by Mark Montano
GLASS FUSING
I was the kid who always put a glass bottle in the campfire at the end of the night just to see if it would melt flat by morning. I LOVE MELTING GLASS. Two years ago I was sent the Fuseworks Microwave Kiln Kit, and it hasn’t left my kitchen counter since! Everyone who visits me insists on making something with it because it’s just so fun to use and experiment with. I’m not kidding. I promise that once you get started with this kiln, you will zip through the projects in this chapter and go on to make hundreds more.
THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
(and Things I Learned After Two Years of Fusing)
The glass fused in this kiln (and the inside of the kiln itself) can reach 1,400 to 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s not a toy! It is not for children under the age of 16 without adult supervision.
DO NOT leave the microwave unattended while using this kiln and never heat longer than six minutes. In fact, I’ve found four minutes is the longest I’ve ever needed for any piece of glass.
There must be a minimum of 3 inches between the top of the kiln and the ceiling of your microwave.
Make sure that you leave room around your glass pieces when you place them in the kiln so that when you fuse, the glass doesn’t melt and touch the side of the kiln, as this can ruin your kiln. I did get a bit of glass on the side of my kiln and was able to gently chip it off (when the kiln had completely cooled) and it still worked well, but it’s better to be safe!
IMPORTANT! Let your pieces cool at least 20 minutes with the kiln lid on. You don’t want your glass to cool too quickly—it may develop cracks or shatter. You want the glass to cool slowly and evenly so that it is extremely strong. This is called annealing.
Wear safety glasses AND cotton gloves when handling the kiln and glass. Treat every piece of glass like hot glass because it can look cool but still be very HOT!
Keep a journal of your experiments with your glass pieces, logging details like how long you fused certain glass pieces and the types of glass you use.
NOTE: Fuseworks advises using their glass for certain results; however, over the past two years, I’ve been experimenting with a wide range of different kinds of glass pieces (along with theirs), and all types have yielded good results.
Here are my findings. There are stores that specialize in mosaics and glass fusing and they’ll sell glass that you can use in this kiln. A COE (Coefficient of Expansion, or how quickly the glass cools) of 90 is primarily what is used and what is recommended for this kiln. However, glass comes in all kinds of different COEs. Mixing COEs will cause the glass pieces you make to crack and break, because some parts will cool faster than others. Have you ever filled a hot glass from the dishwasher with cold water? It can be scary.
I’ve found that if you use glass marbles from the same bag, they work well together. Often glass pieces from the same company will work well together. You just have to experiment and keep your glass pieces together. For example, decorative glass chips from the craft store, if they’re all made by the same company, generally have the same COE and can work well together in the kiln. Pieces of the same broken bottle can work well, too. You can always try mixing different pieces if you don’t know the exact COE and risk cracking and breakage, though much of the time I’ve had good luck finding glass pieces that work well together in the kiln.
I’ve also found that using small amounts of glass beads creates a nice effect on glass and the beads don’t cause the piece to crack. You’ll see that I sprinkled black bugle beads on a few pieces in this chapter, and they look amazing. Really, it’s all about experimentation and keeping track of your findings. Most important, though, is SAFETY!
FUSED GLASS AND CHAIN
As I’ve mentioned, I’ve been going crazy making glass pieces. Not your typical fused glass pieces, but what I like to call “glass gems.” I was lucky enough to find some very dark red glass and mixed it with these pieces for a shot of color. Find a glass store in your area that works with stained glass, and you’ll be well on your way to experimenting with all different techniques.
YOU’LL NEED
Fuseworks Microwave Kiln Kit
Fuse paper (usually included in the kiln kit)
Clear flat glass marbles (you can often find bags of them at the dollar store in the flower-arranging area)
Black glass beads
Red glass chips
Elmer’s Glue-All
E-6000 glue
Aluminum flashing
Tin shears or heavy-duty scissors with serrated blades
Scrap wood
Drill with small drill bit
3 feet of medium silver-tone chain
1 silver-tone lobster claw closure
6 silver-tone jump rings
Piece of scrap wood
Needle-nose pliers (and wirecutters if the pliers don’t have them)
HERE’S HOW
1 With your Elmer’s Glue-All, glue some black glass beads and some red glass chips on the center of a clear glass flat marble, place on your fuse paper on the base of your kiln, and microwave in the kiln on high for three to four minutes, depending on your microwave. Create five different gems, making sure to use the same technique each time to get similar results.
2 Let your pieces cool after you use your kiln each time.
3 Pick three fused glass gems and decide how you want to position them on the aluminum flashing. (These will be the three connected pieces.) With tin shears or heavy-duty serrated scissors, cut a piece of flashing 4 inches by 8 inches. Trace the rough shapes onto the flashing, leaving enough space around each piece to accommodate the chain.
4 Cut out your aluminum piece, glue down your three fused glass gems, and let dry.
5 Repeat the same process for the two remaining glass gems, but cut out the circles from the flashing completely; these will hang down from the main piece.
