Supply Truck Today

If you've ordered any supplies and are waiting for them, they are due in today (still no full-line distributor since the demise of the last one). That includes more Taurus 3 Ringsaws, Sys96 glass stuff such as the new Striker Almond (very cool!),  all manner of frits and powders, popular Yogi colours such as the perpetually sold out YO4444, lead and zinc cames, Tekta, Papyrus, DL drivebelts, weird heads such as the 5/8" Starlet, some great new Uroboros ( lots of great hot solid colours such as reds and yellows) and about 1200 more sale squares are due today.

Lack of Glass Knowledge Affects Toronto Couple's Relationship

TORONTO, ON— The budding three day romance between Gary Browne and Theresa Teacher ended this week after a failed series of questions over fusible glass caused Browne to re-evaluate Theresa's attractiveness as a potential spouse. 
"So I ask Theresa, what's the coefficient of expansion of glass? And she says it's the length a piece of glass expands and contracts over time. 
And my response is.... no, not even close," said Browne.
"Then I asked her, if the expansion of Spectrum fusible is .00000096, is that the numerical expression of the percentage change in length per degree change in temperature?'.
And Theresa says no. And I'm all like, ummmm, WRONG!".
"And I start thinking, do I really want to marry a woman who is going to have kids that are as glass fusing science inept as she is?"
"Theresa just didn't seem like the kind of Mom who is going to teach her future kids the truly important things in life, like compatibility testing and how to use a stressometer. So I had to dump her."
"It's really sad because I did care about her and we had some great times. But her glass skills are just the kind that can't keep an average guy like me interested. And I don't want my future children growing up with a mother that can barely conduct a thread pull or bar test after a massive amount of coaching. That's just not acceptable."
According to Lani McGroggy at Bulls MatchMates, a Toronto-based dating agency, this sort of male behavior is very common now, in a powerful emerging trend referred to in dating agency circles as "glass shallowness".
"We're seeing more and more 'glass shallow' men come in who don't even want to see a photo of the woman, but who want to know whether her preference for glass lies in the copperfoil or lead technique, or whether they prefer Bullseye, Uroboros or Spectrum for fusing. It's really becoming a crisis for us because it's getting to be every guy who walks in our doors - and they are openly rejecting women who refuse to even consider the use of Bullseye or Uroboros art glass," noted McGroggy.
"My best advice to a young woman who wants to date and possibly marry is three words: Glass, glass, glass. It seems that the average beer-guzzling, hockey-watching Canadian male just doesn't care about physical appearance or a nice personality anymore - all he can think about is coefficients of expansion, appropriate copper foil widths and the proper application of patinas.
Browne may have found a new match - a Beginner Stained Glass student at Fantasy In Glass named Louie Barcelona, whom he met during a Saturday seminar on mosaics.
"I was just kind of chatting with Louie, feeling her out, seeing if she was hot or not, and I asked her about Mikey's formula, and she's all whispering in my ear going 'Mikey's formulas are only valid for linear systems with an invertible matrix coefficient', and I almost died. Theresa never did anything like that. Louie Barcelona is one woman who knows how to talk to a man."

Upcoming Seminars

Puddles and Plates........ Sat. November 1 and 8
Be The Glass................................... Thur. Nov. 6
Xmas Fused Ornaments........ Sat. November 15
Intro to Fusing................................. Sat. Nov. 22
Glass Cutting and Jigs........... Sat. November 29
Decorative Soldering............. Sat. November 29
Soldering in the Nude.......... Nov. 31 (sorry- full)

More details here.

The FIG Reasonably Helpful Hint of the Once in Awhile

Dig out that old Neil Sedaka (isn’t it Neil Dekaka?...Mike) CD (Vanna’s is usually in her player… Mikey) and remove the disc, ‘cuzz we’re gonna give you a great use for that case. 
Take a hacksaw and cut a single notch through the middle of the top side of the top part of the CD case. Still with me? Put a roll of copper foil inside said case. Pull foil through said cut slot. Bingo! Instant foil dispenser. 
Relegate Neil Sedaka CD to burnishing tool. Can’t figure it out? Come in and see our sample (but leave Neil at home...Ed)(He prefers Tony Orlando...Mikey).

