How to fuse glass * * * * * * *
One of the oldest methods of working with glass is called fusing. Fusing glass is something that can be done in the home, all that is needed is a kiln and some raw materials, (which I will come onto later). As far as the kiln is concerned, it needs to be capable of heating up to 850 degrees centigrade. However, to begin at the beginning. My first experience fusing glass was at the ‘Bring your Burner’’’ week at Plowden & Thompson Limited in Stourbridge, in the heart of England’s glass making region. I remember being fascinated watching a few bits of metal sandwiched between two pieces of clear glass and being fused together so as to become a rather attractive and very tactile piece of jewellery. A vivid memory I try to recall as I attempt my own versions of Glass Fusing. After the course had ended, I could not wait to get home and try out all sorts of things for myself. My first task was to collect together all the items which I thought would look good embedded in glass – jewellery findings proved to be a good source – filigree bead caps which had been flattened, bits of wire and other interesting shapes were set aside for experimentation. I also had to purchase some special items, such as fibre paper, fusers glue (or wallpaper paste) and some ‘mini bars’ to control the temperature of my kiln. This particular kiln is either on or off, and it will heat up to about 1200 deg c and stay at that temperature until switched off manually. There is a sort of timing device, which can be set so that the kiln does not remain on forever. By using the ‘mini bars,’ which melt at a given temperature, the kiln switches off the moment they melt. I made a visit to my local glass merchant who was more than happy to provide me with scrap glass off-cuts free of charge. When making jewellery I use 4mm-window glass with no particular concern for its COE (coefficient of expansion). The COE becomes relevant only when fusing different types of glass together. It then becomes vital that both pieces of glass have the same COE.
To make the pendant in the Photo: The pendant above was made by painting a design using fusers glue (or wallpaper paste) on to the bottom piece of glass, then sprinkle with Thompson's Enamel and fuse with the top layer of glass.	Prepare the kiln shelves - paint with bead release or kiln/bat wash. Leave to dry overnight Cut two pieces of 4mm window glass approx. 2" x 1" Make a copper wire ‘hanger’ (I used a ‘wire wizard’ and 0.5mm copper wire) Cut a rectangle of self adhesive copper foil and stick it to one piece of glass Paint the glass & copper foil with fuser glue Place an Ivy leaf on top of the copper foil Place the copper hanger on the glass with the loop protruding from the top of the pendant Check that you are happy with your design. Place the second piece of glass on the top to form a ‘sandwich.’ Carefully place in the kiln and adjust as necessary. Insert the correct ‘mini bar’ to heat up to 850deg c. Leave the kiln lid ajar and then fully close the lid after about 15 minutes. When the mini bar has reached the required temperature (about 1 hour) it will melt and the kiln will switch off. Open the lid as wide as it will go and allow the heat to escape. After 2 minutes close the lid. Do not open the kiln again until fully cooled – overnight at least. When the kiln is cold, remove the fused glass. Wash the piece in warm water to remove any ashy deposits from the copper wire hanger Polish with very fine sandpaper to remove any bead release and also to smooth off any rough edges. Hang the pendant on a chain or ribbon.
Glass fusing is a big subject. Here I can only write about my own rather limited experiences. However, a few good tips for anyone wanting to fuse glass are *Planning, Patience, Perseverance* and you must keep detailed records of your ‘experiments’ Your first attempt at fusing glass will probably prove to be a great disappointment. But don’t be too downhearted and be prepared to persevere. At first I did lots of experiments, using small pieces of glass and just one type of inclusion sandwiched between the glass. I made detailed notes of what I had used, precise details about ‘inclusions’ - were the flattened bead caps gold or silver, very important as you may well find out, and so on. Once the pieces were removed from the kiln I completed my notes with detailed conclusions, both good and bad. (Nail varnish produced some very interesting results indeed). Remember never to place glass directly onto the floor of the kiln or the shelves. If you absolutely have to, then first place fibre paper underneath the glass. This will prevent the glass from sticking to the shelves but at around Ł5 a sheet, I find this a rather expensive item. I now paint my shelves with bead release, (kiln/bat wash) and each coat lasts me approximately 3 fusings. A lot cheaper than the fibre paper! The following items proved to be successful Bead caps, copper wire, cooper foil, nail varnish, gold & silver outliner (used in glass painting), leaves, (I thought Ivy leaves were best) cardboard, foiled card and fibre paper shapes.