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Copper and Glass
Name: Lauren J
Status: other
Grade: 12+
Location: VA
Country: USA
Question:
I am a fused glass artist and have a
project in mind...it is a waterside village with the
water and sky made of fused glass...with the
village, docks and boats made of copper...my
question (before I waste my time and materials) is
what will happen to the copper when I fuse the glass
and copper in my kiln? The fusing temperature of
glass, at full fuse is 1470, it ramps slowly and
holds at 1470 for 25 minutes then slowly ramps to
960 and holds for an hour, then continues the slow
ramp down to 100 to properly anneal the glass. I
know from experience that any copper between the
glass will discolor and I can use this in the
design. Will the copper hold shape at these temps
and will I be able to clean and patina the copper
after the firing? If it won' perhaps I can shape the
glass around the "village, then fire the glass and
"insert" the "village" after patina. I really
appreciate any help you can give me...I have been
dreaming of this project for a while now and would
love to know if it is possible.
Replies:
Hi Lauren,
You don't mention if your temperatures are Celsius or Fahrenheit.
Since you are in the US, I will assume you are still working in the old
fashioned Fahrenheit system.
Copper melts at 1984 degrees F, so with your furnace at 1470
degrees F, there is no danger of the copper melting. But unless you
heat it in a reducing atmosphere (that is, in the compete absence of
oxygen), at this high temperature there will be a very thick layer of ugly
black oxide (not just a patina) formed on the copper that will be
extremely difficult to remove. In addition, the thermal expansion rates
of glass and copper are vastly different, so during heating and/or
cooling, the glass near the copper areas may be subjected to enough
stress to crack it.
Regards,
Bob Wilson
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Update: June 2012
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