Glass fusion is a process meant to combine pieces of glass into one beautiful stained glass pane.
Here is how it works -
The stained glass artist will choose the big glass pane taking into account the colors, dimensions and the overall aspect of what he wants to create. On the big pane, he will place smaller colored glass pieces in the shape that he wants to obtain. These pieces will be arranged like the pieces of a puzzle.
The freedom to create is absolute; using this technique, you can place the pieces however you want, even one on top of the others. The stained glass artists are aware of the properties the glass has. In this operation, the coefficient of expansion is very important. Some glasses will shatter or break during the fusion process, so do not try this at home unless you have the necessary equipment and the required glass pieces.
All the pieces will form the theme of the "painting". For better results, the smaller glasses will be fixed in the desired position with special glue. This glue is will not remain after the fusion is over; it will actually vanish, leaving no trace at all on the resulting glass pane.
Once the structure is glued and ready, it will be placed in a special kiln and "cooked" for about 15 minutes. The temperature will range from 500 to 800 degrees Celsius depending on the complexity of the glass pane. During this process the glass will literally melt, one onto the other. After it cools down, we will have a nice glass pane ready to hit the stores.
This technology gives stained glass manufacturers and artists more freedom to manipulate the glass better or in order to create astonishing effects. This way the resulting glass will be one piece. Painting and gluing the pieces together have their disadvantages. Paint will wear off its color with the passage of time and the traditional way of gluing the glasses together is very pretentious.
Stained glass appliances are various and the beauty of this art is astonishing. The effect created by the light passing through a stained glass pane is fascinating. Either you want a stained glass window or an interior decoration for your apartment, every piece of glass has its story and it is good to listen to it.
Glass Cutters- One of the most important tools you will use in stained glass making, good glass cuts will make or break your project. These range from very inexpensive carbide steel wheel cutters (you will need to add cutting oil as you go along) to slightly more expensive self-oiling tungsten carbide or pistol grip wheel cutters.
Flux- Helps remove oxidation and other dirt and debris from the metal surfaces so that the solder can adhere to it. This is an absolute necessity to keep your stained glass pieces together; the solder just won't "stick" without it!
Cutting Square - This tool is helpful when drawing squares or other designs requiring a right angle.
Pattern Shears- These are special scissors that automatically cut the proper size strip of paper between pattern pieces to allow room for the lead cames or copper foils to be placed between the various stained glass pieces of the design.
Needle Nose Pliers- A good all around tool to keep handy, can be used for small detail work.
Electric Glass Grinder- A bit more luxurious way to smooth the glass edges; this is a machine that will do the job faster and more efficiently. This is definitely nice, but optional.
Copper Foil Dispenser- Another nicety, this makes handling the copper foil easier, much the way a tape dispenser makes tape easier to handle.
Copper Foil- One of the choices of material to hold the pieces of stained glass together. Comes in various widths depending on the look of your project-make sure your pattern shears are the same width as your foil or came.
So there you have it. This list will get you started with your stained glass art project.
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