Tools needed to melt wine bottle and other glass

Occasionally someone will ask me how I melt my wine bottles and other art glass projects.  As crazy as this sounds, I have seen, from looking around online, that some people are actually trying to melt bottles in things like barbecue grills and fireplaces.  And of course that won't really work!  It may be possible to somewhat melt the glass but it will probably permanently stick to where ever it was melted and ruin things.  And that process is never precise.  So I found this information on WarmGlass.com with great information on how to really get started properly!  I hope this helps. 

Aside from the glass, the most important item you need is a kiln. Most kilns used are electric and are capable of reaching temperatures of around 1800 degrees Fahrenheit. Kilns are available in sizes ranging from less than a cubic foot to big enough to fill a room. Kilns made specifically for ceramics can be used, but it's better to have one that's specifically engineered for firing glass.

Your kiln must have the capability to accurately monitor and display the inside temperature. This is usually done with a pyrometer, a precise thermometer that is often coupled with a controller, a device that helps manage the firing of the kiln. A controller can greatly simplify the task of precisely directing and monitoring the temperature changes inside the kiln. You can get by without a controller if you're willing to keep a closer eye on the kiln, but a pyrometer that can accurately measure the temperature inside the kiln is essential.

In addition to the kiln, you need a shelf to set the glass on and (if you want to slump) a mold to help shape the glass. Shelves are generally made of clay or a lightweight refractory material, while molds can be made of clay, stainless steel, or various kinds of cements and plaster mixtures. The key is that both the shelf and the mold can withstand heating up to a temperature of 1700 degrees Fahrenheit or so and then cooling back to room temperature.

You'll also need some sort of glass separator to keep the glass from sticking to the kiln shelf and the mold. The separator can be a special kind of paper that glass won't stick to at high temperatures (called fiber paper) or it can be an emulsion that you apply to the shelf, then allow to dry (commonly called a shelf primer or kiln wash). Without this separator, glass will stick to the shelf or mold when it gets hot and your piece of artwork will be ruined.  

  

That's it. If you have some glass, a kiln, a shelf or mold, and something to keep the glass from sticking, you have the basic ingredients to begin fusing and slumping. Add some tools to help cut and the glass and a few essential pieces of safety equipment, and you're ready to begin.

Fused glass pocket vase tutorial

This tutorial was found on the Glass Fusing Made Easy website and is excellent reference material for glass fusers! 

Fused glass pocket vases can make conversational pieces of fused glass wall art. They can be any shape and size desired. Square, oblong, half circle, the outcome is only limited by your imagination.

Fill them your favorite flowers and hang one on the wall, or place one in a holder and set it on a table or desk. These can also be made to be free standing decorations.

I have seen these sold in stores for quite a hefty price. Make them for craft fairs or find a local store that will take some on consignment and earn a few dollars while being creative and having fun in the process. 

Supplies:

Fusible glass

Accessory glasses

Fiber Paper covered Fiber board

Glass cutter

Glass breaking pliers

Kiln safety glasses

Grinding machine

Glass cleaner

Kiln

Prepared kiln shelf

High temperature wire

1. Decide your design and pattern. Determine the size and shape of your outside pattern. You will need a top and bottom of your base color.

2. Cut the glass using a glass cutter and breaking pliers. Add any decorating pieces. You may need to use a grinder to smooth any edges.

3. Clean glass with soap and water or glass cleaner.

4. Holding the pieces by the edge, place your bottom piece on the kiln shelf. 

5. Using the fiber paper covered fiber board, place this on top of the bottom piece of glass. Make sure you have this piece centered and more to the top, so that it can be easily removed. If just using fiber paper, you may need to make several layers to achieve a large enough opening. Fiber paper will be easy to remove when the process is finished. If using fiber board, you will want to line the sides with fiber paper so that it will be easier to remove.

6. Place the top piece on the fiber paper or board. Add any decoration items. Check that everything is centered and looks correct.

7. If you are going to hang your pocket vase, cut the high temperature wire. You will want to be sure you are placing this so that as the glass melts, it will be encased in the vase.

8. Turn on the kiln. Because the fiber paper or board inside the two pieces of glass prevents it from firing evenly, you will need to ramp up your piece slowly. The most common problems come from quickly heating up the piece and poor annealing. Try heating up the piece at about 300 degrees Fahrenheit per hour to around 1000 degrees Fahrenheit. Soak the piece at this temperature for about 10 to 15 minutes. This soaking will allow the heat to evenly disperse in the glass. Continue heating until you have reached a slumping temperature, around 1200 degrees Fahrenheit. Wear your safety glasses when observing the piece inside the kiln. Once your piece has your desired appearance, it is time to anneal.

9. Slowly start cooling off the piece. Hold the kiln temperature at about 950 degrees Fahrenheit for about 45 minutes. Slowly bring the temperature down to around 750 degrees Fahrenheit. This process should take about two hours.

