This is the final piece for the summer solstice run "metal." I think it's going to be mounted onto a plaque.

These were supposed to be for a "summer solstice" fun run. They didn't have the look I was trying for so Dave suggested drilling a hole and making them sun catchers. He put them up in the crape myrtle and they look nice there.

I realized before I took them out of the kiln where my mistake was. The earlier test piece with frit was make to look like a sunset. I used the same colors and format. But after I put them in the kiln, I realized I didn't want these to look like a sunset, but a sunburst. Big difference. So I have another one I'm going to fire this weekennd.

These are a clear base with:
BE white in center
Uroboros Marigold
BE Canary Yellow
BE Orange
BE Red
BE Purple Gold
BE Midnight Blue
The frit was built up to approx 3/8" thick. A water/gum arabic medium was used to bind and get the frit to flow.
I fired to Full Fuse

The next one will have
BE White
BE Canary yellow
BE Powder Blue
That will be posted after fired.

VERY FIRST FUSING IN KILN

This was the first fuse in the kiln. It was supposed to be a full fuse, but ended up more like a partial.

12/27/08 - FIRST FUSING EVER!
Both pcs are thick BE.

Starting temp 48 deg. Turn on Lo
At 30 min, 440 deg., ramped to level 1.5
At 60 min, temp at 650 deg.
At 1 hr 30 min, temp at 796 deg. Ramped to Level 2.0
At 2 hrs 11 min., temp at 940 deg. Ramped to Level 3.0
At 2 hr 20 min, temp at 1000 deg. Held at this Level for 10 min.
At 2 hr 30 min, temp at 1050 deg. Ramped to Level 4.0
At 3 hr, temp at 1240 deg. Ramped up to Level 7.0 for rapid heat.
At 3 hr 10 min, kiln at 1480 deg. Turned to Lo for annealing.
At 4 hr 22 min, kiln temp at 1047 deg.
At 4 hr 46 min, kiln temp at 1000 deg.
At 5 hr 11 min, kiln temp at 980 deg.
At 5 hr 56 min, kiln turned off.

TEST BETWEEN WET AND DRY POWDER APPLICATIONS

This was a test done with frit. The left was applied "dry" with no medium to hold it. The right was applied "wet" with a medium of water mixed in with some gum arabic.

Other test pieces done at the same time. (not shown)
Desired result was that the baking powder or baking soda will bubble (as with baking).
Test 2 pc clear with dry baking powder in between
Test 2 pc clear with wet baking powder in between
Test 2 pc clear with dry baking soda in between
Test 2 pc clear with wet baking soda in between.

Wet medium was a 50/50 solution of water/gum arabic.
Results not shown-where the baking soda and baking powder were applied thickly, the powder didn't burn off and a white clump stayed-not at all attractive. The wet and dry methods had a different appearance when fused.

Where the powder went on VERY LIGHTLY, the baking powder and baking soda burned off and left bubbles. The light application was towards the outside so the burning off of the powder could have been affected by this. Must do another test piece where the whole application of powder or soda is a light film.

There didn't seem to be a difference of results between the baking powder or baking soda.


FUSING SCH
Starting temp 85 deg.
Turn kiln on Lo
At 45 min, temp = 520 deg.
Turn up to Level 2

At 1 hr 39 min, temp = 845 deg
Turn up to Level 3

At 2 hr 27 min,, temp = 1090 deg
Hold at this temp for 10 minutes. Played with control to keep kiln at this consistant temp.

After 10 minutes, keep at Level 3 and let temp rise.

At 3 hr 45 min, temp at 1450 deg.
Hold for 10 min.

At 3 hr 55 min, turned off kiln and let cool overnight.

Wannabe Eshler piece

BE Black 6mm
BE White 3mm
Glassline black, diluted and used a kemper tool to draw it on.

3/29/09 - fired to slump
Starting temp 68 deg
Turn on Lo
45 min. Temp at 528 deg turn up to Level 2
2 hours into firing time, 829 deg turn up to Level 3
2:30 hours, 960 deg, turn up to Level 3.5
At 2:40, temp at 1000 deg. Hold for 20 minutes, turning down to 2.5 to hold at this temp.
3:00 turn up to Level 3.5 When temp gets to 1250, hold 20 min.
4:45 Vent and turn off/Lo.
5:30 turn off at 950 deg.

Above = this schedule

400 dph to 1000.
Hold at 1000 deg for 10 min
Ramp up 200 dph to 1250. Hold 20 minutes
Cooled down to 950 deg. Hold 45 min


I didn't do the first firing. This was done in class. But I did slump it at home. When I slumped, the white devit. It's not showing up clearly in the pic. But I'm considering keeping it the way it is because it gives the white a parchment-like look.

I used the lap grinder to smooth out the edges, but I'm not getting the glossy finish on the edge. So I'm going to have to fire polish this piece.

I didn't do the firing on this.
This was made with BE Turquoise and BE frits & powders: black, white and red. This was originally supposed to be just a bowl. It started with layers of color that was supposed to be water and koi. I didn't like the results, so I flipped the piece over and just added the koi. When I slumped the bowl, it bubbled. We did a second slump, hoping the bubble would go away. It went down, but was still there. So I decided to make a fountain out of it.

I was thinking about what the actual fountain would be. I bought a low, ceramic pot that was going to be the base. But the colors didn't work well together. Then my boyfriend brought home a resin pot (no drainage holes) that was going to get tossed. Perfect! And the bowl just BARELY fit inside.

Dilema...how was I going to get the bowl to stay up towards the surface? Solution...I cut 2" PVC pipe to hold it up. On the bottom of the pot and on the bottom of the bowl, using Gorilla Glue, I glued on 2 endcaps. I also cut a whole through the endcap that was being glued to the bowl so the tubing can go through. I also cut a whole in the 2" pipe, also for the tubing, so it can connect to the pump which sits outside the 2" PVC, on the bottom of the pot.

Theme-anything to do with the beach or ocean

Entry of the April contest.
1 pc BE Irid
1 pc Uroboros machine roll
kelp from torchworked BE
Urchin from BE strings with strings formed -torchwork
BE Crystal clear powder and Med Frit used to create bubbles.

First Firing 4/9/09
Starting temp 70 deg
Level 1.5 up to 1185 deg. Hold 15 min.
Ramp to level 5. 4:15 minutes into fusing, 1475 deg- hold for 20 minutes.
Turn to Lo
At 435 deg-turned off kiln

Results-spikes along edges, thermoshock on way down-corner broke

Second Firing
Added a back layer of Uroboros machine rolled glass. Topped this glass with a fairly thick layer of BE midnight blue powder with a medium of water/gum arabic. Then I added the result of the first fused piece, including the corner that broke off. I dammed up the sides because of the thickness. I let this dry overnight before starting the second firing.

1-Don't want to lose bubbles by trying to rapidly fire and only have a short hold at 1450 deg
2-Don't want thermal shock on the way down so I did a slower decrease in temp on the way down AKA more time on the way down.
Starting temp 64 deg
Turn on to Lo
@ 2:21 into firing time, 765 Deg-increase to Level 1
@ 1000 deg Hold 60 minutes
@ 4:41 into firing time, 1010 deg-increase to Level 3
@ 5:06 into firing time-increase to Level 3.5
@ 1150 deg-hold 10 minutes
@ 5:15-increase to Level 4
@ 5:20, 1250 deg-increase to Level 4.5
@ 6:30 temp reached 1450 deg. Held for 30 min.
Turned down to Lo
@ 10:15 into firing time-1000 deg
Turned kiln off