So the most useful thing my first freeze n fuze student told me was to make up some samples to show people coming on the class what you can do with the pieces once they are fired. So....
(http://www.rachel-elliott.com/freezepieces.jpg)
I love combining them with handmade paper and have made cards and other thingys just to show the scope although the options are endless! My fav is the Trex at the moment who has enamel teeth and a CZ eye.
For anyone not familiar with "Freeze N Fuse" there's a tutorial on Glass Campus.
Link on bottom of home page:
http://www.glasscampus.com
Those are great, Rachel! My favourite is Rex ;D
Thanks Julie, they're all made from Sculpey molds so I can't take credit for the sculpting, but I just wanted to show what can be done with them without needing a kiln or anything complicated, plus to also explain why I always have strange things cooking in my kiln!
I've already got a date on the website for a Freeze N Fuze Valentines Class on 13th Feb and am busy sourcing more heart molds for it too!
oh my, that looks like fun! just had a look at the tutorial, i take it powder frit is the really fine grade stuff? this sounds like a tempting thing to play with over christmas break (rather than writing my dissertation ;))
I really like these!! Oh, to have more hours in the day ;D
They look fab - I think my list of "other things to try out" may have just got longer! If only I didn't have to work...
Quote from: Redkite on December 12, 2009, 09:23:07 AM
They look fab - I think my list of "other things to try out" may have just got longer! If only I didn't have to work...
I know the feeling - not enough hours in the day.............!
Quote from: Lloki on December 13, 2009, 08:02:43 AM
Quote from: Redkite on December 12, 2009, 09:23:07 AM
They look fab - I think my list of "other things to try out" may have just got longer! If only I didn't have to work...
I know the feeling - not enough hours in the day.............!
If only my freezer hadn't died!!!!
Lorraine
Rachel, have you tried tack fusing the pieces to glass tiles for kitchen or bathroom use. Sea horses and dolphins spring to mind for the bathroom.
Quote from: Pat from Canvey on December 18, 2009, 08:55:57 AM
Rachel, have you tried tack fusing the pieces to glass tiles for kitchen or bathroom use. Sea horses and dolphins spring to mind for the bathroom.
If you want to tack fuse cast or torchmade components onto flat glass, this is the time to ignore the customary recommendations to ramp slow. A slow ramp will just flatten the component. This is what we use for 6mm thick COE 96 (add 25F for COE 90) - all temps F.
1. 300 dph to 1000F hold 20 (this hold is ESSENTIAL to equalize temperature)
2. 1200 dph to 1300F hold 5 (size is irrelevant)
3. FAP to 960F hold 60
4. 300 dph to 300F OFF.
This is what I call the "Commando Raid" firing system. Run in fast - do the job - run out fast. Ramp up to tack fuse temp too fast for the glass to sag, hold JUST long enough to produce a fuse, then get out before gravity does it's deed. It works because glass won't sag at 1000F and thermal shock only happens below 1000F.
We make a variety of serving trays with decorative cast elements along the borders. A customer favourite is large trays with glass starfish crawling off each corner.
The examples above are aimed at people who don't necessarily have a kiln, so they can see a number of different things you can do with the pieces after my class.
Of course you can incorporate them into other glass pieces depending on the COE of the glass powder and the desired effect, but I'll let Dennis go into that ;)