Kokomo Glass, glass storage video

Check out this very interesting video from Kokomo Opalescent Glass showing their glass warehouse.  

Click here to view this video.

How to make fused glass coasters and tiles.

The original information for our post is found on the site WarmGlass.com and is full of excellent information for new glass fusing artists who are wanting to create tiles or coasters.

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The Fused Glass Coaster Project

This project, which involves making glass coasters, is an excellent first fusing project. It assumes that you have either successfully tested your glass for compatibility or have obtained "tested compatible" glass.  It also assumes that you have properly kiln washed and prepared your kiln and kiln shelf for firing.  

For the coaster project you will need a pen and some blank paper, a glasscutter, a working kiln, some kiln wash or fiber paper, and about half a square foot of glass for each coaster you wish to make. You can choose any glass colors and textures you like.   Note also that a "coaster" and a "glass tile" use basically the same process.  The bottom of this page has some specific information about glass tiles.

The major steps in this project are:

• Designing the coaster
• Cutting out the glass
• Loading the kiln
• Fusing the glass to form the coaster
• Checking the finished coaster for defects

DESIGNING THE COASTER

The design for the coaster can be as simple or as elaborate as you would like. If you have experience with cutting glass, you can come up with a design that gives you the opportunity to show off your cutting skills.

If you’re new at glass cutting, you can make a very simple design that uses mostly straight lines.  

If you prefer, you can make your design using a sheet of paper. Graph paper works best, but you can use any kind of paper. Draw a square on the paper the size of the coaster you wish to make. Three and 3/4" sides work very well, but you can use any size that seems right to you.

Sketch your coaster design inside the square. Don’t worry if your design isn’t perfect. Frank Lloyd Wright didn’t design a masterpiece the first time out, either. The key is that you start to think about the different colors and types of glass that are available and how they can work together.

Several sample coaster designs are illustrated on these two pages Feel free to use any of them and to adapt the colors and lines as you see fit.

All of the coasters use at least two layers of glass, with the bottom being a solid square. In some cases a few design elements are placed on top of the second layer. Often a dark opaque glass is used for the solid layer on the bottom (called the "base" layer), but you can pick other glass colors and types if it fits your design concept. 

CUTTING OUT THE GLASS

If you are familiar with stained glass work, then this phase is similar to working with any stained glass pattern, with one major exception. Most fusing projects require two (sometimes more) layers of glass, rather than the one characteristic of stained glass work. This isn’t as complicated as it sounds, however, since one of the layers is usually a single color.

For many fusing projects, clear is frequently selected for this "base" layer, but other glass of any shade can be used. For coasters, the base layer is often a dark opaque glass.

You should cut the base layer about 1/4" smaller than the top layer so that the top layer overhangs the base layer by about 1/8" all around. (For example, the base layer would have 3 1/2" sides if the top layer had sides of 3 3/4".) If the coaster is properly fired, this overhang will melt first and curve around the bottom layer, creating nicely rounded edges.

If you’re already experienced in glass cutting, you may go ahead and cut out the pieces of the design you created in the design step. If you’re not familiar with glass cutting, then it’s a good idea to first practice cutting with a piece of scrap glass. Any good book on stained glass techniques will contain a section on glass cutting.

LOADING THE KILN 

By now you should have designed your coaster and cut out the glass. You should have also prepared the kiln for fusing by applying kiln wash or deciding to use fiber paper. You’re almost ready to load and fire.

But wait. Before you can load the kiln, you need to make certain the glass is clean. Washing with clean water is sometimes sufficient, but you may need to use dish washing liquid or a commercial glass cleaner. Since some commercial glass cleaners have a tendency to leave a haze on the glass, many glass artists prefer to use denatured alcohol or acetone to clean their glass. Whatever you use to clean the glass, make certain you remove any smudges or residual oils.

When you’re finished cleaning the glass, take time to dry each piece with a lint-free cloth - from this point on you should wear latex gloves or handle the glass only by the edges. Avoid getting fingerprints on the glass - they will show up as dark smudges in the finished work. 

Now it is time to assemble the glass on a kiln shelf that has been protected with kiln wash or fiber paper. It doesn’t matter if the shelf is inside the kiln or outside. Do whichever is easier for you, but if you assemble the project outside the kiln you will need to be careful not to disturb it when you return it to the kiln.  

