[TheForge] glass doors & glass shaping

[Justin Fisher]

I've done some slumped glass on steel, and if you use kiln wash it releases quite easily - as long as the glass doesn't slightly wrap around the steel.  I was slumping onto a wire frame and some of the pieces had the glass slump and "overshoot" the frame, so that the steel rod was just slightly encased in the glass.  Let's just say the glass isn't forgiving at all!  I had to clean those up and try again suign some pieces of sheet to prevent the wrapping effect.  The results were worth it.

I have also used high-temp bricks for kiln making as mold material.  They carve quite well with the trusty angle grinder, but be careful about respirator usage, as I believe the dust is bad news.

The temp will depend on the formulation of the glass.  1300-1400 degrees F would be reasonable.  Above that the glass becomes too fluid for slumping, but good for fusing or casting.

--Justin
in soggy Massachusetts