FrogBlog
Smooth It Out
Bullseye Glass Quick Tip: In this quick tip, you will learn how to create a smooth, uniform surface on the shelf side of your fired work—not a brush stroke in sight! First, prepare a kiln shelf with kiln wash or Bullseye Shelf Primer. Once the shelf has cooled, gently buff the surface with a sheet of standard copy paper. Than, just tip the shelf upright with the primer side away from you and tap it lightly against a hard surface to knock off the loosened primer. This technique is ideal for works with a single base sheet or minimal seams. We are especially fond of the effect on iridized glass, though it’s equally effective on non-iridized opals & transparents. Also, please keep in mind that the buffed surface is delicate. Avoid sliding pieces of sheet glass across it, as primer can collect in the seams. For easy cleanup, we suggest tapping the shelf onto a piece of butcher paper. And, of course, this should be done with local ventilation, wearing a NIOSH approved respirator.
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Fine Lines
Bullseye Glass Quick Tip: Looking for a new way to use stringer? Try this Quick Tip for a Mid-Century modern inspired design... and it's so easy! Start by holding the stringer with thumbs and forefingers, place the spot you want to bend in the tip of a tea light candle flame. Apply a light pressure until you feel the glass soften. Lift the stringer out of the flame to cool and set the angle. Keep the stringer relatively flat as you move on to the next bend. Carbon will burn off in the kiln, so there’s no need to clean. Just a reminder to always wear eye protection as stringers are pretty delicate and can easily snap. Also, don't forget to allow the bent area to cool before touching. Talking from personal experience, sometimes it looks cool, but it's not! Check out some of our best-selling glass kilns: Jen-Ken AF3P 18-E 15 Glass Kiln Evenheat GTS 23
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How to Load a Kiln
Loading a large kiln can often be intimidating. After talking with our friends at Paragon Kilns, here are answers to some of their most frequently asked questions... Do you recommend 3 or 4 posts under a shelf? It is recommended to support shelves with three posts instead of four. Sometimes four posts can cause the shelves to wobble unless the bottom of the kiln is perfectly even, the shelves are flat, and the posts are exactly the same height. It is best to position posts fairly close to the kiln walls and away from the center of the kiln bottom. This places the weight of the kiln load close to the kiln stand and away from the unsupported kiln center. How do you load the top shelf so that the ware fires to the correct temperature? On top-loading kilns, placing a shelf too close to the top of the firing chamber can lead to over- or under-firing. To help combat this, try using two half shelves, instead of a full shelf, stagger the height of the shelves. Another option is to mount the top shelf low enough so that element grooves show between the kiln lid and top shelf. How does one prevent posts from sticking to the kiln shelves? When you unload a shelf out of the kiln after a firing, a post occasionally sticks to the shelf and then drops onto the shelf below. To help prevent this from happening, dip the ends of the posts about 1/8” – 1/4” in a mixture of kiln wash. Only a thin coat is needed. How important is placement of posts inside a kiln? When possible, posts should line up vertically from one shelf to another throughout the kiln, especially with large kilns and heavy loads. Vertically aligned posts increase the stability of the load and reduce stress on the shelves. Do you need to fire a top-loading ceramic kiln with an empty shelf in the top of the kiln? It is not required but, a shelf placed in the top of the kiln will prevent brick particles from falling onto glazed ware. This is also useful if the lid is cracked. Some people like to place a shelf in the top of the kiln to prevent the incoming air of a downdraft vent from affecting glazed ware. Keep in mind, it would be better to fire the kiln without the blank top shelf, since the shelf uses up more electricity. What kind of gloves can you wear to handle kiln shelves? You can find thin, leather-lined mechanic’s gloves at home improvement centers, or try batting gloves! They are both thin enough for you to load and remove shelves inside a kiln. They will also help to protect your hands against sharp bits of glaze or glass. Always wait until the shelves have cooled before removing them from the kiln. Is it okay to continue using cracked kiln shelves? You should not fire cracked shelves. They could break during a firing and ruin a load of ware by causing other shelves to collapse. Is there a way to repair a broken kiln shelf? Unfortunately, there is no way to repair a broken kiln shelf. However, all is not lost, as you can still use the shelf pieces. Use a tile saw to slice the shelf into horizontal sections. Place broken shelf pieces under pottery that is decorated with runny glazes or pieces that have too much glaze. If the bottom of your kiln is uneven, place the broken shelf pieces in the bottom of your kiln to support posts. Use the shelf pieces as smaller shelves to place around tall pieces. Silver clay and enameling: Place hot pieces onto the broken shelf. It is a good fireproof surface. Lay the broken shelf across two half-shelves for even support of a piece with a large base. Is it okay to fire freshly coated shelves with a glaze or bisque load? No problem! When loading a kiln for bisque firing, just allow the shelves to dry beforehand. What is the difference between loading ceramics in a front-loading kiln and a top-loading kiln? Smaller, lighter pieces are usually loaded in the front of the kiln near the door or on the bottom. This is because these are the cooler areas of the front-loading kiln. Load heavier pieces near the back wall of a front-loading kiln as that is where they will get more heat. The cooler areas of the top-loading kiln are usually the bottom and sometimes the top so, load lighter, smaller pieces in those areas. Explore our selection of Shelf kits in various sizes and shapes by clicking here!
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COE Does Not Equal Compatibility!
The compatibility of glass is always going to be a hot topic as we see many questions asking... Is Bullseye glass COE 90? Or, can I fuse two bottles together? Unfortunately, the answer to this question is not simple. The word compatibility refers to the properties of glass that allow it to be heat-bonded with another glass such as in a kiln. For many years, it was believed compatibility was solely determined by the properties of expansion in different glasses. Due to this, an overemphasis has been placed on the numerical value of the COE (coefficient of expansion) of glasses. The intent of most glass fusers who ask this question is to find out if glass from one company is compatible with glass made by another manufacturer. Regrettably, matching COE's does not ensure compatibility between glasses. No single piece of information will tell you if they are as there are many factors besides COE that determine compatibility. The only true way to confirm compatibility is to to test them. If you are looking for more detail, Bulleye's Technote 3: Compatibility of Glasses, is a great resource and explains this complex and important matter in greater depth. Check out some of our best-selling glass kilns: Paragon CS-26 Evenheat V8 - Multi-Purpose / Vitrigraph Design Olympic Square 186GFETLC
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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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Math + Design
Bullseye Glass Quick Tip: This Quick Tip shows you how to combine the power of mathematics and the beauty of metallics to create an awesome design! The Fibonacci sequence is a numbering system found in nature, from flower petals to seashells. It’s pleasing to the eye (even if you’re not aware of it) and a versatile design tool. The sequence starts with a one, followed by a one. Each subsequent number is equal to the sum of the preceding two numbers: F (1) = 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21... For this project, Bullseye translated the beginning of this Fibonacci sequence into centimeters and arranged them to transition from one color to another. Pretty cool, right!
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Designing Your Own Art Glass
Don’t you hate being dependent on the selection of sheet glass offered by dealers and manufacturers? We think it’s time free yourself from searching for that perfect sheet of glass and learn how to create it yourself!
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