- Well in advance of your class time, sign up for a kiln date! For glass projects a single firing session is recommended. However, you are allowed two days- for example, load on Monday morning, unload Tuesday morning, load Tuesday morning, unload Wednesday morning only if your projects are too big and can’t fit on a single firing day.
- Prep ahead, choose your project and line up helpers for your lesson. Each class is allocated a single sheet of clear glass, plus some colored glass for design. Projects can be found in the Glass book in Portable 159. Please stick to the projects chosen for each grade level! This will help us plan glass inventory and develop lessons to incorporate fused glass in the Explore Art curriculum. If you have an idea for a new project, please contact Susmita (exploreart@smithptsa.org) and Thora (Glass Lead). We can develop the new project with you if it’s workable for our inventory.
- If you have never cut glass before, please attend a workshop (offered in October) or have Thora or Susmita teach you. The tools for cutting are very expensive and easily damaged by misuse. The glass cutter should be held vertically and you should hear a crackling sound when you score or the glass won’t be scored properly for a clean break.
- Once you’ve chosen your project, you will need to cut the glass prior to your lesson. Docents pre-cut the clear glass according to the size of their project needs. Older students are allowed to cut smaller pieces of rods, and stringers. After you’ve cut your pieces, clean them with paper towels and glass cleaner to remove dust, fingerprints and marker lines.
- VERY IMPORTANT: Please make sure that you put paper on your table to protect the surface, the tools, and your glass before cutting. Small shards can cut you before you even know it. Clean up is easier and more thorough if you use paper on your cutting surface. Check all surfaces, including the floor and nearby chairs, to make sure you’ve picked up all scraps and shards that might have dropped off your table. Use a damp paper towel and wipe up tables and chairs to catch any remaining bits of glass.
- Students shouldn’t cut glass. Their job is to assemble the project pieces, make simple design choices, and learn about the art of glass fusing.
- Prior to class time, make sure you have prepped a tray of your own to have enough colored glass for your classroom. If any particular color of cut glass is running low in the glass cabinet, please let your Glass Lead know.
- Ideally, you should have all your cut glass ready before you go in to your class. However, you can only cut additional rods and stringers in the classrooms if necessary. Set up a cutting station in the classroom with a box for cutting rods and stringers, bring a set of nippers and files. Cover the table with paper and set up the tools. You may want to file a few pieces if the edges feel sharp to handle.
- Talk to your volunteers and make sure everyone knows how to cut glass and create the project.
- Please make sure you discuss safety first before beginning the lesson and remind students not to handle shards or take pieces of glass home.
- Students apply pieces of glass to the clear base with a tiny bit of Elmer’s glue and a toothpick. Use sparingly- the glue is there just to secure the parts prior to firing. If you have some pieces that won’t stay in place, a tiny amount of Original Super Glue can be applied by a parent only. Super glue is helpful in applying wire hooks so they don’t slip off. There will be a few tubes in the glass supply cabinet. Use with care.
- Students shouldn’t stack glass on their projects more than three layers high. This means that your clear glass is the first layer, your main design pieces are the second layer, and a third layer can be small bits on top of the second layer, such as a stringer piece or a small dot for design.
- Students should use paper plates to create their projects on. Have them write their names on the plates for easy identification and transport to the kiln room.
- Be in the kiln room after 9am to begin loading.
- Set up the kiln using tall stilts in the bottom to raise the first shelf to the area nearest the element. Make sure this shelf is labeled “GLASS ONLY.” Glass only shelves have a special kiln wash, like paint, that allows glass to be fired without sticking to the shelf. Your pieces will be fired to the shelf if you use the wrong shelf. You may have to use a regular clay shelf to raise the shelves high enough, but don’t put glass on the clay shelf. Glass shelves are hexagonally shaped. (The clay shelves are all half shelves.)
- Use Shelf paper (available in the glass cabinet) before you lay your projects on the shelf. Shelves are not regularly painted with kiln wash. Any chipped paint can cause your project to fuse with the shelf. Always make sure you have lined the shelves with shelf paper before you start putting your glass projects in.
- Arrange pieces on this lined shelf, making sure no pieces are touching each other and are at least ¼ inch apart and away from the edges. Create a map of the kiln and note each piece with a description and the name of the student.
- Add a second shelf, making sure it’s labeled “GLASS ONLY.”
- Shelf paper is costly, so use sparingly.
- Be in the kiln room by 8:30 so you can unload before the next person comes in to load their projects.
- The kiln should be off with no display on the panel if you come in after 12hours. Make sure the kiln temperature is 100 degrees or less before removing projects or applying water to your projects. If you used shelf paper, carefully remove your pieces without disturbing the shelf paper debris as much as possible. Pick up your projects and wipe off with a damp cloth. Carefully brush off shelf paper debris with the brush into the garbage. Control the dust as much as possible, and be sure to wash your hands after you’re done. Once your pieces are at room temperature, they can be washed with water if necessary.
- Make sure kiln room is cleaned up and no items are left behind.
