 |
| Bullseye Glass Company |
To develop your fused glass practice, you need to record lots of information about your firings. This tells you what has gone well and not so well. It hones your expectations about how you should be preparing, scheduling, and analysing your experiences. It becomes your detailed memory bank of results and gives directions for the future. This should be done whether fired in your own kiln or someone else’s.
Categories of information for the record
There is quite a bit of information that needs to be
included in such a record. This is my
view of what needs to be included in
your logbook for future reference.
Date
Record the date of the firing as that will give you historical information on similar projects. It can show you what you have changed over time and the variations you have introduced.
Record the date of the firing as that will give you historical information on similar projects. It can show you what you have changed over time and the variations you have introduced.
Glass used
This is not only the type of glass (Bullseye, Float, Oceanside, Wissmach, Youghiogheny, etc), but the colours used. This should include the manufacturer’s code numbers to enable you to replicate the glass used.
Lay up
This can be a description, a drawing or pictures of the set-up of the piece prior to firing. This is vital to later understanding what you did in this firing. Record any glues or stabilising elements you use. Any frits or powders used should be recorded. The placement in the kiln is important - centred, one corner or another, level/ height in kiln, etc., can affect the results. You can make a sketch or take a photo to attach to the record rather than writing separate descriptons. How it comes out is recorded later.
This can be a description, a drawing or pictures of the set-up of the piece prior to firing. This is vital to later understanding what you did in this firing. Record any glues or stabilising elements you use. Any frits or powders used should be recorded. The placement in the kiln is important - centred, one corner or another, level/ height in kiln, etc., can affect the results. You can make a sketch or take a photo to attach to the record rather than writing separate descriptons. How it comes out is recorded later.
Dimensions
The dimensions (h x w x d) including any variations in height are needed to compare with other projects. This might be included in the lay-up diagrams or pictures, but it is most useful to have the dimensions and their variations recorded as numbers too. You might think in terms of layers, but remember to record the thickness of each layer/piece (e.g., 2mm, 3mm, 4mm, 6mm, etc)
Kiln used
This is especially important if the kiln is not yours. Every kiln has variations and it is important to compensate for that in scheduling and placing of the piece in the kiln.
This is especially important if the kiln is not yours. Every kiln has variations and it is important to compensate for that in scheduling and placing of the piece in the kiln.
Process
This is essential in gaining an understanding for planning any modifications. The process can be described by standard terms - e.g., sinter, slump, tack, contour, full fuse, casting, melt – or by your own terminology (if it is consistent).
This is essential in gaining an understanding for planning any modifications. The process can be described by standard terms - e.g., sinter, slump, tack, contour, full fuse, casting, melt – or by your own terminology (if it is consistent).
Description
A statement of your project and aims is very useful for the future. It is a reference point to use in comparing what you wanted with the results of the firing.
A statement of your project and aims is very useful for the future. It is a reference point to use in comparing what you wanted with the results of the firing.
Support system
This includes essential information affecting the firing – shelf type (e.g., fibre, mullite, ceramic tile), mould type (e.g., ceramic, fibre, steel), and a description or sketch including any reference codes.
This includes essential information affecting the firing – shelf type (e.g., fibre, mullite, ceramic tile), mould type (e.g., ceramic, fibre, steel), and a description or sketch including any reference codes.
Kiln furniture. The kind and quantity of kiln furniture (dams, stilts, posts, etc) can affect the firing results, so need to be recorded.
Separators
This includes kiln wash (type, whether new or the number of uses), fibre paper type and amount, mould coatings, and anything else you may use to keep the glass from sticking.
Schedule
This is the thing most everyone remembers to record. You need to record it each time you use it – even if you have used it many times before. You need to record each step of the program.
So many times, people report that “it [the schedule] has always worked before”, only to discover that some element had been intentionally or accidentally altered from past firings. I normally write the schedule in a logbook and then enter it into the programmer. I use the written record to check against what I have entered into the controller. Then I know I have programmed what I intended. I can also check on earlier, similar firings to see the variations I have used in the past.
Results
Drawings or pictures of the finished item are essential. A description of the results is also needed as a picture does not tell the whole story.
Drawings or pictures of the finished item are essential. A description of the results is also needed as a picture does not tell the whole story.
Comments on results
You should also give a commentary on the results of the firing. This should include successes as well as disappointments. Thoughts for future similar firings should be written down. They will be forgotten soon, if you don’t.
You should also give a commentary on the results of the firing. This should include successes as well as disappointments. Thoughts for future similar firings should be written down. They will be forgotten soon, if you don’t.
How to keep all this information
As you can see there are many elements that need to be recorded as they each can affect a firing. I see these as a minimum, and you will add elements important to you for this list.
It does not matter much in what form you keep the information. It can be a ledger, spreadsheet, database or your phone or tablet that you carry with you always. There are several apps for recording the kiln firings that can be used. What is important is that you can record the information immediately, or as you prepare the work for the kiln, into the chosen form of recording. I use a logbook and convert that in my leisure moments to a spreadsheet (usually at new years day). This allows me to compare information over time and especially the kinds of firings that I rarely do. It also allows me to search by various processes.
As you can see there are many elements that need to be recorded as they each can affect a firing. I see these as a minimum, and you will add elements important to you for this list.
It does not matter much in what form you keep the information. It can be a ledger, spreadsheet, database or your phone or tablet that you carry with you always. There are several apps for recording the kiln firings that can be used. What is important is that you can record the information immediately, or as you prepare the work for the kiln, into the chosen form of recording. I use a logbook and convert that in my leisure moments to a spreadsheet (usually at new years day). This allows me to compare information over time and especially the kinds of firings that I rarely do. It also allows me to search by various processes.
It is important that you back up any electronically held information to the cloud or other device to protect against loss or corruption.
Forms
It is useful to have a form for compiling this record. A number of elements of the records can be reduced to tick boxes to ease the recording. It helps to remind you of the information you need to log for each firing. Bullseye have an excellent form that you can use or adapt to your needs. There are a few apps that can be used on phones or tablets which are useful for those who record everything on their phone. Remember to back it all up to the cloud for preservation in case of loss or damage.
It is useful to have a form for compiling this record. A number of elements of the records can be reduced to tick boxes to ease the recording. It helps to remind you of the information you need to log for each firing. Bullseye have an excellent form that you can use or adapt to your needs. There are a few apps that can be used on phones or tablets which are useful for those who record everything on their phone. Remember to back it all up to the cloud for preservation in case of loss or damage.
No comments:
Post a Comment