It's Full Steam Ahead

Just wanted to let everyone know that my wife is doing a lot of work on this blog and she will also be posting relevant articles. She is a professional freelance writer so I am really lucky that she can spare some time to help me out. She has completely overhauled the blog here and created some nice graphics too. She is also teaching me about Twitter and Facebook. You will see her name after the posts she does - Amanda Evans.

I have been in the studio quite a bit lately and have added new products to the online store also. I have also had a range of my jewellery added to a shop in Naas, Co. Kildare if anyone is interested in seeing what fused glass pendants look like and how they feel. They are available at The Spiritual Haven of Ireland. Their website is http://www.spirit-links.org if you would like more information.

I have also created a range of chakra pendants that are selling really well in the shop and they have all been infused with healing engergy. The picture above is what these chakra pendants look like and they are available in the online store too.

I will be taking orders for custom made Christmas gifts very shortly and I will keep you updated on this. If you are not following me on Twitter you should as I will be posting updates here regularly. Just click on the Twitter button in the sidebar.

5 Things to Avoid When Cutting Glass for Fusing

If you are planning on creating some fused glass designs you really do need to know about cutting glass. Cutting glass can be very enjoyable once you know what you are doing but if you don’t it could lead to some messy accidents. Below you will find a list of 5 things that you mustn’t do when cutting glass especially art glass for fusing.

1. Don’t press too hard when you make your score lines. If your score line gives you a very visible scratch then you are pressing too hard. You might also have tiny shards of glass coming away from the score line and the results you will get when you break along the score line can be very unpredictable. This is really important if you are cutting dichoric glass and other fusing glass types.

2. Don’t press too lightly. You will know if you are pressing too lightly. You won’t hear the score being made in the glass and your score line will be very faint. If your score line is too faint it will be very difficult to break along the score line and this is especially true with thicker glass. The break may not follow the score line either.

A good score line is always visible and it will break easily. You need to use consistent pressure that is medium but firm at the same time. A pistol grip glass cutter can make this process easier and it is more ergonomic too. If you stand whilst making your score lines this can really help too.

3. Never re-score over a line. When you do this you can ruin your cutter very quickly and your glass might not break well either. When you re-score your glass in the same place the break will never be right.

4. Don’t run your glass cutter right off the edge of your glass. There is no need and it shortens the life span of your glass cutter which is as you know an expensive piece of equipment.

5. Don’t start your score line in the middle of the glass. You should always start your score line at one edge of the glass and end it at another edge. This may seem very obvious if you have been working with glass for some time but a beginner it is important to note.

Now that you know what not to do you can start cutting the perfect pieces for your fused glass art and jewellery.

Buying A Glass Fusing Kiln

When it comes to glass fusion you are going to need a glass fusing kiln. There are a number of different types of kilns available and this article will provide you with some buying guidelines so that you make sure that you get exactly what you are looking for.

A glass fusing kiln is very important if you are planning on making any professional glass art. What the kiln does is help you to fuse your glass pieces together. These glass kilns come in different sizes and shapes. There are small kilns, medium kilns and large kilns.

The small glass kiln is of course the cheapest because if the size and it is also very practical for those looking to start a glass fusing hobby.

The medium glass kiln is better if you want to do fusing and slumping. It has a larger chamber and all you have to do is plug it in.

The large glass kilns are for those who want to create big glass pieces. These require that you have a lot of space and you should only consider buying a large glass fusing kiln if you have plenty of storage and you are going to be creating large pieces of work.

If you are planning on buying a glass fusing kiln there are a couple of things that you will need. The first is a pyrometer. This is essential. It is a gadget that allows you to measure the interior temperature of the kiln. It does not measure the glass temperate just how hot the air is inside in the kiln.

A kiln shelf is another thing that you should look for. This is not mandatory but it does help with your results. The shelf also allows free air to circulate and your glass is placed on the shelf.

Digital controls is something else that you want to have on your glass fusing kiln.

Prices for glass fusing kilns will vary so it is a good idea to take a look at the different prices and features before making your choice. If you are thinking about taking up glass fusing as a hobby then your first important purchase is going to be a glass fusing kiln.

Glass Fusion Techniques

Glass fusion techniques can be a bit daunting to some people, but if you follow a few simple rules you can master the art of glass fusion.

Glass is a mixture of sand, silica and a few more ingredients that I won't go into at the moment.

I suppose the first step is to think of what it is that you would like to create. I say create because that is what you're doing. You are creating a piece formed from two,three,etc...pieces of glass and heating them up to very high temperatures. You are not melting them together but softening them to a point and cooling the piece when you have achieved the look you want. But that is the kiln firing stage and I will go deeper into this at a later date.

The first thing I do when creating a piece is to draw a sketch of what I would like to create. Let`s say for instance I want to create a set of glass coasters. I would have a look at my stock of glass and set out the colours I want in the piece. Most coasters are around 9cm square. My first cuts are to make the four base glasses. This glass can be clear or coloured, whatever takes your fancy. I would normally cut a piece 18cm square and then into four equal pieces. Cutting the glass safely with the glass cutters and a set square, making sure that the piece has broken off cleanly from the sheet.

Next I would cut my top layer of coloured glass to the design that I sketched earlier, play around with some diffrent designs and colours. Adding frit or dichoric glass to the pieces can add some real sparkle to the finished project.

To view some of my completed glass fusion projects including fused glass jewellery you can visit my online store.

I will continue this post soon.

Until then...Good work comes from good thoughts.

One last word of advice for glass fusion techniques is... Keep your work clean and take care.