10. Turn off the kiln and unplug. Allow the kiln to cool naturally until it reaches room temperature.

11. Remove the cooled piece from kiln. Don’t remove the fiber paper or board until the glass is cool to the touch. Remove the fiber paper. Wash the piece with soap and water. 

Fused glass pocket vases can be made for different holidays or occasions. These glass fused art pieces can be any shape and size. They don't need to be limited to square or oblong shaped forms. Fused glass pocket vases make unique fused glass wall art.

Try making these fused glass pocket vases out of glass jars. When using a jar, the only decorations that you can add to these pieces would be paints or enamels, because of the unknown COE of the glass. When finished, they can be drilled for a hanging wire to be inserted. The natural rings around the top add texture to the design.

Introduction to Patterns Bars by Steve Immerman

We hope that you enjoy this article on pattern bars that we found online.  

First published in Glass Craftsman, issue No. 214, June/July 2009. Introduction Kilnformers are always looking for ways to create new and exciting design elements to incorporate in their pieces. One of the most commonly used design elements is a section of glass with an embedded pattern – created with a pattern bar. This article will discuss ways to make and use pattern bars in kilnformed glass work. Making Pattern Bars In order to create a pattern bar you will need a kiln, dams, fiber paper, and fusible glass. In order to use the pattern bar you will need a tile saw with a lapidary blade. It is helpful, but not necessary, to have a sandblaster and grinding tools. The basic concept in making a pattern bar is to create a “brick” of glass pieces, surround it with fiber paper, and use dams to hold it in position during the firing process. This “brick” is then kiln fired and annealed, and the resulting pattern bar is then cut into slices (like a loaf of bread). The patterned slices are subsequently used in other projects. The color and pattern in the pattern bar slices will obviously reflect the colors and layup of the glass that was used to create it prior to firing. You can create a specific pattern by planning ahead or you can create a random pattern by just placing pieces of glass into the dam enclosure without any pattern in mind. Damming the project The first step is to have a prepared kiln shelf – either kiln washed, or covered with fiber paper to prevent the glass from sticking to the shelf. You will also have to assemble your dam material. There are many ways to constrain the glass so that it stays in the shape you want and doesn’t flow over the kiln shelf during the firing process. Whichever way you choose, you will need to have fiber paper between your damming material and the glass. A common way to hold the glass in place is to use cut up strips of kiln shelves placed to surround the glass on four sides. If a cut up shelf is not available, one can purchase blocks of refractory material from fusing supply outlets. There are also stainless steel molds that can be purchased specifically for this purpose. In the absence of any of these products, the glass can be wrapped with several layers of fiber paper, and then wrapped with stainless steel or nichrome wire to hold things in place during fusing. To create pattern bars that are circular in cross section, fiber lined pipe nipples can be used as described in an article by Judith Conway and Kevin O’Toole in Glass Craftsman issue 181, Dec/Jan 04, page 27. After you construct your dams around your pattern bar construction, make sure that they are well supported so the dams do not move during the fusing process. The mass of glass that you have surrounded with the dams will want to flow when it is molten, and your dams need to be able to withstand the pressure of the hot glass as it pushes against them. The height of the dam will depend on the amount of glass that you’re using in your pattern bar. If you can predict the ultimate height of the bar by counting the specific layers of glass in the assembly try to make the height of your fiber paper about 1/8” shorter. (Editor’s note: For more information on this step, visit the Bullseye Glass website, Bullseyeglass.com, and click on Education, then TipSheet 3, for a detailed explanation on how to dam a large mass of glass.)Next, you have to decide on the size of the pattern bar, keeping in mind that thicker pieces of glass will require longer annealing times. We often think of pattern bars as square in cross section – but they don’t have to be square. They can be rectangular or even round. If the glass is laid up so that it ends up flat, and only ¾-1/2” thick – something we’d just call a fused panel – it can still be cut up and the internal pattern used the same as one would use a pattern bar (see my article in Glass Craftsman, Issue 212, page 15 of the Batch Insert or link to this page). Color and Design Of course it is necessary to use compatible, fusible glass. Pattern bars can be made of glass which is transparent, opalescent, or a combination. It is important to know how you are going to use the pattern bar slices after you create them to determine which kind or mixture of glasses you are going to need. If you want to create a specific pattern it is best to do some planning. The pattern can be nothing more than layers of alternating color – or a complex geometric design. The glass can be placed horizontally, vertically, or a combination of both. Frit and stringers can be incorporated into the design as well. Keep in mind that if you want all the slices of the bar to be identical all strips of glass have to extend from one end of the bar to the other. For geometric designs it is best to do a detailed drawing first. One easy way to draw out your design is to use graph paper. If you are using glass that is 1/8” thick – assign each square to be 1/8”. Draw the outside perimeter of the proposed shape of your bar, and then fill in your design. Once this is done, cut strips of glass the length of your pattern bar, and begin assembling. The best way to assemble the pattern bar is directly on the kiln shelf so that you don’t have to move the assembled bar. But, if this is not possible, hold the strips together with Krazy Glue or a similar product so you can move it to the kiln without it coming apart. A random pattern bar can be created by placing strips of glass in an enclosure without any predetermined pattern in mind. Often some very interesting patterns can be obtained with this technique. Keep in mind that with this technique it can be hard to predict the height of your bar after firing. I’d recommend erring on the side of making your dams too high, rather than too low. Firing Schedule Obviously the schedule will depend completely on the size and thickness of the pattern bar, the brand of glass, and the firing characteristics of your particular kiln. But, a typical Pattern bar firing schedule, for approx 1 1/4" thick bars made of Bullseye glass would be: 500 dph to 1500 F Hold 35 min. AFAP to 900 F, hold 4 hours. 100 dph to 800, no hold 200 dph to 700 F, hold 2 hours. 300 dph to 300 F Off Keep in mind that it is perfectly fine to fire multiple bars at once. This will actually save you time and electrical energy and ultimately give you a nice selection of designs to work with. Cutting the Pattern Bars Slicing up this mass of glass will require a saw of some kind. I use a tile saw with a lapidary blade, but there are other types of water cooled saws that will

