Weave molds - YouTube video

Want to learn how to use fused glass weave molds?   Watch this excellent YouTube video made by Glass Campus to learn the basics! 

Check out the video here, click here to view the video.

Scrap Master, Cast-A-Cab molds

If you have a kiln and have a lot of scrap glass, then this is a great way to use that scrap glass to create really lovely creative fused glass pendants and more. The shapes available are heart, circle, square and tear drop.

Use with transparent and opaque glass to make your own unique glass pieces. These molds are for pot melts, yet small enough to fit in smaller sized kilns! Use MR97 Boron Nitride spray on all molds.

Fill the Mini Scrap Master with the glass scraps with the weights of glass listed below, then place the Scrap Master on top of the Cast-A-Cab mold in your kiln.

LF124 Hearts = 1.1 oz - 1.3 oz/heart,
LF125 Circles = 1.2 oz - 1.4 oz/circle,
LF126 Squares = 1.3 oz - 1.5 oz/square
LF127 Tears = 1.1 oz - 1.3 oz /tear

Use this Scrap Master suggested kiln schedule:

450 degrees per hr to 1660 degrees, hold 60 minutes
9999 degrees per hr to 1500 degrees, hold 30 minutes
9999 degrees per hr to 960 degrees, hold 90 minutes
100 degrees per hr to 825 degrees, hold 10 minutes
100 degrees per hr to 550 degrees, hold 5 minutes

 Mini Scrap Master

New fused glass (painting) stamping video by Slumpy's

We have tried to use stencils with glass paint a few times, but it has never quite worked.  So we were really excited to see this new video on YouTube, made by Slumpy's, showing how to do it correctly. We'll also let you know how our first project works out after trying this method.  And Slumpy's sells these supplies, too!

Click here to view the video.

Supplies needed are:

Glass stamp

Brayer

Enamel

Glass stamping medium

Glass stamping lavender oil (applied with a dropper)

Palette knife (to mix the enamel, stamping medium and lavender oil)

Freeze and fuse firing schedule

This gives glass fusers an idea of a kiln schedule to use when making freeze and fuse pieces.  In the past I have tried the freeze and fuse technique, but I wasn't happy with the final outcome and I thought it was because of my kiln schedule.  I hope this schedule works better.  Remember to anneal at the annealing temperature for the brand of glass frit that you are using!

200 dph to 400 hold 30 minutes 

400 dph to 1320 hold 35 minutes

9999 dph to 960 hold 1 hour (the hold time depends on the thickness. 960 is Bullseye’s annealing point, 
other brands will vary.)

200 dph to 700 0 hold (for thicker pieces I go 100 to 700)

500 dph to 200 and off (again, for thicker pieces I slow this down as well)

How to make a fused glass wine bottle house sign, tutorial

This excellent tutorial came from the Glass with a Past web page, by Jodi McRaney Rusho.  She has such a wonderful web page full of great fused glass tutorials and information plus she has an online store.  

Here’s a fused bottle glass project that you may not have considered.  These house numbers are made with fused recycled bottles and Armstrong’s Float Fire frit.  This is a relatively easy project, grab a cup of coffee and follow along.

My friend Mary Young and her husband Todd belong to a wine club and asked me it I could make some very visible house numbers for them out of recycled wine bottles.  The final project turned out so well, I thought I’d share.

Step 1 – Select the bottles

I only need 4 flat bottles for the final project, but I chose a varied selection of sizes and colors so I would have lots to choose from.

Step 2 – Fuse the bottles flat

Using my standard recycled glass fusing schedule, I flattened six different bottles.

Step 3 – Choose the best bottles

After the bottles are fused, I selected my favorite 4, making sure I varied the color, as well as the neck and shoulder shape.

Step 4 – Make your number stencils

Since it seemed unlikely that I would be able to find stencils in the exact size I needed I decided to make my own.  This was a one of a kind project, so I’m not really concerned with the durability of the stencils.  I found a nice rounded font and enlarged it until each number was about 6″ tall, one number per page.

Cut the number out carefully with a razor knife.

Step 5 – Applying the embossing ink

This step is done using a scrapbook product called embossing ink.  It’s a sticky pink goo that is designed to grab embossing powder until you can heat set it.  I’m using it to adhere frit, it works great and it an excellent trick to keep on hand.  Since I’m covering a large area, I load up the stamp pad with ink and use the pad itself as the stamp.

For numbers with floating centers (6 and 0 for example), use a tiny piece of rolled painters tape to hold the center in place while you apply the ink.