Start by placing the base square of glass in the center of the shelf. Next, place the second layer and assemble any patterned elements on the top layer. The pieces should overhang the edges slightly - about an eighth of an inch (3mm).

If one of your pieces does not want to stay in place, consider using a dot of glue (ordinary white glue will work) to hold it until you can transport the piece to the kiln. Don’t use glue to counteract gravity and hold pieces in place in unnatural positions (the glue will burn off before the glass fuses), but a small amount of glue can help avoid unwanted shifting as the glass is loaded into the kiln.  If you're using a general purpose glue (such as Elmer's), it’s generally a good practice to dilute the glue 50-50 with water. Use as little glue as possible. If you can get by without the glue, you should.

Once you are satisfied that the pieces of glass are positioned in place, it is time to get ready to fire. If the shelf is not already in the kiln, carefully load it into place, setting it on top of the kiln posts which should already be sitting on the floor of the kiln. 

Once the kiln is loaded, you should take a moment to make the proper entries in your firing log. You should keep the information that seems most important to you, but at a minimum your log should include the date, a description of what is being fired, and information about the firing schedule used.

FUSING THE GLASS

For this initial fusing firing, we will use a very simple, straightforward schedule that’s appropriate for two layered pieces of art glass up to about nine inches in diameter. The major steps follow below.

Please note that these temperatures are for average kilns and typical glass types - your kiln and materials may require you to adjust the temperatures and times slightly up or down.

• Begin firing the kiln.

Let the temperature increase evenly, at a rate of about 600 degrees F per hour. 

• Slow down to reduce bubbling.

When the temperature reaches about 1100 degrees F, slow down the ascent to around 250 degrees F per hour. An aggressive firing schedule eliminates this reduction and continues firing rapidly, but going more slowly through this temperature range will reduce the likelihood of excessive bubbling of the glass at higher temperatures.

Once the temperature reaches 1300 degrees F, you can turn the kiln up and fire to your full fusing temperature as quickly as your kiln allows.  

• Heat to full fuse and soak.

Once the kiln reaches full fusing temperature, you should maintain that temperature and soak the glass until a full fuse is achieved. If your kiln has a peephole, check on the piece to see if fusing is taking place. The edges should be fully rounded and the pieces on the top layer will flow together.

For two or three layer items like the coaster, Bullseye recommends a 10-minute soak at 1500 degrees F. Spectrum recommends a 10-minute soak at 1450. Uroboros suggests a one-hour soak at 1450. You’ll need to find the temperature and soak time that works best for you and the way you work.

For float glass, your full fuse temperature will be higher than the temperatures recommended by the glass manufacturers mentioned above. Try soaking for ten minutes at about 1575 degrees F and adjust if needed.

• Flash vent

Flash venting is not required for many types of glass, but most fusers employ the technique to quickly drop the temperature from full fuse to just above the annealing range. This helps minimize the risk of devitrification and also speeds up the firing a bit, but care needs to be taken when you flash vent to ensure that safe procedures are followed.

With gloves and safety glasses on, open the kiln door and allow the heat to escape from the kiln. Be careful to avoid the rush of hot air that often accompanies the first opening of the kiln.

Ideally, you should vent the kiln until the bright red starts to fade and color begins to come back into the glass. You want to allow the temperature to drop to just above the annealing zone. Venting to around 1100 degrees F works well for most glass.

Another method often used is to open the kiln door, count to eight, then close the door and check the temperature. If necessary, the door can be opened again and the process repeated until the temperature falls below 1100 degrees F. If the door handle becomes too hot to hold or if the heat seems extreme, simply close the kiln and wait a few moments before trying again.

When you’re finished flash venting, gently close the door. If you want, you can leave it propped open slightly until 1050 degrees is reached, but make certain you shut the door by that point. (For float glass, stop rapid cooling at 1100 degrees.) The temperature will increase a bit from residual heat when you first close the door, but soon it will level out and begin to drop again.

Many kiln manufacturers will recommend that you turn off the kiln anytime you open the door. This is excellent advice, but it is often ignored when flash venting. The reason to turn off the kiln is to prevent electrocuting yourself from accidentally touching a kiln element while electricity flows through it.

