| Ed and Martha Biggar |
New Techniques in
Fused Glass
Fused Glass
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
We were honored to present this seminar at the 2008 PMC Conference held at Purdue University. We both
enjoy working with fused glass to create different and exciting inclusions for our jewelry pieces. Included here
are the handouts we provided at the seminar. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
New Techniques in Fused Glass
Resource List
PMC Conference 2008
Books
Richard La Londe: Fused Glass Art and Techniques, great history and techniques, plus inspirational work:
www.richardlalonde.com
Brad Walker,,Contemporary Warm Glass, good general information on kilnforming: www.warmglass.com, also
bulletin board, resources
Donald-Brian Johnson & Leslie Pina, Higgins: Poetry in Glass, ,history of the premier fusers of the 20th century
Web Sites
www.bullseyeglass.com the authority on fusible glass, good downloadable tip sheets on lots of techniques
www.delphiglass.com general glass and tools
www.ugotglass.com great source for dichroic glass, either as scrap or sheet, also other bullseye glass
www.bearfootart.com Scott and Monica Bouwens, Powder Vibe (4-5 week order time)
www.kaiserglass.com Barry Kaiser's site, also a PMCer, great tutorials on glass
www.pyrosglass.com Paul Kimball's site for Freeze and Fuse, good explanations
www.groups.yahoo.com three good groups: GlassFusion, Kilnglass, and Warmglass
www.paragonweb.com the great Paragon kilns, sign up for Arnold Howard's weekly kiln pointers newsletter
on the first page, good general information for all kilns
www.cmog.org one of the places we teach glass and mc
www.jacksonvillecenter.org another great place to learn fusing
www.urbanglass.org yet another good school, check our website for other venues
Ed and Martha Biggar, more good information any time you need us!
Ed: artneon@psknet.com
Martha: marthabiggar@yahoo.com
276-620-8595
PO Box 323Draper, VA 24324
back to top
Glass Resources
Please call Ed at 276-620-8595 or email for more details. We accept MasterCard, Visa, PayPal, money
orders, or personal or business check. International orders are welcome! Orders are processed and shipped
within 2 weeks. Shipping by USPS.
Thanks! Ed and Martha
back to top
Recipes!
To make the CMC gel:
Boil some water, mix a pint of this water with 4-5 tablespoons of CMC powder,stir, there will be some lumps
but do the best you can. Leave lightly covered for 24 hours, it will be a thick and relatively clear gel.
To make the Glass clay:
Mix 2:1 glass powder and CMC gel. I use a freezer baggie to mash it around. Add a little more gel if you need
to work in all the powder. Fire around 1275-1325 F.
To make liquid stringer:
Take some of your glass clay and put in another baggie. I add Klyr-fire little by little to make it a little more
liquid. Now snip the end off your baggie and pipe it into a squeeze bottle. Fire at 1300 F. to keep the line, or
1450 F. for full fuse. Imagine the line as a cloison, and fill the inside with frits or powders.
back to top
Basic Steps for Fused Glass
Fusing glass combines simple and complex, planned and happenstance, all at one time rolled into a neat little
package just waiting to be made into a piece of wonderful jewelry. Let's get started with the tools you'll
need:
Glass Cutter: I use a pistol grip cutter, it's easier on the wrists and I think easier to guide and cut as you want
to. Mine has a swivel head for curves and a reservoir for oil; it lubricates itself each time it cuts so that the
cutting wheel lasts longer. Cutting wheels are replaceable. I always push my cutter; that's a personal
preference: you should decide whether you plan to push or pull when you get your own cutter and use it that
way, it will last longer.
Running and Grozing Pliers: Runners have a mark on top to line up with the score line and then squeeze
gently. Be sure the score line is on top of the glass! Otherwise you make a lot of frit. Grozing pliers fit
perpendicular right up to the score and are great for evening out those little bits that don't run exactly right, and
for breaking off small pieces. For safety's sale hold your hand over the top of the runners when using them so
glass won't fly.
Surface: I used to be fond of pizza boxes to cut on because they will contain the glass chips (frit) that
inevitably happen when glass is cut. Cardboard also helps to soften the blow to the tip of your cutters better
than a table top. Now I am settled on the Morton cutting board that we carry, it holds the glass and is available
with a packaged system for cutting straight edges too.
