The size of the opening of the mould has a significant effect on the schedule you will need to use for slumping. This often referred to as the span of the mould, because the glass spans the mould from one edge to the other. In larger span moulds, the glass drops more easily, because the weight at the centre is effectively more than in smaller span moulds. This means that the glass in large span moulds can be fired at lower temperatures than small span moulds. The difference between a 130mm diameter mould and a 400mm diameter mould can be 40C and 30 minutes - the larger one taking less time and temperature to conform to the mould.
Ball moulds - one of 130 mm and the other of 290 mm dia.
The depth of a mould in relation to its span can have an effect on the schedule required. This is for two reasons: The deeper a mould, the greater the tendency for the sides to become steep, which presents problems as described elsewhere. Deep moulds also require slow careful firings, to help keep the glass from distorting too much from the horizontal and stretching too thin to be robust.
180 mm dia by 75mm deep flared mould
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