Some kilns automatically prevent this by cutting power to the elements when the door is opened. If your kiln doesn’t do this, the safest thing to do is to power off the kiln any time you open the door. Alternatively, if your kiln has a controller, you can program it not to fire during flash venting.

• Anneal

At 1050 degrees Fahrenheit (1100 degrees for float glass) begin the shotgun annealing process. Control the temperature drop to no more than 200 degrees F per hour (about three degrees F per minute). This rate of temperature decrease is very conservative and will ensure that your coasters are fully annealed.

Also, by annealing over a wide temperature range you can be certain to alleviate the stress in the glass. For shotgun annealing, it’s generally recommended to anneal from 1050 degrees down to 750 degrees. This range is wide enough to account for most types of glass. (For float glass, you may want to start the annealing schedule at 1100 degrees F.)

• Cool to room temperature.

Once the temperature falls to 750 degrees F, annealing is complete. You may let the glass slowly cool to room temperature. For two layer projects the size of this one, you will avoid thermal shock if your kiln cools no more rapidly than around 500 degrees F per hour. If it cools faster than that (most kilns don’t), you will need to fire lightly from time to time to slow down the temperature decline.

• Inspect the coaster.

Inspect it for uneven edges, rough spots, or other problem areas. Note anything unusual or significant in your log.

The most common problems experienced with simple fusing firings are:

• Uneven edges - These are caused by overheating, under heating or poor cutting. You’ll need to smooth the edges with a grinder and re-fire to about 1200 degrees to get them to round properly.
• Unwanted bubbles -- Many different factors can cause this, but the most common is probably firing too fast.
• Cracked glass - This is usually caused by either firing or cooling too fast or using incompatible glass.

The key to long lasting glass projects is good annealing. When you hear of a glass bowl or plate that "just cracked" or an item that broke when barely touched, it’s almost certainly a case of not being properly annealed. While it’s not recommended, a well-annealed, relatively thick glass piece is about as durable as ceramic ware, and can withstand fairly rough handling and even occasional drops. The thinner the glass piece, of course, the more gently it needs to be handled.

Cleaning a finished coaster or similar item is simply a matter of wiping occasionally with a damp cloth. Mild cleaning solutions can also be used if desired, but water is generally sufficient.

Sometimes the bottom of the coaster will have a rough surface that can scratch the top of the table it sits on. To prevent this, cover the bottom with felt or use small rubber bumper cushions in each corner.  These cushions, which are often used to protect framed artwork from damaging the wall, are available from many framing supply outlets.

ABOUT GLASS TILES

If you can make a coaster, you can make your own fused glass tiles. Although not recommended for surfaces like countertops or floors that receive a lot of wear and tear, glass tiles can be a welcome accent for kitchen backsplashes, tiled shower enclosures, or decorative panels.

It’s also possible to inlay fused glass tiles in furniture or wooden boxes, set them in concrete to make stepping stones, or use them as decorative kitchen trivets. The possible uses are limited only by your imagination.

Factors to consider when making glass tiles include:

• Thickness. Two layer thickness works well because the tiles will emerge from the kiln virtually the same size as they entered. However, if your tiles are being used alongside regular ceramic tiles, you should build up the tiles to be the same height as the particular ceramic tiles you’re using.

• Opacity. Because tiles are often grouted on the bottom (like ceramic tiles), it’s often a good idea to hide the tile adhesive by make the bottom layer of glass opaque, rather than transparent. Using transparent glasses for other layers can help give the tile a depth and shine not possible with ordinary ceramic tiles.

• Bottom surface. Some artists suggest that you deliberately texture the bottom of the tiles to make it easier for the adhesive to adhere, but this is not really necessary if a good tile adhesive is used.

• Size and shape. Don’t confine yourself to a single size. Try different sizes and shapes other than square tiles. Narrow strips, triangles, and rectangular tiles can work in the right location.

Tiles can be made more interesting by gluing them to a mirrored surface (use silicone or UV glue), tack fusing a textured design to the surface, or sandwiching your design between the layers. Try sprinkling frit, confetti, or shards on the top surface for a unique decorative effect.

How to measure some simple shapes for pricing glass art

Do you want to figure out the measurement of a shape for pricing an art glass piece?  We found this excellent reference information to share with our readers on the Old River Sod web page.

