How To Make A Fused Glass Powder
Plate In A Glass Fusing Kiln

The fused glass powder plate has two pieces of fusing glass with a number of coats of sifted glass powder, tack fused between each coat.

When working with powder, particularly on a dark background, it is necessary to build the colors up in layers to prevent the base color showing through the powder.

In this plate red fusing glass is topped with a piece of black glass to which the powder is added, tack fused, stringers added, fully fused and then slumped in a glass slumping mold.

Colors and size can be altered to suit mold size. This can also be made as a flat coaster, this type of design will produce some brilliantly colored glass art.

The following art glass supplies are needed to make the plate.

One piece of red fusing glass 4" x 4"..

One piece of black fusing glass 4" x 4".

Spring green glass powder.

Red glass powder.

Colored glass stringers.

Glass glue.

One glass sifter.

Glass cutter.

Kiln wash or thinfire paper.

Face mask.

Glass slumping mold.

Glass fusing kiln.

To make the plate proceed as follows:

Step 1. Cut red and black glass to size.Wash and dry thoroughly and place black glass on top of the red glass.

Step 2. Place glass on top of a piece of paper before sifting glass powder.

Wearing protective face mask place green powder into glass sifter and gently tap sifter as it is moved across the glass to about half way.

Repeat with the red powder, it should slightly over lap the green powder.

Step 3. Lift glass carefully onto prepared kiln shelf and place in glass kiln.

Bring glass up reasonably quickly to about 1425° F, hold for about 15 minutes.

Turn off glass kiln and allow to cool to room temperature.

Step 4. Repeat Step 3, three or four more times until the black glass is nicely covered with the glass powder.

Step 5. Glue colored stringers across plate to form desired pattern.

When glue has dried put glass on prepared kiln shelf and place back into warm glass kiln to carry out a full fuse.

The following schedule can be used for this part of the process.

1. 300°F up to 1000°F hold 20 minutes

2. 350°F (331°C) up to 1150°F hold 5 minutes

3. 1300°F up to 1500°F hold 25 minutes

4. AFAP* down to 960°F hold 60 minutes

5. 600°F down to 200°F

6.Cool to room temperature.

(AFAP* as fast as possible)

Check glass during fusing process to ensure that it doesn't overheat.

The glass should be fused as per the following photo. The next stage is to slump the glass, or it can be left as a coaster.

1. 330°F up to 1000°F hold 20 minutes

2. 100°F up to 1200°F hold 10 minutes

3. 704°F up to 1250°F hold 25 minutes

4. 9999 down to 950°F hold 60 minutes

5 630°F down to 194°F

Let glass cool to room temperature before removing from fusing glass kiln.

The plate should now be gently slumped as per the photo.