Pricing, 1 - Establishing the Cost

Pricing your work is necessary to get a fair return for your effort and to make an income.

Establishing the Cost

The first step is to calculate the amount it costs to run your business. Prepare a summary of annual outgoings including:

• Studio/workspace (or as a proportion of the house that you use for a home studio)
• Administration costs
• Equipment & loans
• Packaging
• Marketing materials
• Advertising
• Incidental expenses
• Income tax & social security payments
• Insurance for public liability, materials, equipment, and employment
• Depreciation (cost to replace things you are reliant on). The amount or proportion varies according to jurisdiction.

You will need to make some guesses about the amounts and that is OK. The value you put on some of the things above may be “zero”, but still need to be considered. All these are considered to be the overheads of your activity.


2. Step two is to calculate the time available to make your work over a year. If you are full time, start with 365 days and then subtract the weekends (104), holidays (say 10), administration time, and allow a contingency for sickness, etc.(say 10). That leaves you 241 days, less the administration time.  When you first start in business you are likely to spend 40% of your time on administration, but you should get more efficient and this time will reduce to around 30%.  So, even when fully up and running you will have about 169 days out of the 365 to spend on producing work - at best.  This means that you will have about 46% of the available time spent on production.

If you are working part time you need to do the calculations on the basis of the number of days you have available and do the subtractions and calculations as for a full time basis.  You may find your overheads are proportionally higher than fulll time, as these costs continue accrue whether you are in the studio or not.

Then do the calculation:

Overheads & personal salary (you do want to pay yourself - I insist!) divided by days available to work.

This enables you to fix a price for your time and gives you a daily rate from which you can calculate an hourly rate.


3. Step three is to estimate how long it takes you to do anything - preparation time, research, selling, marketing, packaging etc.

Add together the cost of materials and charge for the time it takes to make the item at the hourly rate you have calculated. This enables you to calculate a price for the item. Then look at how much the market will pay for your type of work.

Even if you know the market will not stand the full price, you should still do the calculations to find out the price that you should be trying to achieve.  If the price is unrealistic, you need to look at simplifying the item, or to consider different items.

All these calculations need regular reviewing.



More information is available 
Establishing the costs
Creating a pricing structure
Terms and conditions of sales
Customer relations


Payment

Pricing, 2 - Pricing Structure

Creating a Pricing Structure

After calculating what you are going to charge, use the prices to create a pricing structure:

• Selling price to the public - recommended retail price
• Wholesale price/trade price
• Sale or return price
• Selling direct to the public

The selling price for the public should be the trade/wholesale price times two, plus tax. This means that the wholesale price is your bottom/lowest price that will give you a profit.

You should set your prices to realistically cover your costs, including time spent at an event, and know what you need to charge to make a profit. You charge double your wholesale price to cover your own costs of sales, such as packaging, stand hire, etc.

Do not undercut your other outlets, otherwise they will no longer want to sell your work.

Use selling to the public as an opportunity to test the market by exploring new products and new prices.


Selling to trade

The prices you offer to trade, i.e., your wholesale prices should cover your costs and provide some profit.

Galleries and shops have enormous overheads, which is why they put so much of a mark up on pieces, but remember they will be selling your work all of the time, so you can produce the work without interruption.

Before approaching wholesale or trade outlets you need to decide on:

• Minimum order quantities.
• Discount prices, and quantities to qualify.
• How much of your work they will need to make a good display (it is in both of your interests to display your work as well as possible).
• Consider charges for carriage or if you want to offer carriage free.
• Agree what the payment terms are – pro forma, payment on delivery or credit. If offering credit, ask for trade references.

Sale or Return

If you provide work on consignment (sale or return), make sure you know exactly what the terms are. Keep a close eye on the pieces, as there are risks that may or may not be covered by the seller

You do not want your work out for too long, so if it is not selling after 6 months it is time to move it. That means keeping records of where your work is and when it was placed.


Review your prices annually.




