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Tips, Techniques, and Questions -- Technical questions or tips

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  #1  
Old 2014-06-19, 7:45am
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Flamin' Francesca Flamin' Francesca is offline
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Default Dichro Experts...

I bought a half sheet of dichro, and I think I'd like to kiln fire it to make it less likely to burn on the edges. Does anyone know the temp and length of time it needs to be in the kiln to get the clear to slump over the edges? Thanks!
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Old 2014-06-19, 9:04am
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What kind of glass is it? If it's BE, it takes about 10 minutes at 1350 in my kiln, but I always check as it's firing to make sure the edges are fire polished. It would be a lower temperature for Effetre, Maybe 1300-1325? Sorry I can't be more precise. Oh-- I cut the strips to 1/8 or 1/4" strips.

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  #3  
Old 2014-06-19, 9:09am
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Thanks, Mimi. It's 104, and I think it's Effrete.
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Old 2014-06-19, 9:26am
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I would do a test strip and just watch carefully as the temp nears 1300. Kilns can really vary, so my experience might be really different from yours. But I rely more on what my eyes are telling me than anything else...

Good luck!
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  #5  
Old 2014-06-19, 9:42am
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A test strip is an excellent idea! Thank you! It's difficult to see what's going on in my kiln because it's a Jen-Ken with a front loading bead door. The heat will make it difficult to see what's happening, but I know it runs about 50 degrees hotter than it says, so i will take that into account.
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Old 2014-06-19, 12:17pm
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Actually, the clear will never, ever cover the edges if you are just using one strip of cut dichroic on a clear base.

Why? Because the dichroic coating is stable. It will neither expand nor contract. Therefore, it will always remain on the edge and curl up.

The only way to avoid this is to cover the dichroic (dichro up) with a clear piece of glass cut slightly larger (3/32"). If you can find Uro 104 clear thin, that's the best way to go.

If not, take Eff 006 super clear and place it between a kiln washed bottom shelf and a kiln washed top shelf to sandwich the rod. Place 2 to 3 stainless steel washers, stacked up, in the 4 corners. Weight the top and fuse to 1425. You will then have a strip of thin glass, more or less.

Any of the technical support at CBS will be glad to help you with questions.
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  #7  
Old 2014-06-19, 12:28pm
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Thanks Barbara! I also called Frantz, which is where I bought it. They told me to take the strips up to 1300 degrees and back down but didn't mention anything about adding glass. I am going to try one strip and see if it helps at all to fire it as is. If it doesn't work, I'll try to get some Uro 104. Using additional glass would certainly negate the savings of buying a half sheet of dichro vice the strips, not to mention the extra labor and time involved. This is what I get for trying to save a buck.
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  #8  
Old 2014-06-19, 12:42pm
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The dichroic coating is a surface treatment and will try and stay on the surface. However, fire polishing the edges will greatly minimize the opportunity for scumming and devitrification to occur. Use Gentle heat as you're applying the coated strip to your bead. Also, some of the premium, more expensive colors are easier to work with and don't burn out as easily.

Mimi
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  #9  
Old 2014-06-19, 1:03pm
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thanks, Mimi. Thanks for the tips! I have good success with most of what I've ever used, but I think having a raw, cut edge does make it more likely to scum. Frantz recommended kiln annealing, and they are going to put a note on their wensite for beadmakers who buy the quarter and half sheets for bead making vice fusing.
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Old 2014-06-19, 8:17pm
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Frantz will not have heard of the way I recommended because I'm probably the only one who does it this way. Yes, fire polish the coating first, always.

The reason the premium colors don't burn out is because they have more layers of color deposited on them, with red/silver having the most. Yellow/purple (violet) has the least coatings, so it is the least stable in the flame.

If you cut your sheet dichro into narrow strips, place dichro side down on a kiln shelf, and fire to 1325 or so, that's all the preparation it needs to stabilize and shift the coating.

When you work it in the flame, I find it easier to wrap your bead backwards, or upside down, whichever you prefer. Have your bead good and warm, cooler center. Place your piece of dichro glass side to the flame and begin to heat. Have your bead above the dichro and stick it to the underside of the bead and twirl backwards to adhere the rest of the strip.

This way, you are always keeping the glass side in the outer edges of the flame while you adhere the coated side to the bead.

I have taken 3 classes from Shirley Webster in fusing with dichro, and she continues to be the leading expert on this type of glass.
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  #11  
Old 2014-06-20, 11:20am
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Thanks, Barbara. I appreciate all your help. I fired a couple of test strips, but it's too hot to torch here today, so I'll have to wait and see if it worked. In the meantime, Frantz put their dichro strips on sale, so next time, I'll keep it simple.
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  #12  
Old 2014-06-20, 4:19pm
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No, you'll run into the same problems with the Frantz dichro. You will have to tuck and push in the edges. The clear glass that is used is the culprit. Prefiring just stabilizes the coating and let's the colors shift. Has nothing to do with the scuzzies.
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  #13  
Old 2014-06-20, 5:08pm
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I'm finding that in lampworking, I prefer the dichroic frit over the strips. I can at least cover it all and not have scummy.

In fusing I prefer the sheets. I have never pre-fired any for the torch though. It seems like a lot of work to get it ready.
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  #14  
Old 2014-06-21, 9:00am
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Okay, so I fired several dichro strips cut from the half sheet that I bought. I made a couple of beads last night and they worked perfectly. I have always tried to tuck in the edges anyway, so that's probably still necessary, but I got no scum of devit whatsoever. Here's one of the test beads. I'm happy with the way the dichro behaved and will do the rest of the strips this way. Perhaps all it does is seal the edge slightly, but it's enough to keep it from creating problems in the flame, especially if you're careful to work it as cool as possible. Thanks for the all the suggestions and info. I have never even heard of dichro frit, so I will have to see if I can find some of that 'cause you can never have too much sparkly stuff!!

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  #15  
Old 2014-06-21, 9:13am
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So glad it worked for you!

Mimi
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