Step 6 – Add the Float Fire

Float Fire is a variable COE product that can be used with window glass and bottle glass.  It is a little expensive, but it goes a long way, and if you are using it on glass that you’ve collected for free, it can be a great investment.

Step 7 – Repeat for all the other numbers.

After all of your numbers are finished, re-fire the bottles using a slumping schedule.  Using a lower temperature will help keep the surface of the bottles glossy and the numbers slightly raised for great visibility.

Step 8 – Mount the bottles on the backing

For this project I used a piece of 1″ x 4″ pine painted black.  I used outdoor clear silicone to glue the bottles to the board.  The owner lives in a very windy area, so we made sure that enough of the board showed between the bottles that it could be securely anchored to the wall (visible in the first picture).  For less windy areas, I would attach two D ring hangers at the top of the board behind the first and last bottle.

Step 9 – Stick it on a house – preferably one that has the same house number

Pretty groovy!  This project could also be done with beer bottles for a smaller finished sign.

Bending the neck of a glass bottle tutorial

By Joshua Smyth, eHow Contributor

Glass bottles, once they've been emptied, don't need to become garbage. Instead, they can be turned into art -- plates, ornaments, and decorations -- through the process of "slumping," in which the glass is placed in a kiln and heated until it becomes soft.

With the right tools, you can even stretch the glass before it cools down. Heating the glass carefully will ensure that it keeps its color and texture while allowing you to reshape the bottle.

Examples of stretched bottles.

Sample picture of bent Corona Extra beer bottle.

Instructions

1 Clean your bottle thoroughly with soap and water, then let it dry before putting it in the kiln. Water will disrupt the process. While it is wet, scrub off any paper or plastic labels.

2 Buy devitrification fluid from a craft store and spray it on your bottle if the bottle is made of colored glass. This will keep the color consistent while you melt, reshape, and cool the glass.

3 Set a kiln shelf on the bottom of the kiln and cover it with kiln paper. You could also spray it with kiln spray. Either will prevent the glass from sticking to it as the bottle stretches down.

4 Hang the bottle by its neck from the top of the kiln. The easiest way to do this is to use a pair of pliers to cut pieces of coat hanger wire and loop them around the neck of the bottle, just below the wider part at the top of the neck. Do this several times, until you have 5 or 6 pieces of coat hanger wire wrapped around the bottle neck. Bend the wires downward so that their free ends extend several inches past the end of the bottle. You can then stand the whole thing inside the kiln. The bottle will hang from the wire loops and stretch downwards under its own weight as it heats up.

5 Set the kiln to warm at 500 degrees per hour. This is the safest speed to heat glass without risking thermal shock. (Reference 1) When the kiln gets up to 1100 degrees, stop the temperature increase for 10 minutes, then continue heating the bottle at a slower rate of 250 degrees per hour. (Reference 1) The glass will start to stretch downwards as the kiln heats.

6 Increase the heat as fast as you want once the kiln gets to 1300 degrees. Stop heating when the bottle has stretched to your satisfaction or it reaches 1425 degrees. (Reference 1)

7 Crack the lid of the kiln very briefly, until the kiln cools to 1100 degrees. This will keep the bottle from turning cloudy. Once this is done, just turn off the kiln and let it cool naturally back to room temperature. This is called "annealing" the glass, and is the final step. Once it has cooled, just open the kiln, pull out your stretched bottle, and use your pliers to remove the wire frame that was holding it up.

Easy (beginner) fused glass earring tutorial, video

This is a nice video for anyone that is wanting to learn how to make easy fused glass earrings in a kiln. It has some good information for people new to kiln glass.  Video made by Mark Lauckner.

Click here to view this video!

Recycled glass ideas for glass artists

We didn't write this information below although we wish we did!  We can't say enough about how much we LOVE this page.  It is packed with ideas for glass artists that want to create more unique and one of a kind glass art.  To view more from the author follow the link to the Inspiration Green web page.  ENJOY!