Circles are easy to figure out. Take the radius (that's half the distance across the middle of the circle) and square it. If the circle is 10 feet across take half of that (5) and multiply it by its self. 5 X 5 = 25 or 5² = 25Now take that number and multiply it by that magic Greek thing called Pi or 3.14. 25 X 3.14 = 78.5The area of a 10 foot diameter circle is 78.5 Square feet.	Circle's area = 3.14 X Radius²
Finding the area in a rectangle is simple. Multiply the short side by the long side. No fancy tricks, just length times width. If a rectangle was 3 feet wide and 5 feet long it would be 15 square feet. 3 X 5 = 15 Length X Width = Area	A rectangle's area = Short X Long
Right Triangles are kind of like rectangles with 1 extra trick. This only works with RIGHT triangles. That means that one corner has to be square (90°). Take the shortest side and multiply it by the medium length side. (You don't need to know the longest side.) Let's say it is 4 feet on the short side and 6 on the long. 4 X 6 = 24The area of the triangle is half of that. 24 ÷ 2 = 12	A triangle's area = (Short X Medium) ÷ 2
If your triangle isn't right (square) you've got to do twice the work! To find the area of an irregular triangle cut it into two pieces. Start at the corner opposite the longest side. Go straight towards the long side, making two triangles. Two RIGHT triangles. Now find the area for each one of the little triangles. Add them together to get the area of the weird triangle.	For irregular triangles make two right triangles.

Does Glass Flow?

This article was found in the tips section of The International Guild of Glass Artists, Inc. 

Does Glass Flow? Most people seem to want to believe it does.
Glass Is a Liquid, and Naturally Flows, Right?
No.

Why the Myth Doesn't Make Sense
There are at least four or five reasons why the myth doesn't make sense.

Although the individual pieces of glass in a window may be uneven in thickness, and noticeably wavy, these effects result simply from the way the glasses were made.

One also wonders why this alleged thickening is confined to the glass in cathedral windows.

Why don't we find that Egyptian cored vessels or Hellenistic and Roman bowls have sagged and become misshapen after lying for centuries in tombs or in the ground?

Speaking of time, just how long should it take—theoretically—for windows to thicken to any observable extent? The calculation showed that the time required for the glass to flow down so as to thicken 10 angstrom units at the bottom (a change the size of only a few atoms) would theoretically be about the same as the age of the universe: close to ten billion years.

This brings us to the subject of viscosity. The viscosity of a liquid is a measure of its resistance to flow. Estimates of the viscosity of glasses at room temperature run as high as 10 to the 20th power (1020), that is to say, something like 100,000,000,000,000,000,000 poises, As for cathedral windows, it is hard to believe that anything that viscous is going to flow at all.

It is worth noting, too, that at room temperature the viscosity of metallic lead has been estimated to be about a billion times more fluid than glass. Presumably, then, the lead came that holds stained glass pieces in place should have flowed a billion times more readily than the glass. While lead came often bends and buckles under the enormous architectural stresses imposed on it, one never hears that the lead has flowed like a liquid.

Glass Doesn't Flow
When all is said and done, the story about stained glass windows flowing—just because glasses have certain liquid-like characteristics—is an appealing notion, but in reality it just isn't so.

The full article by Robert H. Brill, Research Scientist, Corning Museum of Glass can be found at:http://www.cmog.org/dynamic.aspx?id=5728

How much should you charge?

Now that you know how to make stained glass windows, suddenly people are asking you to make custom windows, or other glass art, but you are not sure how much to charge for your work.  One of the biggest issues you will come across when making glass art is the art of pricing your artwork!  You will find that the pricing question is a familiar quandary to artists in all mediums.  Basically, you want people to buy your windows and at times you think that means you have to under price your piece to sell it.

While you work on a piece, you will need to keep a record of the cost of supplies that you have used in your window.  That means, the cost of the glass, foil or lead came, and solder used, plus additional materials.  Next you will need to know how much time it took to make the window.  And finally, how many pieces of glass are in the piece?  Other charges such as for sandblasting, bevels, jewels, roundels, fusing and other elements need to be included in your price list.  

Although leaded glass windows typically have less pieces than foiled windows, you will need to use additional steps in creating the window due to the cementing process.  For that reason our studio charges more for leaded glass windows.  

