One of the most confusing issues in the industry is mold prep. Part of this confusion has come from the elimination of some products and the decision on what to substitute. One of the recent questions I've had (and hear often) is What the difference is between the Hotline primers? These are used on your kiln shelves and some molds. Here's a breakdown: The Original Used according to directions, shelf primer is the best insurance that your fused work will not stick to the kiln shelf. It's a high temperature, low-fluxing clay and alumina mixture formulation which contains suspension agents and a color-coded dye that burns off at 800 degrees F (427 degrees C). Primo Primer Hotline Primo Primer fires to 1550 degrees F (843 degrees C) and higher. Glass does not stick to the shelf. Primer does not stick to the glass. It removes from shelf after firing by brushing or by wiping with a damp sponge. No more tedious and messy scraping. Packed in easy access plastic containers. Hi-Fire A special formulation of alumina and low-fluxing clays developed to withstand the high kiln temperatures required for raking. Contains a dye which burns off when firing. It leaves an excellent smooth finish between the glass and kiln shelf. Hi-Fire Shelf Primer is also excellent for coating mandrels for beadmaking. HOW TO PREPARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MOLDS Bullseye Molds Can generally be prepped with kiln wash/primer. Colour de Verre Molds You can tell if you have a Colour de Verre mold because they put their name into the mold on the underside. These can be primed with Hotline Primo Primer or ZYP. Colour de Verre has some great information about preparing molds with Primo Primer and with Zyp. Creative Paradise Molds Creative Paradise recommends that you use MR97/ZYP for their molds. You can tell if your mold is from Creative Paradise because it says CPI right on the underside of the mold. Do not use Slide or kiln wash. Stainless Steel Molds FIRST: If the mold is new, it might still have the oil on it from production. The oil must be removed. You can simply put the mold in the kiln at the temperature you will be using it and fire with no glass. That will burn off the oil and the mold will also change color. Another method to get the mold ready for priming is to rough up the metal surface to provide texture for the kiln wash to stick to. Sandblaster is best, but if you don’t have access to one you can use 80 or 100 grit sandpaper. To prime, first heat the mold. Put tin foil or a cookie tray on the lid of a kiln while it is firing and put the mold on it. When the mold is heated apply kiln wash with a brush. It may not totally cover on the first coat. Let dry and apply again on the bare spots. Do at least three coats once you have the first total coat. It will be good for several firings. When you must recoat, scrub the mold with warm soapy water and a scrubber. Apply a coat or two of primer, let the primer dry and you are ready to slump.

There is a lot to chat about when it comes to glue in glass fusing. Let’s start with these cute little owls with wonky eyes. They started out with the pupils glued to the white nugget eyes. Since the glue cooks off at about 450F, the eyes just slid off the nuggets and landed where they wanted during firing! Solution? Drill a bit of a hole and the little dots will stay put and you will have sweet little eyes like the one in the second picture (done by Liz Watts of Rocky Coast Treasures). There are many different glues that behave differently and have different uses. Let's take a look at a few! GlasTac Blue Gel This blue gel has a thick viscosity and minimizes slipping even when not dry. GlasTac Pink Use the pink glue on something already set in place. The pink glue is runny and if you squeeze a tiny drop next to the element it will wick under the glass. Aloe Vera This is good for when you don’t want it to “set up”. It keeps pieces stable, but you can keep moving them about. Best to use generics because the name brands have added ingredients that can cause trouble. Hair Spray When do you use hair spray on your hair? When you are done! Same with using it on glass. It is a top-down adhesive. You spray to keep something as you have it, especially little things like fine frit. Buy it cheap with a pump. HoneyDoo Glue A gel consistency with quick set times and a clean bond. It has a stiletto tip nozzle which allows precision. Great for glass fusing. Super New Glue Our favorite super glue here at Stained Glass Express, it is formulated to dry clear. It comes in a tiny bottle so you don't have to worry about it drying out before you get a chance to use it! SOME GLUING TIPS: Put glue close to the edge of the top piece so that it can dry quicker. Stuck to the wrong place? Hopefully you put the glue near the edge! Use a razor blade to carefully scrape at the glue. Superglue that is not specifically designed for fusing may not dry clear and can give off toxic fumes during firing. Here is some helpful info. How do I unstick my fingers? (This section reproduced from How Stuff Works) Let's say you're repairing some broken pottery and before you can say "Whoops," you've glued your index finger to your thumb! The recommended first aid treatment for this is:

