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01.

Choose the Stringer

These 0.5mm stringers (“Fine Line”) are from a tube of Bullseye Glass mixed stringer. I selected the colors based on how many stringers of each there were and whether that was enough to create a repetitive pattern across the entire piece.

Glued Stringer
02.

Glue the Stringer

First I cut an 8″ diameter circle of Tekta. Then I glued each stringer in place, starting at the left. I broke the stringer by placing it on the glass and, where it extended beyond the edge of glass, I pressed down with my finger and snapped it. It was an inaccurate method which cost me time later. I used GlasTac Gel in three or four spots and pressed the stringer into it.

Glued Stringer from Edge
03.

Fuse It Face Down

I decided to fuse it face down on ThinFire shelf paper because I wanted the inside of the bowl to be smooth and glossy. I also didn’t know if all of the colors in the stringer assortment were food safe, so I decided to put them on the outside of the bowl. In this photo, there are now two layers of Tekta to create the necessary 6mm thickness.

Two Layers of Tekta Clear with Stringers
04.

Time to Fuse

I waited until I had a number of other projects to fill the 20″ x 20″ shelf before I fused the stringer project at the back on the right.

Loaded in Kiln
05.

Slumping

Unfortunately I don’t have a photo of the piece before I slumped it. Because the stringer was uneven, I decided to grind off the excess for a perfect edge.

To do that, I scored a circle (with a Bohle Silberschnitt Studio Circle Cutter) that just barely cut off the areas that didn’t have stringer. Then I used a Glastar All Star G8 Grinder to grind off everything up to and including the score mark. It took about two hours to grind, but it came out circular and clean. Then I used 3M Diamond Hand Laps to remove the scratches left by the grinder and bring the finish of the edge up to 400 grit matte that would fire polish.

I used the Large Cone Bowl Mold (8975).

Ready to Slump
06.

Slumped and Polished

The edge did indeed get glossy and the overall effect of the thick Tekta with the Fine Line stringer is one that I like a lot.

Closeup of Stringer Edge
Results

Final Result

I’ll definitely be doing more of these.  I’ll be more careful with the ends of the stringer at the edge of the Tekta next time.

Final Bowl O' Stringer
With Grapes

FUSING SCHEDULE (RUN TIME 8:49)*

SEGMENT RATE (deg F / hour) TEMPERATURE (F) HOLD (hours:minutes)
1 500 1225 :30
2 AFAP 1500 :30
3 AFAP 950 1:00
4 200 725 OFF

SLUMPING SCHEDULE (RUN TIME 9:30)*

SEGMENT RATE (deg F / hour) TEMPERATURE (F) HOLD (hours:minutes)
1 300 1000 :00
2 225 1225 :30
3 AFAP 1400 0
4 AFAP 950 1:00
5 100 725 OFF

* The firing schedules may be designed for other projects that were fired with this one. Everything was fired in a Paragon GL-22AD.