More information is available 
Establishing the costs
Creating a pricing structure
Terms and conditions of sales
Customer relations


Payment

Leading - the First Glass Pieces

After establishing the perimeter lead cames, place the first glass piece into the corner formed by these cames. 

You only need to establish one vertical and one horizontal came to begin with. The other two will be placed at the conclusion of the leading.


Normally, you will be working from the lower left corner toward the upper right corner of the pattern if you are right-handed. The reverse is the case for left-handed people. 

Hold each piece of glass in place with some scrap lead and nail. The scrap lead will prevent the nail from chipping the glass. It's important all glass is held in place with nails so no shifting occurs while working in another area of the panel.

Fitting the rest of the glass to the cartoon is described here. 

Revised Feb 2020

Flux, an Introduction

Flux is a key contributor to most soldering applications. It is a compound that is used to lift tarnish films from a metals surface, keep the surface clean during the soldering process, and aid in the wetting and spreading action of the solder. There are many different types and brands of flux available on the market; check with the manufacturer or reseller of your flux to ensure that it is appropriate for your application, taking into consideration both the solder being used and the two metals involved in the process. Although there are many types of flux available, each will include two basic parts, chemicals and solvents.

an example of paste flux

The chemical part includes the active portion, while the solvent is the carrying agent. The flux does not become a part of the soldered joint, but retains the captured oxides and lies inert on the joints finished surface until properly removed. It is usually the solvent that determines the cleaning method required to remove the remaining residue after the soldering is completed. 

It should be noted that while flux is used to remove the tarnish film from a metal's surface, it will not (and should not be expected to) remove paint, grease, varnish, dirt or other types of inert matter. A thorough cleaning of the metal's surface is necessary to remove these types of contaminates. This will greatly improve the fluxing efficiency and also aid in the soldering methods and techniques being used.

Courtesy of American Beauty Tools


See also:
Flux, an introduction
Fluxes, a description
The Purpose of flux
The action of fluxes
Soldering fluxes

Fitting the Glass to the Cartoon

Often you find that the next piece of glass does not fit properly. Possibly it rocks a bit in the came’s channel. Possibly it is simply just a little too big.  Wait! Don't adjust the piece just yet. It may not be the problem.

The first thing to do is to take the too-large piece of glass out and remove the came it fits into, to ensure the previous piece of glass is not too large. The glass should not overlap the cut line. If you have drawn your cut lines to 1.2mm (1/16”) you should see only the faintest line of paper between the glass and the dark cut line. 

If the glass seems too large, check that it is firmly in the channel of the previous came, as sometimes the glass catches on the edge of the came and does not go into the channel.

If that piece seems too large, the next check is to determine whether the apparently too large piece of glass really fits the cartoon cut lines. Place the glass inside the cut lines. You should see a faint line of paper between the glass and the cut line.

When you are sure both pieces of glass are the correct size, put the came back between them and check again. If the glass is still too large, check the length of the came. Make sure the came butting onto the came separating the glass is not too long. This is a common reason for lead panels to grow beyond their initial dimensions.

If the glass is the correct size and the butting cames are correct, replace the came. Put the too large piece of glass into the came and position it so it has the best fit to the next cut line. 

Do not be tempted to start reducing the glass at the visible portion.  After all, you cut it to the right size. It may be that the fit under the came is not very good.

To check use a felt tipped pen (Sharpie) to run along the edge of the came, marking the too-large piece of glass. Take it out and check on where the line is farthest from the edge of the glass. That is where you need to reduce the piece.

The nail points to the area that needs adjustment

When you have reduced the "high" spots on the glass so it fits under the came evenly along its length, you can begin to adjust the outer edge, if necessary.

A fuller description is here.

Stand Alone Online E-Stores

Perhaps none of the existing online marketplaces fit enough of you needs to join them.  You can set up your own and make it your only online store, or you can do it in addition to other ecommerce sites that have some of the features you want.

Advantages

The advantages of your own online store relate to control and adaptability to your design needs.

You retain control of the design, layout, branding, etc., of your site.  This helps maintain your identity or brand and aligns it with your product range.

