Glass Fusing Jewelry Blanks

08/30/10 - Glass Fusing Jewelry Blanks - I recently purchased some jewelry blanks from aaeglass.com. These blanks come in three different designs...two bracelets and one pendant blank! They are very user friendly. Simply cut your glass...fire it inside the kiln...and glue to the blanks! For even more information and instructions, be sure to check out the site!

Selling Jewelry Crafts

08/29/10 - Selling Jewelry Crafts - If you have been fusing for quite a while, then you will have an abundance of finished pieces. Most of mine are given to family members and friends, but after a while they have seen it all!

Now it is time to explore other ways of dispersing the items and making some money in the process. There are many various ways you can actually profit from all you glass fusing expenses.

Look into these venues on this particular page. More suggestions and ideas will be added in the near future.

Aloha Surf Board Pattern

08/26/10 - Aloha Surf Board Pattern - Of course you know "Aloha" means hello and goodbye. For now we are saying goodbye to our Hawaiian influences page with this easy surf board pattern. Two months have passed as we have shared patterns and designs influenced from a trip to the island of Kona.

This pattern reminds me of that Beach Boy song "Catch a Wave". It is ideal for any young man who is interested in surfing and loves to spend his days at the beach.

Programming a Kiln

08/24/10 - Programming a Kiln - So, you have purchased a new kiln and are beginning to wonder just how you program the unit. Before you do anything, get to know your kiln and how it fires. This can be done by taking notes of what has transpired at various temperature.

To begin entering your information into the unit, you should first write down your information. This will assist you in placing the correct numbers in the required information.

The first thing it will ask you is how many segments are in this firing. You can determine this by how many steps you have written down.

Now it will go on to each step of the firing. In the first section determine the temperature of your ramp temperature. This is basically how fast you want the kiln to heat up per hour.

Next will come the goal temperature. This is the set temperature you want to reach before the kiln goes on to the next step.

The last information for that step would be whether or not you want to hold the temperature and if so for how long.

If you would like more information or to watch some fantastic videos provided by Delphi Glass - Art Glass Tools & Supplies be sure to visit the site.

Pineapple

08/21/10 - Pineapple - Revisiting the island of Kona this month with this pineapple design. It is a very basic design that does require the use of a glass saw to cut out the tiny details. Dichroic glass is used for the body of the fruit to give it texture and glimmer, while a simple green glass is being used for the leafy foliage at the top of the fruit.

Visit the website if you would like another more complicated outcome of this pattern.

Spiky Needle Points

08/18/10 - Spiky Needle Points - Spiky needle points are commonly found on glass pieces that have been over fired. They can also appear on pieces that are one layer thick or in molds that have not had enough frit added to the firing. They can be removed by using either a grinder or some polishing pads. Re-fire the piece to a fire polishing temperature to smooth out the edges.

DVD Beginners Glass Fusing Class

Tile Nippers

08/15/10 - Tile Nippers - Tile Nippers are really a fabulous tool to use when you desire cutting glass with unique and various shapes. Although usually used to cut tiles, they can be used for cutting glass as well. This tool is not only quick, but cuts the glass in very irregular shapes. Utilize this fact to create unique pieces of fused glass.

Taking Notes

08/09/10 - Taking Notes - Taking notes when you first begin glass fusing is highly recommended. Jotting down important information will help you learn the process, teach you about your particular kiln and give you some insight into the firing process. These notes are fantastic to refer to as you venture on to new processes. Referencing them will provide you with vital information on what went right and what went wrong.

For more information on journals that can be used to help you in this process, be sure to check out this page.

Firing the Clay

08/06/10 - Firing the Clay - Previously the discussions were on all the various ways glass clay can be made. There were three different ways discussed: Purchasing glass powder with a binder already added, using a powder mixture to make the binder and adding glass powder, and making glass clay from scratch.

In the main section of Glass Clay, suggestions are made on how to maneuver and manipulate this material to achieve various results.

In this section the final process of firing the glass is discussed. Check it out to find out more about this process.