Ernest Ainsley Has Got Nothing On Mikey

Watch in amazement and wonder as Mikey miraculously heals a sheet of glass... 

The Circle of Life

Allow this author a quiet moment to reminisce and share something with you.
This is a picture of a moment frozen in time. 
Decades ago. 
A time where you left your front door unlocked. When you let your dog, Spot (for real) out the front door to roam the whole day free without fear and retribution. Where liquor was bought by nervously sliding a paper tag to a judgemental store clerk. 
In other words, it was a time when Mikey was born. 
Now I just know that this picture will surely bring a tear to the eye of some of you. 
And for that I apologize. 
But it was necessary.  
For a couple of reasons.
Firstly, you might have noticed there is not a single picture of our extremely handsome and benevolent leader on this website. 
Until now.
Yes, folks, that is Mikey being lovingly swaddled in the arms of his mother Mary, as his father, Josef gazes lovingly into his eyes. 
Just as you all now can do also. 
Secondly, we get to share with you something seldom seen today. 
You get an opportunity to see the stylish features found in a late 1950's home, unsullied by third world manufacturers and Ikea. 
Take special note of the cabinet to the left of Mikey's dad for that is the first new thing that they ever bought. 
And fifty five years later it proudly resides in the home of Joe and Mary's granddaughter.
With  a stained glass window made by her... 

Upcoming Seminar

Think you know everything?
If you do then don't bother reading any further (like Mikey). 
But if you don't, then consider coming in this Saturday October 25 for our Intro to Fusing seminar with Louie the 'I'm not from Barcelona' Instructor. 
This is a hands-on day (but hands off Louie- the class after all is only $155.00 with $40.00 as a store credit) will teach you everything you'd need to know to explore the world of fusing, the fastest growing segment in glass art and crafts. Bring your hand tools as you will make lots of stuff this day and we'll fire it for you. 

Correction

Last month, The Fig Blog known as the Diary of a Demented Store Owner, mistakenly reported that a sudden and completely unpredictable auto accident had crippled Ferrous Man Moe Davis, and that an investigatory probe had found the Bambini Bros. completely blameless in the accident. 
In actuality, these events will take place next week. 
The Diary regrets the error. This however does give us the opportunity to remind you of all our free patterns found here...

Recent Changes to the Store

Everything You Wanted To Know About Gold-Pinks But Were Terrified To Ask

True Gold-Pinks and Gold-Purples are perhaps the most sought after colours in stained/fused glass. They are also unfortunately the rarest and most expensive of all available colours. Your job, should you choose to accept it is to continue reading and find out what all the mystery is about when it comes to making and using true Gold-Pinks and why people go through all this trouble and expense.

There are all manner of weird and wonderful things some glass chemists can put into glass formulas as colourants; for example, to get a nice plum-pink, Purple Gourds from the Albania foothills work quite well (only if picked ripe and in season... Ever Helpful Vanna Opal). However conventional scientists are less daring and creative and will resort to science and use manganese and cobalt to get these colours in transparent glass. The one problem with this is that when you look at glass made this way under incandescent light the colour shifts to brown. We hate when that happens.

So, what to do? 

It seems while melting down some of Aunt Edna's heirlooms we found out her diamonds couldn't cut glass 'cause that's what they were made of (seems Aunt Edna was just as lacking in scruples as some others...Ed) and when it mixed in with the molten gold, we got a really cool Gold-Pink coloured glass. It seems we had accidentally discovered that gold is the only element which provides the glassmaker with the exact colouring properties to create true hot-pinks, cranberry and purple tones. And most importantly, colours that are enhanced by incandescent (lightbulb) light in both transparent and opalescent glasses.

But why gold? 

Here's where it gets kind of technical, so hang on. Colours in glass are created by the selective transmission of narrow parts of the visible spectrum of light. To get a hot pink or grape purple we have to be able to transmit some light from both the red and blue ends of the spectrum at the same time while simultaneously absorbing all the turquoise, green and yellow in the middle of the spectrum. Gold is the only thing that can do this miraculous feat (Mike never tried, but probably could too!)