You have control of when the store is live and when it is updated. You, of course make the rules for what can be listed and how it is displayed.

You don’t have to acquire a lot of knowledge about setting up websites and online stores. Website builders offer templates and store services. You can also use professional website builders to get complete control.

You can link to Etsy or other market places from your own store.  You can funnel the traffic from these sites to own site.

Your own site will enable you to build closer relationships with your buyers. You can communicate directly rather than through intermediaries.

Disadvantages

Nothing comes free of course.  There are some disadvantages to establishing and running your own site.

An especially important element of a store is visits – akin to footfall in real life stores.  You must get people to visit.  You get the visits by making the links with people using a variety of communications.  You need to combine social media with the creation of newsletters, direct mail, blogging, etc.  These relationship building efforts are vital to get people to your website and store.

There are costs relating to hosting fees and one-off fees for the building of the website.  The online stores also charge fees in different ways, so a careful comparison of the best-looking services is important.

There will be additional administration in comparison to an online marketplace.

Questions for E-commerce Site Building

       

What are the facilities for integration of Etsy offerings into your own store? Will separate loading be required?

Is drag and drop site building supported? Is there user support or a user group to support you?

Is an integrated shopping cart available?  What are the order fulfilment assistance options?

Will the site support expanded functions as your business grows?  How adaptable it the site to changes in business?

Is the e-commerce site a market place?  How will exposure of the site to potential buyers be managed?

What is the cost for the features you want?

       

The Balance

You must decide whether the advantages of having your own e-commerce site outweighs the disadvantages in terms of traffic, time spent developing relationships, administration and cost

Websites for Selling Craft

This is not a discussion of which site to choose, but a range of things you need to think about when considering which site to use for selling your craft items.  This includes whether to have your own e-commerce site instead of, or in addition to, a market place site.

Evaluating website offerings requires you to think about a multiplicity of things.  Many of these are listed here, although there may be a few additional things you need to think about for your products.

Recognition/Visits/Traffic

You need to think about the amount of recognition the marketplace has.  Is it the place your potential buyers know about?  Are there a lot of visits to the site?

Is it a market place offering where the website promotes the whole site and the shops within it?  Or is it a site where your own efforts to drive traffic are required? This latter element is like having your own site.

What is the competition within the site? Are there many other sellers of your kind of product? How easy will it be to distinguish your things from others?  Are there mass production sellers on the site?

       

How selective is the site in approving sellers?  This also relates to reputation.

Reputation and Products for sale

Is the site restricted to craft made items? How are mass production manufacturers eliminated?

What range of products are allowed? Is it possible to sell services, and digital products as well as physical goods?

Is the site focused on general products or arts and crafts?  What pricing levels are exhibited on the site?  Is the focus on arts-based items, or does it include bargain basement and cheap deals?

What is the level of security of transaction information offered to you and your customers?  It is vital that the site offers good security for transactions to give customers confidence in buying from the site.

Your identity

Whatever site you join, there will be many other sellers or shops.

Do you get your own shop? Or are all similar products grouped? Is there support or templates to set up your shop?

If you have your own shop what degree of control do you have?  How are images formatted?  What amount of text can be included?  What range of formats are allowed?  Does the site brand dominate, or can you have yours as the prime visual?  What number of themes are available to you?

What level of flexibility in store arrangement and titles do you get?  What number of pages do you get at the various plan levels? How much flexibility and customisation is allowed? What number of items per page are allowed? And what descriptions are allowed either in length or number of terms?

What are the restrictions on the number of products you can sell? Are you allowed discount codes?  Is there inventory control with the site? What is the assistance for order fulfilment?  How much and what features? Is there a system set up for returns? How much support is available?

Are searches restricted to your shop or for all shops on the site?  How are the meta tags used by the site? Are hyperlinks within site only or allowed to outside sites too? Are social media buttons available and with what flexibility?  Can you use your own domain name?

