How can I make these?

[candygeek]

I am trying to figure out how to make glass "pebble" type items. What I am going for is something ranging from 1 to 6 inches in diameter, about 1 1/2 inches high, shaped basically like river rocks, rounded and smooth, made out of a glass that can be repeatedly heated and cooled. Would I need to try fusing such a thing? Can you use boro to fuse or can fusing glass stand up to those changes in temperature? Help!

[alexm]

I'm not clear about what you want to do. Do you have a picture of what you are shooting for?

[Cosmo]

Well, I've seen people slump boro in a kiln. So, yes you can do it. However, with such a large mass of glass, I'd be worried about much heating and cooling. Are you talking about reheating as in working it in the flame again? Or just heating it a little so it's warm to the touch?

[Moth]

You mean like massage stones?

[candygeek]

I've attached a picture of basically what I want to do... but in glass rather than stone. I want to make glass versions of the hot rocks they use for massage.

When I say heat and cool, I mean heated up just enough to be very warm to the touch, and cooled by about the same amount. In other words, the temperature flux would always be tolerant to skin. Make sense?

[Flamechick]

I've only taken one class in fusing, so take this for what it's worth. It strikes me that you could approximate the look of a river rock by fusing, sort of like making a cabochon. One side may be a little flatter than the other, but if you're using them like stone massage rocks I don't think that will make a difference.

Amber

[Cosmo]

I would assume you could do that sort of thing with boro by just slumping it in a kiln. It takes a good bit of heat, and I'm not sure what to tell you about a firing schedule, but I think it would work.

[candygeek]

You mean like massage stones?

Yes, exactly like that :) I found out the maximum temperature would be about 130 degrees and the minimum would be at or around 32 degrees. Obviously we would want the glass to retain the hot or cold temps as long as possible, which is why I thought of boro, but if other glasses would work - that would be fine.

[Kalera]

Soft glass should work fine for that: after all, it's safe in the dishwasher, and I've been eating off of soft glass plates for years.

Doing a full fuse would result in a 6mm thick piece of glass with a smooth top and rounded edges, and a flat bottom. That sounds like it would be lovely to use!