Right..well I spent last night cutting glass or more specifically cutting myself and creating glass crazy paving!! I think I am initiated now. Then I spent this morning in my pyjamas cutting the glass even smaller and creating more crazy paving daubed with blood.
The biggest problems I had was my ruler slipping on the glass so I didn't creat a sraight cut, and not pressing firmly enough so no matter how much I grunted and swore it wouldn't snap cleanly. Thank god for Stephs cutting video which I won't admit to stamping up and down and shouting 'BUT I AM DOING THAT' at it. I still cant snap it like that though so at the moment I have to do the turn it over and tap it until it seperates thing.
Luckily I went and bought some 3mm float glass off cuts to practice on because if i had been cutting my bullseye and creating that many slivers you would have heard me cursing in Scotland.
I thought I would have a go at some float glass pendants because ultimately I want to have a go at dichroic pendants, common I know but I just want to wear one that I made. Having read all the tips on here I used white glue on half and honey on the other half and have tried several sorts of inclusions which I won't mention yet in case it all goes horribly wrong.
As I type the kiln is ticking away, when they are ready I will see if I can get some pics taken and work out how to post them?
What about you guys, anyone starting out?
Wooooooooohooooooooo Tan well done!!
Im not going to have a go till middle of Feb, hopefully i shall have some time to make room to play and get the tools I need by then...
Show us how it came out Tan please? :) :)
Jenx
OOohhh.. way to go Tan !!!
I just had one semi serious attempt last summer... maybe I shall have another go this year some time ???
Can't wait to see how you get on ... :)
good luck. hope it goes well & you have plasters on those wounds ;)
Well I quite like the steady dripping of blood....it gives me a sense of accomplishment.
Seriously thought I thought if I keep this diary up to date and others add their first time attempts we could amass a sort of do's and dont's for the beginner so that more people can have a successful fuse first time.
I will post pics although I may need help witht that, I haven't done it before.
Update!!!
Got to the kiln this morning and there is a ftl error flashing meaning the program took too long and either the warm up or cool down rate took to long and when I opened the kiln nothing had fused at all!!!
I know it went through the program because I watched it like a hawk all day. How disappointing!! I double checked that I had entered the float glass program correctly and I had. So I could'nt find a full fuse program for float so I have started it back off on a tack and see where that gets me!!
Over 100 perfect firings - Spectrum Systems 96
2 layer (decorative components on single base)
1. 400 dph to 1000F 20 min hold
2. 400 dph to 1150F 15 min hold
3. 850 dph to 1360F 15 min hold
4. AFAP to 950 60 min hold
5. 400 dph to 100 OFF
For a 3 layer fuse, ramp at 300 dph
For Bullseye COE 90, use the same ramps and holds but add 30 degrees to ALL temperatures.
For float glass, add 50 degress to ALL temperatures.
If you're only firing small pieces, it's safe to ramp at 500 dph. Jewelry size at 600 dph.
If you're in a hurry, you can vent the kiln an inch or two at 300F, then fully open it at 200F.
I found this on LE and this is what the kiln is processing now. So no pics today but update tomorrow
oo, how annoying! let's hope it behaves itself this time around
Right chaps I made a major boob that you all need to know about to stop you doing the same thing. Some kilns operate in C and some in F, and you need to check which because it will make a huge difference to your firing schedule...in other words it wont work!!!
My kiln operates in F and I was inputting the temps in as C. Hence the no fire, but a huge thanks to Jim for leading me gently by the hand and pointing all this out calmly while trying very hard not to wet himself laughing.
Can't blame him, its making me chuckle now!! ;D
Ha ha ha Tan .... our Jim's a legend !!!
The legend and the t*t went hand in hand into the fused sunset ;D ;D
Huh??? :o
ha ha ha.... what a picture !!!!
Les xx
ok I followed the program I posted earlier adding 50 degrees to all temperatures and got the result as you can see in the pics, if I can upload the pics successfully
and heres another one
Yaaaaaay !!!!!!!!!!!!!
It worked Tan !!!!
;D ;D
Oh right I can post pictures then!!
It was an ok fuse but not a good finished product, the edges were rounded but the corners stayed pointy and almost sharp, there was a misty film on some of them which i think was devitrification and they had wrinkles like a skin on custard.
The boat is using enamels and seems ok. The lizard is a copper inclusion and has some bubbles around him but I'm not to bothered about that i just want a decent fuse!! I did a special one for my mate Jim because he has been so patient and so much help and I promised I would do something for him in my first fuse. His name was carved out of thinfire but it travelled towards itself in the firing so needs to be placed further apart.