Kilns: A digitally controlled kiln will make your life much easier while fusing glass, although a kiln with a
temperature gauge or even a pottery kiln with a kiln sitter will do. You will have to get to know your own kiln, this
takes time and practice but it is well worth it, as kilns have hot spots that will cause your cabs to come out
unevenly fused. I recommend Paragon kilns; I've used SC-2s for six years now, first with PMC and then adding
in glass. I can program the temperature ramp, the ultimate temperature, and the hold time all at once and then
not have to worry about my glass. The newest SC-2s have a glass insert in the door so you can watch (always
fun!). You will also need a kiln shelf (don't put your glass directly on the bottom of the kiln!) and either kiln shelf
paper or kiln wash (your glass will stick to the kiln shelf otherwise). I use Thin-fire paper from Bullseye Glass; I
find this easier to use than kiln wash and I can get a smoother bottom to my glass with paper.
Compatible Glass: Although most glass will melt together when put into a kiln and heated, it will not cool off
at the same rate and therefore can crack. Bullseye Glass has researched this attribute of glass for decades
and has developed a line of compatible glass, all having the same COE or Coefficient of Expansion. We use
90 COE glass; there are other companies that have developed lines of fusing glass with different COEs, you
would want to be very careful not to mix your glass or your cabs will break.
Dichroic glass is a type of fusible glass made with a coating on either clear or black glass. Of course you will
be careful to use 90 COE here as well. The coating both reflects and refracts light. This is the phenomena you
see when turning a piece of dichroic glass and seeing a color shift. Don't try to fuse the coated sides together
as the coating prevents or at least inhibits fusing. You can stack clear backed dichroic on top of itself if you
make sure the coated sides don't touch. One major coating company is Coatings by Sandberg, CBS. I
generally fuse dichroic with a layer of clear glass over the top for depth.
How To: You can put just one layer of glass in your kiln, or you can put lots, but generally we work with two to
four layers. Glass when heated wants to settle to a similar thickness, that's why four layers will spread more
than three, and two layers will appear to shrink up from its original size.
We use these schedules often, and have programmed them into the Paragons we use both in our studio and in
classes we teach at various venues. Please note that these times work for us and can be a great beginning for
you in your own trials.
You might want to keep records of your firings; a great one to check out is at http://www.bullseyeglass.
com/connection/education/, click on Kiln Project Notes, and another is available at Paragon's own site: http:
//www.paragonweb.com/Instruction_Manuals.cfm, click on Firing Record Blanks. This way you’ll be
able to replicate good results and avoid bad ones.
We have specific reasons for each part of these programs, for example we use a 500 degree ramp for each of
these programs; although we know you can ramp at a quicker rate, this particular temperature allows us more
control of bubbles and an evenness of firing. We base these figures on two to three layers of fusible glass
sized between thin and regular (3mm), generally we use Bullseye, with added frits, stringers, and so forth. We
generally try to keep our programming simple as opposed to complex. Lately we have been adding a soak
segment at 1200 degrees F. for 30 minutes to help control bubbles.
You can see the similarities and differences between each expected result. The variations should hit your
personal preference; I'd suggest firing cabs at 25 degree increments where the top temperature is a range to
find what works best for your needs and kiln. Note that we fire cabochons included in PMC3 at a lower
temperature than we originally fired the glass. Once your glass is cool and out of the kiln, wash the kiln paper
off the back, being careful not to breathe in any of the dust. You can't use it over, so a damp paper towel over
the trash can is a good idea. Your cabs are ready to use!
