[TheForge] glass doors & glass shaping

[Cameron Stoker]

You can make the fancy, more expensive 'black' or dark grey fiberglass 
inulating gasket rope stuff by taking the plain white kind and rubbing a 
bunch of graphite powder into it. You can get a 1lb. can of graphite 
powder from mcmastercarr . Our local glass shop chardes almost double 
for the gray rope compared to the plain white.


Ralph Sproul wrote:
> 	All good info Roger, The fellow that showed me the masonry furnace doors
> had similar angles welded three sides behind the door with the gasket
> tensioning the glass to the door.  His was the thick white heavy rope gasket
> and looked rather poorly.  I like the idea of a grey colored that would tone
> down the difference between glass and steel so it doesn't look like it was
> silicoln caulked into the door (like his did).
> 
> 	Thanks for sending this along - very helpful.
> 
> 	On another glass tangent, I'm making 15 sconces for a ski area currently -
> and the glass is to be "slumped" to the compound curves of the light
> fixture.  Anyone have suggestions on how to build glass molds for slumping
> and some do's and don'ts before I get to far along?  Just curious if anyone
> has done any of these types of projects.
> 	My current train of thought is to slump over the curve to relax the lens to
> shape going down on the ends.  I'll use 3/8 plate to shape to the outside
> radius of the frame to get the form, and brace the steel plate with gussets
> from the rear to work with and not distort.  Any ideas what temps slumping
> occurs at? How will glass release from steel?  Can sides to shape the glass
> be done in a prior mold?
> 	I'll be meeting with the glass artist next week when I get the proto type
> done to discuss this and he'll have some input for sure - but I was
> wondering if someone has dealt with this making and shaping of glass lenses
> before?  It would be nice to have some kind of a clue before I walk in the
> door.
> 
> Ralph
> 

-- 
                 Cameron Stoker
                 cameron at stoker.net
                 "May you run like a vicuña!"