Well, I've bought some slumping moulds....now what? Aarghhh!!!!!

[Purple Cobwebs]

I've fancied making some little glass bowls, and using up my odds and ends of 104 glass in some pendant molds for a while.
Well, when I saw the Warm Glass sale, I succumbed and bought a plate slump mould, a bowl slump mould and a few pendant and mosaic tile moulds.

I bought a circle of bullseye glass to try in the bowl mould, along with some bullseye powder frit. I'm hoping to use up all my old 104 rod ends in the other moulds.

Now I'm looking at them and wondering where on earth to start LOL!!!!

Can anyone recommend any resources giving kiln schedules for both Bullseye and 104 glass in the moulds? Or even a good book on slumping?

I've only ever used my kiln to anneal my beads, so it's set on just the one program at the moment!!!

It's a paragon SC2 if that makes any difference.

Hope some clever people can help me!!! 

[Krysia@No98]

now you need some glass!  I see you have some bullseye, but it might be worth getting some float too from your local glassier, they should be able to give you some off cuts at a very reasonable price.  You can use those for slumping/fusing as well as lots of practice cutting.  You will need different frits for those though, compatibility issues and the like.

[ARBeads]

Warm glass have loads of PDF's on how to use the molds, it's a great resource tool.

The other option is to go on Dawns (Zeldazog) introduction to fusing course. We had a great time playing and picking her brains -  info's here http://www.dawnturnerdesigns.co.uk/workshops.html though I think she may be of on her hols atm.

The molds/shelf will need priming before you start playing.


Ruth
x

[Lilley]

The bullseye website also has lots of information in their tech notes section including firing schedules for bullseye glass it's here http://www.bullseyeglass.com/education/   
The temperatures you need for different glasses will be different, so bullseye glass needs a different firing schedule to float.  You will need to prime the molds as Ruth says, I use batt wash to do mine, available from Warm Glass or from pottery suppliers, better to put several thin layers than one thick one.

[flame n fuse]

The Bullseye tech notes are an excellent start, and they have some 'projects' at http://www.bullseyeglass.com/education/#make_it 
For slumping, you need 2 layers of glass (to make approx a 6mm thickness) - less than 6mm shrinks and develops spikey bits at the edge,  and more than 6mm expands, & of course, don't mix glass of different COE. Fuse the two pieces together first and then slump in a separate programme.
'Thinfire' is an alternative to using batt wash.

[Purple Cobwebs]

Thank you, will go and have a read.
I got the primer and a brush, so I'm ready to get started with that.
Nervous, my kiln has never been above 510 before