Connections with other e-commerce sites

Are connections allowed?  How easy is the linking? Can you link to multiple sites? Are links to social media – Facebook, etc. – allowed? And how are they managed? Can you link the potential customer to mobile phone sales?

Costs

Of course, there are always payments to be made. You need to look at the various options offered, and the charges involved in them.  If you are new to online selling or have low volume sales, it may be that higher selling fees rather than regular payments with lower transaction fees is better for you at the start.

Listing costs are normally linked to number of items you are offering in your shop. There may be refreshing fees – you must pay a fee to keep the product in the shop after a set period.

There will be continuing fees.  These may be in relation to each item – commission - either as you sell or related to the plan level you choose. Are the commission fees in addition to the listing fees?  Are there additional credit card fees?

Plan level costs are ongoing fees that may be monthly or annual. They are often linked to the length of contract between you and the site provider.  They will give different levels of item fees, and levels of features.  What are the costs of the plan levels? What benefits to they give, and do you need them?  What level of functionality do you get in relation to plan level costs?  How are the plan levels related to the volume or value of sales?

What is the ability to expand and grow through graded plans?  How and when can you move from one plan to another?

Administration

The costs of doing business online may be significant. They may also be related to your familiarity with online offerings.

The creation of an entry should be easy and flexible. You should find it easy to move around the listing form, and it should contain a significant amount of flexibility.  You should be able to make bulk changes.  It should be easy to move items and entries around your shop. 

How much control do you wish to have?  With less experience, you may want to have a lot of the listing, editing of pages, especially contact information done for you, or highly guided.   The kind of support is important. Does the site have a maker support community?

An often-unrecognised level of administration is inventory management. Does the site support that?  If the site does not have inventory control you will have to do it yourself. If you don’t have the stock to satisfy the order, you probably will lose the sale. 

Is the site easy to use?

An important general question is the ease of use for you and for customer. Test the sites out for how easy it is to find and buy an item.  Look at how easy it is for you to use the tools to list your products.

Reviews of e-commerce sites

There are sites that review the offerings of various sites to help you answer some of the questions listed above.  One I have found to be helpful is Ecommerce Guide.

The answers to the relevant questions listed here will assist you toward choosing a website that suits your needs.  It may also lead you toward considering a stand-alone ecommerce site if there are not enough positives in your review of market place sites. It may lead you to consider both.  But the more sites you have the more important it is to be able to link between them and move entries between sites.

A discussion of various things that need consideration on whether to sell on line at all is here.

Textured Side

There is a little concern about whether the textured side of the glass pieces in leaded and copper foiled glass should be towards the inside or outside.

The traditional advice is to have the textured side toward the inside.  This is based on the piece being used as a window. It is easier to keep the weather side clean if the smooth side is on the outside. The same thinking leads to the recommendation to allow the cemented panel to rest with the smooth (outside) down.  This minimises the thickness of the putty and so allows less water to collect on the outside horizontal leads.

If the window is not primary glazing, it does not matter which side, nor how consistent you are in placing the glass.  It becomes a matter of aesthetics – which ever way you prefer is fine if it gives you the effect you want.

There is a small visual effect if you are using transparent glass.  There is slightly more dispersion of light if the textured side is outwards. 

Placing the textured side inwards can be useful if you wish to indicate a rough surface contrasting with a smoother one.

These considerations show that the placing of the textured side is largely determined by the function of the panel and the aesthetics applied.

Patina

The successful application of patina to solder or zinc depends on an understanding of what patina is, how it works and the methods of applying it.

What is it?

Definition:

Patina is a thin layer that variously forms on the surface of copper, bronze and similar metals (tarnish produced by oxidation or other chemical processes), or certain wooden furniture (a sheen produced by age, wear, and polishing), or any similar acquired change of a surface through age and exposure.

The chemical process by which a patina forms or is deliberately induced is called patination, and a work of art coated by a patina is said to be patinated.

