Glass Blowing: Complete Beginner's Guide

Table of Content

• What is fusing?
• Preparing to Fuse
• Leaded Stained Glass Artistry
• Cantharidine Hair Oil - Ingredients, Benefits, Side Effects, And More.

The owner introduced me into this wonderful world. My advice is find a teacher who will give you all the help and info you can handle. My teacher, Angelo has a way of taking me to the next level every week. He never tries to impress me, but encourage my thirst for learning this art. A word of advice, don’t show up to class waiting for your teacher to tell you what your going to make.

Make sure that you center your glass correctly on the tape and press it securely along all the cut edges. Copper foil comes in a variety of widths depending on the width of your glass. This is used to hold the glass pieces together through the adhesive on the one side. If you're using Cathedral glass the backing will be visible so make sure you're using the right color for your piece.

What is fusing?

Alternatively, find a small glass panel from a craft or hardware store, but avoid traditional window glass as it’s often too large to easily paint. Pick thick water-based glass paint if you’d like to be able to peel your art off the glass and end up with a transparent painting. Select acrylic paint if you’d like a non-toxic, opaque paint that’s easy to clean up and apply.

I make a lot of fused glass dishes and like to stencil on them prior to fusing. Get a pair of safety glasses and fusing gloves so you don’t injure yourself during the fusing process. Invest in some cheap dust masks to protect your lungs from dangerous dust and glass particles in the air.

Preparing to Fuse

This is just a very basic overview about some common ways contemporary art glass can be made. The techniques used in ‘lampworking‘ are more closely related to those found in scientific glass blowing. Because I was using two different widths of glass, I originally tacked and soldered the piece from the back side so that the front would be flush. If you are using a textured glass, create the score on the smooth side. Is there an at-home kiln you’d recommend for home use? If you want to slump your fused piece, then go to the Slumping page.

But find the right shop, teacher, and other glassblowers. Make sure it can withstand temperatures of up to 1700 degrees Fahrenheit . The kiln shelf is what you’ll set your glass on when you’re ready to fuse it in the kiln. You can find a kiln shelf online or at your local ceramics store. Like scoring, soldering your glass can yield some problems if you're not doing it correctly. Make sure that the heat is correct, that the tip of the soldering iron is the right size for the project, and that the flux you're using is good for higher temperatures.

Leaded Stained Glass Artistry

Choose a few slumping molds to shape your glass. Shop online or in-store to find molds that you like. Soldering the glass takes a bit of time and patience. There are several different things you need to do to make sure you're soldering properly. Once you've got all the pieces tacked together you can tin the seams.

You can break the glass by placing the scored portion over an edge and hitting downward with your hand. It can also depend on where the glass comes from. Glass that comes from Europe is simply going to cost more. This is often called Antique glass even if it was made in modern times. I have only run a few heat treat cycles so far.

Only wash the piece once it has reached room temperature. It’s best to wait until the kiln reaches room temperature, but you can hurry it along a little by ‘cracking’ the kiln at about 200F/90C. Segment 2 – Slow the heating rate down to around 200F/111C per hour. This helps prevent bubbles trapping between layers. Any oil or fingerprints will be permanently fired if you don’t do this thoroughly.

Set your glass and the mold on the kiln shelf and place it back in the kiln. Consult your kiln manual and program the kiln to reach around 1225 degrees Fahrenheit . Let the kiln cool completely before you remove your glass. The art of fusing different glasses together can be used to create sculptures, jewelry, dishware, and other beautiful pieces. Despite the intricate appearance of fused glass, the process of fusing glass together is quite simple. With the right tools and safety gear you can learn how to fuse glass into dazzling works of art.

Scrape off excess paint if the lines look uneven. In some places where you stopped tracing and started again, you might end up with bulges or bends in the lines. Use a craft knife, toothpick, safety pin, or blackhead extractor to neaten up the lines by gently scratching off the excess black paint.

Using a ruler, align your glass cutter so that the wheel is aligned over the line you are trying to cut. Lightbox - A lightbox will help you transfer your design from paper to the glass. If you don't have access to one, just cut out the paper pattern and trace it onto the glass.

Did this article help you?

Keep all your tools, glasses, and chemicals in specific allotted places and return each article to its particular place after use. When working, always wear gloves to protect your hands and goggles or a protective face cover to protect your eyes. You don’t want to chance getting glass into your eyes. Always lift a glass sheet vertically holding the upper and lower edges. Never shift your hand along the edge unless you want to risk a cut or two. When your glass is molten, very carefully use metal implements to remove and shape it.