also work such as a band saw or ring saw – but they may not be as efficient. The main decision to be made before cutting is what thickness you want the slices to be. It helps to know what you are going to create with these slices, how many layers your project will be, whether you plan to fuse the pattern bar slice on a sheet of glass, and whether you plan to cover it with a layer of clear glass. It is very frustrating to find out your slices are too thick or too thin for your intended use. When cutting the pattern bar, make sure your saw is providing an adequate water spray. Have some sort of guide to ensure each slice is of uniform thickness. Go slowly as you saw through the pattern bar and don’t apply too much pressure – especially at the very end of the cut. You’ll probably get some small chips at the corners of the pattern bar. These can be frustrating, but usually will not render the slice unusable. After cutting it is wise to drop the slice in a bucket of water containing some liquid detergent so that the particulate matter in the tile saw water doesn’t have a chance to dry on the glass until you can clean the slice. Preparing the Slices for Fusing In spite of your best efforts, the cross section of the bar may not be perfectly square or rectangular. A wet belt sander or lapidary wheel is helpful at this stage to grind the edges flat and to smooth out any chips at the corners of the slices. I like to sandblast all surfaces of the slice prior to incorporating it into another project. If you don’t have access to a sandblaster, the slices should be removed from the bucket of water, scrubbed with a toothbrush and rinsed thoroughly before allowing them to dry. This will minimize any haze or devitrification that can appear after the second firing. The pattern bar slice can be used in numerous ways. They can be placed on top of two layers of sheet glass and allowed to melt into the underlying sheet. This will allow the pattern bar to expand and round out. Alternatively, the pattern bar slice can be surrounded by layers of glass, which will allow it to maintain its shape and appearance. Another common way to use pattern bars it to place many of them in an array, one against the other to create a pleasing, repeating pattern. Placing pattern bars in “bookend” fashion can also give some interesting effects. Shuffling these slices around until you get a pleasing pattern is both enjoyable and therapeutic! Once an acceptable pattern is obtained, it can be dammed and fused alone, fused on a sheet of glass as a base, or a border can be added for contrast. Lisa Allen is an artist who has successfully used this technique in her work. Conclusion Pattern bars are a fascinating way to add complex designs to kilnformed work. There are some artists who use this exclusively as the major focal point in their work. I hope this article has provided you with enough information to give it a try!

Making Wine Bottle Cheese Plates in Your Kiln.

Slumping is HOT!

After enjoying a little fruit of the vine....The first thing you'll want to do is remove the label from your bottle; for stubborn ones Goo-Gone works well.

Next be sure to wash and dry your bottle completely. Moisture is the enemy. It can cause the bottle to explode in your kiln, making a very big mess.

Bottles with painted labels are ok (actually - they are trey cool ;) but I suggest using a thin sheet of fiber paper under the part where the label comes in contact with the molds surface, otherwise the bottle might get stuck and ruin your mold. YUCK! see the picture below.

Devitrification spray can be applied to the bottles to prevent a hazy or a scummy appearance on the glass after it's fired. (I don't bother with this).

If you would like to hang your bottle for decorative purposes; take a piece of 20 gage copper wire (or fine silver) shape in a U and insert it in the bottle top before slumping.

Use a clay mold that has been pre treated with glass separator. Separator should be reapplied between firings and dried completely, as needed. Check the tiny vent holes, in the mold - under the glass, to be sure that they are not plugged with the separator.

My Firing Schedule for med. to lg. bottle:

•1. 600 Degrees Per Hour to 1000 Degrees Fahrenheit, soak (hold temp constant) for 10 minutes

•2. It is only safe to peek* into the kiln from 1000 degrees and up- otherwise you will shock your glass and it will crack.

*Please protect your hands and arms with heavy kiln gloves and your face and eyes with tinted safety glasses!

