Tempered Glass - filling and firing on molds - all one firing

I originally thought posted this - but I think it was so many times in Fused Glass Fanatics I forgot to actually post in my blog

How to fill the molds

this example used a 12" round mold but any prepped mold will do - mine is coated in kiln wash

I keep a large brass hamer in my bucket - I just every once in a while crunch down to ensure that the glass is in the small cube size - not a big problem if not - you just crush or pick out of the mold if it finds its way into it

I use the the betty crocker  stir fry scoop (from Dollarama)- its wire with larger openings enough to let any glass powder and small shards drop back into bucket

I pile into the center and around

I then push with my fingers to the edges using the tips of one hand and sometimes using the back or open face of the other to hold at the edge

the center starts to clear as I push most of it to edges -  check for one layer thinner areas and just pick and move a few pices and lay there - I do this randomly - no pattern - I find it works best that way
do not let ;hang over - its cleaner if they are within the mold

then scoop more to fill the center and spread evenly - its sort of two layers  but not on top of each other

now its ready for the kiln

firing schedule

5 segments

300/ hr  to 1000 hold 20 min
300  hr to 1450 hold 20 minutes - modified to 1465   4-20-17
9999/fast to 960 hold 60 minutes
150  hr 700  hold 0
9999/fast to 350  hold 0  (this only if in cold area)

this has worked extremely well for me

Tempered Glass Fish for the Painted Perch is in the Kiln

I outlined the wooden fish image onto some fiber paper - and placed it in the kiln
I piled it up and hpped for the best -  I aslo tossed some dichro frit (90 coe) onto the pile - hopefully the rule of thumb would be 10% on the surface  as in my lampworking so hoping for the best. - so cant wait till it comes out in the morning - I'll be adding a few things like alcohol inks and color - and a googly eye

Played with alcohol inks

Had fun weekend with my granddaughter we pulled out my alcohol inks to start to  ink my plates but got diverted and started using the inks on domino's  - I bought inks and stamps 15 years ago to do this project and finally got around to trying it out - the site to check out is -  http://www.theenchantedgallery.com/alcohol.html

we got out the domino's - the pack you can get at walmart here in Canada is 10.00 not sure how many in a box but theres lots

we did a few based on the colour sheet  and made up a few of our own - but had fun

Alcohol Inks on tempered glass - how to apply and seal

A really nice site that has lots of information on applying alcohol inks and has a mix chart  is
https://www.kimcrick.com/pages/alcohol-inks-tutorial-color-chart-lightfast-test   I bought  rubber stamps from them a long time ago - but a great outline on the alcohol inks and mixing them




just with these combos you can create some really nice mixes


I did buy the stamps /felt holders - they have velcro on - but you could make your own with a piece of wood and staple the velcro on (dollar store)- the felt - I get some scrap from work of our thin felt and it works fine - you just need something that will hold the ink as you stamp

here is the stamp with the felt on

I picked this combo and hopped for the best - you will get used to what colors you want dominant

Wild Plum
Butterscotch
Stream

this one is called Nature walk on the chart (forgive the writing I was marking what I had in stock ) its the middle effect

I love purples and pinks and wow do you get them along with teals and greens its amazing

just create drops  of each colour - do not blend  just leave a bit apart as the felt will be come saturated and when pressed hard leaves sufficient ink

you dont have to saturate the felt 

just keep stamping  over and over the same areas  till you get the effect you want

over and over the same area 

you will see them blending together - there is a blending liquid (I think its just alcohol)  but you want vibrant and not washed out effect 

 I stamped on a sample round piece of glass that I will clean off later - or I could make sample tiles - but it will depend on just how much you put on the felt for the effect - next time I may put more butterscotch

once done - let dry - I tend to let dry for couple hours - although it only takes minutes  for it to dry

once dry - I use my EX-74 and a foam brush to seal

I use this product for my epoxy tempered glass candle holders  easy to use - I let dry for 24 hours

I make up the 1:1 ratio  in  and empty  plastic water bottle - I cut the top off and I keep a wooden spoon (handle) as my mixer and mark it as such so I dont use it on anything else-  the bottom of water bottles are great - have lots around  anything left will solidify

