Snowflakes and Stars christmas ornaments

snowflakes, stars and more stars.  All of these that have been fired have been done so at tack fuse level.  Now I am full fusing them to see which way I like it better.  The full fuse schedule came from Deans Blog who also had a pattern for a snowflake with 1/4 inch strips of glass delicately place all around.  This is how he says he fired it.:

500 dph.............................300 degrees....................................hold 5 mins
800 dph.............................1465 degrees..................................hold 5 mins
Full.......................................900 degrees.................................hold 30 mins
175 dph.................................800 degrees.................................hold 10 mins

Right now the most important thing is to see which looks better the tack fused or the full fused or whether I should have both.  I also have come up with an idea to use the 1/4 inch strips and place the 1" colored squares on them to decorate them in a star. snowflake like pattern  So right now I am full fusing this one and we shall see.

The tack fuse schedule that I used is as follows:

400 dph..................................1000 degrees........................hold 10 mins
600 dph...................................1360 degrees.......................hold 10 mins
Full ...........................................900 degrees.......................hold 30 mins
100 dph.....................................700 degrees........................off

So it is better to pick a firing schedule some where in between tack and full fuse

This tack fuse schedule hardly does anything.  The sides do not pucker but the different pieces do stick to each other.  I think if I determine that I still like the tack fuse best then I should make it fire higher and longer to get it to have some additional effects.

The full fuse looked awful.  Perhaps because of the kind of glass that I used or even the placement of the glass but tack fused it looks better.  this time I had two projects prepared, one a snowflake that needs full fusing and the other the star that I believe looks better tack fused.  Before thinking I put both of them in there together and did not want to remove one, so decided to use a processing temperature that might be a good compromise between the two.  So I am firing it to 1410 and holding only 5 minutes.  Lets see if that lower temperature does not harm the full fusing of the snowflake and does not affect the good look of the tack fused star. I finally tried a little more heat and I liked the effect there.  In this project I am alligning the points of the squares to the post to which they are attached instead of aligning them up and down and am firing them with the following schedule.  I used this previously and I like how it came out but in this trial I am going to use the 1420 degrees as the processing temperature but I am only going to hold it for 5 minutes.  It will go as follows:

400 dph....................1000 degrees.....................................hold 10 mins
600 dph.....................1420 degrees....................................hold 5 mins
Full.............................900 degrees.....................................hold 30 mins
100 dph.......................700 degrees..........................................off

so that, above, is the best firing schedu

Christmas stocking

300 dph............................1250 degrees.....................hold 10 mins
Full...................................1420 degrees.....................hold 10 mins
Full....................................900 degrees......................hold 30-60 mins
60 dph................................700 degrees...........................off

KILN CARVING

I cannot add a picture of bullseye glass striker 1120-0030.  It turns into a pretty yellow when fired.  But I tried to make sure it is not part of a series of glass that 

"This style is not suitable for kilncasting because it can opalize and/or become incompatible when held at high temperatures for an extended period. It may also opalize and/or become incompatible in instances where processes exceed the parameters of the test for compatibility. Testing recommended when heatwork exceeds these parameters.has gold in it and thus needs a 2 hour hold  when processing."

So at further thought I am not going to use this glass for my kiln carving project.  I am going to wait to buy a light transparent glass from Stained Glass Express on Thursday.   I am also going to buy some additional fiber paper.

Did my kiln carving pick up the marks I had drawn on the fiber paper, marks of veins in leaves; ever so slightly.  I guess it will need a second layers of fiber paper.  So may be I should try that: a big leaf, one cut out covered with a second cut out of veins and on a stem.  And perhaps it would improve in glass other than white.  Perhaps I will put this on a piece of green transparent glass.  But first I cut out circles and within those cut out circles I have placed another circle.  Want to see negative and positive and its effects on glass through kiln carving. 

Positive and negative.  The one on bottom is two circles cut out, with a smaller circle in center; the one above is 2 layers of two circles.  One is 1/8th inch and the other is 1/16th inch.

Glass Used

Examples of different glass used

Bullseye

Bullseye



Bullseye glass 1025-0030, light orange striker transparent glass

Petal Mold

I slumped the Petal dish mold with the following schedule :

300 dph................................................1200 degrees....................hold 30 mins
300 dph.................................................1225 degrees...................hold 1 1/2 hours
Full........................................................ 900 degrees....................hold 1 hour
100 dph...................................................700 degrees.......................off

SCALLOP SLUMP MOLD

I love how this came out, and will do another.  This time instead of fusing the panel first and then full fusing it I am going to fire it all at one time.  Using 2 circles of 3mm white glass, the question here is how white glass will do covered with pieces of 3mm colored glass for the petals, and circle in the middle of the flower.   I will use the full fuse firing schedule as follows:

400dph...........................1225 degrees.......................hold 1 hour
600dph............................1470 degrees......................hold 10 mins
Full..................................900 degrees........................hold 1 hour
100dph.............................700 degrees.......................off

This is showing some artistry with the cutting of glass and use of the grinder as well as placement and design.  This also has 2 1/2 layers instead of 2 layers and I shall see if the thicker piece works the same.

Lessons Learned:

I like this better on thinner glass so I liked this better when I put a 2mm thin clear on top of a 3mm clear to make 5 mm worth of glass.  So next I will try using a piece of 4mm clear glass which I will cover with petals etc.  I did not like adding the additional yellow pieces .  also I like adding the center circular piece so it sits over the petals, so the center appears fully round and not cut off by the petal.  I wonder how it might work if I used a 4mm piece of glass, if I do think this I will have to account for it in the firing schedule.  Should I try a full process temperature of 1460, not 1470 degrees.

SMALL SCALLOP MOLD CONTINUED 2

I fired my panel first and now I am adding several pieces to it and will full fuse it again but try to keep it a lower processing temperature.  I am trying the following:

400dph...............................1225degrees..............................hold 1 hour
600dph................................1450degrees.............................hold 10 mins
Full.......................................900degrees..............................hold 1 hour
100dph..................................700degrees..............................0ff


Next small scallop mold project will combine bullseye 1140-0030 aventurine blue with bullseye 0126-0030











I am using the spring green as the base with aventurine blue as the petals and an amber circle in center.  The overall base for the piece is clear.  I am currently firing it at full fuse as follows:

400dph...........................1225 degrees.......................1 hour
600dph...........................1470 degrees........................10 mins
Full...................................900 degrees..........................1 hour
100dph.............................700 degrees...........................off