Glass Fusing


Glass through the Ages
Of all the materials known and utilized by mankind, glass ranks as one of the most ancient. Early
civilizations used glass to fashion knives, arrow tips, jewelry and other assorted items. In
Mesopotamia and Egypt, man-made glass objects have been unearthed dating as far back as
4500BC and 3000BC respectively. Research strongly suggests that the Egyptians and the
Romans had the most advanced methods of forming glass for their times. The examination of
early glass objects to 1500 BC through 500 AD as an era of prolific glass fusing. Artifacts such
as bowls, jewelry and detailed wall tiles have been identified as products of this period. Fusing
appears to be absent as a method of glass working from 500AD to the 1900's. Although a great
many advances were made in glass technology over the centuries, especially during the
Renaissance, it wasn't until 1935 that a minimal amount of fusing began to reoccur. Prior to
1935, glass had been manufactured primarily for industrial purposes which utilize methods other
than fusing. Later, the 1960's saw an increase in the population's interest in stained glass which
spurred the growth of stained glass studios across the nation. This demand for material allowed
manufacturers to produce glass for aesthetic rather than industrial applications on a scale never
before possible. Not only did this boom in production make materials readily available to fused
glass artists, it also launched innovations such as dichroic glass. For the first time in several
thousand years, glass fusing is experiencing a rebirth as an art form for both personal adornment
and interior decorations.
What is Fused Glass?
The glass we use at Amazing Pottery is specially designed to be fused in a kiln, in which after
preparation, the piece is gradually heated to a minimum of 1400 degrees F where it is allowed to
"melt together" for a specific time and then gradually cooled to room temperature. The larger the
piece is, the longer the time required for this process. In general, it takes about 20 hours before
the fused piece is ready to be removed from the kiln. Fusible glass is also "tested compatible"
which means that each sheet of the hand rolled glass will fuse properly with any other sheet that
has the same rating and Coefficient of Expansion (COE). The COE means that the glass heats
and cools at the same predictable rate. Without this feature, different pieces of glass would
shatter and could not be fused together. This feature is part of what makes fused glass different
(and therefore more costly) than stained glass. Stained glass has a COE of 86, while the glass
used at Amazing Pottery to produce jewelry has a COE of 96.

How are all of those wonderful colors added to glass?
Adding different metal oxides to sand, soda and lime, the basic formula for glass creates different
colors. For example; greens and aqua glasses usually have iron, while amber and brown colors
are produced by adding small amounts of iron and sulfur. Light blues require copper, while dark
blues require very small quantities of cobalt. Amethyst glass contains manganese. Opaque white
can contain either tin or calcium. Selenium is one metal oxide that is used to produce reddish
colors. Some reds and pinks even have a bit of gold in them.

The brilliantly colored dichroic glass (often seen in pendants) is created through the application
of a variety of metal oxides such as titanium, magnesium and silicon in a high temperature
vacuum furnace to either clear or black glass. The finished product has more than one color, and
the different colors can be seen when the glass is viewed from different angles. Technically,
there are three colors in the finished piece: Transmitted (when light passes through the clear
glass), Reflected (light bounces off the glass and reflects a second color) with the third color
viewed by looking at the glass from a 45 degree angle. If the base glass is black, however, there
is no transmitted color to be seen. In order to be fusible, the base glass must be tested
compatible. Due to the layers of metal oxides, this glass is stiffer than other fusible glass and
requires special handling. In addition to adding to the beauty of a finished work, it also add to the
cost.
Bottle Slumping
Bottle slumping is the collapsing of wine bottles into  the shape of a flat cheese tray, a
concave tray perfect for holding crackers, candies, soaps or keys, the uses you will get out
of this shape are unlimited...even a slanted spoon rest!
You can use them just like they are or you can dress them up with bows, beads and wire...
All you need to do is to bring us your empty wine bottle (please soak in water and remove the
label) and we will turn it into a treasure!
Come On Over and make something!
We will teach you how!
Shiny & Pretty
Little Things....
Pendants for all Tastes!
Amazing Pottery in Birkdale
Village
704-896-1866