I just use the sponge brush and apply - at first I was worried it would smudge  but it  goes on great and smoothly

you could use template patterns to ink  - I used a round piece of glass to stamp around - 

More Tempered Glass - Sealing Alcohol Inks on the tempered glass

Original posting date should have been
7/4/16 -  so sort of out of order but forgot to post


I scored my big sheet of glass today- too big for my car so I broke it at the  glass suppliers - I put down my tarp we laid it down - I wrapped the tarp around it and then carefully inserted my  nail set and whacked it with a hammer and broke it -(I put in tarp as it tends to explode out and you get a mess to clean up - the tarp holds it together and makes it easier for clean up ) crunched it up and got it into pails - two full 5 gal pails of broken tempered glass - SWEET !

Came home and took my fused pieces out ( 6 pcs  )  and put another 6 into the kiln for tomorrow night - should have a good number by Saturday completed

I mixed up some EX-74 epoxy and  sealed the pieces I put the alcohol inks on - I was worried it might smudge but it was fine - and it looks good - I am wondering if I should not coat the clear spots as well - as it would give it a nice epoxy coating for the base all over -
I will check tomorrow night and see if I want to finish them that way - but so far so good  Here they are upside down drying  with the epoxy coating

How to break Tempered Glass

Recycled - Tempered Glass

Find a local Glass and Mirror place and get friendly with them 0- and let them know you want to recycle  the tempered glass - they typically bring back old shower doors , table tops  etc... or even get  the wrong sizes from the factory (new is a bonus ) since its custom it cant be cut down or used really anywhere else

Tools

• a really big tarp - at least  12 x 24  ( we want to wrap the  piece of tempered inside - completely so when broken it does not shoot everywhere and clean up is easy )  orif small pieces a big garbage bag will do 
• Hammer
• Nail Set 
• 5 gallon buckets - home depot type is fine or even the smaller 2 gallon from ice cream parlors works 
• work gloves 
• safety glasses 
• windex
• paper towel
• scraper
• dust pan  (small dollar store is fine - it just helps scoop up )

Be sure the piece your breaking will fit inside your tarp when folded over (you dont have to tape  closed just overlap the tarp and fold up the ends )

place your piece on the tap -  at this time  clean both sides and scrap off any tape or adhesives - you cant remove the edging if any - you can do this after its broken)

after cleaning - wrap your glass up 

with tempered glass you can hit in the center or even the corner  and it will shatter 

with goggles and gloves on -  I just open a small area and wrap the tar around my nail set  and smack the living daylights right onto the nail set (I"ve seen me do it 3-4 times before it breaks and sometimes even embed the nail set into the ground/wood flooring - so do it somewhere it wont matter

glass waiting to be broken - these all fit in a really big garbage bag 

(glass in garbage bag- nail set just on corner ) when usuing the garbage bag you can tip into buckets 

scooped an put into buckets each bucket is a different piece of glass 

Once broken -  open tarp -  take one edge at a time and pick up to push the glass to the center - make a pile -  now with  full shoes - such as running shoes or even  clean soled work boots -  step on the glass to help break it up -  squish, twist step and  keep moving it to the center -  now you wont catch it all but when most is broken down - start scooping it into your pails - 

you will get  some thicker than others - right now I  put  one sheet per bucket  and keep it stored together - I am not sure of the coe of tempered glass if it is all the same - I need to do  some test firing so I only use the same glass for each firing  or  one type per plate  not mixed - e.g.  I dont use tempered from a table top  along with the shower door -  not at least till I am convinced they will be ok fired together 

More Tempered glass plates - with alcohol inks

last nights batch from the kiln -  blue greens - not sure what tonight may be - might be back to purples/pinks

Tempered Glass - Alcohol Inks - and more tempered glass

Got two more plates out this afternoon and inked them  with more of an orangey pink color
broke more glass this morning  and filled the kiln this afternoon for another load
I probably could do them in levels and get more in - but maybe next time an  I want to consider the addon ring as well to give me height

having fund with broken glass - all tempered - some are thinker than others - which the original plate are -  this load I have some from the mornings breakage - that were table tops  and a bit thinner

so I redid the colored plated with more purple    cant wait for the other to come out I may leave a set as clear