A very dumb question about Dichroic....

[helbels]

Hello helpful peeps 

I bought some of the "cake wedge shaped" dichroic sheet from Martin... and I can't figure out if I'm supposed to break it into smaller pieces to use it, or (as I did today) just wield the entire cake wedge in the flame and try to melt off a wee bit at a time onto my bead 

Can someone put me out of my misery?! lol

[sea-thistle]

I'd cut it into thin slices or square ish shapes. I use a glass cutter which has cutting oil in it, the type used for cutting stained glass or fusing glass.Dichroic glass de vetrifies very easily, you'll get a grey scum . Also it is quite shocky, I have found!  I have made a few beads with it , I am no expert using it. I have more experience with fusing it, (about 8 years) . But it is lovely when it works! Good luck. I bought a DVD of Pat Frantz of Frantz art glass using Dichroic glass, she is amazing!! - Karin

[sea-thistle]

OOH meant to say if you use a glass cutter to cut the glass, make sure you clean your glass afterwards, ! 

[Pat from Canvey]

If you don't have a cutter, you can use tile nippers bought from any DIY store that sells tiles. When I first started cutting glass, I used a cheap and cheerful green ball end cutter from my local glass shop. Have never used an oil cutter as you only have to clean it off afterwards. Now I use a Silberschnitt cutter from Bohle, item number 424.0

[Trudi]

It is easier to apply if it has been fire polished (done in the kiln where the ends are gently rounded - this makes it easier to get the dichro coated side onto the glass without leaving any exposed - that then fries it!

You can cut it into tiny pieces  - pick up with tweesers and apply like murrini - just waft the dichro quickly in the upper part of the flame.

The schedule I have for fire polishing is

Rate>Soak>Hold
300>600>0
500>750>10mins
Full>516>15mins
80>300>10mins

But you might want to test that in your own kiln on some scrap first – you're aiming to just round off the edges. You'll also need some kiln wash or kiln paper.