1. Scrape off any excess glue. Don't use cloth or tissue -- a chemical reaction between the fabric and glue could potentially cause burns or smoke.
2. Soak the bonded fingers in a bath of warm, soapy water.
3. Don't try forcing the fingers apart, or you'll tear the skin.
4. After soaking, use dull, rounded utensil to carefully wedge the fingers apart.
5. If you see no immediate success with this, drop a little acetone (found in nail polish remover) on the area. Again, try wedging the digits apart.

At first, the thought of someone getting Super glue on his or her mouth seems outlandish. But let's face it a lot of us have a bad habit of using our teeth to wrench or twist off particularly stubborn caps. Say you do that with the top of the tube of glue and, presto, you've given an entirely new meaning to the phrase "zip it." In order to unzip those lips, your options on what to do are a little more limited:

• Since you're dealing with an area on the face, do not use acetone.
• Using a wide coffee cup or bowl, immerse your mouth in hot water.
• You will also want to dampen the bonded skin from the inside of your mouth as much as possible.
• Once you sense a loosening of the grip, use a dull, rounded utensil to wedge your mouth open. Be careful not to force it, or you will tear the skin.

Of course, glue is made for keeping things together; researchers have modified super glue to become less toxic, making it an ideal replacement for stitches (even veterinarians use it!) So if you've got yourself stuck and find the instructions above aren't working, we recommend you seek professional medical help! What's your favorite type of glue for fusing? Have you experienced any kiln disasters that eventually came down the type of glue that was used? Let us know in the comments below!

Info taken from Spectrum Glass System 96 Getting Started with Kiln-fired Glass

1. WHAT IS FUSING

Stacking two or more layers of compatible glass to make a design and then melting it by placing it in a kiln. You can flat fire or slump. Bring the kiln to 1300 - 1500 decrees F to flat fuse. Create a tile, trivet, suncatcher, coaster or art. You can leave your piece flat or slump it into a mold or drape it over a mold to get a 3-D piece such as a bowl, tray, platter or vase. 2. COMPATIBILITY This is very important. Only glass that is compatible can be fused together. Glass expands when it is heated and contracts when it cools. Glass from different manufacturers have their own rate. This is called Coefficient of Expansion (C.O.E.). Most common are 96 and 90. Youghiogheny, Wissmach and Oceanside all produce 96. Bullseye is commonly thought of as 90 but they call themselves Bullseye compatible. 3. TOOLS AND SUPPLIES If you are already doing glass work you may have many of glass cutting tools like a cutter and pliers (breaking, running, grozing). You will also need glue (lots of types available), kiln paper, molds, primer, shelves. brushes. https://www.stainedglassexpress.com/fusing_supplies/ PLANNING YOUR DESIGN You can use a pattern. There are lots and lots available. You can design your own. There are lots of on-line ideas on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook. Another technique is called Frame Focus, Fill. Create your frame or your base, create a focal point (a central element that draws the eye. The Fibonacci sequence (which our logo is) is a great one to follow. 4. MAKING THE PROJECT There are lots of fun things to add to yur projects called accessory glass. Rods, pebbles, frit, stringers, noodles, ribbons, precuts, dots and millefiori. ASSEMBLE YOUR PROJECT Gluing does help to hold things together until they are in the kiln. Use it sparingly. to keep from using too much apply with toothpick. "Over the counter glues" like Elmers can char if you use too much and "Super Glue" (Not Super New Glue) does not always burn off clear. Klyr-Fire gives you time to work and burns off. GlasTac blue has viscosity and keeps things from slipping when not dry. GlasTac blue can be applied after something is in place. Squeeze a drop next to the element and it will wick under. Super New Glue is great and easy to use. Lots of good options. https://www.stainedglassexpress.com/fusing_supplies/ 5. FIRING Load the Kiln Keep projects 2" from elements The Center is the most evenly heated. Deep or difficult should go there. Most molds have to be elevated on kiln furniture 6. PROGRAM THE KILN With a glass kiln you ramp and hold. Kilns come with a controller where you can program in what you wish. It is a three part. You enter:

• The Ramp. The rate in degrees per hour, that kiln temp will rise or fall during the segment
• The Goal Temp. The temperature the kiln will seek during each segment.
• Hold Time. the number of minutes the kiln will stay at the Goal Temp, once it is reached.

