Nichrome Wire and Glass Fusing

Nichrome wire is a high-temperature wire which is perfect for using with fused glass as it will remain intact at temperatures up to approxim...ately 1700 degrees Fahrenheit. By using your hands and/or jeweler’s pliers, high-temperature wire can easily be formed into any shape and secured in place with suitable glue  (a little bit of Elmer’s white glue works just fine) in between the layers of glass and fired in the kiln in order to create cabochons suitable for jewelry designs. You can also assemble your creation directly on your kiln shelf if you have steady hands and position the wire in between the layers of glass thereby avoiding the gluing process.

As the glass begins to slump in the kiln, the wire will become permanently encased between the layers of glass. After the firing is complete, the nichrome wire will appear somewhat discolored
and dull, and you can give it a gentle buffing with some steel wool to quickly restore the luster. The projecting outer end of the wire can then be used to attach the fused glass piece to a jewelry finding or whatever else you're creating. (my photographed piece is a small chime piece)

I'd suggest using the wire with glass other than transparent because with transparent glass the wire will show through, which is not attractive! I've used this wire for jewelry pieces, ornaments, suncatchers and chimes of light to medium weight, but wouldn't suggest it for heavier weight pieces.

Get some nichrome wire and check it out!

Week-end Spotlight on Loving Anvil

Three words:

BIG HONKIN' RINGS

Now I've made thousands of fused glass cabochons in my life, but none so big as the ones I make for Coco of http://lovinganvil.etsy.com/

Her rings are truly amazing. A marriage of glass and metal like no other. Thanks, Coco, for making my glass look so damned good (and for always making me smile!).

Week-end Spotlight on Silver Made Studios

I'm always in awe of the incredible work by some of the silversmiths on Etsy and ArtFire.

Look at the rings that http://silvermadestudio.etsy.com/

made with my fused glass cabochons. Little bits of glass encased in such beauty. Thanks, Teresa!

Week-end Spotlight on An Original By Peggy

Peggy of http://anoriginalbypeggy.etsy.com/ designs, hand knits, felts and lines beautiful purses which are one-of-a-kind and come in various sizes and a multitude of colors.

The hand purses pictured include my fused glass cabochons as the focal point. I'm always so honored when another designer incorporates a little piece of my work in theirs. Thanks, Peggy!

Week-end Spotlight on jewelry designer Gemma Beads

I love seeing what other artists create with my fused glass cabochons. Here's a pair of Organic Black cufflinks from jewelry designer http://gemmabeads.etsy.com/ - didn't they come out great?

Drilling Beach and Fused Glass

The following was published on Handmade News http://handmadenews.org/article/index.php?id=1617



Now that Summer is quickly approaching, visions of beautiful sea glass are on many people's minds, both jewelry designers and their buyers too!
On the Etsy and Artfire forums, there have been a number of questions on the best way to drill sea glass. Teams and Guilds are wonderful in the value they have as a brainstorming tool. Whether you're looking for advice on a new technique or just a better way to do something, they're a great resource for bouncing ideas around. Here's one of the questions I was asked as a glass team member:

Question: I have a collection of sea glass and I wanted to make a bracelet using the glass. My first question would be, what do I use to drill the tiny hole in the glass? And my second question is, would fishing line be fine to string these sea glass beads onto or would metal wire be better? Please keep in mind that I have no experience with glass or beads or any type of jewelry making.
Answer: I love beach glass, all shapes and colors and textures! I use a cordless Dremel drill with a diamond bit to get the hole you're looking for. You would need to drill underwater (hence the cordless drill, because combining water and electricity = yikes!). You'd be drilling underwater both to reduce stress on the glass and to keep the drill bit cool. Use either a piece of styrofoam or a piece of modeling clay on the bottom of a water-filled container to keep your glass steady. The water should cover your glass and the styrofoam will give you some grip and stability while you're drilling. You should be able to feel when you have hit the styrofoam or clay when your hole is completely drilled through.

Start the drill at a low speed which you can increase once you get started. Just go slow and easy and do some practice pieces first, with glass you don't absolutely love, just to get the hang of it. Try to drill on a slight angle at first to get the hole started; it will then be easier to continue from that point and your drill won't "skitch" as much. Take your time and with practice it will become easier to drill both fused glass or sea glass.

As far as stringing material, I'd keep away from fishing line because it is too brittle. You could use Tiger Tail, Acculon, or a similar type of beading cord instead, so your beautiful jewelry will hold up to wear. Most important, have fun with your new beading hobby and when you're ready to take your hobby to the next level, I'd encourage you to join one of the teams or guilds on Artfire or Etsy!!

Safety and Protection While Drilling Glass

The following was published on Handmade News http://handmadenews.org/article/index.php?id=1877

In a previous column on Handmade News, I shared tips on how to drill beach and sea glass. In part 2, we'll look at a question asked in the Etsy forum about how to protect yourself while drilling glass. One of the best things about posting in forums is there is always someone (or a dozen someones!) willing to help out, especially members of teams or guilds who can offer many viewpoints. Along with my advice is some terrific input from Mary of http://marstinia.etsy.com/ who is an accomplished enamelist.

