So things I learned somewhat the hard way…

• It helps if you know what your glass IS. Most of mine are pieces I bought solely for the color to add to my kaleidoscope chambers so the COE is unknown. (You can’t mix COE’s or your glass will crack since the types will expand and contract at different rates)
• Cuttlebone casting looks really cool and is something I want to play with more, but I probably shouldn’t have cut the cuttlebone in two pieces because it cracked while fusing… That may be normal – who knows at this point?
• My temperature (1450 degrees F) wasn’t quite high enough for the glass I was using to bing it to full fuse
• Leave more room between pieces
• I could have some serious problems with getting addicted to glass!

So anyway, I got the kiln and we unpacked it and put it in the cellar near a door so we can vent it to the outside when needed. I ran through the first cycle empty just to burn off any residual oils etc from manufacturing. I did some reading online to find a sample fusing schedule for the kiln (temp was too low for this type of glass though). Then I set up my glass (irridized Spectrum stained glass) mostly on a kiln shelf on top of kiln paper. You use a different type of shelf for glass than you use for PMC which was interesting.

I also bought some cuttlebones from the pet aisle (parakeets use them) and carved some random shallow designs in one piece and a much deeper depression in the other. I used black glass with the irridized face down on the the shallow design and some assorted glass chips on the deeper depression. The black glass came out really cool (sorry the pic isn’t too good). It kept a bit of the irridescence but has the rough texture of the cuttlebone and the higher texture of my carved lines. The deeper carving didn’t work too well – too many air bubbles I think.

I also should have left more room (I knew I had too much stuff on the shelf) since a couple pieces fused together. I tried some colors of Pearlex mica powder on some clear glass (which must have a MUCH higher fusing point since it barely did anything) and the gold stayed but the blue and green seemed to mostly burn away. Something further to experiment with although I don’t like how most of the pieces, except the black textured one, came out.

I think I’m going to have some fun with this though