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Frit crackers, pattern bar cheese, slumped plate |
HARDY HORS D'OEUVRES
Frit crackers, pattern bars and complex shapes are intriguing appetizers for
any visual palette
FRIT CRACKERS
Frit fired directly on lava cloth or kiln shelf lightly at 1250F can create wonderful lacy patterns.
Ingredients and Equipment
Bullseye #1 frit amber and clear and brown
Plastic or stiff paper stencil and spoon
Lava cloth cut in 3'squares
1. Sprinkle #1 frits onto Lava cloth, using a spoon or sifter to sprinkle over a round paper stencil shape
cut out of paper to make the negative shape.
2. Fire until frit particles are melted together, but texture is preserved. Important to watch. Can hold at 1250F until tack fused. No shelf primer is required. Glass will take on the pattern of the Lava cloth. Edges will curl to give
3D effect on new Lava cloth.
3. Peel off Lava cloth when cool. Lava cloth may be reused up to 10-12 times.
4. Frit crackers can be tack fused to backing sheets of glass if desired to make thicker crackers. Wonderful way to create detail and texture.
Frit Cracker Firing Schedule
| step |
Step Time |
Temp F |
| 1 |
1250 |
1 min |
| 2 |
1250 |
10 min* |
* Hold up to 10 more min if necessary
PATTERN BAR COLD CUTS
Pattern bars are perfect technique for cheese or lemon slices, or perhaps sushi. The pattern bar can be made with an organic shape bar, not only a retangular or square bar shape.
Ingredients and Equipment
Bullseye sheet opaque yellow, transparent yellow, white, clear, and transparent yellow frit
1/2" fiber paper circular column, soaked in sodium silicate and fired to rigidize, 5" high 2" diameter
Kiln shelf piece approximately 5"x 5"
Tile saw or Ring saw with pattern bar blade
Steps
1. Cut pieces of glass about 5" high to fit in the vertical rigidized fiber pattern bar mold on a kiln shelf. Often pattern bars are fused horizontally, but interesting patterns can be created by fusing vertically.
2. Fit pieces together carefully, using frit to fill cracks. Be careful loading mold into kiln.
3. Fire
4. Slice on tile saw or Ring saw with pattern bar blade
5. Use Ring saw to cut intricate shapes out of pattern bars
6. Wash carefully. Fire polish by firing slices up to 1250F, then anneal.
Pattern Bar Firing Schedule
| step |
Step Time |
Temp F |
| 1 |
2 hr |
375 |
| 2 |
20 min |
375 |
| 3 |
1 hr |
500 |
| 4 |
20 min |
500 |
| 5 |
2 hr 30 min |
1000 |
| 6 |
20 min |
1000 |
| 7 |
45 min |
1450 |
| 8 |
1 min |
1000 |
| 9 |
20 min |
1000 |
| a |
1 hr |
970 |
| b |
2 hr |
920 |
| c |
2 hr |
800 |
| d |
5 hr 30 min |
350 |
SERVING PLATE
Early plate glass makes wonderful opaque devitrified plates.
Ingredients and Equipment
Piece of 1/4" window glass that was made before 1952, (before float glass was developed)
Clay or fiber board drop mold 8"x8"
Steps
1. Cut plate glass to shape of mold 8" x 8" and clean glass well with vinegar, water solution
2. Place on drop mold and fire. The early plate glass was polished on both sides and will devitrify to create a beautiful cloudy white surface, even if it is carefully cleaned before firing!
Slump Firing Schedule
| step |
Step Time |
Temp F |
| 1 |
2 hr |
400 |
| 2 |
20 min |
400 |
| 3 |
3 hr 30 min |
1100 |
| 4 |
20 min |
1100 |
| 5 |
30 min |
1350 |
| 6 |
1 min |
1000 |
| 7 |
1 hr |
1000 |
| 8 |
1 hr |
850 |
| 9 |
5 hr 30 min |
350 |
Sources
-www.Bullseyeglass.com
-Digitry Company, Inc. www.digitry.com
-Lava Cloth- Kiln Shelf Linen www.lavacloth.com
Sold at C&R Loo
1085 Essex Avenue
Richmond, CA 94804
-Taurus II2 Ring Saw, Gemini Saw Company
Sold at C&R Loo
1085 Essex Avenue
Richmond, CA 94804
©copyright 2004
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