, roll a small amount of fiber paper or fiber blanket and fill the hole with this. Without the fiber filling, the hole may close shut as the glass heat softens and fuses.

I like pre-drilling as it leaves a smoother fire polished hole that gives the glass a more finished appearance.