Gold combines together in relatively small non-crystalline particles of thousands or millions of gold ions (for techies we call this a colloidal colourant). The final size of these particles determines the colour we see. The gold ions have to travel through the glass as it cools and stiffens. If they migrate too fast, the particles get too large, and we get brown tones. If they move too slowly, they remain so small that little no colour develops at all. Ah, the trials and tribulations of melting down Aunt Edna's jewelry! What's a thieving chemist to do? Hey, those candlesticks of Aunt Edna's that were on the mantle, aren't they made out of lead? Perfect, let's see if they help. Seems lead is universally used to control this migration rate, and thereby the colour of the Gold-Pink (worry warts take note- all glasses we carry pass environmental tests for leaching- the lead is bound tightly into the surrounding glass and does not leach out- not the case when Aunt Edna's candlesticks were out in the open ready to instantly poison innocent unsuspecting women and children).

So, if you're making a lamp and need real pink flowers, the only way it will really read true under incandescent light is if it's made using gold! That explained why I needed Aunt Edna's jewelry- it was done for your benefit!

By the way, manufacturers actually buy and use real gold, usually in the form of Krugerrands dissolved in Aqua Regia.

And as a test, Mikey has pulled out some of his private reserve of Bullseye Glass in Gold-Pink, Gold-Purple and Coral Pink in both fusible and non (same price for either) at about 1/3 the current market cost- all in one little box all by their lonesome...!

Christmas Ornaments Fusing Seminar!

Again, remember ... if Sandy can do it...

... then so can you.

Yes, folks. That’s right!
Now you too can be somewhat ok at this craft as she has almost sort of become.
Here Sandy somewhat modestly shows off her 432nd batch of fused pieces she made just after taking our one day Fusing Seminar With Louie (I'm not from Barcelona) Deeaz.
And now she has decided that this is the best way to be able to continue to afford wieners for her Mac’n’Cheese by making fused Christmas ornaments for all her friends and family.
And she’ll do so by taking the newest Seminar being taught by Louie 'I'm Not From Barcelona' Deeuz.

Get prepared now for the Christmas season & get your fill of fusing. Over the summer the staff ( Vanna & Voovoo to be specific) have been filling up the kilns with adorable fused Christmas themed ornaments.

This seminar includes a comprehensive folder of patterns and inspiration (for you to keep), studio time, all firings, some of Mikey’s bad jokes (don’t worry- not all of them). It will also include accessory glass such as stringers, noodles, glass rods and dots, some wires for wrapping, frits and powders, and Xmas appropriate refreshments, all conducted under the watchful eye of your instructor. Louie will go over the basics of fusing and will teach various techniques related to making these ornaments (i.e. wire wrapping).

Just bring your personal tools and fusible glass and get ready to rumble ( oops wrong ad).

Cost ........ $99.00
Saturday November 15, 2014 .............. 10:30 am to 3:30 pm 

A Piece of FIG History

Here's your chance to get a legitimate and official (signed) piece of Fantasy In Glass history.
More importantly to make a charitable donation towards the Silvercreek Preschool!
Mikey and the staff tore down a set of glass racks today. 
You see it seems ever more popular for our customers to buy from our sales racks so we decided to dance a rack and put a bunch of boxes on the floor in their place.
We even have a stop motion video of the process pending.
So, what's the history/donation angle?
We have a bunch of ruler straight pieces of plywood in 24" and 48" lengths which are absolutely perfect as stops for your lead/copperfoil projects and/or as a straight edge for drawing/strip glass cutting. Heck you can even build pretty things with them.
So, come in and throw 25 cents into our donation box for a 24" piece.
Or 50 cents for a 48" piece.

Due any day the very popular Lamps for All Seasons Calendar (all pre marked with Mikey's birthday noted)

No Need To Keep Those Cheques Coming

We really don't seem to sell many books these days and I'm guessing it's because of the internet. 
And when we give you guidance like here today on how to get stained glass patterns from the net for free, we'll sell even fewer.
So, looking for a pattern? Here's one of the best free tips you'll get today (aside from selling RIM).
Now be patient- it's not just the Google search thing that everybody knows about- there's more to it;

1) Stop looking at naughty pictures on the web and type into the Google search box a subject with the words 'stained glass' included.

Here's our beginning of a search for a pattern for a stained glass frog:

     

Now that's a familiar page. But here's where things get so much better.

