Glossary
Anneal – the process of cooling glass slowly and in stages to help prevent breakage
Band-Aids – a necessary addition to any glass workshop
Bullseye – a glass manufacturer whose glass has a COE of 90
Came – lead strips with channels that allow for the insertion of stained glass to hold it together
COE – see Coefficient of Expansion
Coefficient of Expansion – the ratio of change in glass’s length and/or width as it heats and cools
Compatibility – glass has different and specific expansion coefficients and they must match
Confetti glass – very thin pieces of glass that look exactly like confetti
Contour fusing – fusing the glass so it fuses but the edges only begin to round
Devitrification – an unwanted hazy finish on glass if taken to a wrong temperature or for too long
Dichroic – glass that has chemicals and minerals added to make it shine beautifully
Drape – changing the shape of glass by allowing it to fall over a mold in a kiln
Firing schedule – the ramp-up rate, temperatures, hold times; recorded for each item fired
Flux – a chemical that allows solder to adhere to copper foil or lead came in a stained glass window
Foil – copper strips wrapped around individual pieces of stained glass for windows
Frit –chunks or pieces of glass or powders of glass
Fuse – the process to join two or more pieces of glass at high temperatures
Grozing pliers – glass tool used to chip away the edge of the glass
Hot glass – what working over a torch or in a glass oven is called (over 2000 degrees, generally)
Kiln – an oven for melting, draping, slumping, fusing glass into pretty shapes
Lampworking – using a torch, a flame, to make beads or other glass items
Lead – the came that is used to hold together pieces of stained glass for windows
Microwave kiln – a new kiln designed to fit into a microwave oven
Murano – an island in Italy where the techniques of making glass were perfected
Noodles – just like it sounds, flat noodle shaped pieces of glass
Pate de Verre – a method of casting powered frits into specific shapes
Ripple glass – glass that is made with ridges, like the potato chips
Running pliers – a tool made specifically for cutting/breaking glass where you want it to break
Slump – changing the shape of glass by allowing it to droop into a mold
Soak – holding the kiln at a temperature for period of time
Solder – the lead/tin bead of metal that is applied to a stained glass window to hold it together
Soldering iron – the tool that heats the solder so it will adhere to the stained glass window
Stringers – narrow strands of glass, like spaghetti, used to make designs in glass
System 96 – a glass made by Spectrum Glass that has a COE of 96
Tack fusing – fusing the glass so it just begins to fuse; the glass retains its shape
Torch work – using a torch, a flame, to make beads or other glass items
Venting – leaving the kiln open (or a peep hole open) during fusing or a stage of fusing
Warm glass – what working with kilns is called