Bottle Slumping; take a look in the kiln!
- The first thing you need to do is remove the labels
from your bottles; for stubborn ones Goo-Gone works well.
- Next be sure to wash and dry your bottles completely.
Moisture is the enemy. It can cause the bottle to explode, making a very big
mess in your kiln.
- Bottles with painted labels are ok (actually –very
cool) but I suggest; use a thin sheet of fiber paper under the part where the label comes in
contact with the mold surface, otherwise the bottle might get stuck and ruin
your mold.
- Devitrification spray can be applied to the bottles
to prevent a hazy or scummy appearance on the glass after it’s fired.
- If you would like to hang your bottle or you are
making wind chimes; take a piece of 20 gage copper wire shaped in a U and insert it
in the bottle top before slumping.
- Use a mold that has been pre treated with glass
separator and again dried completely. Separator should be reapplied between
firings as needed. Check the vent holes to be sure that they are not plugged with the
separator.
-
500 DPH (degrees per hr), to 1000 DF, soak (hold temp) for 10 minutes.
-
Heat AFAP (as
fast as possible), to 1350 to 1450 DF,(depending on the size of your bottle) soak for 5-15 minutes or until the bottle
is slumped to perfection.
(watch it closely during this time it can move rather fast!)
-
Cool AFAP by flash venting the kiln; continue to open and close
the lid for a few seconds to allow the heat to escape\until the temperature
falls to 1000 DF.
-
Soak for
10 minutes at 1000 DF.
-
Annealing
Stage; slow cool 180 DPH to 800 DF.
-
Next turn
off the kiln and let it cool naturally to room temperature; don't peek!
After you remove your project
from the kiln; be sure to vacuum any spall from the copper wire to avoid
contaminating your next project.
You may want to
adjust the temperature and/or soak time according to the size and thickness of your bottle.
Don’t become
discouraged trial and error is the best teacher and sometimes the result of what
will be some of your favorite pieces.
Have Fun! Questions - Email: sue@clayfriends.com
|