2) Now click on the word 'Images' which you'll find on the left side of this page;

                     

3) This is where things get really cool- now click on the words 'Line drawing' and here's what you'll get:

                  

4) Oh yeah, best tip now?
Sell your stock in Indigo/Chapters

This is a very clever glass! Like Mikey (yeah right... Vanna Opal)
In its cold state (like Vanna?... Mikey), it looks like an Almond Opal, but when fused, you'll discover just how unique
this formula is.
In the full-fused examples (above), you can see that the center lightens considerably while the outer edge remains its original colour, creating stunning effects in pieces built on-edge, or stacked.
In addition to this cool 'sandwich' effect, Vanilla Cream is also highly reactive (again, like Vanna... Mikey) when fused next to Copper-bearing glasses as seen in the sample tile (below) with Blues and Greens interspersed with the Vanilla Cream.

Proof!

... that in spite of what Spectrum Glass may think, they really do make a glass (also sys96) that is called Barney Purple!

Sales page Update

The latest version of Mikey's Unpredictable and Sporadically Always Changing Sales Page has changed and added stuff- see here (you might need to do a page refresh)...

The Why and What of Kerosene As A Cutter Lube

One of the things we get worked up about is all the misinformation about glass cutter lubricants. So much so that we feel compelled to rerun this blog entry;

It was a Canadian who discovered kerosene and invented the kerosene lamp. Dr. Abraham Gesner showed off his invention in 1846 on Prince Edward Island (how do you think he figured out where he was? He could finally see the map). He named it by putting the Greek word for wax, keros with the shape of his belly button, ene (not an oute).
Dad said you really never learn to swear until you learn to drive. That's not true- it's when cutting glass with the wrong lubricant. Yes folks, it's true- the type and the quality of lubrication is critical to successful glass cutting.
Now, a bit of a discussion as to why you want to use kerosene and nothing else as a cutter lube:
Glass is a strange material- it's not a solid, or a liquid, but a vitreous solution- something exhibiting traits of both and none of either- oh, never mind, just read FigHelper # 7 for an explanation, we must move on. The only thing you need to concern yourself with for the purpose of this discussion here is that the outside skin of glass is in a state of 'tension' (sort of like Mikey's home right now…), holding the middle in 'compression'. 
When making a score with your glass cutter, the wheel only penetrates the surface of the glass by a mere 1/1000th of an inch (less than that in centimeters…helpful Ed), into the area of tension, but, at the same time it drives a crack well into the deeper compression layer. Using a lubricant will minimize excess surface fractures as your wheel rolls along the glass. A lubricant literally 'oils' the score line reducing surface damage, and as a bonus it reduces the tendency of the score to heal itself (that's Earnest Ainsley's job). 

The lubricant best suited to this job? Kerosene of course!
Now, while you might be a better person for understanding the principle behind making a score, you're not really any closer to finding out why we want you to use kerosene. After all, why put oil (which kerosene is) on glass that's already clean? This means we'll have to clean the glass before copper foiling or fusing people tend to whine. 
Oh, the horror. 

Hey, if we analyze the purpose of a lubricant we could theoretically use any liquid (don't go there Ed). After all, it's the presence of a liquid that's important, not the type. Sounds kind of like Deja Moo- the feeling that you've heard this bull before.
But why kerosene? Let me illustrate the ways;

1) Well, most importantly it is a liquid.
2) It "facilitates the smoothest penetration of the glass surface, keeping microscopic chipping to a minimum" according to the experts.
3) It's cheap and widely available.
4) Its oil base protects cutters from corrosion unlike many of the synthetic cutter lubricants that make unscrupulous retailers lots of money.
5) It evaporates almost totally, leaving little residue.
6) It is not sticky, and will not thicken in viscosity over time therefore it won't clog up the wetting wick in your cutter.