Recycled Glass Inspiration
Much of the glass we throw out is not recycled, because different glass has different melting points and recyclers only melt the most common containers.



recycled glass bottles
Hanging window composed of serving plates, wine bottle bottoms, stemware bottoms and faceted stained glass jewels. The background is a variety of textured handblown glass and the border is composed of several different patterns of pale lavender Depression glass serving plates. Daniel Maher Stained Glass, Somerville, MA. Restoration and custom work. www.dmstainedglass.com



recycled glass bottles
The window is comprised of highly textured bottle, vase, serving plate and stemware bottoms along with a variety of antique pressed glass jewels and objects. The background is a variety of clear textured glasses and the border is composed of pale lavender "Depressions Glass" plates. 26" x 25", $3,000. Daniel Maher Stained Glass, Somerville, MA. Restoration and custom work. www.dmstainedglass.com



recycled glass bottles
This "Green Bottoms" window is installed in a home on Simmons Island, GA. To personalize the window, the client requested the inclusion of "sea glass" they found at the local beach. The addition of greenish blue plate fragments and jewels in the border give the window's color range an ocean feel. Daniel Maher Stained Glass, Somerville, MA. Restoration and custom work. www.dmstainedglass.com



recycled glass bottles
Several medicine bottle remnants are blended into more typical food themes in the Wellesley, Massachusetts kitchen window. The medicine bottles refer to this couples' careers in the health provider industry. The window is installed in a door that blocks the view of a brightly lit mud room. Daniel Maher Stained Glass. Restoration and custom work. Somerville, MA. www.dmstainedglass.com



recycled glass bottles
Luscious Lids is the second in the Housewares Graveyard series to utilize three dimensional tops of vessels and candy dishes. The prismatic and dimensional effect as the viewer moves is striking. The tips of several of the objects project more than three inches from the surface of the window. The objects include candy jar tops, percolator tops, apothecary lids and Vaseline glass lids from a dresser set. 25" x 28", $3400.www.dmstainedglass.com




recycled glass bottles
Luscious Lids close-up, from the outside.




recycled glass dishes
Prismatic Dishes features remnants of serving dishes that have a square or rectangular shape. The cut glass beveling captures light from extreme angles and distorts any exterior movement into circular patterns. The window is set in a reclaimed wood frame. 19" x 25", $2000. Daniel Maher Stained Glass. Restoration and custom work. Somerville, MA.www.dmstainedglass.com



recycled glass dishes
The Blue window is composed of cobalt blue storage jar parts and stemware bottoms. The border is a handblown multiple color streaky glass sprinkled with faceted glass jewels. www.dmstainedglass.com



recycled glassware
Very Red Snapper was inspired by and is composed entirely of kitchen glassware. Wine glass and bottle bottoms, serving plates, food storage containers, percolator tops, glass bowls and a cookie jar were cannibalized for their unique patterns to enhance the design. The window is a fun twist of presenting a "food" window fabricated in food related glass objects. Daniel Maher Stained Glass. Restoration and custom work. Somerville, MA. www.dmstainedglass.com




recycled glass bottles 
The Housewares Graveyard was the second window of the series completely assembled with glass rescued from functional glass objects. 21" x 30", $2400.www.dmstainedglass.com




Recycled glass window by Don Leedy of Oregon.
brokenglass12.com






Recycled glass window by Don Leedy
www.oregonlive.com

recycled glass bottles
Old Bottles #2, 1992

Bottles, brass, 25"h x 20"w

By John Bassett, basglas.com



recycled glass bottles

Old Bottles #1, 1992

Bottles, brass, 24"h x 19"w

By John Bassett, basglas.com

Eyeglass Stained Glass, 'Family Tree' 1988

Glass, wood sash, eyeglasses

33"h x 34"w

By John Bassett, basglas.com




recycled glass bottles 
Three Stalks, 1981

Glass, brass, 15"h x 18"w

By John Bassett basglas.com




recycled glass bottles

Knot Bad, 2011

Bottle glass in old sash, 18"h x 34"w x 2"

John Bassett, basglas.com





Glass dishes attached to a window by Peggy.





Melted glass bottles by Erwin Timmers. www.ecoglassart.com





Recycled glass rubberband balls and cubes by Erwin Timmers. Glass fusing is a process of layering and then putting the glass into a kiln at temperatures around 1500°F (not enough to completely melt it). www.ecoglassart.com





Recycled glass knot. Erwin Timmers is originally from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and moved to California to study at the Santa Monica College for Design Arts and Architecture. In 1999 he moved to Washington DC and co-founded the Washington Glass Studio and the Washington Glass School. www.ecoglassart.com




recycled glass bottles 
'Eternity' by Cindy Ann Coldiron
Kiln cast window glass, 2010.
artist-cindyann.tripod.com





Shards of old glass, sardine can openers. Finny Fish by Alexander Calder. www.nga.gov





Recycled glass lamps (note the upside down wine bottles) by Whimsical Wonders: Darla Murray and Bridget Smith via: almosteveryword.blogspot.com





Glass Bottle Border at the Mano Poderosa Jardin.
Image by Dee Kincke. www.flickr.com




