Kilnformed mosaic cane questions

[RyanTheNumberImp]

I am trying to make a super detailed butterfly mosaic cane and i have a few questions. I am going to be pulling a 2" x 3" x 3" block of glass into probbably 5-10mm cane and i need to know what type of black would be best. Im sure normal effetre black is out of the question which leaves vetro or intense black. I also need to know a good tack fuse schedule for a 2" high and 3" diameter slab of glass. If anyone can help me here il be happy!

[Moth]

I've never done the micro-mosaic cane. I know there is an excellent tutorial on it over at WC somewhere. Perhaps you have already seen that.

The only input I have is that once the cane is pulled down, you will eventually be cutting it into chips to decorate beads or fused items. SO, consider its final use when you choose the black.

If you choose effetre, and cut thinner chips, it might very well appear, or bleed to purple.

If you choose intense black, and cut thinner chips, and end up having to reheat the bead several times after the chip is placed, the intense black could web into the colors around it, distorting your design.

In my opinion, the most stable black is vetrofond, and if I were going to attempt this, it is the black I would choose. The vetrofond is actually a very intense navy blue, so if you were to pull it thin enough and put it over white, you would see this, but it doesn't bleed as easily as the effetre.

In any case, good luck and I hope you show plenty of pictures of your beautiful butterfly!

OH, and I should note...if you know how to treat the intense black, there would be absolutely no reason not to use it. It is a beautiful black and as long as you don't super heat it repeatedly, it shouldn't web.

~~Mary

[Rebekah]

Chris (GlassKitchen) would be a great person to help you out Ryan. Check out his work. www.glasskitchen.com

He and Lissa are super nice and probably willing to answer your black question.

And, psst, I have a slice of the Hendrix cane. It's my most treasured glass ever.

Rebekah

[glasskitchen]

Normal moretti works fine. Check out our site, all except for one murrine is moretti.

Chris

[glasskitchen]

Oh yeh- the one murrine we did do with vetrofond black was destroyed.... by the black. Bad reaction to the colors around it, it bubbled the murrine away. Three months of my life gone because of that color. Something to think about.

Chris

[RyanTheNumberImp]

Thanks a bunch! Im going to start working on my cane right away!