All in all, pricing your work is not always a formula set in stone.  We never advise under pricing art work just to make sales.  A studio that under prices will eventually end up closing and going out of business.  That also goes for a hobbyist working out of their home.  

Lastly, people buying glass art need to look at the quality of the finished product which they are wanting to purchase.  Sloppy work made quickly in a production factory will probably never look as beautiful as work made individually, carefully and correctly by a skilled craftsman.   Although buyers may find cheap stained glass art in department stores, chain stores and other locations, the quality and durability may never compare to glass art made in smaller glass art studios.  Look at the foil around the glass pieces for uniformity, soldering should be slightly rounded, plus the patterns and grain of glass should all go in the same direction.  In the end it all comes down to...  you get what you pay for!

Fusing with crushed recycled glass bottles

Wow, what a fun video!  This You Tube video was made by reflectionlabs.com and really shows an excellent example of glass art made by using recycled glass bottles.  They actually make a great leaf lamp using crushed bottles!  Be aware that not all glass bottles have the same coe, so we advise our readers to always use either one bottle for each fused element, or use multiples of the same kind of bottles.
Click here to see the video.

by reflectionlabs.com

How to fuse textured dichroic glass with a clear glass cap without loosing any texture, tutorial.

This tutorial is for artists who are wanting to fuse textured dichroic glass with a clear glass cap (ie piece of clear glass fused on top of the dichroic glass).

Artists new to fusing textured dichroic glass will sometimes get frustrated when trying to keep that textured look intact while fusing.  What typically happens is that when the textured glass is fused in the kiln, it flattens out and looses its textured appearance.  So the easiest fix for this little problem is quite simple; you will need to sprinkle some clear frit, with the same COE on top of the dichroic glass' textured crevices, then put the clear glass cap on top so that it lays flat.  If the clear frit seems to fall out of the edges of the piece you are planning to fire, use some thinned out Elmer's Glue or a bonding agent made specifically for glass fusing to hold the frit in place.  Just mix the Elmer's Glue with the frit and pack it on top of the dichroic glass.  It is easy to add other colored piece of glass (this includes dichroic glass too!),  frit, stringer and or noodles to this method by either placing them between the clear cap and the textured dichroic (and clear frit) glass to get a 3-D effect, or place those elements on top of the clear cap for a flat looking effect.

When fused, you will see that the dichroic glass now seems to have more depth and it's texture is intact!  Another different, yet fun effect, is to use the clear frit on top of textured dichroic glass with a black back on the bottom of the "sandwich" and instead of using a plain glass clear cap, use another pattern of clear dichroic glass (this time with a clear back) on top.  With the new fun patterns of dichroic glass available, you can create very exciting "scenes" using this method!

Important sandblasting links for glass artists.

Compressors
	Northern Tools
	Harbor Freight
	Sears, Roebuck and Co.
	TP Tools
	Home Depot
	Lowes

Sandblasting Cabinets/Dust Collectors
	Northern Tools
	Harbor Freight
	TP Tools
	Glastar
	Rayzist
	Photobrasive

Pressure Pots
	Northern Tools
	Harbor Freight
	Glastar
	Rayzist
	Photobrasive

Abrasive
	Dawson MacDonald
	McMaster-Carr
	AAA Industrial Supply

Resist
	Dawson MacDonald
	Rayzist
	Photobrasive
	Etchmaster
	EtchWorld
	Sign Warehouse

Detailed Supplier list for stained glass arts, manufacturers,wholesale,retail

We found this handy detailed list of glass art suppliers with their contact information on the Warm Glass webpage. 

A&A Products -- Broad assortment of tools and supplies for the glass artist. (Texas, USA)  A Warm Glass website sponsor

AANRAKU, Inc. -- Stained glass and fusing supplies, books, and tools. (California, USA)  A Warm Glass website sponsor

ABR Imagery -- Supplies for scientific and artistic glass blowing, stained glass, and fusing.  Laser etched dichroic glass images.  (Indiana, USA)  

Albert Stained Glass -- Fusing products and glass (Brooklyn, New York, USA)

American Glass Supply -- Retail and wholesale distributors of fusing and slumping supplies.   (Texas, USA)  A Warm Glass website sponsor

Anything in Stained Glass -- Discount supplies for fusing, flameworking, and stained glass. (New Jersey, USA)  A Warm Glass website sponsor