It was two layers of 3mm float glass half were stuck with white glue and half with honey and they all turned out the same in that respect. I dont think the kiln got hot enough or the soak time was long enough. I am too much of a newbie to do anything but guess!
The bottoms were fine and no big bubbles came up to spoil the surface but I am at a loss now, I am going to try Stephs fusing schedule next time but can anyone tell me what went wrong?
Thanks guys
oopps we passed in cyberspace there Les. I forgot to add the pieces nearly fused but you can still see the lines where some pieces meet
i need bigger pictures to see what's gone right/wrong :)
I have emailed them to you Steph
aweee Tan, I melted all my first two batches of beads cos I was using the US firing schedules. The bottom of my kiln looked real pretty though ;D ;D ;D I was lucky I didnt ruin it to be honest.many others have.
Anyway, onto your fusing.. for a first go I think they look great. Its scary isnt it when you havent done it before. I cant wait to have a go now ;D ;D I must remember to us uk firing schedules hehe
Well done Tan
Jenx
I just thought if I chronicle all my successes and failures here and get the input from those in the know then its like a trouble shooting guide for all those starting out themselves and alll those problems that you don't even see coming!!
Thanks for the support!!
Tan.....Well, it was an improvement over the "cold" firing! Looks like it either needed a longer soak or a little more heat. I tend to program my kiln for a longer soak at full fuse, and then look in at some point during the full fuse to see how things are progressing. If it looks like it needs to go the full length of time I have it scheduled for I let it go that long, If it looks like its done, I skip the hold that I have programmed and go into the next programmed segment. Most kilns have a way to "Skip segment" that will get you out of the segemnt you are in and into the next programmed segment. I think you will find that in your instruction book for your kiln. I find that a lot of fusing is more visual...what is actually happening with the glass in the kiln, rather than just relying on a set firing program. Ther are so many different factors that can affect a full fuse.
I'll post more later about the devit problem......
Thanks Jim, did you see your personalised fuse!!
I did...pretty cool Tan!!
just for you Jim!!!!!
well still on 2x3mm float glass, practice runs with aluminium,copper, thinfire and enamel inclusions.
Aluminium turns black and gives off hundreds of tiny bubbles but it isn't uniform, I tried to control this by just using simple shapes like a square hoping I would get lots of bubbles in a sqare shape, not happening.
Enamels are fine so far but they are my jewellery enamels for when I enamel on copper so not too sure about compatability
Had no problems with copper, I have been using the stuff that you emboss and its working well although my impatience made me take a piece with a copper inclusion out of the kiln too soon and cracks appeared coming away from the inclusion
Thinfire is great but defies precise placement because as the glass shifts in the fusing process it pulls the thinfire with it, so far it has just been luck for me.
I used a quick fire program that my mate Jim gave to me and I added some temp on to allow for the float glass, below is the original program for Bullseye, this is a good program for small jewellery pieces. I haven't tried anything larger yet so Stephs empire is safe ;D
Try going AFAP to 500...hold 12 minutes, then AFAP to 1490, hold 10 minutes or until desired affect. Then turn off. Flash vent to 1000 then let the kiln come down to room temp. That should happen slowly enough as to pass the glass thru the annealing range to do what we call "shotgun annealing"
I am going to try some thinner glass and more layers to see what effects I can get, over the weekend hopefully
They look great Tan. Nice rounded edges and all. One of the things that may be affecting the use of inclusions such as enamels and leaf with float glass is that you may be firing them against the "tin" side of the glass. Without the proper UV light source though, you will not be able to ascertain which side that is. I know, I know...throwing you yet another curve ball !! But it looks like your firing schedule is working well for you for small pendants.
Thanks to you Jim and your endless patience, but bloomin heck, the tin side of the glass? Oh dear oh dear this will never do, I've only just mastered round corners :P
Now i have to work out how to resize the pics so you can actually see what you are looking at ;D
keeping busy i see. :) looks like you're having a good go and it's turning out well. that's what fusing's all about - PPP & experimenting
Me and window glass............we're like that now.....*crossing fingers* ;D
(http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s276/dybyk/DSCN2479.jpg)
ppphhhhh ok someone needs to tell me how to post pictures using photobucket >:( I can only understand one thing at a time and thats fusing.
As you can see by the pic I am getting the hang of it now.......The five green tiles are window glass and enamel, a test really, I have spent the last couple of weeks helping a friend redecorate her kitchen a minty green and I thought I might have a go at a set of fused tiles and mount them on a piece of white painted wood.