The word "patina" comes from the Latin for "shallow dish". Figuratively, patina can refer to any fading, darkening or other signs of age, which are felt to be natural or unavoidable (or both).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patina

A description of patination and the industrial process:

“In their natural state, most metals combine with chemicals in the earth or air to create metallic compounds that change their surface colour, which appear as rust or tarnish. These thin layers of corrosion are nature's patinas.”

“Among the most common procedures [to patinate] are immersion and spraying. During immersion, a piece is cleaned with sandblasting or chemicals, then dipped into a prepared liquid compound, creating an immediate change in colour. Alternatively, a piece is sprayed or brushed with a patina solution, allowed to air dry, and spritzed again. This oxidation process creates corrosion on the metal's surface that forms a layer of patina. Other methods include heat, dabbing and wiping, anodizing, and random contact patina.”

Source: Triple-S Chemical Products

A product – Black on Solder – is described and the industrial process illustrated:

“DESCRIPTION: Black on Solder is a chemical formula developed to achieve a black antique finish on Tin/Lead or Solder areas (60-40 or 50-50). This solution is a non-chromate, non-cyanide liquid solution widely used on lighting fixtures, tin wares, sculptures, gift items and other decorations. The surface will not chip, flake or peel.

“PREPARATION: Parts must be free of grease, alkalinity or acid when Black on Solder is applied. Parts must be thoroughly cleaned and deoxidized prior to blackening. … Do not use petroleum degreasing solvents that leave a residue on the surface. Rinse thoroughly with over flowing cold water to remove residual cleaners and dust. It is important that alkaline cleaners are completely rinsed off prior to blackening.

“IMPORTANT: Triple- S does NOT recommend using any sort of alcohol, solvent, acid or degreaser to clean parts prior to solution application. … Powdered cleaners such as Ajax or Comet can also be used. Use the cleaner in conjunction with a scotch brite pad and apply medium strength scrubbing to prepare the part then thoroughly rinse with fresh water. ….

“APPLICATION: Clean the part with [your chosen material]. Rinse thoroughly with water and dry. Apply [the patina] solution with a brush or spray evenly and let it react. Rinse with water and air dry or wipe with a cloth to dry the surface. [Repeat this as necessary.] It is recommended to protect the finish with a clear [varnish]”

Source: Triple-S Chemical Products

Take note:

The above quote is from a company that works with metals exclusively and is an illustration of how important cleaning is for good results in patina application.  When cleaning in proximity or on glass different processes must be used to protect the glass.

1. I never would use abrasive or corrosive materials to clean solder lines holding glass.  The most aggressive cleaner I use is that intended for fibreglass baths.
2. I never use abrasive methods in conjunction with painted glass.
3. Do not use metal or scouring pads when cleaning
4. I never use patina on any part of a panel that has painting on any of the glass. The acid will remove or damage the painting.
5. I never use patina on leaded panels at all.

I suggest these precautions should always be followed.

Cleaning

These sources indicate that a patina solution is used to form a thin layer of corrosion to the material.  To do this, the metal must be cleaned of oils, and be acidically neutral.  Cleaning is to be done with household cleaners such as powdered or cream cleaners applied with moderate pressure by synthetic scrubbing materials such as a dish scrubbing pad (sometimes called a green scrubby). The metal then needs application of running water (not a bath of water) to rinse off any residues. 

Application

The clean metal needs to be dried before application of the patination solution.  Apply with a brush or sponge, or spray and allow time for the patina to react with the metal.  Rinse with water and allow to air dry.  If wanted, the drying can be aided by wiping with a soft cloth or absorbent paper.  Often a second or third application is required to achieve the depth of colour desired.

Protect

You can then apply a varnish or wax to shine and protect the colour of the patination.  This protective process must not involve scrubbing, as that will remove the patination layer from the metal.

Do it Yourself Colourations

Goran Budija has listed a wide variety of patination formulas and methods in his publication.  What follows is a reworking of his data.

Patination of Tin

Black 1

Method:

Immerse objects in heated solution(70C). When colour is developed rinse well, dry and wax.