Alpine Stained Glass -- Mostly stained glass, but has expanded its offering of fusing supplies, kilns, and tested compatible glass.  (San Diego, California, USA)

Art Glass Fusing Center -- Retailer of fusing supplies.  Offers numerous classes in kiln-forming techniques.  (Texas, USA)  

Artisan Dichroic -- Wide selection of dichroic glass from major manufacturers, basic fusing and glass supplies. (Portland, Oregon, USA)  A Warm Glass website sponsor

Big M Stained Glass -- General stained glass & fusing supplies (Washington, USA)

Blue Fire Molds --  Slumping molds. Friendly knowledgeable service with same day shipping.  (California, USA)  A Warm Glass website sponsor

Bournemouth Stained Glass -- Predominately stained glass oriented, but also carries several lines of tested compatible glass.  (Dorset, England)

Centre de Verre -- Fusing equipment and supplies including kilns, grinders, and fusible glass (Bullseye, Uroboros, CBS Dichroic). (New Hampshire, USA) A Warm Glass website sponsor

COE90.com -- Extensive selection of Bullseye and CBS Dichroic glass, including dichroic scrap glass.  (New York, USA)  A Warm Glass website sponsor

Creative Glass Guild -- Supplies and courses in fusing and stained glass (United Kingdom)

The Curious Glass Shop -- Bullseye fusible, special production, and curious glass at discount prices (Texas, USA)  A Warm Glass website sponsor

D&L Stained Glass -- Everything you need in wholesale art glass. 

Delphi Glass -- Carries an extensive selection of fusible glasses from Bullseye, Uroboros, Wasser, CBS dichroics, and the complete source for System96 from Spectrum. Also a comprehensive assortment of kilns, tools, books, molds, and fusing supplies.  (Michigan, USA)   A Warm Glass website sponsor

Dichro Depot -- Wide selection of dichroic glass on 90 and 96 COE. (Phoenix, Arizona, USA)  A Warm Glass website sponsor

Dichroic and More -- Dichroic scrap, dichroic glass, jewelry findings, fusing supplies, kilns, books, tools, & equipment  (Florida USA)  A Warm Glass website sponsor

Fantasy in Glass -- Mostly stained glass, with some fusing supplies and courses.(Toronto, Canada)

Fused Glass Source -- Glass fusing supplies at discount prices. (New Mexico, USA)

Glass Obsessions -- Supplies and classes.  Also offers studio rental for both fusing and lampworking.  (Southern California, USA)

Glasscraft Australia -- Retail art glass store stockist of supplies for kiln forming, bead making mosaic, leadlight and copper foil (Thomastown, Victoria. Australia)

Hang Your Glass -- Hanging systems and cabinet hardware (Oregon USA)  A Warm Glass website sponsor

Hippos Eating Alligators -- Sterling silver jewelry findings (Texas, USA) 

Hollander Fusing Center -- Fusing supplies and classes (Texas and New Jersey USA) A Warm glass website sponsor

Hot Glass Houston -- Fusing supplies and classes. Bullseye Resource Center.(Texas, USA)  A Warm glass website sponsor

Hot Glass Supply -- Discount System 96 glass.  (Florida, USA)

James Hetley & Co. -- Focus is stained glass materials, but also carries some fusing supplies.  (London, England)

Kiln Frog -- Retailer of fusing and beadmaking supplies.  Also offers numerous courses.  (Texas, USA) A Warm Glass website sponsor

The Leadlight Suppliers -- Supplies for bead making and mosaics, some warm glass.  (Brisbane, Australia)

Lincoln Distributors -- Stocks the largest inventory of Bullseye Fusible, System 96, CBS Dichroic glass and supplies in the Southwest.  (Arizona, USA)   A Warm Glass website sponsor

Nartique Glass -- A wide range of art glass resources, including glass books and glass supplies for glass artists, workshops, and glass art.  (Florida USA)  A Warm Glass website sponsor

Pfann-GBB -- European glass wholesaler, supplies for both stained glass and fusing. (Holland) 

Reynolds Advanced Materials -- moldmaking supplies and materials (Texas and Florida USA)

Slumpy's -- Slumping molds, fiber products, and related fusing supplies (North Carolina, USA)  A Warm Glass website sponsor

Sundance -- Fusing, lampworking, and related supplies.  (California, USA)

