First fusing attempt disaster

This is the main board for discussing general techniques, tools, and processes for fusing, slumping, and related kiln-forming activities.

Moderators: Brad Walker, Tony Smith

Post Reply
glassart
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2003 2:26 pm
Location: Florida

First fusing attempt disaster

Post by glassart »

First fusing attempt disaster
:?: Tried to fuse a basic tile yesterday with clear glass on bottom then another piece of clear glass with the design of a clown fish on top. After removing from the kiln, the borders were all uneven, the color white had changed to an awful pink and the fish design and mostly turned into a globby mess. What did I do wrong? :oops: Appreciate any feedback. Thanks.
Brad Walker
Site Admin
Posts: 1501
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2003 9:33 pm
Location: North Carolina, USA
Contact:

Post by Brad Walker »

Well, you're going to have to tell us a bit more about what you did. What kind of glass? What firing schedule?

(By the way, have you read the Tutorial on this site?)
glassart
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2003 2:26 pm
Location: Florida

Post by glassart »

OOps. Guess that would help :lol: Here's the firing shedule info.:

CO 90 Bullseye glass
Schedule: Started out at 64degrees. Ramped to 300/hr; 350 degrees/hr and held for 5 min.; RA 2 to 300 degreees/held for 30 min./ Ramped 3 tu full/held for 15 min./ ramped 4 decreased to 965 and held for 30 min./ ramped 5 to decrease to 300 degrees/held for 15 mins./ after that, kiln cooled off.

I have read the tutorial and also have your book. Just need a tad more clarification. Thanks.
Cynthia

Re: First fusing attempt disaster

Post by Cynthia »

glassart wrote:First fusing attempt disaster
:?: Tried to fuse a basic tile yesterday with clear glass on bottom then another piece of clear glass with the design of a clown fish on top. After removing from the kiln, the borders were all uneven, the color white had changed to an awful pink and the fish design and mostly turned into a globby mess. What did I do wrong? :oops: Appreciate any feedback. Thanks.
1. Volume control is the issue with your uneven borders. The glass wants to be a thickness of 6mm. It's gonna spread out if you have more than a 6mm thickness to start with.
2. Smooshy design is also about volume control.
3. Pink? :shock: I would guess you have a piece of salmon colored glass that once fired strikes to the pink color. If you look at the unfired glass it should have nearly imperceptible striations of pinkishness...No other explanation for a surprise pink that I can come up with.
Amy on Salt Spring
Posts: 270
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2003 5:43 pm
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Contact:

Post by Amy on Salt Spring »

"Ramped 3 tu full--"
define "full". If you didn't want the fish to melt completely into the design but to keep crisp lines you might have wanted to tack fuse or stop somewhere between tack and a full fuse.
-Amy
kelly alge
Posts: 81
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2003 8:31 pm
Location: Findlay, OH
Contact:

Post by kelly alge »

I have some of the glass you're talking about- it starts out nearly white then turns almost a flamingo pink- If it's in small scraps to start with, it can be really hard to tell that it isn't white- I keep a piece of "real white" out so that students can compare it to the scraps they find. Maybe that would help you, too? The peachy striations are very hard to see in some parts of the sheet, and pretty easy to spot in others....
kelly alge

"An ordinary life is a crime" -eric schmider
Post Reply