Help! total newbie question about Bullseye

[mummydude]

Hi there, I hope someone can help or point me in the right direction....

I've been lampworking for years now but have never used my kiln (beadcube) for anything other than annealing. I am currently working on a stained glass commission where I am needing a vibrant pink. I have bought a sheet of Bullseye light pink iridescent striker to use, however I have NO idea what I'm doing with it! Can I strike the piece of glass in my kiln first to then cut and use in the stained glass project? and if so any ideas how I would go about this? temperature / time etc?

Any advice would be great

thanks

Vix

[Zeldazog]

Check out the Bullseye glass website for lots of information on their glass - there is also an online forum you can join and ask questions, several B/E tech people are on it regularly.

I have no idea what temperature the pink will strike at, it may vary from piece to piece.  As a fuser, I take most colours/types to full fusing temperatures, but they may well strike below that.

If you can, you'd want to take it not as high as fusing, because I am assuming you're working with single thickness glass - at full fuse, the glass will try to pull in and become 6mm thick - on a small single layer, this sometimes will result in a 'dog-boning' effect and it may dip in the middle.

But in answer to the question, yes you can fire a piece, make sure you anneal it properly and then cut it.  There's plenty of Bullseye firing schedules around, here, Bullseye, Warm-Glass UK, etc

[Pat from Canvey]

If you bought the sheet because you like the colour it is now, it will look completely different if you attempt to strike it. Why not use it as is? Does any bit of your stained glass commission need to be fired. I made the mistake of buying pink striker and some petal pink for a project for someone who was mad for pinks. Once heated, I didn't like the colour of the pink striker at all. All I can suggest if you are determined to use it, is to cut a small piece and strike it to see if you still like the colour.

[Zeldazog]

If you bought the sheet because you like the colour it is now, it will look completely different if you attempt to strike it. Why not use it as is? Does any bit of your stained glass commission need to be fired. I made the mistake of buying pink striker and some petal pink for a project for someone who was mad for pinks. Once heated, I didn't like the colour of the pink striker at all. All I can suggest if you are determined to use it, is to cut a small piece and strike it to see if you still like the colour.

Pat, if I recall correctly, Light Pink Striker is almost clear in the unfired sheet, so will need to be fired to mature to the vibrant pink required.

[Fluffstar]

Pinks and purples usually have to be held at slumping temps (640ish, depending on your kiln) for 2h before the ramp to full fuse.  It's a pain (and expensive in a big kiln!)  but it's worth it.  If you don't, you don't get the true pink colour, it goes pink, but it has a much more brown-blue tint which can be disappointing.

As zeldazog said, the info on the bullseye website has fusing schedules and things. I agree that  if you're wanting to use it for stained work, you, want to take it to tack fuse which would even out the lumps and bumps in the raw sheet after giving it the 2:00h hold at 640, then anneal (again, see the BE website for schedules).

Hope that helps!!

[mummydude]

Many thanks you all for your help, I'm off to try and get my head round my kiln controller! failing that I might just have to get some pink glass paint!

Vix