6 With a toothpick and your E-6000, glue chain around your glass pieces, and let dry.
7 Drill a hole on each side of your three-piece component by placing the drill inside one of the chain links. Do this on top of some scrap wood so you don’t ruin a surface.
8 Drill a hole in the bottom center of your three-piece component.
9 Drill two holes opposite from each other on your dangling pieces and one hole on the other dangling piece.
10 Attach all the pieces together with jump rings.
11 Add 8 inches of chain on each side of your three-piece component with two more jump rings.
12 Add two jump rings to the ends of the chain and a lobster claw for the closure.
FUSED GLASS AND METAL CUFF
This piece looks expensive and artsy. It’s just the kind of piece you could wear to a chic gallery opening. When they find out you made it yourself, it’ll be YOU everyone’s talking about. I guarantee it!
YOU’LL NEED
Large piece of fused glass
Flat metal cuff
Aluminum flashing
Tin shears or heavy-duty scissors with serrated blades
Scrap wood
E-6000 glue
Krylon silver metallic
Krylon gray primer
HERE’S HOW
1 With tin shears or heavy-duty serrated scissors, cut a piece of aluminum flashing 4 inches by 4 inches. Trace around your piece of fused glass on the aluminum flashing. Add an extra border of about 1/8 inch to the tracings and cut out that shape from the flashing.
2 Glue the aluminum shape to the metal cuff with E-6000 and let dry.
3 Spray the entire cuff with the gray primer and let dry.
4 Spray the cuff with the metallic silver and let dry.
5 Glue on the piece of fused glass with more E-6000 and let dry.
FUSED GLASS DOUBLE BROOCH
Why not have two instead of one? This way you can wear this brooch all sorts of different ways! Perhaps you could use it to keep a chic scarf around your neck or even use it like an old sweater clip to keep your cardigan from falling off. Either way, as I always say, two is
better than one.
YOU’LL NEED
2 pieces of fused glass
Aluminum flashing
Tin shears or heavy-duty scissors with serrated blades
Scrap wood
Hammer and small nail
Piece of scrap wood
E-6000 glue
25 inches of fine silver-tone chain
2 silver-tone jump rings
2 pin backs
Optional: Drill with very small drill bit
HERE’S HOW
1 With tin shears or heavy-duty serrated scissors, cut out a piece of aluminum flashing 4 inches by 4 inches. Trace around each fused glass piece on the aluminum flashing.
2 Add an extra border to the tracings the width of your chain and cut out the shapes from the flashing.
3 On a piece of scrap wood to protect your work surface, tap a hole through one end of each piece of flashing with your hammer and nail. (Or you could use a drill with a very small drill bit.)
4 Flip the pieces over and tap the hole with the hammer to eliminate any sharp edges.
5 Glue the fused glass pieces to the flashing pieces with E-6000, making sure not to cover the holes, and let dry.
6 Cut four lengths of chain: 5 inches, 41/2 inches, 4 inches, and 31/2 inches. Connect the ends of the chains together with jump rings and then attach the jump rings to the holes in the flashing.
7 Glue your pin backs on the flashing and let dry.
FUSED GLASS COCKTAIL EARRINGS
Sometimes I call my friends and tell them to dress up in their finest outfits so we can go out to dinner. It doesn’t matter where we go, it’s just fun to dress up and look wonderful. Why have fancy jewelry and clothes if you only wear them once a year? No one has to know that you’re not coming from the opera or a swanky event, right? I think these earrings are going to make an appearance (on my friend Kelly) at our next fancy outing.
YOU’LL NEED
Four pieces of fused glass
Aluminum flashing
Tin shears or heavy-duty scissors with serrated blades
Scrap wood
E-6000 glue
12 inches of crystal chain
2 silver-tone clip-on earring blanks
6 silver-tone jump rings
Needle-nose pliers (and wirecutters if the pliers don’t have them)
HERE’S HOW
1 With tin shears or heavy-duty scissors, cut a piece from the aluminum flashing 4 inches by 4 inches. Place your fused glass pieces on the flashing and carefully trace around them.
2 Add a border the width of your crystal chain to your tracings on the aluminum flashing and cut the pieces out.
3 Glue your glass pieces on the flashing with E-6000, and let dry.
4 Glue one jump ring to the edge of each piece with a dab of E-6000.
5 Circle your glass pieces with the crystal chain to determine how long the chain needs to be. Cut the chain to size. With dabs of E-6000 on a toothpick, glue the chain around each piece, and let dry.
6 Link the two pieces together with another jump ring.
7 Glue a clip-on earring blank to the back of each piece, and let dry.
FUSED GLASS COCKTAIL RING
Nothing says glamour like a big cocktail ring. Fused glass pieces are the perfect stone for this project, and there are as many variations as there are snowflakes. Just fuse your glass piece in the colors you like to create your gem and you’re halfway there.
