Glass Fusing Made Easy

Glass fusing is a hot and popular art. It is exciting and rewarding to design pieces of glass and then melt and mold these pieces into individualized pieces of unique art. There are other terms for glass fusing, such as glass art fusion, warm glass and kiln forming.

You will need a kiln to perform these procedures. A kiln is used to heat the glass anywhere from 1100 degrees Fahrenheit to about 1700 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature will be determined by the process and desired look of the final piece.

Glass begins to become molten and starts to melt as it is heated in a kiln. Melting and joining pieces of glass together to achieve a desired look, that is what glass fusing is all about. Sometimes you only need one firing, but other procedures can require several firings. When finished, you will have a new piece that has been created, formed and shaped inside your kiln.

Since glass is made and manufactured by different companies, there is quite a range in the COE. What is COE? This is the coefficient of expansion of the glass. Only purchase glass that has been tested for the easiest way to know the COE of the glass. If you do purchase glass that has different COEs, keep them separate in your work area. It is important to match the COEs of your glass. If you fuse different COEs together, they will build up stress and will eventually break.

Glass fusing is the heating and melting of glass together. There are several different stages when heating glass. When glass is first heated it softens and as more heat is applied, it starts to melt and begins to flow.

The first stage is called a "tack fuse". This is when the pieces are heated to approximately 1325 degrees Fahrenheit. At this stage, they will have the appearance of just being glued together.

The next stage is called a "full fuse". This is heating the pieces together to approximately 1450 degrees Fahrenheit. At this point, the pieces are completely melted into one solid piece.

Use a log and take notes as you proceed through the process. Always write down the schedule used, type of glass, heating and holding times, and the placement of the glass pieces. When you keep track of your firing schedule, it will assist in future firings.

Source : Ezineartcles