•3. Heat AFAP (as fast as possible), to 1375 to 1425 DF, (depending on the size and thickness of your bottle)

•4. Soak (hold temp constant) for 5-15 minutes or until the bottle is slumped to perfection.

•5. Watch it closely during this time it can move rather fast!

•6. Allow the Kiln to cool until the temperature falls to 1000 DF.

•7. Soak for 10 minutes at 1000 DF.

•8. Annealing Stage; slow cool at 180 DPH to 800 DF.

•9. Next turn off the kiln and let it cool naturally to room temperature; don't peek*! (see #2 above)

After you remove your project from the kiln; be sure to vacuum any spall that comes off the copper wire to avoid contaminating your next project.

You may want to adjust the temperature and/or soak time according to the size and thickness of your bottle.

Practice is the best teacher and sometimes an error is the result of what will be some of your favorite pieces.

Most importantly, have Fun!

Bottles from my Kiln

Snowman Cheese Ball

Belvedere Bottle

Bottle stuck to the mold...YUCK!

Hot Glass in the Kiln

This interesting tutorial was written by:

shetrick on HubPages

While Sue Hetrick received most of her formal training in art from HACC, Central Pa’s Community College; she continues to learn from her own experimentation. Her ceramic pieces are crafted to be functional works of whimsy. The same can be said for her glass fused and slumped pieces, which tend to be her favored creations. The addition of wire wrapping make the glass pieces uniquely her own. Whether ceramic or glass, Sue crafts works of art that incorporate fun into function.

Kiln Secrets, getting to know the types of units, and what to purchase

by Glass Fusing Made Easy

http://www.glass-fusing-made-easy.com/

Everyone should check out Glass Fusing Made Easy's webpage, it is wonderful and full of valuable glass art information.

