Need to Anneal Dichroic Strips... How do I do it without ruining them

[Ruth Nichols]

Sure could use some help with this as it will be my first time annealing dicro. I have always gotten the pre-annealed stuff in the past. I am using 104 COE glass dicro and it has been only cut in strips but not annealed. I guess it is pretty important to do that and I want to do it right. How do I go about doing that without ruining them? What is the kiln schedule and is there a right/wrong way to do it? Face up or face down in the kiln on the thin kiln blanket? Thanking you in advance.

[Ruth Nichols]

no... the dichro on one side of the sheet glass Thanks for getting back to me... bhhco!

[bhhco]

Ooops... I deleted my comment/question because I realized I misunderstood your question very shortly after I posted. Duh me.

Sorry, I don't know the temp/time for Moretti. I do know it goes dichro side up.

Me

EDIT 12/03/06... looks like a lot of others slump it dichro side down... I think I'll have to try it that way too and see the difference.

[Ruth Nichols]

I thought that had to be the case. I know that it probably needs to slump slightly as the pieces I have bought in the past that have been pre annealed looked ever so slightly slumped.

[Anne Londez]

Originally Posted by KetchikanSculptor

I thought that had to be the case. I know that it probably needs to slump slightly as the pieces I have bought in the past that have been pre annealed looked ever so slightly slumped.

If you slump it you are way over the annealing range. There shouldn't be any need for that. Why not just put then in the kiln while making beads and let them undergo your normal annealing cycle ?

[Emily]

You want to slump it, and I always put the dichro side down. Use a kiln shelf with a few thin coats of kiln wash on it. I don't seem to have my dichro-slumping notes on this computer, so I'm going to have to do it from memory -- ouch. Zero to 1000 F over the course of an hour. 1000 to somewhere between 1350 and 1400 over the course of 35 to 45 minutes. You have to do it a few times and decide what the best temp is for your kiln. You might want to start with 1350 and see how that works, then increase the temperature the next time if you don't think your strips are slumped enough. Once the kiln reaches your chosen slumping temperature (1350 or whatever), hold for 10 minutes. Crash the kiln (lift the lid or open the door) and cool rapidly to 1050-1100. Then anneal and cool as normal. The edges of the strips should be slightly rounded. Mine don't come out as round as the purchased dichro strips, but I cut my strips a lot wider (which I why I buy sheet dichro in the first place). If you want your strips more slumped, increase the temperature a little and/or leave them at the slumping temperature a little longer. If your kiln has a peephole (and you're wearing eye protection), you can peep in to see if the edges are rounding.

[Ruth Nichols]

Thank you so much Emily! Is there such thing as 104 sheet glass?
Last night I annealed my stips and they turned out as you described... slightly rounded on the edges. I put the strips on a thin ceramic blanket dichro side up in a cold kiln. Turned it on to 950 then to 1000 then to 1150, soaked then a few hours like that and then shut the kiln off. I just pulled them out a few moments ago and good to go strips of dichro. So it seems... I have wet to try them out and see if they start to pop all over the place. Dichro is my ALL time favorite glass to play with for large beads. My dh calls me the DQ treat kid...lol.... short for Dichro Queen. So, now that I see your directions for this I will try some that way the next time.

Thank you everyone that has responded!!

[ellyloo]

silly question perhaps: why is there a need to anneal the strips before making them into beads?

[Sue in Maine]

Originally Posted by ellyloo

silly question perhaps: why is there a need to anneal the strips before making them into beads?

Thank you for asking! I keep coming back to this to see what the explanation is to why but had not found the courage to ask!

My moretti rods are not annealed before I use them. I've fused... no idea why anyone would want to slump their dichro before using them. Can someone enlighten me?

Many thanks,

Sue

[Jayne]

The edges of the dichro can turn scummy unless the dichro pieces are pre-fired. Sort of how the end of a clear Effetre rod is if you don't pull it off. I've used un-fired dichro with success, but it's much easier & more foolproof if they're pre-fired.

[Kalera]

The awesomest is when you can get a sheet of thin dichro, then tack-fuse a thin sheet of clear on top of it... then cut it into strips and THEN run it through one more fuse cycle to roundthe edges... dreamy to use! The first time I ever used dichro it had been pre-fused like that and it was just wonderful. I keep meaning to do it but nevr getting around to it.

[ellyloo]

does it come labelled prefused or not, or is it cheaper to buy unfired?

Guess I"m asking if the stuff I buy at my glass store will be fired or not, and do I have to ask for the right stuff.
(some day. when I'm confident enough for dichro)

[hoboglass]

You'll know it's been prefused because the edges of the strips will be "soft". If it hasn't been prefused the edges will feel sharp.

[Jayne]

The stuff I buy at my glass store is not pre-fused. I don't fuse it either; I use it "raw." Arrow Springs has both kinds. And I know Frantz has pre-fused also. I've ordered from both, and love their pre-fused dichro.

[Glass Smith]

Originally Posted by KetchikanSculptor

Thank you so much Emily! Is there such thing as 104 sheet glass?

Yes 104 does come in sheet glass. Ivory, Clear, & Black are the most common but there are many colors available at different suppliers. A full sheet 20 x 20 will cost between $30 - $40. I have used the sheet glass and put on different twisties and odd bits of rods as well as broken beads and made some very neat bowls and sushi plates.

If you want to see some really cool designs using 104 glass take a look at
Mel Munsen's work. His use of murrini and cane is breathtaking.

[Ruth Nichols]

A wealth of info! Thanks you guys!!!

[Kikki]

Originally Posted by ellyloo

does it come labelled prefused or not, or is it cheaper to buy unfired?

Guess I"m asking if the stuff I buy at my glass store will be fired or not, and do I have to ask for the right stuff.
(some day. when I'm confident enough for dichro)

It's quite easy to see if it's been pre-fused or not. The un-fused dichro coating has a smooth mirrorlike finish. The fused dichro is rougher.

I do what Emily does. Dichro side down on a shelf with Thinfire paper on.

[jhana]

Originally Posted by Sue in Maine

Thank you for asking! I keep coming back to this to see what the explanation is to why but had not found the courage to ask!

My moretti rods are not annealed before I use them. I've fused... no idea why anyone would want to slump their dichro before using them. Can someone enlighten me?

Many thanks,

Sue

There is also a color shift that heating the dichrioc produces.
Once it is fired, you have the color it will be in the piece.
I'm not sure if only tack fusing will get you there.
I don't know all the exact details of it, or I would dish.
Maybe someone who does, will.
I've only used it raw.

[Emily]

I can't tell you why, but the raw stuff seems to burn off more easily than the dichro that's been given a run through the kiln (slumped, fused, whatever you want to call it). I've never used dichro that's had a sheet of clear fused to it. It would be lovely to have the built-in protection, but I wouldn't always want the added thickness.

I use wide strips, so I have to worry about popping even though my dichro has been annealed before I use it. (Don't ask me why flat strips like to thermal shock more than rods do, but they do.) Prevention of scumming/burn off is the reason I pre-slump. I would never use the word "foolproof" in connection with dichro (because I'm just the fool who can screw it up, and I have the gray cruddy bead collection to prove it), but I think it helps.