tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12097186310614347042012-02-10T23:42:42.123ZProcesses relating to mould making for glass, glass casting, stained glass working, kiln forming and other practices are described.Stephen Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854964450984329333noreply@blogger.comBlogger141100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209718631061434704.post-65947881469628841922012-02-05T08:28:00.000Z2012-02-05T08:28:00.113Z

Tools and Materials Glass Cutters There are a large number of styles and types of cutters available on the market.  It is best to get the feel of one before buying.  You can try various styles out in classes, and usually shops will have examples for demonstration.  Simple steel wheel cutters The cutters above are inexpensive and that is the only advantage.  The one on the left with

Stephen Richardhttps://profiles.google.com/112778184314586915986noreply@blogger.com0Glasgow, Glasgow City G31 2HF, UK55.8645396 -4.226372155.862312100000004 -4.2313076 55.8667671 -4.2214366tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209718631061434704.post-65990607141133993392012-01-29T09:59:00.001Z2012-02-03T00:24:36.597Z

Soldering Techniques This article deals with soldering of lead came, copper foiled projects and zinc.    Lead Came Tools A soldering iron of sufficient power and temperature is required – soldering tools. This will normally be a 100 watt rated iron with a 700F degree bolt (or soldering tip). An additional rheostat is not required or desirable. Usually, 40/60 solder/tin

Stephen Richardhttps://profiles.google.com/112778184314586915986noreply@blogger.com0Glasgow, Glasgow City G31 2HF, UK55.8645396 -4.226372155.862312100000004 -4.2313076 55.8667671 -4.2214366tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209718631061434704.post-71611259218971636432012-01-18T18:56:00.000Z2012-01-18T18:56:00.395Z

Soldering Tools General
 Historically soldering tips were copper, placed in braziers. One tip was used; when the heat had transferred from the tip to the solder (and depleted the heat reserve) it was placed back in the brazier of charcoal and the next tip was used. Much later gas irons were in common use. These used a gas jet to heat the soldering bolt/tip. They are very fast, but require

Stephen Richardhttps://profiles.google.com/112778184314586915986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209718631061434704.post-33132483180580202522012-01-12T18:52:00.000Z2012-01-20T09:32:00.116Z

Soldering Materials Solder Solder Alloys There are a wide variety of solder alloys for varying uses as shown by this table below, which also gives the solidification and liquifaction points together with their uses. Ag = Silver Cd = Cadmium Cu =Copper PB = Lead Sn = Tin Sb = Antimony 2%Sn/2%Sb/96%Pb Solidus 305°C Liquidus 315 °C Uses: High Temperature, High Creep

Stephen Richardhttps://profiles.google.com/112778184314586915986noreply@blogger.com0Glasgow, Glasgow City G31 2HF, UK55.8645396 -4.226372155.862312100000004 -4.2313076 55.8667671 -4.2214366tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209718631061434704.post-66519377450797669972012-01-08T16:49:00.000Z2012-01-20T09:26:28.099Z

Soldering Techniques  Soldering - how it works Soldering is a well known and widely used process where two or more metal items are joined together using a fusible alloy with a melting temperature that is lower than their own. The most commonly used solder is a fusible alloy consisting essentially of a tin and lead mixture. The solder actually dissolves a small amount of the metal’s

Stephen Richardhttps://profiles.google.com/112778184314586915986noreply@blogger.com0Glasgow, Glasgow City G31 2HF, UK55.8645396 -4.226372155.862312100000004 -4.2313076 55.8667671 -4.2214366tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209718631061434704.post-47846402241559283252011-09-17T23:23:00.001+01:002012-01-21T08:44:34.698Z

Leading up boards It is often best to have a separate board to place on top of your bench to do the leading. This means that you can move the project if it has to be delayed while having to do something else. Start with a work board that is thick enough to be relatively rigid, but is easy to put nails into. Plywood is a good, but relatively expensive board. MDF is heavy and difficult to put