back to top
enjoy working with fused glass to create different and exciting inclusions for our jewelry pieces. Included here
are the handouts we provided at the seminar. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
New Techniques in Fused Glass
Resource List
PMC Conference 2008
Books
Richard La Londe: Fused Glass Art and Techniques, great history and techniques, plus inspirational work:
www.richardlalonde.com
Brad Walker,,Contemporary Warm Glass, good general information on kilnforming: www.warmglass.com, also
bulletin board, resources
Donald-Brian Johnson & Leslie Pina, Higgins: Poetry in Glass, ,history of the premier fusers of the 20th century
Web Sites
www.bullseyeglass.com the authority on fusible glass, good downloadable tip sheets on lots of techniques
www.delphiglass.com general glass and tools
www.ugotglass.com great source for dichroic glass, either as scrap or sheet, also other bullseye glass
www.bearfootart.com Scott and Monica Bouwens, Powder Vibe (4-5 week order time)
www.kaiserglass.com Barry Kaiser's site, also a PMCer, great tutorials on glass
www.pyrosglass.com Paul Kimball's site for Freeze and Fuse, good explanations
www.groups.yahoo.com three good groups: GlassFusion, Kilnglass, and Warmglass
www.paragonweb.com the great Paragon kilns, sign up for Arnold Howard's weekly kiln pointers newsletter
on the first page, good general information for all kilns
www.cmog.org one of the places we teach glass and mc
www.jacksonvillecenter.org another great place to learn fusing
www.urbanglass.org yet another good school, check our website for other venues
Ed and Martha Biggar, more good information any time you need us!
Ed: artneon@psknet.com
Martha: marthabiggar@yahoo.com
276-620-8595
PO Box 323Draper, VA 24324
back to top
Glass Resources
Please call Ed at 276-620-8595 or email for more details. We accept MasterCard, Visa, PayPal, money
orders, or personal or business check. International orders are welcome! Orders are processed and shipped
within 2 weeks. Shipping by USPS.
Thanks! Ed and Martha
back to top
Recipes!
To make the CMC gel:
Boil some water, mix a pint of this water with 4-5 tablespoons of CMC powder,stir, there will be some lumps
but do the best you can. Leave lightly covered for 24 hours, it will be a thick and relatively clear gel.
To make the Glass clay:
Mix 2:1 glass powder and CMC gel. I use a freezer baggie to mash it around. Add a little more gel if you need
to work in all the powder. Fire around 1275-1325 F.
To make liquid stringer:
Take some of your glass clay and put in another baggie. I add Klyr-fire little by little to make it a little more
liquid. Now snip the end off your baggie and pipe it into a squeeze bottle. Fire at 1300 F. to keep the line, or
1450 F. for full fuse. Imagine the line as a cloison, and fill the inside with frits or powders.
back to top
Basic Steps for Fused Glass
Fusing glass combines simple and complex, planned and happenstance, all at one time rolled into a neat little
package just waiting to be made into a piece of wonderful jewelry. Let's get started with the tools you'll
need:
- Glass cutter or scorer
- Running and grozing pliers
- Safe surface to cut on
- Kiln
- Compatible Glass
Glass Cutter: I use a pistol grip cutter, it's easier on the wrists and I think easier to guide and cut as you want
to. Mine has a swivel head for curves and a reservoir for oil; it lubricates itself each time it cuts so that the
cutting wheel lasts longer. Cutting wheels are replaceable. I always push my cutter; that's a personal
preference: you should decide whether you plan to push or pull when you get your own cutter and use it that
way, it will last longer.
Running and Grozing Pliers: Runners have a mark on top to line up with the score line and then squeeze
gently. Be sure the score line is on top of the glass! Otherwise you make a lot of frit. Grozing pliers fit
perpendicular right up to the score and are great for evening out those little bits that don't run exactly right, and
for breaking off small pieces. For safety's sale hold your hand over the top of the runners when using them so
glass won't fly.
Surface: I used to be fond of pizza boxes to cut on because they will contain the glass chips (frit) that
inevitably happen when glass is cut. Cardboard also helps to soften the blow to the tip of your cutters better
than a table top. Now I am settled on the Morton cutting board that we carry, it holds the glass and is available
with a packaged system for cutting straight edges too.
Kilns: A digitally controlled kiln will make your life much easier while fusing glass, although a kiln with a
temperature gauge or even a pottery kiln with a kiln sitter will do. You will have to get to know your own kiln, this
takes time and practice but it is well worth it, as kilns have hot spots that will cause your cabs to come out
unevenly fused. I recommend Paragon kilns; I've used SC-2s for six years now, first with PMC and then adding
in glass. I can program the temperature ramp, the ultimate temperature, and the hold time all at once and then
not have to worry about my glass. The newest SC-2s have a glass insert in the door so you can watch (always
fun!). You will also need a kiln shelf (don't put your glass directly on the bottom of the kiln!) and either kiln shelf
paper or kiln wash (your glass will stick to the kiln shelf otherwise). I use Thin-fire paper from Bullseye Glass; I
find this easier to use than kiln wash and I can get a smoother bottom to my glass with paper.