Sunshine Glassworks -- Stained glass orientation, but also carries basic fusing supplies, Bullseye molds, and kilns.  (New York, USA)

TMS Studios -- Fusing supplies, including Bullseye glass, tools, and dichroic. (Massachusetts, USA)

Two Lasses Glass Classes -- Fusing materials and tools, including dichroic glass, slumping molds, and more. (Florida, USA) 

UGotGlass? -- Fusing supplies, including dichroic, PMC, and jewelry findings.  (Maine, USA) 

Warm Glass UK -- UK main dealer for Bullseye Glass, CBS dichroic and Skutt Kilns(Bristol, United Kingdom)  A Warm Glass website sponsor

Glass enamels, paints, and related supplies

Delta Colours -- Air dried and oven-cured paints (Georgia, USA)

Ferro -- Enamels and paints for glass and ceramics (Worldwide)  

Glass Coatings and Concepts -- Functional and decorative enamels for glass (Ohio, USA)

Goldleaf Factory International -- Extensive selection of gold leaf and foil, micas, and other precious metal leafs and foils. They manufacture as well as sell.  (Australia)

Paradise Paints -- Glass enamels (California, USA)  No longer being produced.

Pebeo Paints -- Air-dried and oven-cured paints (France)

Rio Grande -- Jewelry and metalworking supplies (New Mexico, USA)

Schlaifer's Enameling Supplies -- Full line of Thompson enamels, plus assortment of related supplies (copper foil, millefiore, Klyr-fire, lusters, etc.)  (California, USA) 

Sepp Leaf Products -- Extensive line of gold and metal leaf, including silver, copper, and mica.  (New York, USA)

Thompson Enamels -- Major manufacturer and retailer of glass enamels and related supplies.  (Ohio, USA)

Kiln manufacturers and related resources

Note that many of the suppliers listed in above Supplier section also sell kilns and supplies.

See below for kiln parts and controllers

Centre de Verre -- Fusing equipment and supplies including kilns, grinders, and fusible glass (Bullseye, Uroboros, CBS Dichroic). (New Hampshire USA)  A Warm Glass website sponsor

Denver Glass -- In addition to large kilns designed for the serious practitioner, they have an extensive line of hot glass and cold glass machines.  (Colorado, USA)

Ditore Glass Works -- Official US distributor for Dyson's one-piece large machined ceramic kiln shelves.  (California USA)  A Warm Glass website sponsor

Euclid Kilns -- Good range of kilns for glass, thermocouples, elements and other items.

Evenheat Kilns -- Broad line of glass kilns, from small to large (Michigan USA) A Warm Glass website sponsor

Glass Glow Kilns -- Phil Teefy's kilns, specifically made for fusing.

Good Kilns -- Glass and ceramic kilns by Sugar Creek Industries

L&L Kilns -- Mostly ceramic kilns, but "Colorado" line of front-loading kilns designed for fused glass; good FAQ on "How to Buy an Electric Kiln"

Nabertherm - USA -- A wide range of kilns and furnaces for fusing glass, with both off-the-shelf and custom kilns available (Germany) 

Olympic Kilns -- extensive line of glass and ceramic kilns  (Georgia USA) A Warm Glass website sponsor

Paragon Kilns -- Has online catalog, including broad line of glass kilns from small "Quickfire 6" to larger kilns;  article on "How to Buy a Kiln" (Texas USA)  A Warm Glass website sponsor

Seattle Pottery Supply -- kilns, kiln parts, and other supplies (Washington USA)

Skutt Kilns -- Offering a new line of  kilns for glass, with the "Clam Shell" especially worth checking out (Oregon USA)  A Warm Glass website sponsor  

Kiln parts and controllers

Note: many of the manufacturers listed directly above also sell parts and controllers.

Aura Lens -- kiln controllers

Bartlett Instrument Company -- controllers for kilns

Digitry -- controllers for kilns

Duralite -- custom and replacement elements.  

Euclid -- custom and replacement elements and other parts. Good explanation of element design on their website.

Furnace Engineering (NZ) -- controllers for kilns

Joppa Glass -- elements and element installation tips

Love Controls -- controllers and related equipment

Kilntrol -- controllers for kilns

Orton -- programmable kiln controllers

TTI Global -- controllers, thermocouples, etc.

