History of Fused Glass
The history of fused glass art begins roughly three and a half millennia ago, in ancient Egypt. It was by the shores of the Nile that artisans first discovered a way to produce coloured glass objects through a mixture of silica, fluxes, and a variety of oxides melted at temperatures in excess of 2500 degrees Celsius.
Some historians argue that the earliest fusing techniques were first developed by the Romans, who were much more prolific glassworkers.
You can fuse glass without a kiln using a torch, and other specialized equipment, such as a microwave kiln. This can be a fun and rewarding hobby, but it is important to take safety precautions and ensure that you have the necessary equipment and setup to work safely.
A microwave kiln is a container kiln consisting of a base and hood made for use in a household microwave oven. The kiln is made of a white insulating fiber and lined on the inside of the chamber with a black compound that absorbs the microwave radiation and heats up to 898.889 degrees celsius.
Many people fuse in 'ceramic' kilns everyday. If you have a programmable controller on your kiln you can begin fusing glass right now! The main difference between a glass kiln and a ceramic kiln, is that glass kilns generally heat a single layer from the top and ceramic kilns heat multiple layers from the side.
There are 4 main stages that occur when glass fuses together.
● 1200°F (650°C) Drape – glass softens enough to bend over a mold.
● 1250°F (675°C) Slump – glass softens enough to bend into a mold.
●1300°F (705°C) Fire Polish – glass melts enough to produce a surface polish.
●1350°F (732°C) Tack Fuse – pieces of glass will permanently fuse together.