Fused Pattern Bars
A pattern bar is a bundle of glass that has been fused
together to form a solid rectangular shape. The size of pattern bars
can vary, but most have the same height as width (usually one to two
inches). The length of the individual bars can be as long as
your kiln allows.
The basic steps involved in making a pattern bar include
deciding on a design, cutting glass for the bar, assembling the cut
glass into the desired bar shape, then firing to a full fuse.
Once fired, pattern bars can be cut into slices with a tile saw,
glass saw, lapidary saw, or similar tool. The individual
slices are then assembled and re-fused to make bowls, platters, and
similar shapes.
The next part of this series will detail with the specific
steps involved in making a pattern bar, slicing the bar into useable
sections, and then re-fusing the slices to make a bowl or similar
item. Click here to continue.

Pattern bar with several slices |
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Copyright 2005 Brad Walker. All rights
reserved.
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