Glass Bottle Border in garden! More pictures here: thegreenbacksgal.com





Hanging glass bottle flower vases. Super wedding decoration idea. See:www.eatdrinkchic.com





"Relite" lamp shades made from recycled glass, stained glass and or, fused glass.
The glass is broken up and put in a rock tumbler and/or kiln to get the effect.
Light blubs are CFL or LED. $35 - $90. www.berriecreative.com

'Relite' recycled glass lamp shades on reuse bases.

www.berriecreative.com

Close-up of a Berrie 'Relite' - Love it!
www.facebook.com/berriecreative





Glass Bottle Lamps. brillanteinteriors.blogspot.com
How to: www.instructables.com




recycled glass bottles
Manuel Rapoport has built a house in Bariloche, Patagonia, Argentina with 100% recycled ingredients. Tin cans for roofing and siding and merged whiskey bottles as windows.www.designopatagonia.com.ar





Architectual glass individually cut and placed. Bowl and mold hand built from found objects. $400. Artist: Aaron Tafoya © 2008 ~18 x 18 in. sits on stand.www.recycledglassartdesign.com






Recycled grape lamps. Artiquea collects and separates glass according to color; after being smashed and washed, the fragments are melted down. They blow grapes and vases, mould spiral discs and bulbous glasses... Grapes and plate lamps and more:www.artiquea.co.uk






Recycled hanging glass lamp by Wolf Art Glass & Pottery,
Austin, Texas: www.wolfartglass.com
Etsy: $545.  www.etsy.com





Recycled glass lamp put together with bailing wires, from Indonesia.www.overstock.com





recycled glass bottles
Art with a Conscience. Artecnica. www.artecnicainc.com
See how-to video below.



recycled glass bottles
Art with a Conscience. Artecnica. www.artecnicainc.com





'Recycled Wine Bottle' Appetizer Trays  $25.00  © 2009, Aaron Tafoya will make you any custom glass item. www.recycledglassartdesign.com





Pantone or Paint Chip Door - to mimic all the colors that surround in nature.
By Armin Blasbichler, www.arminblasbichler.com





Beer Bottle Buddha
Wat Lan Kuat (One Million Bottle Temple) in Khn Han, Eastern Thailand.





Angle Cabinet Institute




recycled glass bottles

Earthdance #1, 2011

Bottle glass, red frit, 28"h x 15"

By John Bassett basglas.com

Videos:

Video showing how to make bottle cheese plates:
The bottles are carefully put in a kiln, slowly heated to temperatures around 1400 degrees, cooled, and turned into cheese boards, spoon rests, etc. www.glassbyerica.comSee the process here: www.youtube.com


Video showing how to make a Glass Cup from a bottle:
Although the video maker used a torch and electric grinder, you can do it with just a glass scorer and sandpaper. www.youtube.com


Books:

 "Sculpture and Design With Recycled Glass" by Cindy Ann Coldiron, Schiffer Books, 2011, features 40 artists and 125 sculptures in an exploration of the use of recycled glass as a medium for sculpture and creative design. www.amazon.com



Recycling glass vs making glass from scratch:

Glass recycling turns used glass products back into "new" glass products. By some estimates, recycling glass uses 40% less energy than creating new glass from silica sand, lime and soda ash. Recycled glass also creates about 20% less air pollution and 50% less water pollution.

Glass recycling is a much more efficient process than plastic recycling, since plastics are usually "downcycled" into a lower-quality form of plastic. Plastic water bottles, for example, cannot be recycled into new plastic bottles, but glass containers can be recycled indefinitely into new glass containers.

When glass is recycled, it is cleaned and separated by color. All other items, including plastic and metal caps, are also removed. Recycled glass is then crushed into a mixture called cullet, which is then sold back to glass manufacturing facilities.

• Recycling glass:
  Saves raw materials - Over a ton of natural resources are conserved for every ton of glass recycled. Cuts CO₂ emissions - For every six tons of recycled container glass used, a ton of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, is reduced. From: gpi.org

Glass that is not recyclable:

Window glass, mirrors, glass cups or tumblers, ceramic, Pyrex, colored glass (other than green and the amber that beer bottles usually are), light bulbs (hardware stores may take light bulbs), windows and windshields, aren't generally accepted by  local recycling centers. That's because these different glass products have a different melting point from container glass, so that your local recycling center may not recycle them. Yet, some recycling centers send their glass to cement producers, where the glass is crushed and used as filler in cement products. One needs to contact one's local recycling center to find out what kind of glass it recycles.


 
For more see the Glass Bottle Walls Page:  inspirationgreen.com/glassbottlewalls