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My 12" system 96 white background plate with black opaque and transparent blue overlaid design came thru the full fused phase just fine. I cold worked the edges a little and then slumped into a shallow bowl form. Again looked good. I have a Jen kiln and followed the pre-programed firing schedules. However several days later the piece cracked across in the middle. It went thru anealing at 960 for 1hr and then left in kiln until room temp. What caused this? How to avoid it? Can I "fix" it by putting the two halves together and refiring it? Or can I break it up and use the pieces in another piece?

How can I keep the patina solution from etching the clear glass of my window panels? It looks like the glass is dirty along the seams but it is etched. I used a q-tip to apply the patina and dabbed the solution of then washed with soapy water and rinsed.

I HAVE A FLOOR LAMP, I WANT TO MAKE A SHADE. I BELIEVE I NEED A 21/2" CAP. HOW DO I KNOW THAT SIZE SHADE I SHOULD MAKE, I WOULD LIKE A 16" SHADE.

I have a question, when I slump the side of the glass that is against the mold is flat and ugly and nothing i have done prevents this or fixes it after...we bought a lap grinder but it can only do the outer few inches of my project and wont reach the middle because of the mount for the lap grinder disk. help?

@whatever68 Hi, just read your comment on moving glass, I "glue" my smaller pieces of glass with clear nail polish, the cheaper the better. I get mine from Walgreens and only pay 99c each. Hope that also helps.

Thanks. These tips and printable instructions are very helpfull. I am still trying to "master" the Microwave Kiln.

This is a great article. I haven't had any issues with the zinc and rebar but I have also never heard of putting a dowel into the bottom channel of the came that is awesome. Would that same principle work by filling the bottom of the channel with caulk or the like possibly giving the window space to spread in the seasons (I am in Chicago and the weather is so varied that a door which closes nicely in the winter has to be given a shoulder and body weight to close in the summer because the wood swells so badly. I see more actual outward bowing than downward slumping in panels here.

heeeeelp....my castings stuck in mold...i sprayed 3 times with boron nitrate.....what happened?

Can you tell me a bit about the glass you are using and your firing schedule? How big are the pieces you are firing and what type of kiln you have. What is the thickness of the glass. ex. two layers of 3mm or thinner, thicker? Is the design two pieces of the same size stacked on top of each other or are there smaller pieces laid out in the design on top of a single sheet?

@charlaatd I use shelf liner and still get huge bubble that break open to a crater...help easyst