Melting glass on pottery changes the appearance and texture.
Adding a glass layer to a piece of pottery changes the appearance of the pot and adds visual interest. You can use glass layers in a variety of ways, including filing in depressions, adding contrast to a flat tray or other flat piece or decorating the bottom of a bowl. Do not use the glass glazing method with dishes; the glass layer has tiny cracks, which make it unsafe for serving food. Always use glass from a pottery glass source rather than scrap glass pieces for safety and best results. Experiment with colors and patterns of glass to create the ultimate masterpiece.
Instructions
1. Determine the arrangement of glass that you want inside the pottery. Place a few shards of glass onto test tiles glazed in the same way as the pottery piece that you want to use to determine the melting time, necessary heat and the colors that the glass will turn after firing. Arrange the glass pieces in your chosen pattern and design on the test tile.
2. Fire the test tile at a cone six kiln (2,223 F) temperature. Watch the pottery carefully to determine how long it takes to melt the glass. Once the glass melts, turn off the heat and allow the pot to cool naturally inside the kiln. Do not open the kiln while it is still hot.
3. Examine the test tile for glass thickness after it cools. The glass should not be thicker than 1/4 of an inch for best results to avoid cracking the pottery. Repeat the process until you are satisfied with the pattern and thickness of the glass. Use the same amount of glass that you did for the test tile when preparing the final pottery.
4. Place a few pieces of glass onto the bottom of a pottery piece. The glass will flow to the lowest point of the pottery piece, so make sure you use a level piece if you do not want the glass to automatically flow to the lowest point.
5. Place the pottery pieces in the kiln and set the temperature to cone six. Allow the glass to melt for about 20 minutes, or until it is completely melted. Turn off the kiln and allow the pottery piece to cool inside the kiln. When the kiln reaches a manageable temperature, such as 400 or 500 degrees F, you can remove the pottery piece with oven-safe gloves. Allow the pottery piece to cool to room temperature before touching without gloves.
