FrogBlog
Create Hues with Sparkle and Depth
Quick Tip: Sparkle, Sparkle Did you ever wonder why Bullseye doesn’t make an Aventurine version of other colors, like red, for example? We would if we could! The chemistry of those sparkles (a.k.a., flake) is deeply tied to green glass. In the kiln, however, you can layer to create new hues. When we were tipped off to this combination by Meryl Raiffe at The Glass Underground, we just had to try it and share the results!
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Why we LOVE Quartz Tubing!
Paragon CS-26 Whether it's offered as standard or an upgrade, we always love kilns that have quart tubing! Quart tubing provides a cleaner kiln interior and magnifies the heat to the glass. They also support and protect the elements from contamination with foreign materials that could shorten the element life. In addition, quartz tubes protect the glass from any falling debris from exposed elements. If you fire enamels, the metal oxides can cake onto the elements causing them to sag, and drop colored debris... yuk! Gail has two kilns at her studio with quartz enclosed tubes and never has to worry that anything will drop on her, or her students' glass. Check out some more kilns with quartz tubes: Jen-Ken AFG ProFusion Fiber 38 Hot Shot Oven and Kiln - HS16 PRO Clamshell Olympic Champ XL (Available as upgrade)
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Little Wisp Bowls
Bullseye Glass Quick Tip: In this Quick Tip, you will learn to create your own streaky color palette! And, it's so easy! Start by layering Clear and White Streaky sheet glass over transparent tint glass styles. Then, slump in the Cone Bowl mold to upturn the edges and achieve luscious color at the rim. You might just find yourself making bowls for days! The Cone Bowl mold is a crowd pleaser and has always been a Bullseye Glass favorite! Glass fusers have dubbed it the original “the ice cream dish mold” and who doesn't love ice cream! The steep drop of this mold into a narrow space means this is one slumping project that requires special attention to preparation, firing schedules and placement in the kiln. Check out this additional tip from Bullseye... Cone Bowl Molds for additional best practices. Also, if this is your first time using clear, white streaky sheet glass, keep in mind that it may become more translucent upon firing. Remember to remove any needle pointed edges with a diamond pad prior to slumping to ensure you get a smooth, clean edge. Finally, for handy for minor adjustments of the flat, fused blank in the mold, as well as removing the slumped dish from the mold... just use this handy Small Suction Lifter.
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Opaline Overlays
Bullseye Glass Quick Tip: This Quick Tip shows you the beauty of Opaline sheet glass! Amazing on its own—also a great tool to expand your color palette in kilnforming, creating new colors with distinct properties. As an overlay, expect subtle changes when fired over light value styles and more dramatic effects over dark values. Style codes for glasses above:White (000113-0030), Driftwood Gray (000132-0030), Elephant Gray (000206-0030), Deco Gray (000136-0030), Slate Gray (000236-0030), Black (000100-0030)
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The Firing Stages of Glass
We get lots of questions about the overall firing process... fast or slow, open or don't open? We also understand the anxiety that accompanies firing your kiln for the first time or, trying a new technique. Don't forget, we are glass-a-holics just like you... and, have had a few missteps along the way. With that said, here is a quick look at the stages of firing. So, the next time you have a question... hopefully, you will have the answer! Initial Heating from Room Temperature (room temperature to 1200°F range) During the initial heating, the glass is very brittle and susceptible to breaking if it’s heated up too quickly. Imagine a large notebook laying flat on a kiln shelf, it has a top and bottom surface and four sides. The book also has interior pages... basically, anywhere between the exposed surfaces. If we heat the book... or glass too quickly, the surface area will expand faster than the interior of the glass. This is what creates tension within the glass and, breakage... a.k.a. thermal shock! So, during this stage, it’s best to take a super conservative approach and slowly heat up the glass. Choosing between torch enameling and kiln enameling depends on project size, heat control, repeatability, and the equipment already available in the studio. At the end of this temperature range, somewhere between 1150°F to 1200°F, it’s a good idea