DEBORAHREAD.COM: September 2015

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Very little accomplished

I got very little accomplished this past weekend - I got three bottles from my daughter to slump - didnt get that done
didnt do any further fusing or glass painting

I did finally sit at the torch yesterday as I wanted to figure out if I was going to make the grapes to go on the wine bottles as decoration and all I cam up with was - I like it but its a tad small for the bottle so I made it into a pendant - I do have other items in the kiln but this I was able to take out at 120 without worry - it's boro -

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Decorating slumped wine bottles

Well - other than the bottles I have slumped on my ceramic pattern - I have a few clear ones I want to do something with

The green ones I'll probably sandblast/etch some patterns on but I decided I wanted to use an old technique I used to used - with Delta Perm enamels - a sea sponge (I had to use a new one - I cant find my 20 year old favorite sponge - its around here somewhere ) - it's reverse faux painting - where you sponge onto the back in reverse order to get a nice granite type look - I used to do a lot of clear glass plates like this - I also did my whole desk at work like this and a big dining room round glass table a long time ago

the first one was done last night came out ok - I still have to decorate the handle - which I think I'll make some lampwork grapes and attach with wire

but here is the first one - black/white/teal and silver background

these are work in process as I need to finish the back

same but with just black /white teal - no background yet - this bottle was sort of dull on the back almost like a etch - it was alos a bottle that had color but it burned out or maybe it was just a surface treatment as decoration

not pleased with the black/white red - the pic does not do it justice but then again until the background silver is applied it looks transparent

More Slumped bottles and making some new tiles for slumping

Well now I am slumping wine bottles for cheese trays - something I've wnated to do for years on my todo list for fusing (sinks are on there too! but I need a bigger kiln)

I am going to sandblast/etch some with designs - even hand paint on others - I've started glass pattern designs which are turning out great - no glass bottle is safe in my house - the mason jars are next ....
Here are two clear pop bottles from yesterday and two small milk bottles still in the kiln from last night (I am harassing everyone I know for wine and liquor bottles- probably drive them all to AA)

note the yellow spot - not exactly sure what caused it - bottles were clean and dry (I think)

so these will be spoon rests - I am loving having the pattern on the clear glass

its hard to see the pattern in these just yet - still very warm so cant take them out till tonight - but it great to see what shape the bottles create when slumped

again spoon rests

I started to make new ceramic pieces and they have to dry first before firing but I made another sheet of same patter and then one for christmas of a nutcracker and one with day of the dead skulls - both made from rubber stamps I have

Making a ceramic tile for slumping

Ok -Gang - here is how I made the ceramic tile for fusing - again you can make this in your glass kiln but its important that the piece is totally dry and try and keep it flat - so lets start

Preparing the clay tile
Step 1 - get the right clay that we can work with - a low fire cone 04 clay
I get a product from Tuckers Pottery called Low White cone 04 clay - It comes in a box and two huge bags of clay - around 25.00 (there is enough clay to make tons of tiles- its a pre pugged clay which means well mixed

Step 2 - take a large chunk and I am lucky to have a rolling table but after rolling i transfer to a piece of drywall - I use that to roll out about 1/4" thick - I also use a silicone rolling pin to work finish it before I apply the stamp

Step 3 - check your thickness - no more than 1/4" thick
check your diameters so its large enough - to fit

Step 4 - lay stamp pattern side down - pat down a bit a bit- ok a lot - just lift a corner to make sure its deep - then slowly start from centre roll to top - then to bottom- you can peek a bit to see if the stamp is impressing - worst case you pull off and roll up the clay and rework it- I push down all over with my fingers and palm just to be sure

Step 5 - Once rolled - take a clay knife and trim the edges - if a bit ragged just run the knife down the edges to true them up

Step 6 - start to peel off the rubber stamp - it should come away pretty cleanly without lifting your clay -

Step 7 - do not move it from the drywall - -let it get leather hard - if interrupted at any time just put a damp cloth over your work- the drywall will suck the moisture out evenly from the bottom while the top drys

Step 8 - after about a day it should have hardened up a - if it starts to curl - place some weighted objects around the edges - not heavy enough to squish the pattern
The hard part is waiting for it to dry - need about 1 week so that its totally dry - its important before firing that the piece is totally dry

Bisque Firing schedule
Once the clay is dry - the firing of the clay makes it a bisque what is needed for slumping -
Its what is called a Med cone 04 Bisque Firing
5 segments
Seg 1 325/hr to 1024 Hold 0
Seg 2 153/hr to 1112 Hold 0
Seg 3 180/hr to 1837 Hold 0
Seg 4 108/hr to 1945 Hold 0
Seg 5 150/hr to 1000 Hold 0

