WHAT IS FUSED GLASS?
Fused glass, also known as warm glass or kiln formed glass, is made when separate layres of glass are heated in a kiln until they melt and fuse together into a single piece.
Glass fuses at around 1500 degrees Fahrenheit. There are many techniques to get the glass to react in a way that you want to create a certain effect. The behavior of glass when heated is very complex with different things occurring at different temperatures. Working in a kiln requires many steps to ensure that the outcome is as expected. Projects require a program/schedule to heat and cool at certain rates, as well as holding the glass for extended periods of time at different and precise temperatures.
A very important part of fusing glass is the controlled rate of not only heating, but cooling. The process by which fused glass is cooled is called anneling. Through the process of annealing, the molecules in the glass are aligned, thereby reducing residual stress and making the fused piece strong.
Slumping or draping are processes used to shape fused glass over or into a mold. Slumping for most pieces on this site is done at around 1200 degrees Fahrenheit.