6mm FULL FUSE firing schedule (FLOAT)

[handmadeheaven.biz]

we had a discussion on GH about a full fuse schedule for float glass. The one I have was put up and I was told it wasn't quite right and a new one was posted.

If anyone has it can they put it here. Thanks

[Chameleon]

ok here goes, this is for 6mm of glass (e.g. 2 x 3mm) with some small ish inclusions (e.g. enamels, frit, stringers, metal leaf). This will do a full fuse and includes a bubble soak to try and minimise bubbles between the 2 layers

1) rate - 200 degrees per hour to 640 degrees c, hold for 60 mins
2) rate - full, to 820 degrees c, hold for 12 mins
3) rate - full, to 560 degrees c, hold for 30 mins
4) rate - 10 degrees per hour to 520 degrees c, no hold 0 mins
5) rate - full, to 20 degrees.

that is the last one i used in my SC2. depending on what you are doing and what inclusions you are using you may need to tweek it a bit, if anyone wants specific thoughts on particular inclusions / more layers of glass etc give me a yell and i'll do my best to help.

hope that helps 
Becky

[handmadeheaven.biz]

thanks Beck. that's fab. which number is the bubblesoak? i might need to have a longer one on what i need to do

[handmadeheaven.biz]

Just in case anyone wants it, the 6mm float schedule I had was:

1. Initial Heat   538C/hr to 538C   0.00

2. Rapid Heat (Process Soak)   AFAP or 9999C/hr to 824C   0.20

3. Rapid Cool (Anneal Soak)   AFAP or 9999C/hr to 538C   0.15

4. Anneal Cool   182C/hr to 427C   0.00

5. Cool to room temp.   AFAP or 9999C/hr to 25C   0.00

[♥♥Tan♥♥]

Thankyou Becky I'm hoping to use this today!!

[bendytanya]

Hi there.  I am a newbie here and have had my Skutt Hotstart Pro kiln for 10 monthes now.  I have had success with Bullseye glass and system 96 glass also.  I have just been brave and unlocked the advanced programming feature of my kiln and have been trying to fuse some free float glass I have been given with mica powder inbetween the 2 x 3mm pieces of glass.  I used the schedule becky gave below but only got a tack fuse and no smoothe edges.  Please could someone help me put a schedule together?  I am a bit nervious as this part is new to me.  I feel the temp needs to be higher and maybe held for longer in order to give the glass time to fuse.  I also want to use some bubble powders so do I need another  different firing schedule for this to let the bubbles stay?? I would really value anyones experience in this as I have been offered more of this float glass for FREE if I can use it!
Thank.
Tanya

[NRichards]

Hi Tanya,

I'm fairly new on here too and am by no means an expert as have only got my kiln recently. I fired my first piece with Becky's schedule and other than glass incompatibility (and a big bit of broken glass!) got a full fuse, but it did take over 22 hours. I was given the following schedule on another post and it cut the time by 8 hours:

1) rate - 200 degrees per hour to 640 degrees c, hold for 60 mins
2) rate - full, to 820 degrees c, hold for 12 mins
3) rate - full, to 517 degrees c, hold for 30 mins
4) rate - 83 degrees per hour to 371 degrees c, no hold
5) rate - full, to 50 degrees.

Not sure if this is of any use to you. I assume your kiln is operating in Celsius and not Fahrenheit?

[Zeldazog]

I think I need to remove that firing schedule, as I really am not sure what it would be used for - possibly casting, I don't know.

For any newbie fusers, the best advice I can give, is read up about the different glasses, but far more importantly, experiment.

Instead of putting in a full size piece of glass, and then feel let down when it doesn't do what you hoped, try fusing small pieces together - you will learn far more about your kiln than picking a schedule up from the forum.

If, the temperature you tried isn't hot enough, try running it again 10 or 20 degrees hotter.  If it's a sample, you're not wasting glass.  It really doesn't cost that much to fire your kilns - the Hot Start Pro for example, uses around 5 kw electricity per cycle - that's well under a £1 at domestic rates - mine used to cost 50p per cycle - I figure that's well worth a couple of test firings.

No matter how many schedules you look at, each kiln is still different and ideally you need to know YOUR kiln - mine, for example, gives me the best results for Bullseye at 795 - ten degrees below the manufacturers recommendation.

Tanya, really, you answered your own question - "it looked like the temperature needs to be higher for longer" - why not try just that?

I began fusing by following Bullseye schedules, and then reading around and seeing what temperatures other glass goes to.  I've been firing glass for nearly five years, and I still keep firing logs of my results.  That's the best way to learn, do something and see what happens.

Again, with the bubble powders, try it and see what works for you, your glass and your kiln.  I've never used them, so I can't help you with those, but if I couldn't find the information on the net, I would do a sample with a small piece first, and take it from there.

[GorgeousGlassGifts]

As has been said before, every kiln (as with Agas, apparently) is different, but the schedule that I regularly use to intermediate fuse float glass is the same as my Bullseye full fuse schedule.

For a full fuse with float glass, I'd try increasing the top temperature by 30°C; if the results come out too crisp, increase it 10°C or so next time; if fused too much, try a little lower...

For glass up to 6mm thick:

Step 1: 222°C per hour to 627°C. 30 min bubble squeeze hold (longer if using inclusions- maybe an hour).

Step 2: 333°C per hour to 816°C. 10 mins hold.

Step 3: As fast as possible / full speed to 482°C. 1 hour anneal hold.

Step 4: 83°C per hour to 371°C. End. Leave kiln to cool to below 50°C before opening.


Note: if your glass is thicker & / or not being full fused, it needs to be annealled for TWICE THE THICKNESS OF THE THICKEST BIT. E.g. if it's 12mm thick & being full fused, or if it's 6mm thick and being intermediate or tack fused, it needs to be annealled for longer. (This is true for all glass; the Bullseye "Annealing thick slabs" sheet is invaluable for annealling times).

My annealling schedule for 12mm (or 6mm tack fused) glass is:

Step 3: AFAP / full to 482°C. 2 hour anneal hold, then 55°C per hour to 427°C.

Step 4: 83°C per hour to 371°C then 330°C to 21°C.

At the end of the day, if you don't anneal for long enough, your glass might break. If you anneal for too long, the worst it can do is cost a little more on your electricity bill.l!