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Fusing Straight Lines
This is part two of a multi-part tip on fusing to achieve sharp,
crisp lines. Click here to go to part one, which also includes
an example photograph.
In addition to the "flip and fire"
approach (discussed in part one of this tip), there are a number of
other factors that contribute to sharp, crisp lines in a piece made
with strips of glass laid on edge and fused.
Here are some of the most important:
1. The flatness of the glass
Strips of machine rolled glass will
fuse straighter than strips of hand rolled or textured glass.
This is because the individual strips fit closer together, leaving
less room for lines to wander and create a wavy appearance.
2. The quality of the cut of the
strip
Strips that are cut with clean edges
that form a ninety degree edge fuse crisper than strips with edges
that are uneven or angled crooked.
3. The thickness of the piece
Wider strips will generally allow for
more movement, leading to more waviness than narrow strips. To
the extent that a piece is greater than two standard layers in
thickness (1/4"/6mm), the glass on the top is less likely to have
straight lines.
Click
here for
more suggestions and techniques to help you achieve
straighter lines on your strip pieces.
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Copyright 2007 Brad Walker.
All rights reserved.
Thanks to Steve Immerman,
Barbara Muth, and
Andrew Westreich for suggestions in this tip.
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