The other pieces are stained glass, I am heartily sick of window glass now and really wanted to have a go with some colour, these are the results and I have to say that I am pleased. I still have little pointy corners on a couple of them but I am still finding the cool spots on my kiln so its all in hand.
i've fixed your photo. what you need to do in photobucket is click in the bottom of the three links named IMG code. It will say "copied". Then come into your message window here and just paste in the code. Easy peasy :)
looks like you're getting on well. if you put the items in your kiln and write down what was where, so in effect draw a map, then when they come out you can note down the amount of fuse you got. then you'll know for the future where your hot spots and cold spots are in the kiln :)
i love the green ones. are they going down in size 1cm at a time?
Thankyou Steph you are a star ;D
The green ones are going down 1cm at a time from 6cm, I am pleased with how they turned out, and I really must make a kiln map but I get so excited when everything is cooked I just want to drag it out and play with it......its me own darn fault ;)
Thanks for your feedback Steph much appreciated :)
Right Jim..................where are you?
Tanok,thank you for doing this.Hopefully I should get my kiln in about 10 days.Then I will be playing alongside you.I love what your doing.
Hello Dream....I have the lurgey at the moment and feel like death warmed up....when I get better I shall get a fusing again. If you have any questions that you think are daft then drop me a pm......believe me I have asked so many daft questions peoples ears must be fallin off!!
keep the daft/sensible/random questions coming. makes me feel useful :P
(http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s276/dybyk/DSCN2504.jpg)
Hokay.....feeling better and back to messing around with my stained glass offcuts. There is a compatibility issue even though it is all the same manufacturer glass so all the pieces will go on cards or be jewellery for me ;D
Some really nice effects have happened here, as you can see im starting to mess around more with squares and triangles and Im liking what they do. My colour palette is limited but the top pair of triangle shaped cabs are turquoise over green and as you can see its given me a really nice aqua colour...so more to play with there.
I like the look of cabs but now I fancy getting more structure in my bits and bobs so I am playing with a tack fuse schedule, I want to heat the pieces just enough to round off the corners/edges and stick all the bits to each other. I will keep you posted with piccies as and when.
I have to add I did something really stupid, after venting the kiln and turning it off I left my oven gloves on top of the kiln, and went to work!!!! Hubster had the fright of his life when he found my gloves smoking merrily away on the point of combustion. I know, I know it was incredibly stupid and it really scared me, both how close we came to a fire and my stupidity, but thats why im putting it in here. I am a newbie and it was a stupid,stupid thing to do. Maybe if you read this it will stick in your head and you wont do it at all :-\
lovely to see more experiments :) they're really coming along and it's good to see you trying something new.
glad you didnt burn the place down! at least it's not just me who's a bit of a liability!
remember kids...
heat rises! the TOP of your kiln gets very hot!
They are looking really really good Tan....... Love the blue and green squares :D
Oo they're really purty Tan. Lovely colours - I really like the blue and green check on middle right. :D
And we've all done daft things - I've got smoke, gas and carbon monoxide detectors surrounding my kiln/torch area for that very reason. Brain like porridge most days. ;D ::) Don't know if you've got a smoke detector over your kiln, but it might be a good idea. ;D Glad you're ok though.
HP x
i'm armed with a smoke detector :) hopefully i wont need it...
Thanks guys, feel a bit of a plum really but thats what this diary is all about...the smoke detector idea is a goodie Helen, I think I'll get one this week.
(http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s276/dybyk/DSCN2518.jpg)
Well this was easier than expected, just did a quick sample couple of pieces to see what would happen, and pretty much what I wanted it to do,,,it did.
(http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s276/dybyk/DSCN2517.jpg)
And a quick pic of my superior cutting station, it may look like the floor but it isnt, its really a superb elevated surface designed to look exactly like a floor :P
bloody hell tan! how big is that cutting mat?! a2 size? mine's only 45cm :( i feel inadequate now....
i need to raise my cutting area. i was getting backache over the weekend - not that i made much. my mojo's done a burton :'(
Its huuuuggge and it was only £12 so I bought it. Mind you that was about 3yrs ago when i was doing a lot of patchwork. My legs usually go to sleep if I stay down there too long. I had a day labouring on Saturday and decided to do some cutting on Saturday night.........couldnt get up again, I was so stiff. Not a pretty picture :P
OoOoOoO Tan they look great.I love the last pic,reminds me of cola bottles.
Bit scary about the burning gloves.Glad nothing serious happened.
I'm still waiting for my kiln to arrive.
Which kiln did you get in the end?
Your stuff is looking great Tan, lovely colours, can't make my mind up which ones I like the best! :)
Hey....you're really getting the hang of it Tan.!! I like what you're doing with the stained glass scraps.