A glass kiln is an oven used for the glass fusing techniques. This is the most expensive item of all the fusing supplies. They come in a variety of sizes and shapes. If you are looking to purchase a kiln, check out the great table top units at Delphi Glass - Art Glass Tools & Supplies. These are fantastic for fusing at home as they run on your household current. They are usually lined with fire brick, which maintains the heat, and can support the objects being heated. The size is an important factor, because it limits the quantity and size of items that can be fired at one time. There are many parts to this heating unit. Long ago, objects were fired in an open fire. The heat could not be measured or regulate, and the effects of a direct flame made it unmanageable. Over time, it was found that if objects were fired in an enclosed space, like a brick oven, you could achieve a higher degree of heat, and a slower cooling of objects. Glass has seen a rebirth in the past few years. It is used as a building material, a surface to paint on, engraved, cut, blown, slumped and fused. Before purchasing, figure out the size that will fit your individual firing needs, whether you want a manual or a programmable unit , and find out what type of warranty comes with this appliance. Ask where and how you will get repairs done. What parts of the unit are replaceable and where you can purchase these parts. Once the unit has been purchased, get to know your firing kiln . This will come in handy in any future firings. Glass vs Ceramic Glass ovens heat single layers from the top, while ceramic units heat multiple layers from the side. Most glass projects are relatively flat, and with the heat radiating from the top, the entire face of the glass receives heat at the same time. This helps to keep the temperature differences within the glass uniform and helps to prevent cracking. You can still obtain these uniform heating results in a ceramic oven by slowing down the firing. An electric unit is the best for working with glass. The temperature can be regulated and controlled. They are also quiet, safe to operate, easy to handle, and fairly inexpensive to operate. There are numerous types of electric units on the market, in a variety of sizes and accessories. These ovens are usually insulated, so there is very minimum external heat, and with no or very little fire hazard. What Size to Purchase: Make a decision on how large the items are that you are going to make, that will help you decide the size to purchase. Find out the internal dimensions and external dimensions you need for the size of your desired projects. If you are going to use larger molds, will you have to fire on the bottom of the unit? You need at least 12 inches clearance around the outside, so figure out where you are going to place it and make sure it will fit in this area. Front load vs Top load:  A front loading firing kiln is great if you are going to be removing items from the unit while they are hot. This is great if you are planning on doing any enameling. A top loading kiln has either a hinged lid or one that can be lifted off with handles and removed completely. This is most commonly used for glass fusing. Electrical Outlets: Know your electrical outlets. If you are glass fusing at home, then you will want a kiln that uses standard 120 volt, 13 amp household current. You don’t want to have to do any rewiring to your home. It should have a three-prong plug and about an eight foot power cord. Manual or Programmable: A manual oven has an on/off switch and a dial to adjust the temperature. There is small light to show that the unit is on and operating. They come with a pyrometer so the inside temperature is shown at all times. A thermocouple runs from the pyrometer into the oven. It should protrude into the firing chamber about one inch. Remember, the pyrometer will read the temperature where the tip of the thermocouple wire is, so put it near your shelf. These are not that difficult to use and don’t require that much more time or effort than a programmable unit . Keep records of your firing. At first, set your timer for every 15 minutes, so you can see the rate of temperature for your particular unit. Keep records of the particular rates of temperature climb with each digit on your dial. Records will help you determine what works and what doesn’t work with each firing. Make detailed records of the total time it took from the start of your firing, to when you reached your desired temperature. These records will help you in future firings. Then in the future, you can set your alarm to go off just before you know your oven should be at a particular temperature, instead of having to check it every 15 minutes or so. Always unplug your kiln when you are finished firing. Be sure to set an alarm clock to remind you when switches should be changed. Brick or Ceramic Fiber: Firebricks are used as insulation in a brick oven. They heat more quickly and retain heat longer. These are great for glass fusing and annealing. More maintenance is needed because of the delicate nature of the fire bricks. The heating coils are placed in grooves in the fire bricks. If these coils should ever bulge out, they must be pushed back into place.  A ceramic fiber oven stays clean and is easier to maintain. The heating elements of these units are not exposed, because they are molded into the walls. Kiln Safety: Even though a kiln will fire to a higher temperature than a stove, the area around the unit is surprisingly cool during firing. Glass kilns are well built and don't radiate a lot of area heat. For safety purposes, the unit should not be placed within a minimum of 12 to 18 inches of any other object. It is recommended that the unit be placed on a flame retardant flooring. Some place the kiln on a stand on a flame resistant cement floor or fire board. Be careful when opening the lid while the unit is at a high temperature. The heat will escape and rise. If you have low ceilings, cabinets, shelves, or other objects close by the heat will hit these items and could start a fire. Always use common sense on what you have near or around the kiln. Be aware of where the heat goes when opening the lid during firing. If opening the lid while doing procedures like raking, etc. always unplug the unit before proceeding with the process. Make sure that the power circuits are up to supplying the kiln. If there is a question about the supply, have an electrician check things out. Furniture:  The furniture consists of a shelf and shelf supports. These items are made of a highly refractory fire clay. The shelf material is quite strong, and should fit your particular unit. There should be about 1 inch of clearance between the shelf and the wall of the oven. Furniture is inexpensive, easily available, and can be used over and over again. The shelf needs to be protected with either a wash, or fiber paper. Care and Maintenance:  When you first make your purchase, keep all the packaging material. If the unit needs to be sent back for repairs or replacement, you will be happy that you kept the original box and packaging materials. You first need to prepare the kiln and shelf for firing. Then you will be ready for a first firing of a fused glass project. Use the shelf and posts. Having your items on these shelves allows air to circulate around your item and makes it easier to remove the shelf from the kiln. Place the shelf at least one inch below the thermocouple when firing. Use protection on your oven and shelf. The unit needs to be coated with a wash. When coating the unit, it doesn't matter which wash you apply, just be sure to mix it about twice as thick as you would if you were using it to coat the shelves. Avoid getting any wash on the elements . Reapply the wash every few years. The shelf can be protected with either a wash or fiber paper. Repairing coils might seem like a tedious task. See how simply this can be done without having to send your unit out for repair. Periodically check and clean your thermocouple. This can be done using a damp cloth before firing your piece. Also check the position each time you start to fire. Try to avoid hitting the thermocouple with the kiln shelf, as it can be broken and damaged. Check for any dust on the floor of your unit. Vacuum if necessary. Dust can react with the color elements in your glass and result in foggy or burnt colors. For a small and inexpensive oven, try purchasing one that you can fire in the microwave . These are very limited in use and applications.

Kiln slumping wine bottles and other glass bottles for glass art

I found a lot of info online about kiln slumping bottles, so to try something different today, I posted two excellent articles that I found.  Have you ever wondered about labels? Do you want to learn how to remove labels from your bottles or do you want to know how to keep labels on bottles when firing?  Well, I have also found some info on those subjects and posted it below.

Tutorial 1.

Warmglass.com http://www.warmglass.com/Bottles.htm  says:

Slumping bottles in a kiln is not difficult.  It does, however, require a knowledge of basic kiln-forming principles and an understanding of both thermal shock, annealing, and devitrification.  If you are not familiar with these terms, then spending a few moments with the Warm Glass tutorial will help familiarize you with the process of heating glass in a kiln.

