'How to' guides...

Did you ever wonder how Fire Devil creates the jewellery you see on this site?

Well wonder no more - this page will explain some of the techniques used to make Fire Devil jewellery....

If there's anything else you'd like to see here just let Fire Devil know.

Creating Dichroic Glass Cabochons

How to fuse glass...

Fusing glass is simply melting it so it forms a new shape - not rocket science as such, but it does require special technique, knowledge and equipment.

First step is to get the RIGHT glass!
Ok, you can melt anything made of glass in your fusing kiln - this is called "slumping" and I'll cover it in another guide - as long as it fits in your kiln of course! And while it's fun getting bottles and things to flatten, getting glass to stick to other glass is much harder because it's often made differently.

So, once you've got glass that has the same COE number (Co-Efficient of Expansion - a fancy way of saying what temperature it melts at so you know how it expands and contracts!), you are ready to start.

Cut your glass...
You use a cutter with a diamond-tipped wheel, lubricated with mineral oil (this doesn't cause any nasty effects on the glass when you heat it). You then score it in straight lines to you get the size and shape you want.

Glass is picky as it only wants to break in straight lines. You only can cut curves or circles with a clever device with a suction cup and rotating arm (imagine something like a compass) to attach your cutter to. Other, more complex shapes are possible if you want to cut, grind and polish the pieces - you just need the right equipment and you can do this after you've fused it for the first time.

You should use gloves when cutting and assembling the pieces of glass, as sticky fingers leave residue and will make the finished pieces dull or slightly opaque on the surface. This is called devitrification - you can get sprays to help but they are toxic so you'll need a proper dust mask. Personally, I think it's better to keep your glass clean than rely on them to make sure your carefully crafted piece isn't ruined, as it's almost impossible to fix once it happens.

If you don't wear gloves you should wash your cut glass pieces in cold water and washing up liquid and polish and dry them completely afterwards. Remember glass is almost invisible in water and of course has razor-sharp edges before it's fired. Or, once the pieces are cut, you do have the option of only holding them on the edge. But it's tricky as there's only a small surface area to hold on to, so be careful of splinters or cuts and, if you do drop the glass, be sure to thoroughly wash off any dirt, fluff, dust or hairs!

Put the piece together...
Once you've got a pleasing combination of colours together you will need to assemble it in layers. So to get the best our of your dichroic glass, you will need:

1. A BASE LAYER:
   Any colour can work and you can mix and match for some amazing effects - you can use dichroic on black if you like for added sparkle!
   
2. A MIDDLE LAYER:
   One or more if you like. Best to use smaller pieces of dichroic in a mosaic effect if it's coated on black or a colour, as it's not transparent. You can use multiple layers of dichroic on clear because it's transparent - have fun creating layers and go wild! Just remember that the more glass you add, the bigger your finished cabochon will be.
   Be careful not to leave any gaps in the middle, as this will create bubbles in your finished piece. Sometimes this can be a nice effect though, so it's something to think about when designing your cabochon. Only tiny bubbles are ok though, as lots of big bubbles look ugly and may make the glass more fragile.
3. A CAP LAYER:
   Or not, as you choose! You can cap it to give depth and can use either clear glass (with the same COE) or a piece of dichroic on clear (with the clear side facing up). Or you can leave it uncapped if you like the textured or rippled effect of the glass you're using.

You will need to think about the overall shape of the finished piece when putting it together. While you won't get it perfectly square or have ruler-straight edges without cutting, grinding and polishing after firing, precise cutting of the glass beforehand and careful layering will give you a more even shape with lovely smooth, rounded edges straight from the kiln.

Think about the important technical stuff...

• Finished glass cabochons like to be a certain thickness (usually about 6mm). If the piece is thinner than that BEFORE firing the glass will contract, leaving sharp and uneven edges. If it's thicker than that the excess glass will flow out like syrup, leaving rounded edges. So, if each piece of glass is usually about 2-3mm thick and you have several layers, make sure you allow enough space all around the piece to be fired to allow for any expansion.
• Dichroic glass is only coated on one side and two coated sides won't stick directly to one another, so make sure you know which the uncoated side is - easy on coloured, but needs careful checking if you want to put two or more pieces of dichroic on clear on top of each other.
• If you use three or more layers of glass you might want to carefully tack each layer together to make sure it doesn't fall over during firing. Use only craft or fusing glue and dab a tiny piece on the corners of the glass, to make sure it doesn't leave any nasty residue in the finished piece.

Then fuse away...!

Good luck with your fusing if you decide you want to create your own pieces, if not, Fire Devil is happy to do the work for you....

• What is Dichroic Glass?
• Attaching bails