Flexible Mold with KLB Drape Triangles
Created at our BIG Arts workshop by Karin S.
For this mold setup, I used our shorter and longer drape triangles and covered them with a piece of fiber cloth.
Make Your Own Anti Devit Solution
Devitrification Solution
Devitrification will leave a crystalline (hazy) finish on the surface of your glass. You can either etch or sandblast the glass or you can try a Devitrification Spray. Pay special attention to the mixing directions – not following them can lead to ugly spots on your fired glass.
But glass that is not made for fusing, like Wissmach regular Art Glass has a tendency to devitrify. In any case, you might have some around from your stained glass days, or you found some beautiful glass you could not resist to buy, than you can try to make something by fusing just the glass from the same sheet. And to avoid devit, make the solution below and follow the instructions.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 quart (4 cups) distilled water
- 1/4 cup 20 “Mule Team Borax” (available at most grocery stores in the laundry detergent section)
- 2 Tablespoons Fuse It Tack Film or other clean burning glass glue,
Materials:
- 2 clean, water-tight, 1 quart (or larger) containers
DIRECTIONS:
- Mix all ingredients very well in one of the clean containers. For best results, close container and shake vigorously.
- Allow mixture to sit, undisturbed, overnight.
- Some of the borax will settle in the bottom of the container. Carefully pour the liquid into the second container. Do not allow any of the settled borax into the second container. This leaves a small amount of liquid with the borax sediment in the first container. Discard the contents of the first container.
- The solution in the second container is ready for use (see below).
- Simply brush (a haiku brush) or spray the solution evenly onto your glass.
- Let the spray dry before firing. A hair dryer can be used to speed this up.
The Magic of Working Diagonal!
A Kaiser Lee Board Tutorial to Celebrate the Beginning of the Twenties!
Happy New Year!
Finally we will have a decade again with an identity.
Should you be reading this post to the end, you will find out that there is a possibility that I will actually make it for you. Just be one of the first people to order our “Special” and request a mold cutting service.
My students keep asking me, if we could make plates that are fairly flat with just a slight curve to the edges of the dish. So finally I succumbed to the challange and made one out of Kaiser Lee Board. Of course it can not just be a “one use” style mold.
To create the curve I used a sanding block and carved on an angle to the inside, where I removed the 5 inch circle first.
Several year ago one of my students, Dick, introduced me to those little tiles which you can get mounted on a net at any place where they sell tiles. Make sure they are ceramic tiles. You can even cut them with a glass cutter and break them with the runner. Until then I always used little pieces of KLB. But this definitely gives me more options and they are easier to use.
Using just two tiles to elevated the outer mold part just to a very shallow dish. If you want the dish a bit deeper in the center, add another tile and for a soup bowl you remove the center KLB part and use as many tiles you like until you have the preferred hight of your bowl.
I used 4 sets of tiles three levels high for this blue lunch plate.
Create Your Own Table Setting with just this ONE KLB Mold
Just recently we had a discussion with a friend who said that he wanted a tablesetting made in the USA. So I told him not to look any further. He can make his own with glass made in the USA – Wissmach Glass, which is even tested food save.
So with this mold we will be making serving plates, lunch plates, soup bowls, and dinner plates. And if we get bored by the pattern, we can always change it.
To celebrate the New Year we have created this special offer. And the first 10 customers can request one mold cutting service ($15 value). All you have to do is send in your design request and we will cut it for you.
Also in the month of January and February you can earn a $ 10 Gift Certificate when you are willing to share your KLB experiments with us and our blog readers.
Year End Inspiration
Another year is coming to an end. Did yours fly by also? I hope it was a healthy and creative year for you.
For us it is the last few days before our South West Florida Season is getting very busy. Yes, we have seasons in Florida, too. 
Don’t frown, we have not seen the sun for several days now and for some reason the rainy season is back. Hopefully it will get better when you will come for a visit.
Have you ever thought about wasting a Kaiser Lee Board to experiment with some new and fun kiln forming projects? I have good news for you. You can’t waste KLB, since every small piece and even the “Sand” is useful when it comes to interesting kiln forming options.
Two Step Down Bowl Fired in One Firing
Special Offer
Imagine what you could gain, if you start yourself on a Kaiser Lee Board journey. Let’s get you started with 3 KL-boards 12″ x 12″ x 1″, and a FREE e-book and until January 9th this special package comes with free shipping in the consecutive 48 US-States.Mold Set Up for the Two Step Down Bowl
I use little ceramic tiles to elevate the outer mold part in order to create the two steps.
Use the same pieces to set up 3 more mold possibilities for 3 additional projects.
Yes, there are more, but I have a tendency to overwhelm people with the possibilities of Kaiser Lee Board. Just keep in mind, in the long run, KLB is the most economical mold material in the market since over twenty years.
To celebrate the New Year we have created this special offer. And the first 10 customers can request one mold cutting service ($15 value). All you have to do is send in your design request and we will cut it for you.
Also in the month of January and February you can earn a $ 10 Gift Certificate when you are willing to share your KLB experiments with us and our blog readers.
We wish you Happy Holidays and a Healthy, Happy and Creative Year 2020.
Petra & Wolfgang Kaiser
Firing Red Glass
Somewhere back in my brain I remember that glass can change in successive firings. Especially the red, orange and yellow. Since I usually full fuse at around 1410° F (765° C) and often full fuse and slump in one firing, I did not encounter those issues.
But as Wissmach’s kiln glass consultant I have spoken to people with various fusing questions. In most cases we were able to solve the issues by changing their firing schedule. Therefor I sat down and wrote a Firing E-Book.
Recently I did get some 90 COE glass (not Wissmach) to test. So at first I fired it at 1410° F (765° C) and placed it between the polarized film on our Fuse It Test Card. The results were very good. No stress at all. The transparent dark red was still transparent and did not show any stress. The opaque orange of course was still opaque and also did not show any stress and the yellow transparent was equally perfect.
In a second test I took the same test glass piece and fired it again at a higher temperature; 1460° F (794° C). The orange and the yellow stayed the same. No stress and no change of transparency. But we could see a lot of change in the dark red. It turned opaque and is now showing a lot of stress
Find the Free How To Ust it video here.
Join us in September at:
BIG Arts Class Projects Are Getting Bigger and Bigger
This Bird Bath
was made by Karen Schoen, who started glass fusing this season. She might be a new fusing addict and I’m looking forward to have her and everybody else back in class by November 28, 2018. This is when we will start our classes again.
The summer season will be packed with events. First we will be at the TGK open house in Bielefeld, Germany. In September we will be at Anything Stained Glass in Frederick, MD and in October at Creative Glass in Bristol, UK.
And in November we will have our Fun in the Sun week. There are still some spots open.
Have fun and keep on fusing and I hope to see some of you somewhere this year.
Wissmach added some more colors to their 96 Frit supply. Have a look at all the colors and frit sizes and if you like, you can order one or more of our convenient all inclusive boxes.