Formula:

5 gms Bismuth nitrate

50cc Nitric Acid

80gms Tartaric acid

1 litre water

Black 2

Method:

Immerse objects in the hot (70C) solution.

Formula:

30gms Ammonium chloride

7.5gms Molybdenum acid

1 litre water

Greyish black

Method:

Immerse objects in the room temperature solution.

Formula:

200gms Iron III chloride

1 litre water

Bronze brown

Method:

Dissolve ingredients in water acidified with nitric or hydrochloric acid. Apply to the surface(s).

Formula:

3 gms Ammonium chloride

12gms copper acetate

20ml vinegar

500ml water

Bronze colour.

Method:

Mix diluted solution of copper sulphate and cream of tartar, Rub it on an object.

Formula: equal parts of:

Copper sulphate

Potassium hydrogentartarate/cream of tartar

Patination of Zinc

Black. 1

Method:

Ingredients must be dissolved in hot water, then filtered and used.  Immerse objects and take them out immediately. Colour develops after contact with air.  Repeat if needed, rinse well and dry.

Formula:

125gms copper sulphate

60gms potassium chlorate

1 litre water

Black. 2

Method:

Immerse objects in heated solution (90 C).

Formula:

12gms copper sulphate

15gms potassium permanganate

1 litre water

Black. 3

Method:

Immerse objects in the solution. (room temperature)

Formula:

20gms ammonium molybdate

5gms sodium acetate or sodium thiosulphate

1 litre water

Greyish black.

Method:

Immerse objects in the solution (approximately 20 minutes).

Formula:

200gms Iron III chloride

1 Litre water

 

From:

Collection of formulas for the chemical, electrochemical and heat colouring of metals, the cyanide free immersion plating and electroplating, by Goran Budija.  March 2011.  Zagreb, Croatia

Summary of applicable DIY formulas and methods

Tin

Goran Budija recommends hot application to get a black patination, but this is not usually suitable for stained glass work.  Cold application will also work but needs more time and repeated applications to have the same effect as hot immersion.  Whether you choose Black 1 or 2 will depend largely on the availability of the chemicals.

A cold method of patination is the Greyish Black using iron III chloride, which is easily available. More applications and drying will intensify the colour.

To get a bronze patination of solder equal parts of copper sulphate and cream of tartar made into a paste and rubbed onto the solder will be effective, although not a copper colour.

Zinc

Black 1 seems the most useful method and formula for zinc framing of stained glass panels.  It is a cold application and immersion can be substituted by painting or brushing on the chemical solution.  Note the multiple applications required to get the depth of colour required, and the thorough cleaning and rinsing noted in the industrial process.

Changing Grits on a Belt Sander

When to Go to a Finer Grit on Belt Sander?

If you change the direction the belt moves along the glass with each step it will be easier to see if you have removed each of the previous step's scratches. If you see marks at another angle than your present direction, you need to continue the current step a little while longer.


A second method that I use more often is to use a paint marker to show up the areas not ground. You need to dry the piece before applying the paint marker and let the paint dry before continuing with the next grit. The paint should be applied thinly to avoid transferring the paint to the belt, which reduces the efficiency of the grits. Any low spots or scratches will show up as white areas or lines on the surface.

The process of drying and painting also helps to provide a break in the sometimes tedious process of grinding and polishing.


These two methods can also be used for cold working by hand.

Lubrication for cutters

You can cut glass without oil.  It has been done for a long time.  But it has been found that there are advantages to using oil on a score line.

The purpose of oil:

•         A minor element is to oil the cutter wheel axle.
•         A major element is to oil the score line.  An oiled score line stays open longer than a dry one.  
•         An oiled score line reduces the amount of visible chipping from the score line.

The kind of oil

•        Mineral oil does not oxidise to gum up the scoring wheel.
•        Any light mineral oil - from sewing machine oil to WD40 - is acceptable. Some use very light oils such as turpentine or white spirits.
•         There are cutting oils that are synthetic and easier to clean than the standard oils and spirits, in that less residue is left when the oil is wiped off.
•         Vegetable oils might appear to be a good substitute.  But they oxidise and become sticky, attracting dust and other particles which soon block the turning of the scoring wheel.  This requires frequent checking and cleaning.  Avoid vegetable oils.

