Happy 2010!

HAPPY NEW YEAR.  This weekend we are offering 15% off all purchases from our web site Harrington's Glass Art Molds And Supplies (not eBay). Use coupon code:  HNY2010

Offer expires Midnight (Monday), January 4, 2010 and is good once per customer.

CYPER MONDAY SALE 11/30/09

Cyber Monday 11/30/09. Use code: CBM2009 at checkout to get 10% off all your purchases. Code is good 1 time per customer and cannot be combined with other offers. Coupon code is good today only and must be entered at checkout to receive the discount. You must register to use the code if you are not already a registered customer.

QUICK GLASS CUTTING TIPS

The table you are cutting on must be flat.

Pressing too hard with the glass cutter will produce imperfections along the freshly cut glass edge. Press just hard enough to make an even, steady noise and a consistent score line.

Here is a fast way to cut small pieces. The only tools you will need are a glass cutter and straight edge. First, make all your score lines on the glass. Then turn the glass over and tap out the pieces.

When making a long cut, do not lift the glass as you break it with breaking pliers. Lifting can put a slight bow in the glass, which causes it to separate erratically. Instead, leave the glass flat on the table, pull a little out from the edge, and break it with piers.

After scoring, use breaking pliers to separate a narrow piece of glass.

(Kiln Pointer from Paragon)

ADDING SILVER TO FUSED GLASS

If you ever file a fired silver clay piece for final shaping, do not discard the filings. They are beautiful when fused into glass jewelry.

Catch the filings with a piece of paper. After you have finished shaping the silver piece, fold the paper in half. Tap it so the silver powder falls into the fold. Then pour the filings from the corner of the fold onto a piece of clear fusible glass.

When fired between layers of clear glass, the silver will retain its original color and sheen, or it will turn yellow-gold.

(Kiln Pointer from Paragon)

USING FUSEWORKS MICROWAVE DECALS IN AN ELECTRIC KILN

Fuseworks Decals may be used in electric or microwave kilns. The firing schedules shown below are only a point of reference for the decals in an electric kiln. You may need to adjust temps and timing, based on your kiln. (These instructions were supplied by a vendor for Fuseworks Decals.)

FUSING Schedule
1. 750F per hour to 800F – Hold 1 minute
2. As fast as possible to 1350F – Hold 15 minutes
3. As fast as possible to 1000F – to room temp.

SLUMPING Schedule
1. 300F per hour to 1000F - hold 15 min
2. 300F per hour to 1325F - hold 15 min
3. As fast as possible to 960F - hold 30 min

HOW TO DRILL BISQUE FOR GLASS SLUMPING MOLDS

Not all molds that make great slumping molds are pre-drilled because they were designed to be used for ceramics. You can drill holes in the molds that would be suitable for slumping. Be sure you examine the mold for crevices and areas that would keep you from removing your glass without breakage.

Holes should be drilled in bisque to allow air to release while the glass is slumping. It is recommended to use a 1/8” or 3/16” Carbide Tip Drill Bit when drilling bisque for slumping. To avoid cracking or uneven slumping it is important to drill holes in any bisque piece that you use to slump glass.

TO DRILL: Position the holes evenly on the surface of the bisque. The number of holes to drill depends on the size of the piece. Also, if the bisque piece has a foot, you may want to file the foot in several places to create an air channel to help air escape from under the glass.

So, how many holes should you drill? This chart is a guideline to help you decide:

WHICH SIDE OF DICHROIC GLASS HAS THE COATING?

It is not always easy to tell which side of clear glass has the dichroic coating. The coated side is the side that has a rougher texture.

Use any pointed object such as a pencil, toothpick or even your fingernail and hold this object to the glass. If the reflection touches the object, then this is the coated side of the dichroic glass. A space between the reflection and the object means this is not the coated side.