Let's expand a bit here and discuss the cutter wheel doing all the work. The angle to which the wheel edge is ground is the hone angle. This is an important factor in determining how well the wheel can have and then hold a sharp point. Getting it right with steel is very difficult, as steel does not allow itself to be well sharpened and then almost impossible to keep sharp. To compensate, manufacturers steepen the hone angle to compensate for steel's weakness. Stained glass cutters with steel wheels average 114- 120 degrees hone angle. The ubiquitous Toyo Supercutter's tungsten carbide wheel uses a wide (135 degree) hone angle with a very sharp point.
Now what does all this highly technical talk about hone angles have to do with cutting glass. Well, it seems that the difference in impact between a steel wheeled (steeper angle- blunt point) cutter and a tungsten carbide (shallow angle- sharp point) one is sort of like dancing with a 250 pound man in open toed (but with wool socks) sandals or with a woman wearing an off the shoulder chiffon red dress and matching stiletto heels. The pressure applied to the glass is directly proportional to the amount of wheel touching the surface of the glass. This is one of the reasons carbide wheels regularly outlast steel by 50-1.
That is all.

Schlitz Furnaces Art Glass

Jim Schlitz was famous for his talent at replicating Tiffany style glass for his lamps and restoration work. 
Sadly it no longer exists.except here!
Mikey bought up the Canadian distributor's entire stock and is the only source for this glass anywhere in the world! Originally priced at $30 - $40 per sq. ft. this glass really is spectacular- surface crazing, exotic colour mixes, ring mottles and streakies, weird textures- we've got it all.
So if you want something different you can't get more unique than this! 
Now being sold in half sheets at really amazing prices!

Our Intermediate Classes

Last week Mikey slinked downstairs and was shocked to find out that instead of an Intermediate Course taking place, there was some sort of Lunch Club going on. 
And these students are paying FIG real money for this!
In any case, it seems that if Mikey sneaks down a bit earlier people are actually doing stuff.
Some of them now going on 25 years. 
Some doing foil. Or lead. Or mosaics. 
Even fusing (because firings are included in the cost of the course).
And all under the tutelage of Theresa, another of our loyal and longtime instructors. And she does it all- glass, pottery, painting in several mediums. Even brings Mikey coffee.
Anyhow, we thought this would be a good opportunity to post a few pics (this way Mikey can believe that some glass work actually takes place... Vanna Opal).

Just keep Mikey away from the Wed Night Class- his head will explode!

Social Media

We've had a Facebook presence for a few of years now. 

And when we say we, we mean both Fantasy In Glass and Figimodo.

We also have a YouTube channel.

And an Instagram feed.

Even a Twitter feed.

And our long time running blog (still the go to place with over 1500 entries and counting)

Join us on Facebook and "Like us" to make our blog entries, product announcements, and industry tidbits part of your Facebook newsfeed.

Russians Claim IMF Loans Lost Making Fantasy In Glass Purchases

Russian finance officials attempted to refute accusations of illegal money laundering by claiming that tens of dollars were lost making purchases during Fantasy In Glass's current Sale. 
"Ve knew that Louie Tiffany vonce made a small fortune vif little inwestment so ve thought ve could increase the walue of monies ve vere receiwing from the International Monetary Fund," said Finance Minister Gary Brownoff. Unfortunately, the money was put into Armstrong orange and blue cathedral glass to mass produce teddy bear night lights to cheer up the proletariat at their dachas during the long, cold and dark winters, when their staff colourist mentioned that teddy bears don't come in those colours.
"I guess ve goofed as you Canadians say." Brownoff so eloquently admitted. 
Federal investigators looking into the missing funds weren't satisfied with the explanation knowing that Armstrong Glass is available virtually nowhere in Canada, and intend to further pursue the money trail. 
"The Russians have been losing more money than some Toronto stained glass retailers so we believe there is more to this story," said Pat McNeil, spokesperson for the Customs Service, who requested her name remain anonymous.

Bottle Fuse and Slump

Mikey was gifted a beautiful fused and slumped bottle from Gwen The Friday Student which has been greatly admired by all those who darken our doorstep. 
She has also been gracious to offer her firing schedule for this project for anyone else that may want to duplicate it.

The bottle fuse & slump in one firing is:

325 to 1000 hold 10

300 to 1360 hold 30 (this varies with the type of bottle – see note below)

Full to 970 hold 45

Note:  Different bottles fuse at different temps.  I’ve gone as high as 1380 and as low as 1350.  Sometimes I get little spurs on the sides which if they are small enough I smooth out with sand paper.  If they are too big to sand, I refire at a lower temp.

Thanks Gwen!

