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Good morning, this is my first post to Warm glass. I started out 10 years ago in stained glass and have been doing lampwork for the last four. I would now like to attempt fusing and slumping. Although I am doing mass amounts of research have a few questions, (I am sure there will be more)
. I understand the basics of glass being compatable. But can you use small amounts of decorative glass such as millifiorni (sp) or dichroic. The rule for making beads is no more than 15% of non-compatible glass.
. Is slumping and glass bending one and the same?
. On molds...for example a bowl do you always slump the glass into the bowl, or can you turn the mold upside down and slump over it? I guess I might be confussed with bowl molds and floral molds for instance.
.Can someone explain the overglaze benefits, is it a must? (I am using spectrum 96.
.What is borax used for.
Any other "you need to know or hints" or most appreciated.
Thanks so very much for your input, Lydia of Ohio

Bellknap wrote: I understand the basics of glass being compatable. But can you use small amounts of decorative glass such as millifiorni (sp) or dichroic. The rule for making beads is no more than 15% of non-compatible glass.

Nope. I've seen even small amounts of incompatible powder cause surface cracking. You might get away with it -- but I would not count on it. I'm suprised by the 15% rule -- I don't think I'd want to buy a bead that had 15% non-compatible glass.

Bellknap wrote: Is slumping and glass bending one and the same?

Slumping often refers to glass that drops into a mold. If the glass drops over a mold then it sometimes referred to as draping. Not familliar with bending.

Bellknap wrote: On molds...for example a bowl do you always slump the glass into the bowl, or can you turn the mold upside down and slump over it? I guess I might be confussed with bowl molds and floral molds for instance.

The decision to drape over or slump into is usually determined by the expansion rate of the mold. If the mold expands more than the glass (and thus contracts more than the glass when it cools) you want to drape over it to avoid trapping the glass in the mold. The reverse is true if the mold expands less that the glass. Ceramic molds are usually slumped into -- stainless steel molds usually the glass drapes over. For very shallow molds you can often get away with either over or into.

Bellknap wrote: Can someone explain the overglaze benefits, is it a must? (I am using spectrum 96.

Search the archives for this -- lots of info.

Bellknap wrote: What is borax used for.

Borax is a flux -- it serves to lower the melting temp of the surface of the glass which can help to avoid devitrification.

Bellknap wrote: Any other "you need to know or hints" or most appreciated.
Thanks so very much for your input, Lydia of Ohio

Buy Brad's book (link above). The money you'll save making fewer mistakes with spendy glass will pay for the book many times over.

Also, just keep reading here...

Good luck,
Paul

Lydia

The book is the best investment you could make
If you check the archives on this site....you will find lots of help out there !
The group here are the best

Have fun
Me Kim