Stephen Richardhttps://profiles.google.com/112778184314586915986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209718631061434704.post-52154262294526924382011-08-31T09:25:00.001+01:002011-09-17T19:45:52.157+01:00

Keeping Things Wet When Drilling glass it is important always to keep the drill bit and glass wet, otherwise the glass gets too hot and will break. There are a variety of things you can do to achieve this. Drill under water in a container Drill in a ring of clay, plasticine, etc., holding water. To do this, you need to make a ring about 50 mm  in diameter and press it around the drill

Stephen Richardhttps://profiles.google.com/112778184314586915986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209718631061434704.post-5426281968414328082011-07-06T21:00:00.006+01:002011-07-07T07:16:22.534+01:00

This an article written in 1999 at the beginning of my discovery of acid etching. It may be useful to compare what I was doing then and what I recommend now - as well as the differences in style. It was written as a discovery log rather than a "how to" presentation.----------------- An Exploration of French Embossing In a fit of enthusiasm, I agreed to take on the reproduction of a large,

Stephen Richardhttps://profiles.google.com/112778184314586915986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209718631061434704.post-76673381838166348462011-07-05T20:00:00.000+01:002011-07-05T20:00:01.545+01:00

GeneralAcid etched panels, mainly for doors, became popular after the general availability of hydrofluoric acid in the mid 19th century. These were done on plate glass of 6 mm or 8 mm with a process known as bite and grind in Glasgow. This was sometimes called French embossing in other localities. A number of these windows have survived both fashion - where they were removed for leaded glass

Stephen Richardhttps://profiles.google.com/112778184314586915986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209718631061434704.post-11759523349663182772010-03-01T17:36:00.001Z2010-03-01T17:36:00.675Z

Vermiculite moulds have versatile applications as custom moulds both for draping and slumping. With care, they have a long life. They are relatively light for their size and strength. As the vermiculite is an insulator it does not store heat, making it useful for large moulds without the requirement for long cooling times. It is a wet moulding process, so the cast needs to be waterproof. In this

Stephen Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854964450984329333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209718631061434704.post-70414602928401269822010-02-25T11:54:00.000Z2010-02-25T11:54:00.556Z

The advantage of plaster of Paris bandages to create a body cast are:· its light weight,· rapid setting characteristics,· the degree of detail picked up, and· rigidity.Its disadvantages are· its easy deformation while wet,· its fragility when dry, and· it is a messy procedure.The advantages over other methods of taking a cast from life are such that this is an almost ideal casting

Stephen Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854964450984329333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209718631061434704.post-8687898577943390782010-02-20T16:06:00.003Z2010-02-20T16:11:45.723Z

Cutting strips is repetitive, but requires accuracy. This can be achieved with expensive tools that do the job very well. It can also be done with only a few tools – most of which you already have.This photo shows some of them.The adjustable try square is really useful, as once it is set, you can be sure all the distances will be the same. The distance should be the width you require plus half

Stephen Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854964450984329333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209718631061434704.post-15104636693086718602009-07-24T22:18:00.001+01:002009-07-24T22:18:00.246+01:00

As you may remember I was accepted along with others on the basis of a proposal to exhibit with a travelling exhibition organised by the Scottish Glass Society.This will be packed and unpacked by other people at least four times during the next year. My experience with helping to pack up the Collect work exhibited by craftscotland showed me the need to prepare the packing properly.At the

Stephen Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854964450984329333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209718631061434704.post-76223561254841808252009-07-22T22:00:00.002+01:002009-07-22T22:17:12.517+01:00

Artist-led exhibitions make me realise why we pay commissions to galleries.I spent a whole of a day making table-like plinths for the exhibition.These are simple objects that require stability, must be plain to avoid competing with the object(s) on it, and - in our case - must be flexible and easy to store.Based on two different design suggestions, I have constructed a table supported -but not

Stephen Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854964450984329333noreply@blogger.com1