Uroboros Glass

Uroboros is the seventh studio album by Japanese metal band Dir En Grey. The album is named after the Ouroboros symbol, which is a dragon or snake figure depicted in full circle consuming itself. This represents continuity and the cycle of power, emphasizing the theme of reincarnation.
Do I hear 'lawsuit'?
Happily, this is not the Uroboros we wish to talk about today although their name carries the same symbolism as the heavy metal band.
Uroboros Glass Studios is a smallish devoted quality oriented art glass manufacturer located in Portland Oregon and really is the world leader in representational art glass, or Tiffany Glass. They manufacture an incredibly wide and vivid range of colours, styles, and special effects sheet glass. Their glass is hand cast glass, made in small runs and has a very unique look and superior cutability. Their broad palette of styles of art glass includes Tiffany inventions such as ring mottles, drapery glass and fracture/streamers.
Heck, they even make Sys96 glass for fusing.
Do we have much? 
You bet. Here's just a few of Mikey's favourites pulled from the racks-

This Is Why

Mikey and some of the FIG Staff have been fusing now for over 30 years (hard to believe- Mikey looks so young... Louie). So far back that there was no fusible glass being marketed at that time so we had to do our own testing (I can tell you stories of buying spark plug gap setters to use in testing... Mikey) and much of what we learnt was by trial and error.
Because of Mikey's deep seated love for fusing, we always carried the largest and most varied selection of glass for kiln work as well as kilns, molds, accessory glass, rods, etc.
And as for sheet glass we were an official Bullseye Dealer for years, bought from Uroboros and also carried Wasser and Spectrum Glass. Add the three together and we stocked at one time well over 600 colours!
So what happened to Bullseye? Why don't we carry it any longer? 
This is why-

Figimodo Has a Couple of Sales Page Notes

The Taurus 3 Ringsaw at $399.88! How does Mikey do it? And for a Canadian sourced model too! Our shipment is almost totally sold out so if interested in getting one don't delay.

And our 60/40 5 lb solder spool sale has been way too good a sale (yippee, wieners in my Mac'n'Cheese tonight! ... Mikey).
Want to get in on our solder sale?
Then hurry as it ends on Oct. 11.

Who Knew?!

Snuck downstairs this afternoon and this is what I saw-

After all these years I thought there actually was a stained glass Intermediate Class being held downstairs!

Upcoming Seminar

Dates now set for Saturday and now including a Thursday night!

#303- Be The Glass- Fusing and Firing Schedules
This seminar allows you access to one of the most unique and interesting fusing repositories (suppositories? … Vanna Opal)… Mikey’s Brain.
Mikey has been fusing for over 30 years, even before compatible glasses were readily available. He has so much technical information in his brain he is losing space and needs to share all that information before his head explodes. This seminar is not only going to be extremely useful for fusers of all levels, but it may just save his life. Mikey can answer those questions you all have… Why didn’t that fuse the way I wanted? Why didn’t my plate fall as far as I wanted when it slumped? Why is my plate pulling in on the edges? Why are there bubbles in my piece? Why is the sky blue? Why is my piece picking up so much texture? How long should I anneal my piece?
Many fusers may know the basics of firing, because there are enough schedules available out there. But, do you know why you might fire at 200 degrees an hour and not 800 degrees? Do you know how many segments to use in a firing schedule? Or why annealing temps and lengths may differ? Can you program a Bartlett Controller? Do you know what that button with the X on it is used for on... oops, that’s Playstation, never mind. This seminar will teach you to think and ‘be the glass’ allowing you to use your own logic in determining a proper firing schedule that is project specific and the reasoning behind altering/adapting a program. We will cover such technical topics as developing and adjusting firing

schedules for your kiln, understanding why firing schedules are so important, annealing, troubleshooting project issues, programming your kiln, avoiding unwanted bubbles, volume control, and most importantly (and most requested) SLUMPING!

    Cost of this course includes multiple handouts. And don't be afraid- bring in some of your pieces to share and/or critique.

Saturday October 4, 2014 ......... 10:30 am to 12:30 pm

Thursday November 6, 2014 ......... 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Cost .................................. $19.00 

Sales Page Update

Our Monthly Sales page is now The Unpredictable and Sporadically Always Changing Sales Page and already Mikey has changed and added stuff- see here (you might need to do a page refresh)...

If you don't go there  often do so this time because there is a really good one you may have been waiting for!