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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Working Deep
Bullseye Glass Studio Tip: This TipSheet will introduce you to ways to float imagery and color within thick blocks of clear glass. This method is direct, simple, and allows greater control of line quality than is achievable with other techniques. The primary technical challenges involved in this working method are: Controlling trapped air (bubbles) Restraining the glass flow at full fusing temperatures Working with extended heating and cooling cycles Minimizing coldworking to the finished project Check out some of our best-selling glass kilns: Paragon SC3 Jen-Ken AF3P 11/9 with 4" Flip Door Evenheat Studio Pro STP with Window
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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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Volume & Bubble Control
Bullseye Glass Studio Tip: No matter if you are new to fusing, or have been doing it for years, bubble control is part of your life. For many kilnformers and glass artists, nothing is more frustrating than when a project emerges from the kiln distorted or full of large bubbles. For others, controlling distortions and bubbles may be an integral component of their work. Whether you wish to avoid them or control them, you will need a fundamental understanding of the factors that cause distortions in kiln-glass. In TechNote 5: Volume and Bubble Control, Bullseye Glass shares a number of great tips on how to mitigate trapped air and control volume, which will help you manage distortions and bubbles in a variety of kiln-glass techniques. Another way to minimize the look of bubbles is detailed in this Quick Tip from Bullseye: Powder Power for Bubble Control. It states... Add a light application of Clear powder between the layers with a full-fuse firing schedule. That’s right: between the layers! You’ll actually trap more bubbles, but they’ll be smaller than the usual “champagne” bubbles—and to that we say, “Cheers!” Check out some of our glass kilns to fire your pieces however you desire: Jen-Ken Kiln - AFG ProFusion Fiber 26 Paragon Kiln - Fusion 17 (S1310 Trio) Hot Shot Oven and Kiln - HS24-Pro Clamshell Cress Kilns - FUSER2818
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12 Ways to Improve Your Cutting
Bullseye Glass Studio Tip: Glass cutting is a fundamental skill any kilnformer needs to be able to master. If you’ve never cut glass or you’re unconfident in your abilities, there is good news. This is a skill you can improve! With proper cutting tools and techniques, even beginners can learn how to produce clean, accurate glass shapes. Your glass cutting skill level will not only affect the quality of work you produce, but also how much money you spend. Think about it: better glass cutting skills mean fewer mistakes and less wasted glass. Ready to sharpen your skills? Of course you are... #1: Dowload the 12 Ways To Improve Your Cutting from Rudi Gritsch of the Glasfachschule in Kramsach, Austria. Rudi is former Director of Research at Bullseye Glass Co. and a world-class glass cutter. #2: Watch the video lesson below. This will teach you how to properly score a piece of glass and how to break the score as well as how to cut circles in glass. Check out some of our best-selling glass kilns to fire your cut pieces however you desire: Paragon Kiln - SC2 Evenheat Studio Pro STP with Window Jen-Ken Kilns - AF3P 15/6 Olympic Kiln - Champ XL
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