Re: ATM Glass molds for casting/slumping blanks...

[Anthony Stillman <atmer@flash.net>]

Thomas,

There isn't that much on the net, yet, so I would suggest you head to the
lybrary.  What you want to do is quite doable and heating glass to its
finning temperature is a challenge frought with danger.  Creating a large
blank of mixed glass is well, tricky.  Slumping and annealing is much
simplier.  A search of the archive for the threads to which Richard
Schwartz has contributed will yield much of the information you need for
slumping.  Many other people on the list have also contributed.  Krieg
McBride et al just built a large kiln and have already slumped a recently
segmented monolith.  He has shared many details with the list.  I believe
Sam Michael declared intentions in this area.  I'm not sure what he's done,
what with his computer sweat-shop taking up so much of his time, but I'll
bet its impressive.  In a former life I worked with refractory materials at
refractory temperatures.  Even when you know what you are doing, its
difficult and problems are common.  Of course, like other ATMs with more
imagination than sense, I plan to again, though nothing as grand as Krieg's
efforts.  Incidently, kiln washed kiln shelving and casting plaster both
make excellent slumping forms.

Anthony