slumping bottles

[CydneyF]

I bought an e-book online, can’t remember the name but you could google it.  However, I did not learn anything I did not already know by experimenting with various bottles and using a firing schedule I got out of an article in Stained Glass News and then adjusted it to my kiln.  I have fired wine bottles, beer bottles, liquor bottles and even canning jars with great results.  People really like them; I often joke that my goal as a glass artist was not to slump and sell bottles, but the recycling aspect is great and if it makes people happy, why not.  I run some loads of them around other projects.  Don’t mix bottles or add glass or other decorations during firing since the COE won’t be compatible.  Here is the firing schedule I use in my Evenheat GTS 2541-13, large oval kiln:

700 dph to 1100 hold 10 min

900 dph to 1465 hold 15 min

9999 dph (as fast as possible) to 1050 hold 20 min

150 dph to 850 hold 60 min (anneal)

300 dph to 120 hold 0 min

turn off and allow to cool to touch

I haven’t had any bottles crack and not much devit with this schedule.  You may need to adjust to your kiln; if the bottles don’t slump flat enough increase second ramp to 1500.

I hope this helps.  Good luck with it!

Cydney