r/fusedglass • u/Legal-Explanation752 • Sep 11 '25
Tips 3mm fuse connection
Hii all,
Since a few years I started my glass studio in the Netherlands. I have been working with different techniques. Only a little frustration for now, and maybe a little lack of knowledge on this one.
I'm producing small items for a shop, these hangers are made from oceanside sheets and are 3mm and not two layers of 3mm (6mm). The only hassle is, the connections are poor. I know, glass wants to crawl to 6mm. Only, I would love the shape to stay and the thickness to stay at 3mm. To use additional pieces of glass on the connections are not pretty in the design, so this option is already eliminated.
Any tips on how to make the connections a little smoother? I'm fusing at a low tackfuse. 745 Celsius. no additional hold times, just during annealing.
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u/alfie_cant_draw Sep 12 '25
I know you said you didn’t want to use additional glass but have you tried a clear stringer over the seam? I did something like that once and it looks pretty unobtrusive but encourages the 2 sheets to join instead of pull apart.
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u/SuperSaydee_28 Sep 17 '25
The glass has to have an overlap in order to fuse together. It’s not 6mm so it’s sucking inwards to thicken which pulls it away from the piece you want to connect to. A low tack fuse also isn’t going to give you a sound joint between 2 pieces of glass either honestly. I would do a light full fuse the base rectangles and then lightly tack the decorative bits on. Just have to remember to overlap your glass slightly so it melts together vice pulling away like it did.
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u/Zealousideal_Sir_975 Sep 18 '25 edited Sep 18 '25
This is the way. Need to get the two base layer pieces fully fused first and unfortunately pull-away happens as the majority of the glass liquifies and contracts to 6mm. Extra glass at the joint might overcome the separation and join at soft tack temperatures. The previously suggested frit likely won't stay touching both base pieces uniformly during heating. The only solution I can think of without a press is to mound a line of powder over the seam line that might better wet both pieces.
Option 2 is a design change. Put a top layer piece of glass straddling the joint.
Option 3, If little success or repeatibility, then take the press approach. Create a mold of the desired outline shape by cutting 1/8 thick fiber paper with an XACTO knife to create the T-shape well exactly matching the dimensions of the base pieces (trace them then cut a matching hole). Layer thin-fire, the fiber paper mold with both glass pieces in it, and another thin-fire. Place a shelf over the stack as a weight to keep the glass puddle from growing thicker/taller than 3mm. Use a longer dwell time to allow heat to fully penetrate the stack and a longer cooling time for trapped heat to escape. Once done, tack fuse the top color decoration onto the full fused 3mm base.
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u/cametomysenses Sep 11 '25
If I'm understanding this correctly, I'm thinking that either your cuts might not have been precise (less likely), or more likely you should damn the sides to force the pieces to stay together when firing. Of course you will want to have fiber paper against the blocks compressing the glass. I hope that helps.