It is wonderful if you can purchase a kiln, but if you cannot, you can rent kiln space at a glass store. BASIC PROGRAMS

• Tack Fuse: glass is joined with little change beyond the softening or rounding of glass edges.
• Contour: The glass edges are soft and rounded, yet the project surfaces retain a degree of dimension.
• Full: Works best on two layer projects containing an even amount of glass on each layer. These will melt together completely and smooth surface.
• Slump: This is a second trip to the kiln and it is taking what you have created and put it in a mold to "slump" into the shape of the mold.

There is MUCH, MUCH, more we could go into but this is just the basics.

On May 7, 2020 Youghiogheny and Oceanside announced a partnership where Oceanside will continue with the Spectrum line and accessory glass and Youghiogheny will take on the manufacturing of the Uroboros line. It is exciting to have the Uroboros line again. With Youghiogheny manufacturing the Uroboros line, we not only will get the glass we will see more options in the accessory glass line. I am taking a leap here, but I believe that this collaboration will bring back the "96" term which Oceanside has not been using. Both companies are saying the System 96 brand will be back. That is exciting news. No question that Y-96, Oceanside and Uro fusible will be compatible.

Here is the official announcemnt.

Our industry is long overdue for an announcement of excitement and positivity, so we are pleased to be the bearer of good news. Youghiogheny Glass, together with Oceanside Glasstile, is announcing the acquisition and launch of Uro by Yough, a resurrection of the Uroboros line of both traditional art glass and 96 compatible fusible glass. The machines and all of the equipment have arrived at our Connellsville factory, and we are just about ready to start production. We would like to thank Oceanside Glasstile for approaching us with this opportunity. Their transparency and cooperation throughout the entire process has resulted in a second thrilling announcement; a collaborative resurrection of the System 96 brand of fusible glass and products including Oceanside Compatible, Uro by Yough, and Y96!! So what this means is that Youghiogheny Glass will produce URO by Yough and will collaborate with OGT to resurrect the System 96 brand. The new agreement will allow for the most comprehensive product selection of hand rolled art glass And a complete line of System 96 compatible fusing glasses and accessories. The last 5 years have been tumultuous. Our passion for glass and the industry drove us to fill product voids created from the upheaval and expand Youghiogheny's palette. We viewed this time as an opportunity for growth and expansion into the 96 fusible market with our Y96 product line, even though the future seemed uncertain. In less than a year from the release of Y96, we unveiled the True Dichro line of Art Glass. This had been a 10 year experiment and an outstanding breakthrough in art glass manufacturing science. This was quickly followed by a line of Textured Streaky Art Glass and then Art Glass Irids. Finally, we expanded color options in Y96, more than doubling the original offerings. At the end of 2019, we thought we had done it all. However, opportunity arose once again when we were approached by Oceanside GlassTile regarding Uroboros production and System 96. Youghiogheny has a long history of producing high quality, handmade sheet glass and is the ideal landing spot for the products previously produced by Uroboros. Our niche and strengths are the perfect complement to OGT’s continuous ribbon and accessory products in order to expand the System 96 palette. The name Uroboros Glass carries a heavy weight with us. The brand and legacy created by Eric Lovell is of the highest quality and held in the highest regard. We consider it an honor and great challenge to properly reintroduce Uro, by Yough. An undertaking of this magnitude for our company will be a challenge, one of excitement and optimism. This is an area where we ask for your help. Any insight that you can provide us with from your previous years of experience with the Uro line of glasses will be helpful. The expansive line of art glass, with the many combinations of colors and textures, has many products that are very similar or identical to items currently produced within our existing product lines. Uro by Yough is striving to recreate the most sought after products previously manufactured without creating duplicates of what is currently available. With your valuable input we will be able to determine a production starting point more quickly. We thank you for your continued support and loyalty and look forward to providing you with even more excellent products. Stay Well, Tristan and Leanne Triggs

Copyright 2019 by The Flow. All rights reserved. This is from the Spring Nature Issue. They have given us permission to reprint it. It is a except from the book, “Parallels Between Hot Glass and Human Existence”. The Village Iterate

