Essentials:

One can very well start with the old bottles. It is better not to mix up the different bottles but to use the glass of a single bottle. If you want to buy some new glass then always make it a point to check that all the glass must bear the same COE (Coefficient of Expansion) of the glass. This ensures the compatibility of the glass. It is wise to use the glass marked with COE 90 and COE 96 glasses. Mainly Bullseye, Uroboros and Spectrum Glassworks produce them. They cost of these glass is more than the usual glass. The other glass fusing supplies include,

• A glasscutter
• Running and glazing pliers
• Safety glasses
• Kiln wash powder
• A ceramic kiln shelf
• Kiln posts
• Kiln

However, the stained glass supplies happen to be different in nature than the above essentials.

Steps:

• Mix up the kiln wash to a creamy consistency and then prepare the kiln and the kiln shelf. Then paint the base of the kiln with the mixture of the kiln wash. Then thin down the paint to milk like consistency and paint one side of the ceramic shelf by applying four coats of the paint.

• Then determine the desired design and cut the glass likewise. The glass can be stacked vertically, which is unlike stained glass.

• The glass should be cleaned thoroughly in order to remove all the fingerprints and grit. You can use warm soapy solution or alcohol for the cleaning purpose. It is better not to use the commercial glass cleaners.

• Now, place the pieces of glass on the kiln shelf you have prepared. The glass should be bit away from the edge of the shelf and the distance to be maintained depends largely on the growing thickness of the glass on heating.

• Then close the kiln and start the heating process. Ramp down the kiln slowly, depending on the amount of the glass and the consequences that follow. Inaccurate ramp timing might give rise to a thermal shock to the glass.

• If you are looking for a tack fuse then the desired level of temperature should rest at 1325 degrees Fahrenheit and for a full fuse the temperature to be targeted should be 1450 degrees Fahrenheit.

• In case you are making small items then it is better to unplug the kiln at this point and then leave it to cool down naturally. For items ranging to a thickness and width of half inch, then look up cooling times.

• It is a strict ‘No’ to open the lid of the kiln until the items reach a temperature below 150 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Lastly, take a class on handling a kiln before you start firing a kiln at home.

Warning:

• If you want to look inside the kiln through the peeping hole or opening the lid then always use a protective glass. The infrared waves emitted by the kiln can burn your eyeball.

• When the kiln is not in use then keep in on unplug mode.

• If you want to open the lid of the kiln then use a pair of protective gloves.

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Always keep away small children away from the kiln, especially during the firing time. As when the kiln is firing the stainless steel jacket and the other fixtures attached to the kiln are excessively hot and might burn your skin. One must always wear a pair of protective gloves while opening the door of the burning kiln. It is better not to put instruments made of metal inside the kilns and another thing to be remembered is that, the elements within the kiln should never be touched during the firing process, as that might cause electric shock. In many models of glass kilns there are baffles, which prevent the operator of the kiln from getting the shock, as mandrels are required to be inserted within the kiln. Therefore, if the baffles have been removed from the kiln then do not try to put the mandrels into the kilns. It is wise to have the kiln unplugged before you attempt to touch the electrical components in the kiln.

Another significant safety aspect of the glass kilns lies in its installation process.. It is always better to install the kiln in a place which is sheltered and it should be a place such as a garage, a carport, a room meant for utility or for pursuing a hobby. You should not ever store any flammable supply in the same area where the kiln has been installed. The perfect position for placing a kiln is keeping apart about 18 inches from the walls lying adjacent to it or from the other kilns placed in the proximity. The place where the glass kilns should be kept needs to be well ventilated. It should always be checked that the head rating of the fire-control sprinkler system is at the right level.

You should never locate the kiln in an enclosed space or in a room where the temperature might tend to fall below 32°F or rise above 105°F. This causes damage to the components within the kiln. The surface on which the kiln must rest on should be made of some element, which is non-combustible, such as, metal, ceramic or brick. During the firing process all the combustible factors should be removed from the proximity of the kiln. Never try to view the interior of the kiln as this might damage your eyes and even if the operator needs to do it, a protective UV or IR goggles should be used.

Before one start with the firing process all the brick chips and other elements should be removed from the surrounding. Do it by vacuuming the inside of the kiln. One point to be noted is that, while you are firing the glass kiln for the first time, then it is quite normal to find hairline cracks on the floor of the kiln. This is caused as the firebricks get contracted and expanded. This no way affects the life of the kiln, be rest assured.

So follow these simple safety measures and working with glass kilns will be a mere easy task.

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