The basic process for slumping a bottle in a kiln is as follows:1.  Clean the bottle thoroughly and allow it to dry.  Some people also apply a devit spray to the bottle to help prevent devitrification.  This is recommended for most blue and amber bottles and is also helpful for other colors as well.
2.  Cover your kiln shelf with either fiber paper or kiln wash.
3.  Lay the bottle in the kiln on it side.  It's not essential, but some people place a piece of wire in the neck to form a wire loop which can be used to hang the bottle after slumping. (20 gauge twisted copper works well.)
4.   Fire the kiln to 1100F and soak for 10 minutes.  The rate of temperature increase should be from around 500 degrees per hour.  Some people fire as fast as 800 degrees per hour, but be aware that the faster you fire the more likely the bottle is to crack from thermal shock.  The purpose of the 10 minute soak is to allow the temperature of the glass to equalize and to all reach 1100F.
5.  Fire the kiln at 250 degrees per hour to 1300F, then fire as fast as your kiln will go to 1475F.  Hold the temperature constant at 1475F until the bottle has slumped to the degree you want.  Usually this takes around 10 minutes.
6.  Cool the kiln to 1100F as fast as possible.  You may need to flash vent the kiln to speed cooling and to help prevent devitrification, but some people slump bottles with flash venting.
7.  Anneal.  Some people accomplish this by simply letting the closed kiln cool naturally.  This approach will work if your kiln cools slowly enough through the annealing range (for bottles, roughly 1050F to 850F).  You would want to cool at a rate of 150 degrees per hour or slower.  If your kiln has a controller, a proper anneal soak is highly recommended:  soak at 1030F for 20-30 min then 100 dph to around 850.
8.  Cool to room temperature.  Most kilns will cool at a slow enough rate to avoid thermal shocking the bottles by cooling too fast.

Tutorial 2.
http://www.bigceramicstore.com/information/Tip92.htm says:


Bottle slumping is becoming quite popular, probably because you don't have to buy special glass, you just re-use wine and beer bottles.  (Make sure you recruit your friends to help you drink all that alcohol!  We know how it feels to look at a really cool Grey Goose vodka bottle and think "How long will it take me to empty that?"  Given how addicting this is, we wouldn't want to be responsible for any irresponsible drinking!)

Basic requirements:
You will need a kiln that is able to fire to approximately 1500 degrees For higher.  Any ceramic kiln or glass kiln can be used for this, as long as the bottles fit.  Unfortunately the long shape of bottles make them hard to fit in many kilns.  So we designed the Trio Kiln specifically to fit all our bottle slumping molds.

You need some type of separator between glass and what it sits on.  (The shelf or mold,)  Options are glass separator, Mold-EZ or Primo Primer, which are brushed on, or thin-fire or fiber paper.

You will need glass bottles, such as wine bottles, beer bottles, soda bottles, etc.  Wine bottles make nice trays and dishes, beer and soda bottles make great spoon rests.

Molds are an option that can be used to shape slumped bottles into dishes and spoon rests, or you can simply slump bottles flat, directly on the shelf to make trays.


With all slumping, there are general principles that need to be followed:

Bottles must be clean and dry.  All label residue must be removed.  Some people will use isopropyl alcohol to clean any fingerprints from the glass as well.  The best label removal process I have used to date is filling the bottles with very hot water, and placing them in a bucket filled with very hot water and powdered oxy-clean.  Let that soak a couple hours to over-night. Most labels drop off or can be scraped off with a plastic scraper.  I often use those handy fake credit-cards that come in the mail.  Ah, yet more recycling!


Bottles need to be placed on a surface that has been kiln washed or shelf paper such as thin-fire paper can be used.  This is to prevent the glass from fusing to the shelf.  When using kiln wash, be sure the surface is very smooth.  Any brush strokes, bumps, etc. will show up in the glass.  Even seams between sheets of thin-fire paper will show.
If slumping bottles with "painted" labels such as Corona bottles or Belvedere bottles, those labels remain on the bottle even after slumping.  The trick is to have the bottle remain in place during the firing.  Otherwise, the label looks off-center.  I have used small pieces of thin-fire paper to prop a bottle that wants to roll.  Granted these can be seen on the back of the glass, but in my mind that is better than tossing a bottle because the label looks funny.
If using a mold, it should be covered with a thick coat of kiln wash or glass separator.  We offer a variety of mold shapes for slumping bottles. You can also make your own shapes using your own bisque.   I often use smaller triangle shelf posts wrapped in thin-fire paper to create an elevated neck on beer bottles for spoon rests.  They are small enough to allow the top of the bottle to touch the shelf after slumping. Sometimes glass will get de-vitrify, or get cloudy.  This seems very dependent on the glass the specific bottle was made from.  But we have found that cleaning the bottle really well helps avoid it.  We also have Super Spray, a de-vitrification spray which can be used.

One other thing to consider before firing is whether you plan to hang the tray or spoon rest.  I have found high temp. wire works well and does not break down.  Copper and brass wires will break down a bit, sometimes leaving unattractive flecks in the neck of the bottle.  Simply cut a piece of wire, shape, and place in the opening of the bottle. As the neck slumps, it will permanently fuse the wire into place.  If I want the wire to be gold, I just paint it later.

Decorating your slumped bottles can be a lot of fun too.  You are the artist!  Anything is possible.  You can paint on them with Hues2Fuse non-toxic glass paints prior to firing.  You can fire the bottles on texture molds.  Some people incorporate other pieces of glass, such as marbles, although this can be tricky.  And many people use wire (such as copper) to decorate them after firing.
FIRING PROFILES
As you research slumping bottles, you will learn there are many different firing profiles out there.  Some profiles are provided specifically from the kiln manufacturers, others are a blend of several firing profiles from other artists.  My own profile is a combination of both.  I use a 7cu. electronic controlled kiln and primarily flatten bottles for cheese trays and spoon rests.  The slumping profile that came from the manufacturer did not seem to adequately slump all of the bottles.  Whether the uneven slumping was due the location in the kiln, the type of glass, the size of bottle, the variety of bottles in a single load, or the number of shelves I loaded, I cannot be certain.  Aside from still trying to eradicate a few small bubbles trapped in the body of the bottle, I have had pretty good success.  Generally the firing takes approximately 9 hrs.

