Zander's creations from start to finish
Selecting The Glass
Zander was able to choose from a selection of Coatings by Sandberg (CBS) Dichroic glass. In the UK this glass we buy this from Warm Glass UK.
A video of him choosing his glass, and telling you about it, is on his YouTube playlist - click the photo to watch.
Tools and Safety
Zander uses multiple tools and safety equipment, including goggles, to cut the glass into smaller pieces.
Doesn't he look adorable.
Creating His Designs
With smaller glass pieces prepared, he can start to work out his designs. This is the really fun bit as he can play around with shapes, sizes and the colours of this amazing glass.
Each design is created using multiple layers of glass and glued together.
The Travelling Glass
The Travelling Glass
Our house is a couple of minutes drive from the studio. This means we have to get it from house to studio without dropping it! Mission complete this time.
Click the photo to watch on YouTube.
Kiln Time!
The Travelling Glass
Opening the kiln
Safely transported to the studio, it's now time to put Zander's creations into the kiln. We used a Skutt hot start pro electric kiln and a microwave kiln. The electric kiln is programmed to fire the designs to 804°C, the microwave kiln is done manually, both fusing the glass together and leaving them smooth and shiny.
Click the photo to watch on YouTube.
Keep scrolling to see him using a microwave kiln and programming the Skutt kiln.
Opening the kiln
The Travelling Glass
Opening the kiln
It's like Christmas everyday when you are opening a your kiln in the morning!
The kiln ran for just over 7 hours and cooled for around another 7-8 hours. Waiting for it to get below 29°C so it can be safely opened is a test of patience.
They're all removed and, after each one has been looked and favourites selected (all of them), it's time to look at them some more. Oh and then they are cleaned ready for the backs to be ground, cleaned and the bails to be glued on before attaching the chains.
Cleaning - Singing in the Rain
Cleaning - Singing in the Rain
Cleaning - Singing in the Rain
This picture shows rain water being used to clean the glass when it's fresh out of the kiln. There's no point in wasting water and rain is just so clean and free!
For the second clean, after grinding, Zander uses glass cleaner.
Grinding, Cleaning and Gluing
Cleaning - Singing in the Rain
Cleaning - Singing in the Rain
Grinding is repetitive but therapeutic. However, the worst part of finishing hundreds of pendants has got to be gluing. Corrine is not doing it this time, phew, Zander is! She will supervise, that's what mums are for surely.
The Finishing Touches
Cleaning - Singing in the Rain
The Finishing Touches
The next stage is admire the beautiful glass pendants (again), add the chains, photograph and list for sale.
The SHOP button will take you to Corrine Thorne Glass Artist due to Zander being under 18 years old. Orders and contacts will go through his mum.
The Kilns
Zander Using a Microwave kiln
Yes you really can fuse glass in a kiln that goes in a household microwave. Corrine Thorne Glass Artist (Zander's mum) has been using them for nearly 25 years. She has taught many people to use them including Zander.
Click the photo to his YouTube video.
Zander Programming a Skutt Hot Start Pro
Being a 12 year old boy, Zander can be impatient. His patience was test when he got to programme the Skutt kiln. Lots of button pushing and comments of 'oh come on' haha.
Corrine is working on teaching him how to programme this type of electric kiln.
Click on the photo to watch Zander's YouTube video.