Dams for Pattern Bars

Once you have cut and arranged the glass for your pattern bar, you need to dam the bars in the kiln to prevent the glass spreading.

The materials required for forming the sides of the dam can be made from anything that is rigid and can withstand the heat of the kiln, e.g., cut up kiln shelves, rigidised fibre board, vermiculite board. The material being used to dam must be over 13mm and preferably around 25mm thick. It should be capable of standing vertically on its edge without support. Cut the dam material into strips at least as long as the pattern bars you're damming, and at least as wide as the bars are tall.

You also need fibre paper for lining the edges of the dam and keeping the glass from sticking to the dam. Cut the strips of fibre paper to line the walls of the dam and keep the glass from sticking to the dam material when you fire the kiln. Three millimetre fibre paper works best.

The width of the fibre paper should be 3mm narrower than the pattern bars are high. By cutting the strips shorter than the pattern bars you allow the bars to round perfectly on top and help prevent needling.

The fibre paper should go around all sides without gaps. They should have straight edges so the glass of the pattern bar does not leak between or underneath the fibre paper. The use of iridised glass on bottom and sides will provide a smooth release from the fibre paper and is a second option. It is also possible to line the fibre paper with thinfire paper to provide a smooth release, although it is more time consuming than using the iridised side of glass against the fibre. But do not combine thinfire and iridised glass. There is a reaction that leaves holes and craters in the glass.