Its a long fire so be patient - dont peek and dont take out till under 100°F

Once you have it - if your using Boron Nitride spray as per instructions

Wine Bottle Slump - On Cermic Zentangle Pattern - Success

I opened the kiln early this morning 6am could wait any longer -
the bottle was intact - the cermic pattern tile was intact
I carefully lifted out the tile with the bottle on top - as I have never used the Boron Nitride before I was afraid it might be stuck - nope - lifted off like a dream ! Gonna love this stuff

hard to take a pic to get to show the pattern but here you go - I'll put together a step by step on making the ceramic tile - as its under 2000 degrees and most glass kilns have that parameter as their top temp - there should be no reason you cant make a clay tile in your kiln using rubber stamps

another success - bottle slumping on cermic tile

Wisers whiskey bottle
still needs some cleaning but looking good

Tiger II - saved

He is out of the kiln and other than I had to do a bit of grinding the edges cause they were sharp - he was saved - cant tell he was cracked

Wine bottle slump on my own zentangle texture mold

I made this ceramic texture mold for use in clay to make a reverse of one of my rubber stamps
I ran out of wine bottles and was going to fire an already slumped one but really wanted to slump on to the mold with an un-slumped bottle to see how it works

Found one today .... so its in the kiln now running the following schedule

seg 1 300/hr 1360 hold 20
seg 2 300/hr 1465 hold 10
seg 3 full 960 hold 60
seg 4 100 825 hold 0

so we will see what will happen - I took this from another schedule for a tile /bottle slump so I hope the slow rise and fall will be ok

I made the original ceramic tile with a low fire clay 1800 deg and as long as you dont go over that it should hold up

sprayed it with Boron Nitride (twice - as its not been covered before they suggest spray the usual way - wait 5 min and spray again)
I placed the bottle on the mold and my neck set up - and away she goes ......

I took this already slumped off my mold and replaced with a regular wine bottle - so its in slumping now - will post later when cooled

Tiger II - fuse fix - possible save

Not that I should not paint another one - I probably will
but I chose to attempt to save the one I inadvertently cracked last week and broke

so into the kiln it went - pushed it together tight - turned on the kiln to full
1425 is what is called a tack fuse and glass will "tack" stick to itself and the sides and surface do not chance much - but I chose to go higher - I made sure the painted part was face down so that the paint would not burn off at the higher temp - I went to about 1550 and it looked smooth - I could not see the crack - so hoping it worked
Here is a pic before and currently in the kiln (I took a pic as I flashed to 1000 deg)
I will put colored frit on it so it should also help hold it together but this way the front is smooth

I see I will have to grind the edges as the single sheet tends to start to spread at that higher temp

Color Line Paints

I got my color line paints in to try - I did it quickly and did not mix as well as probably should but the colors are bright !

I just painted samples on a clear piece

before firing

after firing - I did not apply some of the yellow/blue colors well so I will probably to a new sampler to attach to each bottle

Wine Bottle Slump - #3 Enamel label

My daughter saved me this bottle about 3 years ago and I finally slumped it yesterday afternoon

it turned out great !

and as with any thing I do - I will do many many more - may have to visit the local pub/restaurant and ask for their empties today

Two Successfule wine bottle slumps

Yes two - successful wine bottle slumps -
the third one is an enamel coated bottle -so see how that works out
I plan of etching the glass to give a pattern - I found a couple clear ones that I plan on painting on

Tiger II - Kapow ! On to Tiger III

Can you believe it - I even thought last night when doing the wine bottle slump I should move the tiger face panel out of the way in case I put something on it and break it - didnt and then broke it when leaning over to move some frits on the shelf
so onto Tiger III (hopefully 3rd time lucky )

Wine Bottle Slumping Success

Success - wasn't as hard as I thought and the slumping schedule is pretty good
got up early this morning to try a second bottle and adding 5 degrees more to the final fuse schedule

Trying to slump a wine bottle

I thought my hot shot was big enough as it does have a 12" interior but the shelf is only 11" in diameter so I had to jury rig something so that the bottle fit - I added a shelf bit to extend and make more of a handle for the top - and pieces of shelf paper to protect the sides and bottom - just in case

Its the first time I've tried it - never did a bottle before but have wanted to make a cheese tray -
set the kiln controller based on some info on the net and let it go
500 °F per hour to 1000 250°F per hour to 1300 then as fast as you can to 1425 then off and flash to 1000 - had to download the manual again as I cant find it when you want it - to learn how to program it again

I went up to 1425 in this first test

and I was very pleased with the outcome - still at 150 by the time I wanted to go to bed so a quick photo and I'll take it out in the morning and try bottle #2 - I might go a bit higher to 1450 to get the end to drop a little more flatter - I have seen them pretty much fused - its still a bump - but I'd still like to determine it was once a bottle