Methods of applying

•         The oil can be put into the cutters that have a reservoir.
•         The cutter can be dipped into a container of oil with or without an oil-soaked material.
•         The oil can be painted onto the glass before scoring.

  Any single one or combination of the above will work.

Dichroic coatings

Description

“Dichroic glass is a multi-layer coating placed on glass by using a … vacuum deposition process. Quartz crystal and metal oxides [such as titanium, chromium, aluminium, zirconium, or magnesium] are vaporized with an electron beam gun in …[a] vacuum chamber and the vapor then floats upward and … condenses on the surface of the glass in the form of a crystal structure….  [As] many as 30 layers of these materials [are applied] yet the thickness of the total coating is approximately 35 millionths of an inch.”  http://www.cbs-dichroic.com/faq.asp

“This coating that we commonly call dichroic glass today, is actually an “interference filter” permanently adhered to the surface of a piece of glass. The technology used to manufacture the optical interference filter has been in existence for many years. It is known as vacuum thin film deposition“  Howard Sandberg.  http://www.cbs-dichroic.com/fyi.asp

“The total light that hits the dichroic layer equals the wavelengths reflected plus the wavelengths passing through the dichroic layer.  A plate of dichroic glass can be fused with other glass in multiple firings. Due to variations in the firing process, individual results can never be exactly predicted, so each piece of fused dichroic glass is unique.”  Wikipedia

Care in Use

Dichoric glass can be used in stained glass as well as kilnforming.  There are some precautions to be observed when handling dichoric coated glass.

Determining Coated Side

The coating is a thin film that can be damaged easily. So, the first thing is to determine which is the coated side when the film is on a clear base.  One way is to look at the glass at a very acute angle.  If you see the colour above the clear, the coating is on the top.  If the clear is above the film, the coating is down.  Another way is to put a sharp point in contact with the glass.  View at a sharp angle.  If the point appears to touch the surface, the coating is up.  If there appears to be a small space between the point and the surface, the coating is on the bottom.  It is normal to check both sides to confirm the first impression.  Of course, if the dichoric is on black, the coated side is obvious. A more complete description of the method is describe here.

Scratches

The dichoric film is strong, but very thin.  This means that anything that could scratch the glass will also scratch the coating.  Avoid the use of abrasives when cleaning the coating.  This means that steel wool and harsh abrasive cleaners should not be used.

Scoring and Breaking

As the film is very thin, it is best to cut on the non-coated side.  This avoids any chipping as you score the glass, and provides a clean break.

Grinding

Also, when grinding the edge, you should use a fine grit to avoid chipping off the dichoric.

Fusing Notes

The dichroic coating is a strong thin film that does not expand and contract to the same extent as the glass being fused.  

Avoid movement

When there is a lot of movement in the glass, the coating can split. If the dichoric is on a clear base, you can fire it facing down to reduce the fracture of the film. You can also fire it with clear glass above to reduce the stretching and tearing of the dichoric film.

Over firing

Firing too hot causes additional movement in the glass, so you can think about reducing the temperature to avoid that over firing, which causes lots of movement of the glass.  You should also think about the volume.  If there is more than 6mm of glass, it will begin to spread to reach that thickness.  The spread causes a stretching stress in the dichoric film that can cause it to break apart.

Orientation

You should not fire with the dichoric faces together.  The films do not fuse together, so the glass bases and tops will act as single layers and pull in, creating multiple fractures in the coatings.

Frit

In addition to dichoric coated sheet glass, there is also dichoric coated frit from CBS.  They have designed a proprietary process that allows the frit to be coated on approximately 80% of the surface area of the frit. Due to this high ratio of coating versus glass, the dichroic frit responds very differently under heating/hot working conditions.  Based on: http://www.cbs-dichroic.com/faq.asp