Segment	Rate	degrees F	Hold
1	500	500	12 min
2	500	750	12 min
3	600	1100	10 min
4	200	1300	20 min
5	250	1475	10 min	takes roughly 4.5 hrs to this point
6	9999	1100	1 hr
7	500	970	30 min	annealing occurs between 800-1000 deg.
8	120	750	20
Let kiln cool naturally.

To give you an idea about different firing profiles, we have also been using this profile for wine bottles, with success, in the Trio Kiln.

Segment	Rate	degrees F	Hold
1	500	1100	10 min
2	250	1300	0 min
3	300	1425	10 min	at first we had this at 1475 but the edges of the bottle were sharp
Let kiln cool naturally.

This profile does not even have an annealing phase, but we have found it seems to work fine.  If you choose to use this profile, you may consider adding an annealing phase at the end.

Keep in mind these are guidelines, as every kiln will fire a little differently.  It will take a few firings in your own kiln to obtain the results you desire.  Be sure to keep a log so that once you have a successful load, you can duplicate it.  And most importantly have fun with it.

Wishing you the best of luck! - Kris
copyright 2010 BigCeramicStore.com

Check out BigCeramicStore.com to purchase a variety of bottle molds and supplies!


Tutorial 3.

SAVE THAT LABEL!

by http://www.beekmanwine.com/prevtopr.htm

We all know how frustrating it can be trying to remove some labels from wine bottles. Removing labels used to be quite simple, but new glues have been developed to prevent labels from coming off in restaurant wine buckets. These glues make it difficult to remove the labels at all, but one of the following methods will almost always work.


Several different glues are used today and you can’t tell which one was used by looking at the label. No single technique works every time on every label, but there are some relatively safe bets. First try to peel the label off starting in a corner. If you are lucky and the winery used the new “peel and stick” type of label, the label will come right off (However, it will immediately stick to anything it comes in contact with!). Most times you will not be so lucky.


The Blow-drier Method - Some of the new glues are unaffected by water, but will melt enough to slide the label off the bottle after “toasting” the label with a blow-drier for about 5 minutes. A heat gun will work faster.


The Tape Method - This method separates the layer of the label with the image on it from the layer with the glue. 

We sell a product called Labeloff Label Saver ($8.95) which works 98% of the time. It's a package of clear plastic sheets with an aggresive glue on one side. You must follow the instructions carefully.
Or you can contact the manufacturer directly:
Pentad Group, Inc.
106 Pentad Plaza
1446 N.W. 2nd Ave.
Boca Raton, FL  33432
(561) 362-8678
e-mail: labelsaver@aol.com

You can also do it yourself. Go to any office supply store and buy a roll of clear 3” wide strapping (packing) tape.
1. Cut off two strips of tape that are about 4” wider than the label.
2. Fill the bottle with VERY hot water (trying not to get the label wet). Wipe the bottle dry.
3. Put a strip of paper about 1/2” wide across the sticky side of both ends of the tape so the ends won’t stick to the bottle.
4. Working from one side of the bottle to the other, attach the tape to the bottle so that it just extends (about 1/4”) above the label. Bring the tape across the label, using some type of straight edge to smooth it out as you go.
5. Once you have the first strip in place, if it doesn’t fully cover the label, attach the second strip right under the first.
6. Use the back of a spoon to rub hard all over the label.
7. Starting at one edge, slowly start to peel off the tape.
8. Once the label is removed, trim the edges with a scissors.

The Soaking Method - this is becoming less effective as fewer water-soluble glues are being used.
Equipment: 1 tall Igloo water jug (the picnic kind), tall enough to hold a bottle, Ivory Detergent, paper towels, wax paper, a single edged razor blade, a heavy book, a cork, and a glass of wine.
1. Fill the jug with warm water and 2-3 drops of Ivory Detergent.
2. Fill the wine bottle itself with VERY hot water and immerse it in the jug.
3. After about 30 minutes, the label should either be floating in the jug or loosely clinging to the bottle. If not, continue the soak for 2 hours or overnight.
4. If the label still isn’t off, take the bottle out of the jug and fill it again with very warm water. Cram an old cork into the top and dry the bottle well. Get the label as dry as possible.
5. Lay the bottle on a towel to steady it. Use the single edged razor blade to scrape the label off. Start working from the left side of the label, following the curve of the bottle, to about the middle of the label. Then start from the right side of the label and cut back to the center. Work back and forth until the label is off.
6. Put the label between towels to blot of as much moisture as possible. Be careful! Some of the new glues are of the “peel and stick” variety and will stick to anything. If you find one of these, press the label down on some plain white paper and trim around the label.
7. Place the label on a piece of waxed paper with paper towels on top of it and weight it down with a heavy book until the label dries.
8. The glass of wine? You know what that’s for!


