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would appreciate help for first time pattern bar maker. .........want to make long strips and stack.........about 7 layers high.....how do I set up and what is a GOOD firing schedule (24 jen-ken) yes, already checked archives...........no firing schedule

If you are going 7 layers high, you need to build a box that will hold that amount of glass. Some people use clear to build the box and then hot glue it all together. You will get a more organic, or maybe I should say less geometrical, design. Cut pieces of 1/8â€

rj,
I just saw your post on the other board. You also asked about cutting strips. You need a strip cutter for that. It is basically a T-square like tool with a cutter on the end. I don’t cut a lot of strips, but when I do, I use my strip cutter on a drawing board that I can mount on my worktable. I set it for the width that I want and start cutting away. My work is not dependent on precision. A lot of people swear by the Morton system. Maybe someone who uses it can give you a better idea.

Good luck,
Rob

There are lots of ways to cut strips and some work better than others. I suppose it's largely what you learned and what you are comfortable with. Having said that, I swear by the Morton System.

I've been using it for the last decade and understand it's foibles as well as it's strengths. The system is a plastic board set up with square holes resembling the plastic piece in front of some overhead lights; the Morton's holes are smaller.

There are a number of acceries you can fit into some of the openings but the one that you will find usefull is the "studio shop." This consists of a very heavy duty cutting bar that locks into and aligns itself with a measuring device that it simplicity itself to use. The measurments are off set to allow for the difference between the inner edge of your cutter and the point at which it really makes the score. So when you line the glass up on 1/4", the strip you get is actually 1/4"!

I do a lot of combing where I make strips as much as 18" long at 1/4" wide using Spectrum series 96 and have no problems at all.

Hope that helps,
Jerry

If you're using full sheets of glass with the Morton system and studio shop, you'll also want to invest in the long cutting bar.

http://www.ebsqart.com/artMagazine/za_184.htm

this is lisa allen's tutorial

oops

rj- you have to dam the strips pretty well- 1" of glass is going to look for gaps to leak out of. I've used fiberboard and cut up shelf dams but prefer my stainless steel troughs- line with fiberpaper, plug the ends and go. As to firing, you can go up pretty fast. I hold at slump temp (1240) for a while to let everything get friendly and them afap to 1550ish, (the hold depends on how much you want everything to cook and move), afap to 960 and hold for 3-4 hours. 1 hour to get to 700, hold 1 hour, and turn the kiln off. Do not peek, do not take them out until you can comfortably hold them in your hand. A badly annealed bar will not cut well, and you'll have wasted a lot of time. Marty

Marty wrote:rj- you have to dam the strips pretty well- 1" of glass is going to look for gaps to leak out of. I've used fiberboard and cut up shelf dams but prefer my stainless steel troughs- line with fiberpaper, plug the ends and go. As to firing, you can go up pretty fast. I hold at slump temp (1240) for a while to let everything get friendly and them afap to 1550ish, (the hold depends on how much you want everything to cook and move), afap to 960 and hold for 3-4 hours. 1 hour to get to 700, hold 1 hour, and turn the kiln off. Do not peek, do not take them out until you can comfortably hold them in your hand. A badly annealed bar will not cut well, and you'll have wasted a lot of time. Marty

Marty,

Have you found a particular grade of stainless more suitable to avoid flaking, contaminating, warping, etc?

Jack

Stainless does not flake. If you are getting or you have seen flaking the steel you are working with is not stainless.

Phil

Phil Hoppes wrote:Stainless does not flake. If you are getting or you have seen flaking the steel you are working with is not stainless.

Phil

I haven't tried any yet. I am about to buy some for molds, etc. Was just wondering if one series, say 400, is better than another, 300 series. Or if one is as good as another.

Jack

there are different grades of stainless. 316 is a good grade. the cheap ss bowls from k-mart are really prone to flaking. rosanna

I have no idea what the ss grade is- it was scrap at my local friendly metal guy's shop. No flakes.