• Taking the time to thoroughly reheat a piece in a kiln before repairing a crack will allow you to merely kiss it away with the gentlest of flames. Attempting the same without preheating leads to cracking all the way through, which can cause the piece to fall off the pontil and completely shatter, or melt out of shape and create permanent scarring within the body of the piece, which will require physical removal. This is accomplished by heating the offending area until it is liquid and removing the bad material, then replacing it with new, often creating and undesirable visible artifact of the process.
• The more frequent the reheats, the hotter, harder, quicker, and sharper they can be. The less frequent they are, the more time each requires in a cooler, gentler flame and greater thoroughness to get the heat to the center of the mass.
• If you’ve got a long shot at saving a piece, take it. It might work, and the attempt will likely take much, much less time than starting over. And you’ll learn something – perhaps something important.
• Dig out the crack and fill the gap with new material, then flatten the sport and flame-polish it, all which the glove on the hand you’re holding it with starts smoking and the heat penetrates to your burning fingers. It might work.
• If it cracks somewhere else while making the attempt, put it in a hot kiln, bring it up to working temp, and hold a torch inside the kiln itself while the plastic handles melt off and your gloves smoke. Check it with a flashlight, and as long as you made some progress, let it soak and do it again and again until you save the piece. It might work!
• If you’ve got a piece that definitely isn’t going to make it, go ahead and do something interesting with what you do have. What you have is much more advanced and developed and interesting that starting from raw materials, and since it’s terminal, you’re free to try . . . anything! It might work!!

You can subscribe to The Flow here: https://www.theflowmagazine.com/subscriptions.html

Other than basic opalescent and cathedral glass, there are further breakdowns of glass types under these two main headings. Opalescent is mixed with white and cathedral is see-through. Every manufacturer has its own variation of how it has handled these variations, so we end up with an industry filled with amazing options.

OPALESCENT

Opalescent glass was first developed and patented by John La Farge in 1879, but it was Tiffany who created the masterworks in glass using this type of glass. The Tiffany studio would often create a piece of glass just for the particular piece they were currently working on. So within this category, there are the following variants: Mixes. You can have a mix of one color and white. You can have a two- or three-color mix, or even a mix with more colors. The more colors that are mixed, however, the more difficult it is to not end up with a muddy glass. Mixing many colors with success is certainly a skill. Iridized. Many manufacturers were adding an iridized coating to their glass. This is very thin metallic coating that gives the glass a mother-of-pearl effect (or for those who don’t care for it, an oil-slick effect). Textured. There are many textures that can also be added to glass, such as flemish, granite, hammered, ripple, starburst, vertigo, corella classic and moss. Again, different manufacturers produce slightly different looks and may call them something different. Solid Opals. Glass that is a solid color.

CATHEDRAL

This glass has been around a long time. References as early as 675 A.D. talk about colored glass in buildings. Textured: There are many different textures of glass available. Some examples would be waterglass, reeded, English muffle, artique and Celtic. Streakys. This style of glass is still a bit see-through. Some color is mixed with clear.

Courtesy of Bullseye Glass

You can create nicely rounded cabochons from stacks of 0.75" (20 x 20 mm) squares, thanks to heat, gravity, and the 6 Millimeter Rule. But be careful...they’re addictive!

Some Design Layer Possibilities

• Blue/Vanilla part sheet: Scatter Steel Blue Opalescent coarse frit (000146-0003) onto a base of 3-mm Clear sheet glass, then sift a heavy layer of French Vanilla powder (000137-0008) over the top to cover. Fire to a full fuse. Maximize depth by arranging the Clear side toward the top of the stack.

• River Rock Reaction (See Quick Tip: River Rock Reaction)

• Pieces of Citronelle Opalescent (000221-0030) and

• Turquoise Blue Opalescent (000116-0030).

The Stack

Top (6 mm): A “lensing” layer of Clear. This layer will stretch considerably. Middle (3-4 mm): This “design” layer will stretch and be visible through the top layer. Use part sheets or pieces of 3-mm sheet glass. Bottom (6 mm): Typically not visible from the front. This layer will stretch the least.

Tips

• 6-mm Tekta Clear is a natural for this project. It’s more efficient, with fewer pieces to cut, clean and assemble!