Compatible Glass: Although most glass will melt together when put into a kiln and heated, it will not cool off
at the same rate and therefore can crack. Bullseye Glass has researched this attribute of glass for decades
and has developed a line of compatible glass, all having the same COE or Coefficient of Expansion. We use
90 COE glass; there are other companies that have developed lines of fusing glass with different COEs, you
would want to be very careful not to mix your glass or your cabs will break.
Dichroic glass is a type of fusible glass made with a coating on either clear or black glass. Of course you will
be careful to use 90 COE here as well. The coating both reflects and refracts light. This is the phenomena you
see when turning a piece of dichroic glass and seeing a color shift. Don't try to fuse the coated sides together
as the coating prevents or at least inhibits fusing. You can stack clear backed dichroic on top of itself if you
make sure the coated sides don't touch. One major coating company is Coatings by Sandberg, CBS. I
generally fuse dichroic with a layer of clear glass over the top for depth.
How To: You can put just one layer of glass in your kiln, or you can put lots, but generally we work with two to
four layers. Glass when heated wants to settle to a similar thickness, that's why four layers will spread more
than three, and two layers will appear to shrink up from its original size.
- Lay out your base piece. This could be a dichroic piece with the coating on top, or bottom for a
reversible cab, a clear piece, or a piece of any color transparent or opaque glass. - Plan the design for the second layer; lay out the pieces of glass until you are pleased, then glue lightly!
You can use Elmer's glue thinned out a little with water, or fuser's glue. Either is going to burn away in the
kiln, and either can cloud your glass if you use too much. You may want to consider frit (tiny pieces of
glass) or stringer (glass spaghetti) as part of your design. - Now lay on your top layer of glass, either clear or maybe a light transparent color. Or you could lay more
pieces of clear-based dichroic. Again, glue lightly. I usually do not count frit or stringer as a layer, since
they are usually very thin. They can go inside the glass sandwich or on top. Once all this is done you are
ready for the kiln. - Place your cabs on the kiln shelf with either paper or kiln wash. Don't let the cabs touch, as they can run
together and become fused to each other. Set your kiln for the type fusing you wish. Most people want
their cabs smooth on top and rounded on the edges, this is fully fused glass.
We use these schedules often, and have programmed them into the Paragons we use both in our studio and in
classes we teach at various venues. Please note that these times work for us and can be a great beginning for
you in your own trials.
You might want to keep records of your firings; a great one to check out is at http://www.bullseyeglass.
com/connection/education/, click on Kiln Project Notes, and another is available at Paragon's own site: http:
//www.paragonweb.com/Instruction_Manuals.cfm, click on Firing Record Blanks. This way you’ll be
able to replicate good results and avoid bad ones.
We have specific reasons for each part of these programs, for example we use a 500 degree ramp for each of
these programs; although we know you can ramp at a quicker rate, this particular temperature allows us more
control of bubbles and an evenness of firing. We base these figures on two to three layers of fusible glass
sized between thin and regular (3mm), generally we use Bullseye, with added frits, stringers, and so forth. We
generally try to keep our programming simple as opposed to complex. Lately we have been adding a soak
segment at 1200 degrees F. for 30 minutes to help control bubbles.
You can see the similarities and differences between each expected result. The variations should hit your
personal preference; I'd suggest firing cabs at 25 degree increments where the top temperature is a range to
find what works best for your needs and kiln. Note that we fire cabochons included in PMC3 at a lower
temperature than we originally fired the glass. Once your glass is cool and out of the kiln, wash the kiln paper
off the back, being careful not to breathe in any of the dust. You can't use it over, so a damp paper towel over
the trash can is a good idea. Your cabs are ready to use!
back to top
|
| Ed and Martha Biggar PO Box 323, 4390 Academy Street Draper, Va 24324 artneon@psknet.com marthabiggar@yahoo.com 276-620-8595 All rights reserved. |