Question: Since I am relatively new to fusing, I have a question on how to protect yourself from silica dust. I am at the grinder every day shaping my glass and noticed a lot of dust covering everything in my studio. So it's probably safe to assume that some of this is getting into my lungs, not good. I have read articles stating the little paper masks are not enough to protect your lungs from this sort of dust, so what do you do?

Answer: Good ventilation is necessary in your studio and work area, but sometimes ventilation alone isn't adequate protection. It's a good idea to wear a respirator or mask with a filter any time you're around airborne particles of glass (silica). It's the silica that can cause damage to your lungs and eyes. I use a respirator mask for grinding (even though everything gets soaking wet), for scraping kiln wash off shelves, for using powdered frits, if I'm vacuuming out the kilns or studio, etc. It's also a good idea to keep a bowl of water by your workspace to frequently dip your glass pieces in, both to keep the dust down and to cool off the glass. And remember not to bring food or drink into the studio!

Mary adds that ventilation and a good respirator is the way to go. Exposure to silica dust can cause very bad lung problems. As an enamelist, I'm working with powdered glass all the time, so I have to be extra careful. I would also recommend good cleaning habits in the studio. Areas where the dust builds up should be wet-mopped or wiped down with wet cloths. Never sweep glass dust as that will cause it to become airborne again.

So that's the glass pros advice on how to protect yourself while at the grinder. I know that whenever I have a question about pmc or art clay, I'll find the answer from a knowledgeable team member. Some wonderful collaborations have come from different teams joining together. So go ahead, ask those questions of teams and guilds!

Glass 101: What is Dichroic Glass?

What is Dichroic Glass?

What is Dichroic Glass?

Fusing glass - getting it so hot it melts together and thus fuses - is an art with a long tradition. In my studio, I use art glass specifically designed for kiln fusing. Many of the "special effects" are created through the use of dichroic glass. It's visually beautiful, mesmerizing, and depending upon the angle you look at it, you see a different color.

But what on Earth is it?

Dichroic glass is the result of placing a multi-layered coating on glass using a highly technical vacuum deposition process. Quartz crystal and metal oxides are vaporized (zap!) with an electron beam gun in an airless vacuum chamber. The substance then floats upward and first attaches and then settles on the surface of the glass in the form of a crystal structure. The glass has many layers of these materials, yet the thickness of the total coating is very, very thin. The coating that is created is very similar to some gemstones, and careful control of the thickness creates different colors.

While originally created for the aerospace industry, dichroic glass is available to the artist community through several specialty manufacturers. Dichroic glass is specifically designed to be hotworked, but it is just as beautiful in its original form.

The main characteristic of dichroic glass is that it has a transmitted color and a completely different reflective color (di=two, chroic = colors, dichroic = two colors!). Light passing through dichroic glass transmits one color, while light bouncing off dichroic reflects another color. And to make it even more amazing, these two colors shift depending upon the angle they're viewed at.

One special way to work with dichroic glass is by etching a design onto it before firing. A special acid is used to burn away part of the colored dichroic glass (leaving it as a black base). When it's clear capped with a thin layer of clear art glass, the design really pops!

When you combine the play of light with the vibrant colors of dichroic glass, the visual beauty will delight you! Pictured are exposed dichroic earrings, an acid etched pin and also a pendant with a fully fused topcoat of clear. I'm sure you'll agree that all ways are beautiful!

Monday Motivation 2/23/2009

Monday Motivation

My 5 year old granddaughter spent the last 8 days with us while she was on school break, so needless to say, not much work got done in the studio! A lot of what we did involved boa feathers, paint, and dress up, so little glasswork got done :)

So - today is Monday, new start to a new week, and I'm totally psyched to be spending the day (and week) in the studio. I have many, many new sheets of glass and my brain is on overload with new possibilities. I'm ready to restock both my shops at http://willowglass.etsy.com/ and http://willowglass.artfire.com/

What's your motivation for today? First I need some fresh brewed iced tea and then I'm headed down to the studio. Have a splendid motivated Monday!

New Work - Grooved Fused Glass Cabochons

New from Willowglass' studio this week are a new line of fused glass cabochons with grooves. Dee has grooved a channel all the way around these cabs which are perfect for wireworkers and jewelry designers to use in their work. Fun times in the studio!

Still lots of white stuff in the Northeast

There's still quite a bit of snow here in the Northeast, so I thought I'd use it to my advantage and see if I could get some good pictures with it as a backdrop.

The weather is supposed to be warming up a lot today, so I'll have to snap quickly! Luckily these can be taken right outside my studio door, so I'm not tramping a lot of wet snow and mud through the house (nah, I'm not a huge fan of washing floors!)