• Measure and score a grid of 0.75" squares, then run them using the Rule of Halves. Two layers of 3 mm will also work.

• A dab of GlasTac Gel will keep the stack together before firing.

• The stacks flow out to about 1.25" (32 mm) in diameter, so give them room.

• For the cleanest release, we recommend firing on ThinFire.

Cabochon Firing Schedule

Rate Temperature Hold

1 400°F (222°C) 1225°F (662°C) :30 2 600°F (333°C) 1525°F (829°C) :30 3 AFAP 900°F (482°C) 1:00 4 100°F (56°C) 700°F (371°C) :00 5 AFAP 70°F (21°C) :00 Note: This heatwork goes beyond what the glass is tested for. Some styles may opalize and/or shift in compatibility. Test before making multiples.

Please adjust hold times for the size of your project.

Remember, this is only a guide.

Full Fuse

• From room temp to 1,000F at 300 degrees per hour, hold 10 minutes
• From 1,000F to 1,250F at 300 degrees per hour, hold 20 minutes
• From 1,250F to 1,425F at 300 degrees per hour, hold 15 minutes
• Crash from 1,425F to 950F, hold 60 minutes
• From 950F to 800F at 200 degrees per hour, hold 10 minutes
• From 800F to 150F at 300 degrees per hour
• Natural cooling to room temperature

Tack Fuse

• From room temp to 1,000F at 300 degrees per hour, hold 10 minutes
• From 1,000F to 1,250F at 300 degrees per hour, hold 20 minutes
• From 1,250F to 1,350F at 300 degrees per hour, hold 10 minutes
• From 1,350F to 950F AFAP, hold for 60 mins
• From 950F to 800F at 200 degrees per hour, hold 10 minutes
• From 800F to 150F at 300 degrees per hour
• Natural cooling to room temperature

Slump Fuse

• From room temp to 1,000F at 300 degrees per hour, hold 30 minutes
• From 1,000F to 1,225F at 200 degrees per hour, hold 10 minutes
• From 1,225F to 950F fairly quickly, hold for 60 mins
• From 950F to 800F at 200 degrees per hour, hold 30 minutes
• From 800F to 150F at 300 degrees per hour
• Natural cooling to room temperature

REQUIRES EYE CONTACT.

REMEMBER, THIS IS ONLY A GUIDE.

Luminescent glass is different than iridescent glass. It is low-fire—not high-fire like iridescent—and is intended for reverse fusing.

What is reverse fusing? Reverse fusing means placing your piece facedown on the kiln shelf and building backwards, fire-coated side down. If you are firing on a textured mold, place a piece of ThinFire between your boron-treated mold and the glass. If you fire your piece with the coated side up or cover it with another piece of glass, you will lose the coating. If you are slumping and do not go over 1,200 degrees, you can place the luminescent side up and not lose the coating. Luminescent glass is food-safe and has been tested by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. However, please note that once the piece has been fired in your kiln, it is no longer a Wissmach product; it is your product. If you have been firing glass that could leave lead or cadmium traces in your kiln, that could get on the product, which would render it unsafe for serving food or beverages. LEFT: Luminescent glass fired with ThinFire in between, with the coating facedown. RIGHT: Luminescent glass fired facedown, directly on the mold.

Firing Schedules: Courtesy of Petra Kaiser and Wissmach Glass

Standard Fusing Schedule – 2 Layers Thick

Segment 1: 600°F/hr up to 1,000°F, hold for 10 minutes

Segment 2: Full/9,999 up to 1,410°F, hold for 10 minutes

Segment 3: Full/9,999 down to 950°F, hold for 60 minutes

Segment 4: 100°F down to 700°F, hold for 1 minute

Tack Fuse, Polishing and/or Slumping into a Mold

Segment 1: 300°F/hr up to 1,000°F, hold for 10 minutes

Segment 2: Full/9,999 up to 1,300°F or 1,350°F (depending on your desired results), hold for 10 minutes

Segment 3: Full/9,999 down to 950°F, hold for 60 minutes

Segment 4: 100°F down to 700°F, hold for 1 minute

Draping over a Mold and/or Polishing

Segment 1: 300°F/hr up to 1,000°F, hold for 10 minutes Segment 2: Full/9,999 up to 1,200°F or 1,220°F (depending on your desired results), hold for 10 minutes Segment 3: Full/9,999 down to 950°F, hold for 60 minutes Segment 4: 100°F down to 700°F, hold for 1 minute

NOTE: Not all kilns are alike. Your kiln size, controller type and individual project may require some alteration to the schedule for best results.