YOU’LL NEED
Fused glass piece
Enough crystal chain to encircle the piece of glass
E-6000 glue
Toothpicks
Aluminum flashing
Tin shears or heavy-duty scissors with serrated blades
Scrap wood
Ring blank
HERE’S HOW
1 With tin shears or heavy-duty serrated scissors, cut out a small square (a couple of inches square should be enough) from the aluminum flashing. Trace around your fused glass gem with a fine marker on the flashing.
2 Add a border the width of your crystal chain to your tracings on the aluminum flashing and cut the pieces out.
3 Carefully cut out your shape.
4 Glue the glass gem in the center of the flashing with E-6000. With dabs of E-6000 on a toothpick, carefully glue the crystal chain around the perimeter, and let dry.
5 Glue a ring blank on the back with a generous gob of E-6000, and let dry. Now get out there and knock ’em dead!
FUSED GLASS CHECKERBOARD GEMS
This was a real challenge to make, but once I figured it out, it was smooth sailing! My best creative advice is to just go for it! What is the worst that could happen? It’s just a craft project, right?
YOU’LL NEED
Fuseworks Microwave Kiln Kit
Fuse paper (usually included in the kiln kit)
10 white marbles
10 black marbles
E-6000 glue
Elmer’s Glue-All
Wax paper
Cardboard
36 inches of medium silver-tone chain
18 inches of large silver-tone chain
2 three- or four-strand clasp ends (I used a four-strand because the large chain was too big for a three-strand.)
Aluminum flashing
Tin shears or heavy-duty scissors with serrated blades
Scrap wood
10 silver-tone jump rings
1 large silver-tone lobster claw closure
Needle-nose pliers (and wirecutters if the pliers don’t have them)
Elmer’s Glue-All
HERE’S HOW
1 With Elmer’s glue, glue together two white and two black marbles, as seen in photo a, on fuse paper on the base of your microwave kiln and let dry for a few minutes.
2 Microwave for about four minutes on high to fuse them, as seen in photo b. You will need to experiment because each microwave kiln is different. It may take four and a half minutes in yours. This is the fun part!
3 Repeat steps 1 and 2 until you have created five checkerboard gems.
4 Lay down a sheet of wax paper on cardboard.
5 Cut 36 inches of medium chain and 18 inches of large chain. Lay them down on the wax paper in the curved shape of the choker, as seen in photo c. This is very important! The chains must be in the shape of the choker or it won’t lie properly on your neck.
6 With a generous amount of E-6000, glue your checkerboard gems in place on the curved chains and let dry. Make sure to get the glue on all three chains and don’t move them until all of the pieces are completely dry.
7 With tin shears or heavy-duty serrated scissors, cut five small circles from the flashing a bit smaller than your fused glass pieces.
8 When the glass pieces are dry on the chain, glue an aluminum circle to the back of each gem. This will hide the glue gobs and keep the inside neat.
9 Cut your chains so that they are all the same length at the back and add them to the clasp ends with jump rings.
10 Add another jump ring and a lobster claw for the closure.
BRASS AND GLASS COCKTAIL RINGS
A bold cocktail ring is the easiest go-to accessory to pull off, and these are just the ticket to make something as simple as a pair of jeans and a T-shirt look amazing. I haven’t been able to keep these around long enough to photograph them, because my female friends have been snagging them! I think they’re a hit.
YOU’LL NEED
Fuseworks Microwave Kiln Kit
Fuse paper (usually included in the kiln kit)
A fused glass piece for each ring you want to make
E-6000 glue
Needle-nose pliers
Ring blanks
Various stamped brass ornaments
Hint:
You can order brass stampings and ring blanks online at www.bsueboutiques.com OR www.vintagejewelrysupplies.com. Both places have LOVELY selections.
HERE’S HOW
1 Glue your glass pieces together with the Elmer’s and then fuse them in the Fuseworks Mic
rowave Kiln Kit according to the instructions included with the kit and let cool (see tips).
2 Remove the fuse paper from the back.
3 Figure out which stamped brass piece you want to use for your ring and see if it fits on the glass. You may have to bend a little piece like a leg or wing down on the edges. It’s easy, just use pliers.
4 With a generous glob of E-6000, glue your brass ornament on the fused glass and let dry.
5 Turn your piece over, glue on your ring blank with more E-6000, and let dry.
CAGED GEMS
I have a superstition about book writing. The first project I finish for a book has to be amazing . . . at least to me. So, without further ado, here it is, my Caged Gem Necklace made from some of my favorite fused glass pieces. I like wrapping things in wire, but not always in the usual ways. Using wire to secure the gems seemed like a nice break from the everyday wire-wrapping projects (although that technique would work well for this, too).
YOU’LL NEED
Piece of aluminum flashing
Tin shears or heavy-duty scissors with serrated blades
Scrap wood
4 large pieces of fused glass or paper turquoise stones
5 large silver-tone jump rings
2 pieces of large silver-tone chain, each 6 inches long
1 silver-tone lobster claw closure
Hammer and nail
Piece of scrap wood
