Fusing strange bits and pieces

[annnoble]

I was wondering what is the strangest thing you have fused in your kiln?
Now I'm talking about bottles, marmite jars, pyrex etc.

Also has any one tried fusing seed beads together? I have a load of seed beads I'm not really going to use, could I put them in a mould a fuse them?

What do you think?

[Kay]

I have fused those glass nuggets, the kinda ones used as decoration for ermmm 'stuff'
I fused them together to be a flower. I have also done beach glass and lidl's does water in a stunning blue bottle which I have smashed and fused into cabs for necklaces.

The best thing so far to date **drum roll please LMAO** glass from a smashed telephone box into a dish which turned out looking like ice.

[Aviya Glass]

I have saved a few bottles etc to fuse or rather slump but haven't actually done it yet.
As far as fusing seed beeds, I don't see why not as long as you don't try and fuse them to other glass otherwise the COE might be different - oh and make sure they are actually glass. As they are really small they might ping off and become tiny little balls of their own.
I did fuse some millefiori beads into shapes and that worked well.
Does any of this help????
You will never know if you don't try......

[annnoble]

Thanks, I have to say the crushed ice thing sounds cool, I know once you think about all the different glass out there the possibilities are endless!

I suppose the thing that worries me about the seed beads is the ping effect and would they damage my kiln as the element is on the lid/top.

[Aviya Glass]

I would hate to say 'it will be fine' and it all goes wrong but I wouldn't think the ping effect from such a small bead would be able to do damage.
I use coarse frit and sometimes a piece pings off and becomes a small ball next to the item but I have not yet found any glass very far from where it started.
It's not vicious like popcorn....she says going to hide incase she is wrong

[annnoble]

I'll have a go tomorrow and let you know!!!

I'm know thinking about all the other odd glass beads I have lying around...hmm time to experiment!

[LauraT]

Oooo it sounds very excited!!

Will you post some photos when you have done it - I love this kind of thing!!

Laura

[Purpleglass]

Done bottle and glasses for Claire who i work with, actually made some leaded lights with them for a pub in nottingham http://www.clairewilliamsonglass.co....ry&category=ll all the background glass is bottles too, split and slumped open so you can still see all the logos. Was a nightmare trying to get enough saphire blue bottles tho, lovely light blue.
Also made a few stubby bowls, tho the nicest green stubbies are shandy!! Yuk!
Tried a bit of casting with bottle glass too with some nice effects. Not really played with the idea as such yet.
Also did a glass nugget bowl, not the most exciting.

Got a job in to flash fuse a bong bottom atm, he just wants all the sharp edges rounding of somehow.

Think thats about it so far.

Bon

[Kay]

Done bottle and glasses for Claire who i work with, actually made some leaded lights with them for a pub in nottingham http://www.clairewilliamsonglass.co....ry&category=ll all the background glass is bottles too, split and slumped open so you can still see all the logos. Was a nightmare trying to get enough saphire blue bottles tho, lovely light blue.
Also made a few stubby bowls, tho the nicest green stubbies are shandy!! Yuk!
Tried a bit of casting with bottle glass too with some nice effects. Not really played with the idea as such yet.
Also did a glass nugget bowl, not the most exciting.

Got a job in to flash fuse a bong bottom atm, he just wants all the sharp edges rounding of somehow.

Think thats about it so far.

Bon

BLIMEY Bon, those glass panels from the pint glasses etc are just stunning and so unique, WELL DONE !!!

[Purpleglass]

BLIMEY Bon, those glass panels from the pint glasses etc are just stunning and so unique, WELL DONE !!!

Heehee thanks. I hold my hands up tho and admit they were not my idea, Claire is the brains in our duo. She comes up with some mad ideas and then makes me do them! Then we run around like headless chickens with a deadline looming, work till 10 pm saying never again. Then they are finish and we stand back congratulating each other! I LOVE my job! heehee
Oh wow, that has really just cheered me up, had the sunday blues thinking back to work tomorrow, now i'm excited again!

Bon

[Louise88]

I tried seed beads once, in my normal oven, it went okay, I just made christmas shapes. I think I saw this in a magazine.

If you're worried about them pinging couldn't you cover them with tin foil or something like that? Would baking paper work?

Oh I just remembered, I embossed the shape into some pragefoile stuff (which I laid the beads on) this held the beads in shape. Hang on I'll see if I can find the article on the internet

[urbtaf]

After reading this I WANT A KILN

[glowingsunsets]

I've tried fusing seed beads to float glass, some of the beads caused little cracks in the float glass some didn't. I'll be interested to hear how doing a bowl just of seed beads turns out though.

My daughter and I saw a phone box with all the windows smashed the other week, and had we had anything we could have scooped them up with they would been made into a bowl for sure lol.

At an exhibition at the glass museum in Stourbridge recently, I saw some stunning dresses made from glass. Apparently some of the glass that was used was blue gin bottles. If I had regular use of a large kiln it's something I would love to have a go at.

Ann, your name rings a bell have you got any of your glass work in a gallery on Anglesey ?

[Cat'seyes]

Sounds fun

I finally fired up my kiln for the first time at the weekend. OH had checked the fire Insurance (LOL) and said that it was ok for me to go ahead!!

I had so many old bits of glass that came with the kiln that I had fun making small nuggets for my jewellery. But some of your ideas sound wonderful because i have a whole heap of beads that I will never use. So next weekend I can see it being fired up again and the birthday present pendant that I have started working on will be placed on the back burner for another week (oopsies)

Sounds like a whole heap of fun

Cat'sEyes

[annnoble]

Well I have fired the seed beads today and they are right now cooling down to room temp!!

I heard no pinging and had a quick peek and looks interesting. I used a heart mould to make them in to jewellery, you know with valentines coming and all.

I will post a couple of photos tomorrow.