Joel’s Method - Forget the darned label and buy another bottle! 

Tutorial 4.

You can fire some labels, by Harrach glass

If you have a bottle that has a baked on enamel paint for the label the enamel will stay on the bottle as seen in the photo. Some enamels will change color or fade. If the bottle has etching the etching will soften. Some bottles get a soft haze that can not be helped.

Pattern Bars

A pattern bar is a thick bundle of glass that has been fused together to form a solid mass. The size of pattern bars can vary, but most are one or two inches by about an inch and several inches long. When formed, these bars can be cut into slices with a glass saw, lapidary saw, or trim saw and then re-fused to make unique items.
Pattern bars are related to murrine, mosaic cane developed to its height in Italy and often formed using lampworking techniques. Millefiori ("thousand flowers") are the best known of these canes, which can be sliced and used in fusing projects. If you wish to make similar items using a kiln, the pattern bar methods described in this section will help you get the job done.

• Cold bundling

This technique, in which strips of glass or stringer are bundled together to form one large pattern bar, works well for simple forms. The glass bundle should be wrapped in fiber paper, then tied together with a high temperature wire (such as nichrome wire) and stood on end in the kiln. Fire to full fuse, then anneal and cool. Because of the thickness of the fused glass, care should be taken not to anneal or cool too quickly.
Stacks of glass strips may also be fused to form pattern bar strips. To maximize the evenness of the strips and minimize the likelihood of distortion during firing, the stacks should be supported by fiber paper, fiber board, and kiln furniture, as illustrated in the photo to the right. This layout allows you to form a large number of patterns bars at one time.

• Using a stainless steel

A alternative to bundling, this method of making pattern bars involves the use of a stainless steel mold to hold the glass strips. For best results line the mold with fiber paper, then arrange the strips inside, fire, anneal, and cool.
This approach has several advantages over simple bundling. First, unless carefully prepared the bundled strips have a tendency to deform or even topple over in the kiln. Second, using a mold allows you to use frit and other irregular shapes that can't easily be used when bundling. Finally, the small shape allows it to use space that would otherwise be wasted in a casting or full fuse firing.

• Using a plaster/silica mold

This technique, which is really a simplified version of kiln casting, involves using a plaster/silica mixture to form a mold for containing the glass to be fused together. Wax is the best substance to be used to form the mold, but other items can be used, including small wood strips.
The section on Kiln Casting (see advanced topics) discusses how to create the model and manufacture the mold. The spaces created by this technique can be filled with strips of glass or frit, then fired to full fuse and annealed and cooled.
When cool, carefully break through the plaster/silica mold. Slice the pattern bars into cross-sections and re-fuse to form a new object.
One advantage of this technique is that round items can easily be made by selecting a round shape to form the hole. Round slices are particularly fascinating to fuse together because they deform and form hexagrams when fused together side by side.

• Using Styrofoam

This final technique builds on the plaster/silica method by using Styrofoam to form more complicated shapes. Start with a block of Styrofoam the size and shape of the pattern bar you desire. Then cut the Styrofoam lengthwise using a hot wire Styrofoam cutter.
Take the two (or more) pieces cut from the Styrofoam and use them as the models to be encased in the plaster/silica mixture. Although they fit together, mold them separately. If you burn out the Styrofoam, you'll be left with a form the shape of the Styrofoam model.
There are several ways to get rid of the Styrofoam. One method is to pour acetone onto the Styrofoam.  This will dissolve it, but care must be taken when handling acetone.  Another procedure is to use a small propane torch to burn out the Styrofoam. You can also use a well-vented kiln (fire to about 1200 F). In either case, avoid inhaling the fumes and make certain you have adequate ventilation.
Once your Styrofoam has been removed, you're ready to fill the remaining form with glass. You can use strips or frit (as in the other types of pattern bars), or you can simply fill each form with a different color of glass.
When you're ready, fire to 1500 to 1550 F, soak until the glass settles (you may want to top up the form), then anneal and cool.
Once the forms are cool, carefully break away the plaster/silica mixture. Slice the bars with your glass saw and fit the shapes together. Re-fuse this assemblage to form a uniquely patterned warm glass object.

This very helpful information was found in http://www.warmglass.com/pattern_bars.htm  an excellent site for art glass information.  We highly recommend this site to all glass artists!

So now that you know how to make pattern bars, perhaps you are wondering what you can do with them.  Cut into small pieces and used in jewelry, such as pendants and earrings, you can create beautifully stunning one of a kind pieces.  A lot of glass artists also use slices to create boarders on plates as well.  Actually the possibilities are endless, it's just up to your imagination!