This was fun! A customer came in with a stainless bowl that she had slump a thick piece of glass over. It stuck! She broke the ruined bowl off, but a very thin layer of glass remained on the mold. That prompted a discussion on how to get the rest of the glass off the mold and why it stuck anyway. First to get it off. She was first going to try fusing it off and if that did not work, she was going to sandblast the stainless. One or the other should work. Then she said she posted a picture of it on a facebook fusing group and prompted a discussion about prep of the stainless. Here is the surprise! Some people do not prep it AT ALL! I went to Facebooks Fusing 101: Any and Everything you Wanted to Know But Where Afraid to Ask. I said “Recently I heard that some people do not kiln wash stainless molds. I would be interested to hear what people think of this.” There were some differences of opinion to be sure..

• Cover with fiber paper or ZYP
• Spray with Boron Nitride (ZYP)
• If you use ZYP you rarely have to do it again
• I don’t use anything on stainless steel. As long as the glass is NOT an opal glass in contact with stainless steel and it is good quality, it is fine. You get a real shiny finish on the surface in contact with the stainless steel.
• It is minimal work to use a barrier. I would rather be sure instead of concerned.

My own fusing teacher was emphatic about using something. She suggested Slide because it is cheaper than most boron nitride products and it is easier than kiln washing. https://www.stainedglassexpress.com/boron-nitride-hi-temp-spray-coating.html?category_id=571 More inexpensive, but more labor, is to use kiln wash. The problem is that it slides off the mold easily. Here is the trick. Wash the mold with alcohol and then heat it in your kiln to 1200 degrees F for about ½ hour. Cool it. Then heat again to just under 500 degrees F and brush or spray on the wash in thin even coats. Allow the coating to dry completely between each application. Coat it until covered. After the first time this is done (and it does last a long time) we will just coat it put it on top of a hot kiln. Seems to work fine.

I have written many times about COE (coefficient of expansion) and how never to mix COEs. But what about art glass.. Can you fuse that? Yes you can! It is not like tested glass where everything that is 96 COE can be fused together. You cannot fuse one piece of art glass to another piece of art glass. Well, what the heck can you do with it? You can take two pieces of art glass from the same sheet and fuse them together! I saw a project where a person took baroque glass.. Two pieces. Stacked them on top of one another in different directions and made plates. They were beautiful! I don’t have a picture of the plates.. but imagine two pieces of this blue baroque full fused and then slumped! You could also make a slumped vase, or a bowl. Another idea is to smash it up and use it in casting molds. This picture is from Elegant Fused Glass by Karen. The difficulty is you will have to figure out your firing schedule. You may have to coat it with Spray A to reduce devit.

Paint pours are one of the most fun, exciting things to come along in our industry in a while. It is easy, and the results are amazing. Many people are doing this on canvas with acrylic paints, but in this industry we are going it on glass with enamel paints that can be fired. To do one of these projects you need: paints, layering mix, little cups, stir sticks, butane torch (optional), tray for catching the paint. https://www.stainedglassexpress.com/glass-paint-layering-mix-8-oz-.html https://www.stainedglassexpress.com/painting-markers/colors-for-earth-glass-enamels/ Some of the terminology you will hear are as follows: Dirty Pour. You pour/layer your paint in a cup and then set the glass on top of the cup and flip it over. Let the colors slide down and then lift the cup. So many variations. You can slide the cup around before picking it up or tilt it. After the cup is off you can blow with a straw or blow with the butane, drag something through it. You can also just kind of sling/dump the paint from the cup. Use more than one cup. Straight pour: Paint is poured/drizzled/dropped on the surface one at a time. Then you can use the variations above. Once the color is all over the surface you can wait a bit and then gently skin over the wet surface using an old credit card, palette, knife, fan brush etc. You can use the butane to bring up bubbles or pop air bubbles. Other fun things are to use a colander for pouring, or a sifter to sift dry powdered color on a wet base, a slotted spoon to create patterns, funnel to create pours. Let your imagination run wild!