    Projects:

Ron Coleman's page -- overview of construction of firebrick kiln 

Mike Firth's site -- instructions for small annealer.  Discussion of thermocouples, and kiln construction basics.

Tobler Glass -- Construction of controller using Fuji parts

Miscellaneous equipment and supplies

Aura Lens -- eye protection equipment

Best Mix Products -- a castable mold-making compound that produces extremely durable kiln-forming molds for slumping fused art glass.  

Bonny Doon Fused Glass Art--  Stainless steel rings, pattern bar formers, and sconce hardware (California, USA).

Castalot - A fast setting, easy to use refirable mold material designed for kiln casting, fusing, and slumping applications.

Diamond Tech -- Manufacturer of Wasser glass, Fireworks Hot Glass tools, Diamond Tech saws, and other glass tools and equipment.  A Warm Glass website sponsor

Far West Materials -- foundry, casting, and mold materials, including Smooth-On

Curious Glass Shop -- Extensive selection of glass, molds, stands and related fusing supplies (Texas USA)  A Warm Glass website sponsor

Kaiser-Lee Fiber Board -- fiber board specifically developed for making slumping molds

Just Stands  -- custom and stock metal stands for glass by Dick Kolpack

Paul M. Nulton -- custom repair of fine crystal and glassware

PMC Connection -- source for information and supplies for Precious Metal Clay (PMC)

Smooth-On -- liquid rubbers and plastics for mold-making

Styrofoam cutter (Sloop group) -- excellent tabletop unit that allows handsfree operation 

Unifrax -- fiber blankets, boards, and papers, including Fiberfrax, Isofrax, Insulfrax, and Duraboard

Zircar -- high temperature refractory materials, including boards, papers, rigidizer, and moldable compounds such as Mold Mix 6

Sites by glass manufacturers with fusing component

Bullseye -- Broad line of tested compatible glass, frit, stringers, and related products; their site has extensive information on fusing with Bullseye  A Warm Glass website sponsor

Coatings by Sandburg -- Dichroic glass A Warm Glass website sponsor

DichroMagic (Austin Thin Films)-- Dichroic glass (Texas USA) 

Savoy Dichroic -- Dichroic glass (Oregon USA)

Spectrum -- Major manufacturer of stained glass, including System96 tested compatible glass; site has information on fusing with Spectrum (Washington USA) A Warm Glass website sponsor

Uroboros -- Line of tested compatible glass at 90 COE and 96 COE; also make frit, noodles, and stringer; site has info on fusing with Uroboros  (Oregon USA)  A Warm Glass website sponsor

Wasser Glass -- Selection of thin, lightweight opaque and translucent glass available in solids, patterns, metallics, flash, and fusible glass shapes.  A Warm Glass website sponsor

Zentrum Glass -- Oriented to stained glass, but has several unique items for fusing, including fluorescent uranium glass.  

National or international organizations for glass artists

Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass -- "To further the development and appreciation of contemporary studio glass." 

Artists in Stained Glass - Canada -- "A non-profit association of artists, craftspersons, architects and others devoted to the development and promotion of stained glass as a contemporary art form in Canada."

Glass Art Association of Canada -- "To provide a focus for individuals and organizations involved in glass art, craft and design in hot and warm glass processes."

Glass Art Society -- "Advancing the appreciation, understanding, and development of the glass arts worldwide."

International Guild of Glass Artists -- "To facilitate communication among glass artists, to encourage education and promote excellence in the glass arts."  The IGGA site also boasts an extensive list of suppliers, artists, and glass-related sites.

Bulletin Boards

Warm Glass Board -- The bulletin board on this website, which is devoted strictly to fusing, slumping, and kiln-forming techniques.

UGotGlass? Forum -- General Support for fusing, PMC and jewelry making questions.

Handmade-Glass.com -- The "other Brad" board, this is Brad Shute's board, which is the place to go for more technical questions about glass making, lampworking, and such.  

CraftWEB Forum: Hot Glass --  Hot Glass orientation, some lampworking, moderated by Pete VanderLaan.  

Glassline -- Lampworking orientation, with a broad range of other glass topics sometimes discussed.  Non-stained glass.

Society of Glass Beadmakers -- Lampworked beads and marbles. 

Cole Sonafrank's List -- A comprehensive listing of glass forums.