FrogBlog
Bullseye Glass Index of Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have exploring questions about Bullseye Glass and how to use it? Their Index of Frequently Asked Questions can be a helpful guide! It contains anything and everything you ever wanted to know about Bullseye Glass. So, get comfortable... this is a TON of great information! GENERAL Is Bullseye glass COE 90? Can I use a ceramic kiln for glass? How can I learn to cut glass? Is Bullseye glass compatible in all conditions? Is Bullseye glass food safe? What are "striking" glass colors? What should I know about studio safety? What's the specific gravity of Bullseye? How do I know which clear Bullseye glass to use? Is there bubble-free glass? Why should I choose Bullseye glass over other glasses? New to using Bullseye Glass? COLDWORKING What is coldworking? Besides sandblasting, how can I remove devit? Can I sandblast glass to remove devit? How do I coldwork my kilncast piece? How do I get rid of sharp edges on my project? KILNFORMING What is kilnforming? How and why should I clean glass before firing it? How do I prevent glass from sticking to kiln shelves? How do I restrain glass flow? What is annealing? Why is it necessary? What is devitrification or devit? What is firepolishing? What is fusing? What is slumping? What is tack-fusing? What schedule should I use for annealing? Why should I fuse and slump glass in separate firings? Want to see the full list? Check it out here... Index of Frequently Asked Questions!
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When the Kiln Lid Flakes...
Great information about kiln lid repairs from our friends at Paragon... At Paragon, they coat the inner lid surface of all kilns to reduce brick dust. Sometimes the refractory coating is too thick so, it will blister and flake off when the kiln is fired. An especially thick coating looks like a network of peeling cracks similar to a dried mud puddle. This cracking is due to the difference in expansion between the firebricks and the coating. Conversely, correctly applied kiln coating will look like it disappeared after the kiln has been fired. The good news is that cracked lid coating is easy to repair. Just lightly remove the blistering coating with sandpaper and apply a new coat of liquid kiln repair cement. Keep in mind that the natural tendency is to apply too much lid coating because it just looks better than a thin layer. If done correctly, you should still be able to see the firebrick pores under the coating! First, shake the container very well! Then, pour some of the coating into a bowl. Make sure to stir it just before you apply it to the firebricks. Apply the coating with a large, soft sponge. Moisten the sponge with water; then squeeze out the excess... this is a very important step! Dip the sponge into the bowl of kiln coating. Wipe the coating over the lid surface. Do not let excess coating run into the element grooves of the kiln. Applying a light coat will prevent this from happening. If the coating drips along the edges of the grooves, remove by wiping a cotton swab or rag along the groove. Many people have asked us... "What is the difference between kiln cement and Liquid Kiln Coating? Can a lid be coated with a thin mixture of kiln cement?" The answer is YES! Kiln cement thinned with water will work as a lid coating. Liquid Kiln Coating is simply a mixture of kiln cement, fine brick dust, a gumming agent, and water. The great news is that lid coating lasts for several years. So, it's not something you need to worry about on a daily basis. But, if you start getting kiln brick dust on your work, maybe it's time to re-apply. Some kilns such as the Paragon CS-14S allow you to upgrade to a fiber top, which helps to keep your kiln cleaner and reduces the chance of debris in your pieces.
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Firing a Kiln in Cold Weather
From the bomb cyclone that many experienced last week to colder than average temps across Texas, this unusual winter weather sweeping across North America is causing havoc for everyone! So, with snow swirling outside and the wind howling, this question frequently comes to mind... can you fire a kiln in an unheated basement, shed or garage? A few years ago, Arnold Howard from Paragon told us about a customer who tried to fire a digital kiln in a garage where the temperature was 30°F. The digital controller display locked at 32 degrees, and she could not clear it. After the weather warmed up, the kiln started working again. Most digital controllers can register temperatures of –300°F; however, the circuit boards are designed to operate in temperatures no colder than 32°F. Temperatures lower than that can cause the controllers to malfunction. For example, the TCR message ordinarily means the thermocouple leads are reversed, but it can also appear when the thermocouple inside the kiln is much colder than the controller circuit board. In spite of this, it's definitely possible to store and fire a kiln in an unheated building in cold or freezing weather. Gail had her larger kilns in the garage for years prior to building her new studio. For storage, you must make an extra effort to keep moisture, such as the air from a dryer vent, away from the kiln to avoid the formation of frost on the metal jacket. When it comes to firing, it's important to first raise the room or ambient temperature to 32°F. This can easily be done with am inexpensive space heater. Just place it within a couple of feet of the control panel before you start your kiln and let it run for an hour or so. After you turn on the kiln and it begins to heat, you can turn off the space heater. Moisture that the firebricks have absorbed from humidity will burn off harmlessly so long as the kiln is vented. Keep the lid in the vented position until steam no longer fogs a mirror, or run a motorized downdraft vent. Look at the Orton Ventmaster 120V or Orton Ventmaster 240V on Kiln Frog. Stay Warm!
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The holidays are coming — break out the punch! (The paper punch, that is)
Bullseye Glass Quick Tip: In this Quick Tip, you will learn how to combine punched silver foil design elements with Tomato Red Opalescent for something truly festive just in time for the holidays! Silver, in the form of thin sheets, can be fired with glass in the kiln to produce a palette of effects, ranging from subtle to dramatic. We just love the variety of effects you can get! Keep in mind, when working with foil that sometimes it can be a real pain as it's super thin and likes to stick to everything. So, before punching out shapes or cutting them with scissors, take the extra time to sandwich the silver foil between sheets of paper. This creates a toothy structure that cuts cleanly and keeps the foil from tearing. Bullseye Kiln-glass Education Online also has a great video lesson if you want to learn more about Using Foils with Kiln-Glass. Enjoy the punch! Check out some of our best-selling glass kilns: Jen-Ken AF3P ProFusion Fiber 16 Paragon Fusion 17 (S1310 Trio) Olympic 186GFE
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