fusing rolled up kiln paper

[doubleglazed]

help i tried using rolled up kiln paper to make a gap to thread through but the gaps are not wide enougth to get the paper out to clean it let alone thread something through any tips please

[BlueMoon]

Thin fire paper burns to an ash and will not support the glass for a pass thru....at least I have never used it for that . Instead, I use the 1/8" fiberblanket cut into narrow strips to form the pass thru. Works like a charm.

I have also cut short lengths of Stainless Steel mandrels and dipped them in bead release and then used them for the pass thru. You get  a round hole from them instead of the square hole from the fiber blanket.

[handmadeheaven.biz]

ditto what he said

[BeadyBugs]

Hi Carol,

You have to roll the paper up as tightly as you can so it forms a virtually solid sausage, or as Jim says it collapses when firing as the binders in the paper burn out.  It's really easy to clean out when it works though, a slight poke, and a rinse under the tap, and you get really shiny holes with no polishing or sanding needed.  I used to use the thick fibrepaper method, it was easier to do and I preferred the square holes, but found them really hard to clean out, and it left the holes rough.  I don't know whether it was the same paper/board Jim and Steph use though?  Probably me just being rubbish.

HP x

[Caroline]

i do what HP does (mainly cause she told me, lol) but it did take me a few attemps to get right, also a tip for cleaning the holes out is to use a pipe cleaner, it gets all the degraded paper out a treat

[doubleglazed]

thank guys il will try again i never thought to try a mandrel  its so simple it didnt enter my head

[jewelchiz84]

I've tried using the mandrel method, and had a problem with the mandrel 'sinking' down into the base layer of the glass.
I guess that all depends on how big you want the hole and what size the mandrel is, therefore how heavy it is. Or maybe I was jsut doing something wrong!!!

[Funky Cow]

Hi - I have experimented with using sawn up mandrels (with bead release on!!) to form channels.
I think I'll give it some more trial runs - I recently read a tip that if you support the mandrels by using other mandrels underneath (at right angles) then it stops the channel-making mandrel from sinking into the glass, and forcing out those glass 'ears' on the side which have to be ground off.

Cathryn

[handmadeheaven.biz]

or you could support the mandrel with fibre paper (the thick stuff) either side. if you make sure your support is 3mm high then you'll be in the middle of a fused piece - fused glass wants to be 6mm in a full fuse