to add a heat soaking period to allow the project to equalize to the same temperature throughout. Never peek in the kiln during this stage, or you increase the risk of your thermal shock breakage.Process Heating (1200°F to 1500°F range) The glass becomes softer and more fluid. During the process heating stage, the glass can be fired more quickly to the target temperature and soaked only long enough to achieve the desired look. It’s important not to hold the project at these temperatures for a long period of time, or you run the risk of devitrification (a visible clouding of the glass surface due to crystallization). Fast Cooling (1500°F to 1100°F range) After the finished look has been achieved, it’s important to cool the inside of the kiln and the glass as quickly as possible to stop the firing action so that it “freezes”. During the fast cooling stage, the surface of the glass is cooler and it has contracted more than the heated center which remains expanded, thus introducing stress into the glass piece. Annealing (1100°F to 700°F range)At the beginning of the annealing stage, it’s necessary to heat soak the glass for an extended period of time to allow the glass to equalize in temperature throughout and release the stress that’s in the glass. This makes the glass more stable. Then the glass is slowly cooled through the annealing temperature range to better ensure the glass piece is free of internal stresses and is physically stronger. NEVER OPEN THE KILN DURING THIS STAGE! I repeat... NEVER OPEN THE KILN DURING THIS STAGE! Cooling to Room Temperature (700°F to room temperature range) After the glass temperature has cooled below the annealing temperature zone, the kiln can be turned off to allow it to cool at its own pace to around 150°F – 200°F. Again, to avoid thermal shock, do not open the kiln until it has cooled down to at least 200°F. Even at this temperature, the glass is very hot, so do not attempt to pick it up in your bare hands. It may look cool but, it's hot! Simply open up the lid of your kiln and allow the glass and the kiln shelf to cool down to room temperature.Together they comprise a single firing cycle (room temp to room temp).The Bullseye Glass TechNotes 4 is also a very helpful resource for the explanation of Heat & Glass, as understanding the behavior of glass within these different temperature ranges will ultimately be the key to your success!
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Get the Look with Stripes and Dots
Bullseye Glass Quick Tip: This Quick Tip, shows you how to get a fun summer look using rods to easily create simple stripes and dots. Stripes - Use a complete layer of rods as the base, then cap with 3 mm Clear and fire to a full fuse. To ease set-up and prevent rods from rolling, make yourself a square frame from 1/16" fiber paper. After firing, the shelf side will have a smooth, semi-matte finish, while the top has glossy goodness. Slump with either side up! For variation in line width, place a stringer in the low spot between rods. Stringers are great and will stay perfectly straight through the fuse. If you are looking to cut rods in bulk, try securing the bundle with rubber bands and using a wet tile saw. Not only will this save time, it will also make your rod cuts straight and even! Dots - Nip rods into 3-5 mm sections, and arrange them on a sheet of 3 mm Clear. Place this on a base of 3 mm opalescent and fire to a full fuse. To maintain a square footprint and control volume, use shorter snippets closest to the perimeter. Designer Marc Jacobs says... "There is never a wrong time for a polka dot" and, we totally agree!
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Top 10 Platemaking Tips
Bullseye Glass Studio Tip: As many people are receiving their first kiln this holiday season, we thought it would be helpful to share a Tip Sheet on Platemaking that contains our favorite Top 10 platemaking tips. Plates and platters are popular projects for both advanced and beginning kilnworkers, and platemaking is a perfect way to learn kilnforming’s two most frequently used methods: fusing and slumping. The tips shown in this sheet are basic and they are the building blocks for more advanced kilnforming methods. Because the object is to make functional plates with smooth surfaces, these notes assume that the first firing will be to full fuse temperatures. On the final page of the tip sheet, Bullseye lists a basic fuse and slumping schedule. While many variables can impact a schedule, it's a great place to start! Check out some of our best-selling glass kilns: Jen-Ken AF3P 15/6 Paragon Xpress E-12T Olympic 126 Lite
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